Anniya
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" What is this thing doing in my household?" Those were the first words Madame Olga said to Anniya. Char stepped forward.
" Forgive us, Madame, but we've just come back from patrolling the border. I was aware that you have two young daughters of your own, and I hoped that perhaps she could stay here until this evening? My dearest apologies if this is inconvenienced to you, it's just that I thought"
" Oh.....well, we certainly would not want to be inconveniencing our Prince, would we? Won't you come in for a moment? Our cook has just prepared some lovely cakes, and Hattie is right up" " Forgive me, Madame, but we need to be on to the Palace. We will see you later this evening at the old castle. Is perchance Ella here......?" Char's voice trailed off when Robert nudged him.
" My congratulations on your wedding, and thank you, again." Char bowed, and left, leaving Anniya to face to singly most large woman she had ever seen in her life.
The woman was tall and plump, with long, wavy honey colored tresses that Anniya severely doubted were real. How Char thought that she would be better cleaned up here then the palace, she would never know. It was true though that the castle was bustling with meetings, it being the time of year; and that probably the last time the royal family had time for was helping an orphan girl. And that is how Madame Olga and Anniya came to be, staring down each other in Madame Olga's grand hall.
" Well," Madame Olga finally said.
" This is certainly a surprise." she clapped her hands. Several servants came.
" See that she is cleaned up. Is that hideous stench coming from you as well?" she asked Anniya. Anniya jutted out her chin, and kept her mouth shut, anger boiling up inside of her. As the water was boiling for her bath, a scream suddenly erupted.
" What is she doing in here?" a voice almost as syrupy as her mother's called out.
One of the taller servants spoke for Anniya.
" She's just cleaning up in here, Milady. Surely she isn't a bother of yours."
" Well, I'd say she is. How do you expect me to prepare for Mama's wedding if this thing is in here. See that she is taken out immediately." Taken out? Am I a flower or a girl, Anniya wondered. The servant tried again.
" It'll only be a minute, Milady Hattie. Surely you can wait a moment." The girl sighed, letting large front teeth show. She was a miniature version of her mother, personality and all, Anniya thought.
" Servants! Do you not know how to obey when your betters are addressed." And so with that, Anniya was moved once again into a further room.
" Sorry about all the trouble, Miss. It's just with all the wedding preparations, the manor's in a bit of a bustle."
" I can see that." Anniya said. She stepped into the hot water, and clean sensation came over her. Smiling, she sank into the warm water. Anniya had always bathed in the Lucarno; nothing fancier. " Well, miss, I'm sorry but I don't know what to put you in. There are no gowns your size, I'm afraid. All the Ladies of the household are a mile taller then you, not to mention a mile wider." Anniya laughed at the girls obvious respect for her " betters."
" My name's Nancy. In case you need anything." the girl told her, pouring in more hot water.
" Thank you."
" I don't know what were going to have to do with these gowns though. I suppose I'll have to alter them."
In a few hours, Anniya was dressed and clean, a wonderful sensation that she hadn't felt in many years. Just when she thought it was possible for no more screams, a louder one came yet. Along with an incredibly high chirp. The color drained out of Anniya's face, and she raced out of the room, leaving Nancy behind. Following the scream, it led her out into the courtyard, where apparently one of Madame Olga's daughters had been with other participants in the wedding to come. The girl stood there and screamed like mad, as did all the people around her.
" Kill it, Kill it! It'll eat us all!" the girl screamed.
One of the manservant's ran out with a sword.
" No! Don't touch him!" Anniya screamed as the sword came down.
The man's sword stopped. Gleex stood menacingly, smoking like mad. The man servant held the sword suspiciously to her.
" Stand back, My lady, and get away! It's dangerous!" More servants were filing out to see what all the fuss was about. He was threatening her by accident.
" No, no, put your sword the other way, quick!" But it was too late.
Flames roared up, scalding the man. He yelled, and fell back, landing on the lawn. The green grass began crackling, and soon enough it was on fire as well. Hattie fainted, as did some of her friends. The servants frantically began scurrying for water, and trying to catch Gleex. The manservant and the stable help came out and got their weapons, chasing Gleex.
" No, no, you don't understand!" Anniya shouted in frustration.
She ran out after the men, who were chasing the frightened baby dragon, who was flying clumsily. In a few moments they'd have him. In just a few moments, all hell had broken loose. There was a fire on Madame Olga's prized front lawn, filled with exotic flowers; there were several ladies that had fainted, with servants trying to revive them and at the same time battle the flames; there were men chasing the baby Gleex all through this fire; and there was Anniya, who was following them.
" I said, stop!" Anniya tackled the manservant, who plummeted to the ground. Gleex raced into Anniya's arms, smoking happily.
" He's mine, you shouldn't upset him like that. Er, sorry." Anniya weakly said as about thirty people glared at her. Glaring at Gleex, she stood up and went back inside.
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" The girl is a walking catastrophe. I won't have her in my house a moment more then I have to. My prize roses were burnt to a crisp because she was carrying an illegal creature that almost hurt my Hattie. Your majesty must understand the circumstances." Madame Olga cooed at Robert, her arm entwined with Sir Peter of Frell's arm.
Granted, through what Robert had heard, Sir Peter hadn't seemed that crazy about the wedding. But then again, he had just missed the ceremony. Due to running late, he and Char had arrived in time for the costume ball. Robert hid a smile. That sounded like Anniya alright.
" I'm sure she didn't mean any harm. The dragon does get a little over excited."
" I should say so! Good gracious, I was certain that we were all doomed when I saw the entire household trying to put out a ravaging fire in front of my house. An overexcited, silly little girl who needs to be put in an orphanage. She's setting an awful example to so many...Oh why hello, Agatha!" Madame Olga bubbled, dismissing her attention from Robert.
Thankful that he had been released from her endless blabbering, he walked into the mass of dancing people. Chuckling, Robert wished that he could of seen the whole scenario; he could imagine Anniya running across the grand yard, chasing Gleex. He looked around, wondering where she was. Someone tapped him on the shoulder.
" Robert?"
He turned around, and saw a young, petite woman standing in front of him. Her hair was a pure, silky white blonde, done up in a bun with small ringlets hanging out. Her eyes were a sparkling, dancing green eyes, matching her dress. Her skin was smooth and unblemished like satin, and her lips were curved in a smile, red as roses. The scent of roses came off of her, and her dress was an Emerald green, with a two foot trail. The girl was absolutely, startlingly, beautiful.
" Anniya?" Robert asked, amazed.
" That was my name, last time I checked." she said, still smiling. Sparkling and clean, with her hair combed, Anniya was looked far different from the dirty girl he had met in the forest by chance many months ago. Despite the fact that she had no makeup on, she was still getting stares from every corner of the ballroom.
" You look.......different." Robert finished lamely.
Anniya laughed her sparkling, musical laugh that sounded more musical then ever coming from her now.
" Come on, Robert. I spend all day getting ready, and all that you can say is that I look different? Without the five layers of dirt covering my skin?" Robert shook his head, and laughed too.
" You look absolutely amazing. Shall we dance?" he bowed, and Anniya took his hand. They went into the gavotte.
" You look so different!" Robert told her as they went through a fury of steps. Anniya grinned, letting the sparkle of the girl he had known through. It reassured Robert, letting him know that even if Anniya had gone from a dirty girl to a beautiful young lady, she wasn't going to let it go to her head.
" You've told me that two times now." she replied mid-whirl.
" You do though. It's so - different seeing you and thinking, that's Anniya, not the belle of the ball." Anniya let out a very unladylike snort.
" Belle of the ball is stretching it a bit far. Everyone here that was at Madame Olga's household earlier is severely vexed with me." Robert laughed.
" I heard about Gleex. Olga can't wait to get rid of you."
" And I of her! The woman is obsessed! She primps herself in the mirror and counts her money, and drives me insane! If I have to spend another day with her, I'll scream." Robert laughed again. " I agree. The richest heiress in Frell, though. The girl Char fancies, Ella I believe her name is, is step daughter to her." At this Robert succeeded in making Anniya laugh. He loved hearing the sound of her laugh, as many people did.
" So, by chance, if Char and the Ella girl ever married, Madame Olga would be one of his in laws? I pity Char. Are you going to be staying in the palace for long?" Robert shook his head.
" I'm staying for only a few more days. After that, I'm accompanying Char to Ayorthora. He wanted me to come along. I don't blame him; that Court is just the type that would put Sleeping Beauty to sleep with out the spell."
" Oh bloody marvelous. So you and Char are going to go prancing off to Ayorthora. Where does that leave me? Hopefully not at this terrible woman's home." Robert laughed.
" No, thank god. You'll stay in the Palace, if you want, I believe."
" I hate it the way everyone keeps tossing my around like this. It's like I'm a dog or something. First there was West." she was silent for a moment.
" I'm not sure if I'm glad if he's gone or not. Then there was John, and now you and Char are leaving me. With my luck, I'll be having flame wars with Madame Olga and her horrible daughter Hattie for the rest of my time here." Robert twirled her around again.
" Why don't you come along with me and Char to Ayorthora? The country could certainly use some excitement." She stared at him for a moment.
" You honestly want me to come along with you to Ayorthora?" Anniya asked him.
" Yes, that's what it sounded like, didn't it?"
" Yes, but I got the impression that you thought I was an annoying dirty girl that was trying to push you around." Robert laughed.
" Anniya, you have pinpointed my opinion of you of about a month or two ago. Yes, I admit, back then you were an annoying, rude little minx."
" I am not a minx!"
" That's what Olga's calling you."
" Oh. Well let that hideous woman ruffle all the feathers she wants. What has she got against me, anyhow?"
" Oh, Anniya, Anniya, Anniya. You set her lawn on fire, she feels that you pushed your way into society, and above all, she's vexed because I'm spending time with you instead of her daughters, and Char is off god knows where."
" I haven't seen him. Where is he? I want to tell him that he held accountable for setting a fire in Madame Olga's front lawn." Before Robert could reply, a Knight tapped Anniya on the shoulder. " May I cut in?" he asked, and Robert let go of Anniya.
She danced with the Knight for only a few moments before another man cut in. Robert smiled; a few months ago, who would of ever thought that a dirty little Elf girl could of turned out to be the belle of the ball?
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Another chapter done, another chapter coming!!!!!! I am happy to say that I have just finished writing this one at 11:15 PM. I write my best stuff late at night,. Well, this chapters done. Next chapter, Hattie will stick her annoying little rabbit like self in to Anniya's business. Sorry if all the characters aren't exactly how they are in GC. Levine---- I can't even begin to imitate her fabulous style of writing and her wonderful characters. I'll post more soon; the whole party after the ball is going to take up 2 chapters.