A roaring ovation emitted from the crowd as the couple stepped onto the
stage. Char squeezed Ella's hand, and put on his best smile. Ella at first
wore a look or panic, but then relaxed a little, and joined Char, smiling
and waving.
This isn't so bad, she thought to herself. See? You're fine. She began searching the crowd for a familiar face.
Father was off trading again, and to Ella's surprise, she recognized Dame Olga in the crowd.
Held together only by the spell that Lucinda had put on them at their wedding, Father and Olga were destined to love each other forever. Ella presumed that father had persuaded her to come in his absence.
Ella blinked. She couldn't believe her eyes. Hattie was standing beside her mother amongst the throng, and to Ella's great pleasure, she saw that she had gained weight considerably. It seemed that Char and Ella's marriage had hit her hard.
Olive was there also, and Ella wasn't surprised to see that she was frowning. Probably trying to count her pocket money.
Ella once more focused on the task at hand and turned to Char. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, arguing silently whether or not to kiss. But they knew better than to give the town another rumor to spread.
Ella was content now. She waved several more times. She felt Char lean in to her, and her whispered into her ear, "I must be the luckiest lad in all the king-" but the rest of the word kingdom was cut off as a arrow zoomed past Char's arm, narrowly missing him.
"What the..." But the couple had to duck as more arrows flew towards their heads. Char withdrew his sword and searched the crowd for the attacker.
"DUCK!" Ella yelled, pushing Char out of the way onto the floor as another arrow zoomed straight for his heart.
Lying on the floor she spotted him. At the very back of the crowd a man on horseback was holding an arrow in his bow, aiming to shoot once more. He was surrounded by a posse of other men, heavily armed as well.
"GUARDS! SEIZE THEM!" Char shouted to the security knights posted around the square. But the command was not needed for the guards were already running into action.
"You're highness, you must leave now!" Several guards hurried the king, queen, Char, and Ella backstage, but Char wouldn't hear of it.
"Nonsense! I'll fight!" Char called to them, moving back towards the opening.
"Please!" Ella cried, placing her arm on his, her eyes pleading with his. Char reluctantly went with her, and they ran to the heavily guarded carriage that took them back to the castle.
They thought that they were reaching safety as the neared the palace, but little did they know what awaited for them.
This isn't so bad, she thought to herself. See? You're fine. She began searching the crowd for a familiar face.
Father was off trading again, and to Ella's surprise, she recognized Dame Olga in the crowd.
Held together only by the spell that Lucinda had put on them at their wedding, Father and Olga were destined to love each other forever. Ella presumed that father had persuaded her to come in his absence.
Ella blinked. She couldn't believe her eyes. Hattie was standing beside her mother amongst the throng, and to Ella's great pleasure, she saw that she had gained weight considerably. It seemed that Char and Ella's marriage had hit her hard.
Olive was there also, and Ella wasn't surprised to see that she was frowning. Probably trying to count her pocket money.
Ella once more focused on the task at hand and turned to Char. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, arguing silently whether or not to kiss. But they knew better than to give the town another rumor to spread.
Ella was content now. She waved several more times. She felt Char lean in to her, and her whispered into her ear, "I must be the luckiest lad in all the king-" but the rest of the word kingdom was cut off as a arrow zoomed past Char's arm, narrowly missing him.
"What the..." But the couple had to duck as more arrows flew towards their heads. Char withdrew his sword and searched the crowd for the attacker.
"DUCK!" Ella yelled, pushing Char out of the way onto the floor as another arrow zoomed straight for his heart.
Lying on the floor she spotted him. At the very back of the crowd a man on horseback was holding an arrow in his bow, aiming to shoot once more. He was surrounded by a posse of other men, heavily armed as well.
"GUARDS! SEIZE THEM!" Char shouted to the security knights posted around the square. But the command was not needed for the guards were already running into action.
"You're highness, you must leave now!" Several guards hurried the king, queen, Char, and Ella backstage, but Char wouldn't hear of it.
"Nonsense! I'll fight!" Char called to them, moving back towards the opening.
"Please!" Ella cried, placing her arm on his, her eyes pleading with his. Char reluctantly went with her, and they ran to the heavily guarded carriage that took them back to the castle.
They thought that they were reaching safety as the neared the palace, but little did they know what awaited for them.