***Please review people! It really makes my day lol! This is my very 1st
fic, so have mercy!!!lol***
Ella peeked out from behind the heavy red curtains for the thousandth time.
"Relax Ella, no need to worry. I'm sure they'll love you." Ella smiled wearily at her husband's attempted comfort, but she was too anxious to be consoled. Again she peeked out of the curtains, and looked at the mass assembled below.
They were in the town square, but it had been temporarily ridden of the usual carts and stands. In their place was what seemed to be almost all of Frell. Mostly humans, the crowd was a mass of babbling subjects. There even seemed to be a few gnomes and elves scattered about. Upon looking closer, Ella noticed a familiar green face. It was Slannen, the elf that been so generous to her on her escape from finishing school. A surge of guilt shot at Ella, as she remembered that she had never been able to return the pony that they loaned her.
Ella suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, and withdrew her head from the curtain. "Did finishing school not teach you proper manners?" Char teased.
"I'll bet you father would be ashamed", Ella mocked manners mistress.
"Well you can see for yourself what he thinks" Char said as the upcoming king approached. Ella immediately straitened up. While she had met with the king several times before, she was still not accustomed to talking to such royal pupils. "Oh come on, he won't bite", Char edged me forward smiling.
Ella flipped her head around and stuck her tongue out at Char. As the king and queen approached her, she swept into her most graceful curtsy.
Manners mistress would be proud.
"My dear son!" King Jerrold boomed as Char joined Ella's side. Through his beard, a jolly smile broke out upon spotting Ella. "And my dear daughter Eleanor! So wonderful to see you both! Not nervous are you?" Ella opened her mouth to respond, but realized that the question had been directed to Char.
Upon looking closer, she realized that her knees weren't the only ones shaking.
"Of course not", Char lied, obviously embarrassed.
Ella felt a person brush past her, and realized that it had been High Chancellor Thomas. He swept through the curtains, and Ella caught a glimpse of a crowd politely clapping as he began his introductions. "We are gathered here on this day..." High Chancellor Thomas began his usual droning. But Ella was much too nervous to listen to the rest.
The Queen beckoned her back towards the three grouped together. "Hello my dear Eleanor." "Please your majesty, call me Ella" she blurted out, all too soon realizing how rude it was to contradict the Queen.
But the Queen didn't seem to take notice. "Of course, but you need not bother yourself with all of this formal mumbo jumbo. You may call me Daria or mother if you wish." She said the word mother tenderly, being well aware of the great loss that Ella had suffered of her mother.
Ella considered this for a moment. While she knew she could never replace mother if she tried, she knew that the queen's intentions were good, and anyway, she liked Queen Daria. "Alright...mother", Ella said shyly, for probably the first time in her life.
The queen seemed to suddenly come to her senses as she told the couple of the plans for assembly. "...Now High Chancellor Thomas will do that thing that he does, and introduce us. Jerrold will make a short speech, and then introduce the pair of you. Don't be worried my dear" she added upon the look on Ella's face. "Oh! Jerrold, that's our cue!" and with a wave she turned and the royal pair waltzed out onto the stage.
This was when Ella's nerves started to really kick in. She was rarely scared to be in front of people, she often enjoyed having attention. But for her this was too much. She longed for the warm embrace of her old cook. As if by magic, Ella suddenly heard the words "Now just calm down love" followed by a deep embrace.
She turned to see her fairy godmother standing there wiping tears from her own eyes. "Lady would have been proud" Mandy said, beaming through her tears. Ella once again hugged her tightly willing not to let go.
"Ella dear, I think that your prince wants you", she said withdrawing from her after several moments. Ella turned to see Char standing there, handsomely smiling.
Ella realized that she would have to go outside now and leave Mandy. She wanted to run to her, and hug her for all of eternity, but she just instead said "Do I look alright Mandy?"
"You look beautiful darling. Now go on!" she said nudging her along.
Ella returned to Char's side, and together they walked out through the curtains, holding each others hands.
Ella peeked out from behind the heavy red curtains for the thousandth time.
"Relax Ella, no need to worry. I'm sure they'll love you." Ella smiled wearily at her husband's attempted comfort, but she was too anxious to be consoled. Again she peeked out of the curtains, and looked at the mass assembled below.
They were in the town square, but it had been temporarily ridden of the usual carts and stands. In their place was what seemed to be almost all of Frell. Mostly humans, the crowd was a mass of babbling subjects. There even seemed to be a few gnomes and elves scattered about. Upon looking closer, Ella noticed a familiar green face. It was Slannen, the elf that been so generous to her on her escape from finishing school. A surge of guilt shot at Ella, as she remembered that she had never been able to return the pony that they loaned her.
Ella suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, and withdrew her head from the curtain. "Did finishing school not teach you proper manners?" Char teased.
"I'll bet you father would be ashamed", Ella mocked manners mistress.
"Well you can see for yourself what he thinks" Char said as the upcoming king approached. Ella immediately straitened up. While she had met with the king several times before, she was still not accustomed to talking to such royal pupils. "Oh come on, he won't bite", Char edged me forward smiling.
Ella flipped her head around and stuck her tongue out at Char. As the king and queen approached her, she swept into her most graceful curtsy.
Manners mistress would be proud.
"My dear son!" King Jerrold boomed as Char joined Ella's side. Through his beard, a jolly smile broke out upon spotting Ella. "And my dear daughter Eleanor! So wonderful to see you both! Not nervous are you?" Ella opened her mouth to respond, but realized that the question had been directed to Char.
Upon looking closer, she realized that her knees weren't the only ones shaking.
"Of course not", Char lied, obviously embarrassed.
Ella felt a person brush past her, and realized that it had been High Chancellor Thomas. He swept through the curtains, and Ella caught a glimpse of a crowd politely clapping as he began his introductions. "We are gathered here on this day..." High Chancellor Thomas began his usual droning. But Ella was much too nervous to listen to the rest.
The Queen beckoned her back towards the three grouped together. "Hello my dear Eleanor." "Please your majesty, call me Ella" she blurted out, all too soon realizing how rude it was to contradict the Queen.
But the Queen didn't seem to take notice. "Of course, but you need not bother yourself with all of this formal mumbo jumbo. You may call me Daria or mother if you wish." She said the word mother tenderly, being well aware of the great loss that Ella had suffered of her mother.
Ella considered this for a moment. While she knew she could never replace mother if she tried, she knew that the queen's intentions were good, and anyway, she liked Queen Daria. "Alright...mother", Ella said shyly, for probably the first time in her life.
The queen seemed to suddenly come to her senses as she told the couple of the plans for assembly. "...Now High Chancellor Thomas will do that thing that he does, and introduce us. Jerrold will make a short speech, and then introduce the pair of you. Don't be worried my dear" she added upon the look on Ella's face. "Oh! Jerrold, that's our cue!" and with a wave she turned and the royal pair waltzed out onto the stage.
This was when Ella's nerves started to really kick in. She was rarely scared to be in front of people, she often enjoyed having attention. But for her this was too much. She longed for the warm embrace of her old cook. As if by magic, Ella suddenly heard the words "Now just calm down love" followed by a deep embrace.
She turned to see her fairy godmother standing there wiping tears from her own eyes. "Lady would have been proud" Mandy said, beaming through her tears. Ella once again hugged her tightly willing not to let go.
"Ella dear, I think that your prince wants you", she said withdrawing from her after several moments. Ella turned to see Char standing there, handsomely smiling.
Ella realized that she would have to go outside now and leave Mandy. She wanted to run to her, and hug her for all of eternity, but she just instead said "Do I look alright Mandy?"
"You look beautiful darling. Now go on!" she said nudging her along.
Ella returned to Char's side, and together they walked out through the curtains, holding each others hands.