*********blah. blah blah. blah blah blah. so bored. okay so i was talking to myself the other day and i was like "should i write the next chapter?" and i answered myself, "yes, of COURSE! you silly you!" but then i said "nay, i have no time!" and myself answered and said, "you are so right! what with two play practices every day (two seperate plays), all that homework you have, and that evil cold that is upon you, its no wonder you are waiting 5 or 6 days to write another chapter!" so i procrastinated. until this moment. i am at home for... another hour and a half.... and i decided to grace you all (HOPEFULLY) with my presence. and as i listen to liz phair, i am typing this. enjoy!**********

The ride to the palace could not have been worse. Gracie prattled non-stop about how much she adored the blue dress and how happy it was that I had wrinkled her lovely green one that was inferior to the blue dress. I clenched my right hand while I rapped on the window with my left hand, willing myself not to tear Gracie's voicebox out.

As we drew nearer to the palace, Gracie learned toward me with an eager look on her face. "Can I tell you a secret?" she whispered childishly.

I rolled my eyes and looked out the window at the slight drizzle that was coming down. "Keep your comments to yourself, Gracie," I muttered.

Gracie sat back and folded her arms over her chest. She stuck out her lower lip and glared at me. Then she threw her head back and laughed. "I don't care that you won't listen. I'll tell you anyway."

Oh, please, I thought. Please, please, please! Quiet her! make the carriage go faster or something, just get make her stop talking!

She leaned forward again. "I am going to marry the prince," she said boldly. When I only rolled my eyes at her, she continued talking. "Mama does not know it, and if you tell her, I'll tell you YOU!"

"What's there to tell?" I said offensively.

"I'll tell her about you stealing food from her and sold it to streetrats to make money for this gown I'm wearing," she said snobbishly.

"I didn't do that!" I exclaimed.

Gracie rested in her seat and smirked. "I know," she said quietly. She sat there smirking at me and shaking with laughter, sitting in the dress I had received from the tailor. What made it worse was when she noticed the delicate silver chain that Figaro had gave me back at the market. She then seized it, threatening to break it AND tell Mildred lies if I didn't let her have it.

The rest of the trip was composed of her sitting, smiling evilly, laughing, wearing my dress and necklace (my only two valuable posessions, may I remind you), and telling me how wonderful the ball would be.

The carriage pulled up to the palace and the footman opened the door for us, holding out an umbrella to shelter us from the rain. He walked us to the door, which opened from the inside to reveal hundreds of people (mostly women), waiting for the ball to start.

Gracie scoffed. "These OLDER women think they have a chance for Prince Sampson against ME? HA!"

"Gracie," I said, "I thought your family hated the royal family."

She stuck out her tongue at me right as the hall got very quiet. The reason: Prince Sampson was at the head of the hall, waiting to talk.

"I'm very sorry everyone," he said, and the sound of his voice sent a wonderful tingle down my spine. Why it did that I didn't know. "We will have the ball in the ballroom now. We were just getting ready. If you will follow me..." He then lead us through a side door.

As the enormous crowd followed him, a girl standing near to me began talking to no one in particular. "They say this hall is where the story of the king and queen's love took place," she said as she chewed on her tongue nervously. She was very jumpy. "I think that's a sign that he is going to marry one of us!" Many women around us let out longing sighs.

"Eh, now!" exclaimed the girl chewing her tongue, looking me up and down. "What happened to your dress? It looks 'orrible! Now that girl there," she said, pointing at Gracie, "her dress is the proper dress to wear to a ball for the prince."

I clenched my teeth and nodded. "I agree," I said quietly. "This WAS hers originally, but out of the good of my heart I traded her."

The same girls that had let out longing sighs now let out words of appreciation, such as "Oh, how nice of you!" and so forth. One of them even said, "That's okay. My mother always told me that if he was a prince worth having, he wouldn't care what you wore to the ball."

At that moment, we entered the ballroom. It was spectacular, reaching up to the very heavens, it seemed. The whole room was glittering and sparkling, and the marble floor was shining. The sky outside was full of perfect little stars just waking up from their daily sleep. I was entranced by looking out those huge windows into the heavens.

Gracie shook me. "Come ON, Zoi! You're so stupid, standing there with that stupid look on your face and that stupid dress on!" She was mad at me for lying to the women around us. "The prince is starting a greeting line and I want to be there very first!"

I let her drag me across that heavenly room to where Sampson was waiting, already talking to a group of giggly women. Gracie groaned.

"See?" she whined, stomping her foot. "You made us not first!" She whined the whole time, until we reached Prince Sampson. She then pasted a horrible smile on her face and raised her voice ever so slightly. "Oh, hello, your highness!"

The prince smiled genuinely back, as good as his nature was. "Good evening, Lady..."

"Gracie!" she said quickly. "LADY Gracie, that is. This is my first ball, but I'm sure I'll have plenty more. I don't have a beaux, you know!" She rambled on and on about countless subjects until Prince Sampson said stopped her by telling her to save him a dance. She then took off toward the food table breathing hard.

"Ah," said Prince Sampson happily. "How are you doing, Lady Zoi?" he asked. "I thought you wanted nothing to do with me! Why are you here?"

"My aunt wanted me to come," I said, curtsying politely.

"How nice," he said falsely. "I was hoping you would have come for more reason than your aunt, though, Zoi."

"Such as..?" I said, although I knew the answer.

"Such as me, seeing as we're old friends," he replied, kissing my hand. "And now, I must see my other guests, as I am the only host here at the moment."

"What about your--er--mother and father?" I asked, walking away slow enough to give him time to reply.

"They are delayed by the rain. They were out visiting our friends--Areida and Will--and..." He gave me a peculiar look. "Well, anyway, they will be here later tonight."

"Thank you, Sam," I said. "I guess I will see you around the ball."

"Save me a dance, Zoi," he called back.

I nodded and turned around, nearly running into Gracie, who was glaring at me with one hand on her hip and one hand holding a plate loaded with sweets. "Speaking so casually to the prince, Zoi? You shouldn't do that. I'll tell mother."

"Oh, please," I said, too happy to care for her. Why was I happy. "Leave me alone right now, Gracie. I'm going to dance."

**************

sigh.

wow that one was long!!! i said i had an hour and half left? well now i only have 15 minutes left! i should be proud of myself.

i hope you enjoyed that one. PLEASE review!!

ta.

have a great day.