Chapter 5
Maida helped me into the stunning white dress, the fabric brushing gently across my skin as it slid down my body. I bid myself not look into the looking glass to see the dress. I wanted to be ready completely when I looked. Maida began to put my hair up into an up-do when she stopped abruptly letting my hair fall down to my shoulders.
"Wait right here, Milady!" she cried, rushing out of the room. I waited patiently for a minute or two and then Maida cam running back in. She opened her closed fist to reveal a long silver chain. The chain links where very small making it look like a silver thread more than a chain. I glanced at it in question not knowing what she intended.
"I can weave this through your hair, Milady," she explained, an excited smile lighting up her face. "Shall I do that?" I nodded, giving her a warm smile, and let her go to work on my hair. She twisted my hair around into a beautiful style letting the silver chain twist with the hair. It turned out beautiful in the end. Maida applied a little egg white to my face to make it appear pastier in color. I pinched my cheeks and lips to give them a rosy color before stepping into the glass shoes. I winced as I stepped into them, afraid my ankles would be cut but they were comfortable and did not cut me, much to my surprise. For the last touch, I took a white velvet mask trimmed in silver that was perched on a white stick, which my father had given to me when I was younger that had been my mother's. I had managed to keep it hidden in my tower for years and now I had a use for it.
Finally, it was time to look in the looking glass. I couldn't help but be taken aback at my reflection. I did not look like myself. I looked like a princess. I felt like a princess too. A great smile began to creep over my face and I let out an excited squeal.
"O thank you Maida," I gushed, giving her a small peck on the cheek. "You're like my guardian angel." I grinned and laughed a bit. "You're the fairy of the glen." Maida laughed and shook her head.
"Hurry Milady," she whispered, her face flushed in delight. "You wouldn't want to be late... later." I nodded and gave her another peck before stepping back for her to get a look at me one more time.
"You look like an angel," she breathed. "Like your mother." I felt some joyful tears reach my eyes and a small smile play on my lips. Silently, I turned to go and made my way to the main doors. I pulled them open and felt my self gasp in amazement. Pulling up in front of the doors was my father's favorite carriage, newly cleaned and dusted. My father's most loyal servants stood around it, watching me with pride. I gave them the most courageous smile I could muster and walked towards the carriage.
"Hurry in Milady," a familiar voice called down from the drivers perch. "You're late as it is." A smile crept onto my face as I realized who it was.
"Philippe?" I cried, looking up at the man. He nodded and climbed down before wrapping me in a brotherly hug. I couldn't help but we in awe at the handsome man he had grown to become. I opened my mouth to say something but he cut me off by taking my arm and helping me into the carriage.
"We shall talk later, Ella," he told me with a smile. "Right now we have a ball to go to." I nodded in agreement and went to shut the door. I stopped, though just before closing it and swung it back opened. Philippe stopped climbing up to the perch and looked at me in question.
"Who told you to come?" I asked, curiosity taking the most of me. He smiled and shrugged, causing me to reach out and hit his arm playfully.
"A fairy," he joked with his mischievous grin. "Actually, Maida wrote me when you first left to ride with the prince and informed me that you were actually still alive. I came to see you and arrived tonight. Maida put me to work right away. I even lent some of my own beautiful horses to drive this equally as beautiful carriage." I smiled, thinking of Maida. I owed her much. Philippe put his foot up to get onto the drivers perch but stopped and looked at me thoughtfully. "I never thought you had died Ella. I had many dreams where a woman in white would appear to me and say you still lived. Now that I think more about it, Milady, she looked much like your mother." I nodded, and he continued up to his perch. I looked up at the sky before closing the door and could swear I saw a shooting star just as I thought of my mother in heaven. It flashed by too fast, though, and doubts of seeing it also flashed by. I shut the door as soon as the horses began to move. I was on my way to the ball.
The carriage ride was peaceful but time seemed to fly by. Within minutes, it seemed, I arrived at the palace. It sat upon a hill, glowing against the dark sky in the background. A single candle glowed in each window and the path leading to the doors of the courtyard were also lined with burning candles. I sat in the carriage for a few moments, taking in the sight, when Philippe tore me back to earth by clearing his throat.
"Time to go Milady," he said kindly, offering me his hand. Graciously, I took it and stepped out of the carriage. No other latecomers were in sight and I feared I would not be welcome. Philippe, being as good a friend to me as I am to him, sensed my nerves and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.
"You shall be fine Ella," he whispered, looking me into my eyes. "He loves you and he is a fool if he does not take for his wife. Just make sure you are back here by midnight for I must leave by one o-clock to be home to tend to my family." I took a deep breath and nodded. After giving him a sisterly kiss on the cheek, I held my mask up to my face and made my way down the path towards the ball, and Eadric.
As I stepped into the courtyard I was immediately escorted to the main ballroom. Guests were filing through the halls, talking and courting but I could tell that most were in the ballroom. My escort left me at the top of the stairs that led down to the ballroom and a regally dressed man turned to me and bowed.
"Your name, Milady?" he asked, his voice very professional. I let my eyes fall over the enormous crowd of elegantly dressed people and paid little attention to his question.
"Chantel," I told him. "Chantel de Fortier" Before I realized what he was going to do, I heard him announce my arrival as he most likely did with every other guest that arrived. To my utter mortification, every eye was now on me. It was, after all, strange that a person un-known to these lands be at the prince's ball unescorted. I lowered my head, to hide my flushing face, but it was to no avail.
"Chantel?" a low voice asked. I met my eyes with those of the voice and a smile raced across my face.
"Your majesty," I replied, dropping into graceful curtsy. He grabbed my hand and led me through the crowd. I knew every eye was on us but from the moment I saw him I no longer cared.
"Eadric, I must tell you something," I whispered into his ear. He smiled and nodded but I knew his thoughts were elsewhere.
"Tell me later," he whispered back. "Right now let us find your aunt and cousins." My eyes widened and I immediately stopped firmly in my tracks. "What is the meaning of this?" he hissed as inquiring eyes fell on us once more. I pulled him to me and began to dance as to draw attention away from us.
"They did not want me to come," I whispered into his ear. "They want to Jocelyn to be dancing in your arms, not me. So please, do not let it be known to them that I am here." Eadric looked at me and I could tell the confusion in his eyes.
"But I'm sure they must have heard the herald announcing your arrival," he began but I put my finger to his lips and smiled.
"Let us hope they didn't," I said back. "Now let us enjoy ourselves for I cannot stay long." He nodded and pulled me closer to him after signaling for the musicians to pick up the pace. We glided around the room, dancing, as one, and for once I did not care that everyone was watching us. It thrilled me to know that everyone wanted to know who I was, who the girl that captured the prince's heart was. I should have not been surprised, then, that after the third dance that the prince and I danced together, without the prince dancing with others in-between, that the King and Queen wished to know who I was. At the end of the third dance I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned to find the king standing behind me. Dutifully, I lowered myself into a curtsy and he laughed and bid me to rise.
"I bid thee to rest thyself or find another partner," the king ordered Eadric. "It is my turn to dance with this young lady." Blushing, I took the king's outreached hand and began to dance.
"So what is the name of the entrancing young woman who stole my son's heart?" the king asked, his voice his usual fatherly tone. I smiled, warming up to him and shrugged.
"Chantel de Fortier, Your Grace," I told him, hoping he did not realize that the name I gave was the name of my mother. The king's eyes scrunched in thought and I took in a breath out of worry.
"Chantel," he repeated to himself. "I swear I have heard that name long ago. It is too beautiful of a name to forget. But who was Chantel?" I shrugged innocently hoping the subject would change. I was getting less worried he would give away my disguise and almost sighed in relief when the dance was over. The king bowed and lead me back to the prince. As I began another dance with the prince, I failed to notice the king and queen whispering together and glancing at me ever so often. I did notice, however, when a servant came, interrupting the dance with the prince, telling me that the king and queen wished to speak with me. As I approached them sitting in their mounted thrones, I noticed, to my dismay that Edmonda and Jocelyn stood at the feet of them scowling at me as I approached. I looked around for Yedda but she was nowhere in sight. Shakily, I fell into a curtsy.
"Rise," the queen ordered, her voice cold as ice, and drawing all attention to the ordeal. "And tell me whether or not you lied to both to the prince and the king about who you really are." I looked from the queen's glare, to Edmonda's piercing smirk, to Eadric's confused look and burst into tears.
"Eadric told me, as you danced with the king, that you were staying with your step-aunt, Countess Beldon. I inquired after you to the countess and she told me that the only person she knew by that name was that of the late Lady Ella's mother," the queen paused and let the words sink into me before turning to Eadric. "My dear son, this mystery woman who you have been courting for days is a fraud. She told you to not tell us her name to protect herself from being revealed as such. Lady Beldon as confirmed that she is a fake by informing us that she who stands before us has been a servant in her household for many years." I wiped at my eyes, trying to gather my strength. Slowly I took my mask away from my face and realized Edmonda was watching me carefully, as if wondering what I would try to do. There was nothing left to do then to take my greatest risk.
"Can you not recognize me?" I asked, my voice shaking from my distress. "I am Ella Beldon, I am meant to be with Eadric. I am meant to be with him!" The king jumped to his feet, knocking his footstool down as he did. I cringed as it clattered down the steps to the floor.
"Do not address the Crown Prince by his first name, you horrid prattler," he bellowed, his voice carrying throughout the halls, drawing more of a crowd. "Lady Ella Beldon is dead, and it is taken in great offence to all here for you to pretend to be her." I winced at his words, especially when he called me a prattler- a liar. I turned to the prince and I felt my heart split as I saw his look of disgust.
"Your Majesty," I began, my voice shaking. "It is I, Ella. Can't you see me?" The prince's face did not change and I could tell he was doing all he could to not yell.
"You," he spit, trying to control his anger. "Are nothing but a prattler who has lead my heart with a leash full of lies. A servant no less." He raised his chin and looked me in the eye, as the church bells rang in the background for midnight. "You are nothing to me." After those words left his mouth I could think of nothing to do but run. To my surprise, no guards were sent after me. Probably the king felt a little pity left in his angry heart and decided to let me go. Blinded by the tears that flowed the moment I left the ballroom, and the rain that had began to fall a few moments after the ordeal started, I ran through the courtyard and down the path to the waiting carriages. I looked around for Philippe and the carriage but to my continuing luck, it was gone. I began to run down the rest of the path and slipped in the muddy ground, ruining my dress and losing a fateful shoe as I fell. Hurriedly, I got up and continued to run, not wanting to turn back incase guards were sent after me.
As I finally reached the gates of my manor, I saw Maida running to me, her hair and clothes soaked from probably standing in the rain waiting for me after Philippe returned without me. She wrapped me in a hug and I cried into her shoulder for a long time before she finally led me inside. My loyal servants and friends quickly attended upon me. Maida helped me out of my soiled dress and into my freshly cleaned servants dress. I softly thanked her for cleaning it and sat there shivering in my tower. Maida disappeared for a bit and then came back with her own blanket and put it around me.
"Tell me what happened, Ella," she urged. "It will help you to tell someone." I sat there for a few moments and I'm sure Maida thought I was not going to tell her but I finally did. She listened and hugged me many times out of sympathy. By the end of my story I was crying again. She shushed me softly and pulled me into a hug and petted my hair and comforted me. I felt, for a few moments, a mother-like comfort and thanked Maida silently for it with all my heart. I never heard and my stepmother and sisters arrive and probably had fallen asleep in Maida's arms before they came home.