******Hey! Sorry, but none of my chapters are ever very long, I'm not very
good @ that. I just found out that you should like put a disclaimer and
everything, so here is goes. Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters
such as Ella, Char, Mandy, the king, queen, etc. etc.... Sadly ( they all
belong to the hon. Gail Carson Levine! ******
The carriage rattled across the cobblestones, coming to a quick halt at the palace doorway.
The king, queen, Char, and Ella had all been crowded into a small carriage, and were all forced into one another as the carriage clambered to a stop.
Checking to see that the cost was clear of any of the lethal traitors, the footman cautiously opened the door, as the king and queen both scrambled out hurriedly.
Ella's foot was barely out the door when Char pulled her back.
"Thank you, Ella" he said sincerely.
"For what?" Ella said, wanting to get into the safety of the castle as soon as possible.
"For saving my life." Char said gazing into her eyes.
"What? I didn't save your..." Ella stopped and considered it for a moment. She had been standing there with Char, and the arrow had come toward him... Ah yes, she thought. She hadn't considered her acts heroic really; she just wanted no harm to come to him.
"Well, I suppose it's over now but still..." Char bent towards her and swept her into a breathtaking kiss. "I love you" he whispered.
Poking his head out to be wary of intruders, he nudged Ella forward, and they rushed up the steps to the castle. The doors banged shut behind them.
"Thank goodness you are alright!" Char's parents rushed towards the couple. They hadn't really had a chance to talk in the carriage.
"In all my years...never...assassination!" the king muttered to himself, looked thoroughly ruffled.
"This doesn't happen often?" Ella asked, rather panicked. She had thought that she and Char would be safe now that the curse was broken.
"Of course not deary!" Queen Daria assured her. "Never mind though, we are safe now."
But what about their subjects? They had been left unarmed to the barbarians. What would become of them? Hopefully, Ella thought to herself, the security knights will be able to solve it all.
"Now", the king began, "How about a nice dinner? It's about noon and there must be some half decent cooks afoot. All of your belongings have been moved to the north wing of the castle, where you will be staying. Go on now! Get your selves ready! I'll alert the cooks to have it ready in about 30 minutes..." the king bustled off, followed shortly by the queen.
Ella wondered how on the earth someone could be thinking of food at a time like this. Char must have been thinking along the same lines because they both exchanged looks, and chuckled.
But the humor was short-lived, and soon Ella questioned Char, worried, "Do you think that they will be alright?"
"Who, love?"
"The public, I mean with that posse there and all?" Ella sighed for a moment and wished that Mandy were here. Mandy! "Oh no! And what about Mandy?"
"Oh sweet, I'm sure she'll be fine, all of them will be fine. We have a stead fast security system." Char reassured her, kissing her softly on the forehead.
Ella embraced the kiss, enjoying the softness of his lips on her skin. Something familiar caught her eye, and she laughed.
"This is where you held the balls right?" Ella asked.
"Sure is", Char said, the couple moving slowly to a door that would surely lead to the north wing. "You swept me off my feet yet again, with another one of your characters.
Char smiled playfully. The whole Lela conflict had been straightened out soon after Char had proposed to her the night of the ball.
They opened the door and entered the corridor. "Your room is just up here close somewhere..." Char said continuing walking.
Ella followed, but she felt a tug restraining her. She turned and looked to see that her skirt had been caught in the door behind her. "Ow...oh, stupid dress!" Ella said tugging on it.
Char turned and said, "Need some help love?"
"No, you go on, I'll catch up." Ella said fumbling with her dress.
Char blew a kiss to her and turned the corner.
After a moment or more of struggling with the skirt, it finally gave in, and Ella let out a triumphant "yes!"
She was about to leave, when a hand grabbed by the waist, and shoved a hand over her mouth.
The carriage rattled across the cobblestones, coming to a quick halt at the palace doorway.
The king, queen, Char, and Ella had all been crowded into a small carriage, and were all forced into one another as the carriage clambered to a stop.
Checking to see that the cost was clear of any of the lethal traitors, the footman cautiously opened the door, as the king and queen both scrambled out hurriedly.
Ella's foot was barely out the door when Char pulled her back.
"Thank you, Ella" he said sincerely.
"For what?" Ella said, wanting to get into the safety of the castle as soon as possible.
"For saving my life." Char said gazing into her eyes.
"What? I didn't save your..." Ella stopped and considered it for a moment. She had been standing there with Char, and the arrow had come toward him... Ah yes, she thought. She hadn't considered her acts heroic really; she just wanted no harm to come to him.
"Well, I suppose it's over now but still..." Char bent towards her and swept her into a breathtaking kiss. "I love you" he whispered.
Poking his head out to be wary of intruders, he nudged Ella forward, and they rushed up the steps to the castle. The doors banged shut behind them.
"Thank goodness you are alright!" Char's parents rushed towards the couple. They hadn't really had a chance to talk in the carriage.
"In all my years...never...assassination!" the king muttered to himself, looked thoroughly ruffled.
"This doesn't happen often?" Ella asked, rather panicked. She had thought that she and Char would be safe now that the curse was broken.
"Of course not deary!" Queen Daria assured her. "Never mind though, we are safe now."
But what about their subjects? They had been left unarmed to the barbarians. What would become of them? Hopefully, Ella thought to herself, the security knights will be able to solve it all.
"Now", the king began, "How about a nice dinner? It's about noon and there must be some half decent cooks afoot. All of your belongings have been moved to the north wing of the castle, where you will be staying. Go on now! Get your selves ready! I'll alert the cooks to have it ready in about 30 minutes..." the king bustled off, followed shortly by the queen.
Ella wondered how on the earth someone could be thinking of food at a time like this. Char must have been thinking along the same lines because they both exchanged looks, and chuckled.
But the humor was short-lived, and soon Ella questioned Char, worried, "Do you think that they will be alright?"
"Who, love?"
"The public, I mean with that posse there and all?" Ella sighed for a moment and wished that Mandy were here. Mandy! "Oh no! And what about Mandy?"
"Oh sweet, I'm sure she'll be fine, all of them will be fine. We have a stead fast security system." Char reassured her, kissing her softly on the forehead.
Ella embraced the kiss, enjoying the softness of his lips on her skin. Something familiar caught her eye, and she laughed.
"This is where you held the balls right?" Ella asked.
"Sure is", Char said, the couple moving slowly to a door that would surely lead to the north wing. "You swept me off my feet yet again, with another one of your characters.
Char smiled playfully. The whole Lela conflict had been straightened out soon after Char had proposed to her the night of the ball.
They opened the door and entered the corridor. "Your room is just up here close somewhere..." Char said continuing walking.
Ella followed, but she felt a tug restraining her. She turned and looked to see that her skirt had been caught in the door behind her. "Ow...oh, stupid dress!" Ella said tugging on it.
Char turned and said, "Need some help love?"
"No, you go on, I'll catch up." Ella said fumbling with her dress.
Char blew a kiss to her and turned the corner.
After a moment or more of struggling with the skirt, it finally gave in, and Ella let out a triumphant "yes!"
She was about to leave, when a hand grabbed by the waist, and shoved a hand over her mouth.