Hidden Identities
Disclaimer: I don't own anything in the entire world! Except, maybe, my car, a few books, some clothes, oh, that one pencil, and, um, maybe, a coke can and . . .
Summary: What if Hattie had not danced by and snatched off Ella's mask? What if Char had asked Ella THE question? What will Lela do?
Chapter Four: Bad, Bad News
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"Ella! What do you think you were doing, you little wench? Charmont is MINE! He will marry ME! AND YOU were Lela? You conniving little- you don't deserve him! How dare you? I should have you thrown out of this house!" Hattie roared and rambled when she burst into my bedroom. As she shouted, she grabbed my nightgown's collar and began shaking me.
Her hair had fallen from its bun and her face was contorted in anger. The pretty gown she had worn was dirty and smudged in some places.
I struggled against her, trying to push her from me.
"Hattie, stop!" I shouted.
"No! You stop! Char is most definitely coming here tomorrow! He will ask for you! I will be left behind! I will NOT have it!" Hattie yelled incessantly. I heard footsteps behind her. I had ceased struggling and was standing there motionless while she took her anger out on me.
"Hattie, let go of Ella," Mum Olga came into the room. Hattie pushed me to the ground and flounced back to pout to her mother.
"Mother, she is ruining my chances with Char! I will not ever marry him if you let her see him!" Hattie started crying. By that time I was fed up with Hattie and her nonsense about her and the prince.
"He wouldn't even marry you if you were the princess of the world!" I told her. Hattie was too busy crying to hear me, but Mum Olga glared at me.
"Ella, there will be no food for you tomorrow and until I see fit because of your insolence and behavior towards my Hattie," Mum Olga ordered. I still lay on the floor because Hattie had told me to stop moving. "Hattie, go to bed and get some rest. Or you'll look dreadful in the morning."
Hattie sniffed, nodded, and through me one last death glare before leaving the room. Mandy ran in right after Hattie left.
"Mistress, I-" Mandy started to say, but Mum Olga cut her off with a glare.
"Mandy, you are to work Ella three times as hard in the kitchen than before. No more talking of running away. You will stay here. Ella, come to me after you are dressed in the morning and I will give you a list of chores you are to do. And what in Frell's name are you still doing on the floor? Get up!"
I got up and nodded. Mum Olga swept out of the room. Once she left, Mandy ran over and hugged me.
"Are you all right, Lady?" Mandy asked. I nodded.
"Mandy, order me to lie when I whenever I want. Char told me not to lie tonight," I said.
"Lie whenever you want to, and move whenever you want to."
"How'd you know I couldn't move?"
"You are still standing in the same spot you were when I came in."
"Oh. What am I going to do, Mandy?"
"About the prince?"
"No, he's going to Ayortha in the morning. He won't be back for a while."
"So, you used the Magic Book to see him? Well, we'll think of something, Lady."
"I'm going to go to sleep. I'm tired."
"I'll bring some tonic up."
"Must I have tonic?!"
I fell asleep quickly after Mandy brought up the tonic. My dreams that night were blurry. Sometimes Hattie would be there, laughing at me, and sometimes Char would appear, staring and questioning me silently, but mostly it was just a big blur of people from the past and present.
I awoke to the sound of a horse's neigh. Bright sunlight filtered through my small window. I sat up quickly.
"Oh, no! I overslept! Mum Olga is going to kill me!" I shouted. I quickly darted around the room and put on my servant garb. While tying my hair up, I glanced out the window. A few horsemen were sitting on stallions out there. A man seemed to be waiting for some one at the door.
The door opened and he went inside. I could hear voices as people walked into the house. After finishing my hair, the curse tugged at me and I was forced to go find Mum Olga.
As soon as Mum Olga saw me, she glared and motioned me to go to the kitchen to Mandy. It was an order, so the curse let up and I went into the kitchen.
"Who's here, Mandy?" I asked once I stepped into the kitchen. The sweet smell of hot cinnamon buns filled the air. Mandy was cooking eggs on the stove. She smiled at me when she looked up.
"A messenger of some sort. They're delivering an important message and have ridden all night. I answered the door, but they would have none of me and waited until the Mistress was dressed to talk. Did you hear what they were saying when you passed by?" Mandy replied. I walked over to where some dough was sitting on the counter and began kneading it.
"No, they were whispering about something. Dame Olga didn't want me there to hear. Are you making rolls?"
"Yes, for lunch. I wonder what they're talking about. Dear, go pick some flowers for the breakfast table."
"Do I have to?" I fought the dizziness for a second.
"Yes, now go."
I went out the back door and into the garden. Mandy always had a few flowers budding all year. I thought it was because she used fairy magic to keep them alive. Right now, there were a few Cordellas and lacey Bell Flowers (AN: these are made up flowers).
The sun was bright and the light morning fog was clearing. A few crows cawed from the trees. I had put Char and the balls to the back of my mind. I wasn't going to think about them right then. I wasn't.
"Lady! Mistress is calling for you!" Mandy called from the door to the kitchen. I grabbed a bunch of flowers and ran back inside.
"Where do you want these, Mandy?" I asked. She was back at the stove, finishing the eggs.
"There's a vase in the cupboard over there."
I followed Mandy's finger and opened the cupboard and produced a crystal vase. I poured some cold water from a red pitcher into it and hurriedly stuffed the flowers into the vase.
"The Dame is in the parlor. Take the flowers with you and set them on the table in there." Mandy stirred the eggs one more time. "And don't drop the vase!"
"All right," I said and walked out of the kitchen and towards the parlor. As I passed the entry hall, I saw the men grabbing their cloaks from the closet and putting their hats on. They were leaving.
I walked by them. Some shot sympathetic looks at me, and some just stared. I opened the doors to the parlor and walked in. Dame Olga sat on the red couch sniffling into a handkerchief. When she saw me, she began to wail.
"Ella, I have some awful news for you," she choked out. "Close the door. I want to break it to my sweet girls gently."
I closed the doors. Dame Olga waved her hand at me to sit on the chair across from her. I placed the vase on the table and sat. What was the horrible news? Surely it was not about Char!
A crisp sheet of paper was in her hand. It shook with each sob Dame Olga cried.
"What is it?" I asked. Dame Olga blew her nose and then coughed.
"Those men came with dreadful news. It seems that . . . well, your father is dead."
The world crashed down. My father was dead? Even though he was not a good father, I still loved him. And he was dead?
"You're lying."
"I'm afraid not, Ella. He was traveling through the Northern Woods. And it was foggy. His horse was stumbling and he didn't know that there was a cliff ahead, until too late."
"No."
Gone was my only hope of ever getting away from Dame Olga and her family. Gone was my only family left. Gone was my father. I was all alone.
"Now, go away, Ella. I want to grieve alone. And don't tell my poor girls."
I left the room, stumbling. I mindlessly walked the hallways until Mandy, who had been worried about how long I had taken with Dame Olga, found me. I fell weeping into her arms.
Now, Dame Olga was free to do whatever she wished with me. But, little did I know at the time, I was in for a lot worse than being alone with Hattie, Olive and Dame Olga. A lot worse.
___
Author Note: Thank you for your reviews and my hand is getting better. Since I can no longer play golf after school, I've had a lot more free time. I think I can continue updating frequently. Yay.
Chapter Five: Plotting
***History of Ayortha for my Story***
Ayortha and Frell have been long time rivals. No wars have broken out, but they're close. Frell wants to make peace with them, but there's a problem. The King of Ayortha wants to conquer Frell and will do it any way he can.
Royal Family
King Rywan – very devious, plots to conquer Frell
Prince Aaron – evil, plots with father for throne of Frell, also likes Ella, will do anything to spite Prince Charmont
Princess Allianna – meek, obedient (not in the way like Ella), kind, married to Duke Tristan of Bast
Disclaimer: I don't own anything in the entire world! Except, maybe, my car, a few books, some clothes, oh, that one pencil, and, um, maybe, a coke can and . . .
Summary: What if Hattie had not danced by and snatched off Ella's mask? What if Char had asked Ella THE question? What will Lela do?
Chapter Four: Bad, Bad News
___
"Ella! What do you think you were doing, you little wench? Charmont is MINE! He will marry ME! AND YOU were Lela? You conniving little- you don't deserve him! How dare you? I should have you thrown out of this house!" Hattie roared and rambled when she burst into my bedroom. As she shouted, she grabbed my nightgown's collar and began shaking me.
Her hair had fallen from its bun and her face was contorted in anger. The pretty gown she had worn was dirty and smudged in some places.
I struggled against her, trying to push her from me.
"Hattie, stop!" I shouted.
"No! You stop! Char is most definitely coming here tomorrow! He will ask for you! I will be left behind! I will NOT have it!" Hattie yelled incessantly. I heard footsteps behind her. I had ceased struggling and was standing there motionless while she took her anger out on me.
"Hattie, let go of Ella," Mum Olga came into the room. Hattie pushed me to the ground and flounced back to pout to her mother.
"Mother, she is ruining my chances with Char! I will not ever marry him if you let her see him!" Hattie started crying. By that time I was fed up with Hattie and her nonsense about her and the prince.
"He wouldn't even marry you if you were the princess of the world!" I told her. Hattie was too busy crying to hear me, but Mum Olga glared at me.
"Ella, there will be no food for you tomorrow and until I see fit because of your insolence and behavior towards my Hattie," Mum Olga ordered. I still lay on the floor because Hattie had told me to stop moving. "Hattie, go to bed and get some rest. Or you'll look dreadful in the morning."
Hattie sniffed, nodded, and through me one last death glare before leaving the room. Mandy ran in right after Hattie left.
"Mistress, I-" Mandy started to say, but Mum Olga cut her off with a glare.
"Mandy, you are to work Ella three times as hard in the kitchen than before. No more talking of running away. You will stay here. Ella, come to me after you are dressed in the morning and I will give you a list of chores you are to do. And what in Frell's name are you still doing on the floor? Get up!"
I got up and nodded. Mum Olga swept out of the room. Once she left, Mandy ran over and hugged me.
"Are you all right, Lady?" Mandy asked. I nodded.
"Mandy, order me to lie when I whenever I want. Char told me not to lie tonight," I said.
"Lie whenever you want to, and move whenever you want to."
"How'd you know I couldn't move?"
"You are still standing in the same spot you were when I came in."
"Oh. What am I going to do, Mandy?"
"About the prince?"
"No, he's going to Ayortha in the morning. He won't be back for a while."
"So, you used the Magic Book to see him? Well, we'll think of something, Lady."
"I'm going to go to sleep. I'm tired."
"I'll bring some tonic up."
"Must I have tonic?!"
I fell asleep quickly after Mandy brought up the tonic. My dreams that night were blurry. Sometimes Hattie would be there, laughing at me, and sometimes Char would appear, staring and questioning me silently, but mostly it was just a big blur of people from the past and present.
I awoke to the sound of a horse's neigh. Bright sunlight filtered through my small window. I sat up quickly.
"Oh, no! I overslept! Mum Olga is going to kill me!" I shouted. I quickly darted around the room and put on my servant garb. While tying my hair up, I glanced out the window. A few horsemen were sitting on stallions out there. A man seemed to be waiting for some one at the door.
The door opened and he went inside. I could hear voices as people walked into the house. After finishing my hair, the curse tugged at me and I was forced to go find Mum Olga.
As soon as Mum Olga saw me, she glared and motioned me to go to the kitchen to Mandy. It was an order, so the curse let up and I went into the kitchen.
"Who's here, Mandy?" I asked once I stepped into the kitchen. The sweet smell of hot cinnamon buns filled the air. Mandy was cooking eggs on the stove. She smiled at me when she looked up.
"A messenger of some sort. They're delivering an important message and have ridden all night. I answered the door, but they would have none of me and waited until the Mistress was dressed to talk. Did you hear what they were saying when you passed by?" Mandy replied. I walked over to where some dough was sitting on the counter and began kneading it.
"No, they were whispering about something. Dame Olga didn't want me there to hear. Are you making rolls?"
"Yes, for lunch. I wonder what they're talking about. Dear, go pick some flowers for the breakfast table."
"Do I have to?" I fought the dizziness for a second.
"Yes, now go."
I went out the back door and into the garden. Mandy always had a few flowers budding all year. I thought it was because she used fairy magic to keep them alive. Right now, there were a few Cordellas and lacey Bell Flowers (AN: these are made up flowers).
The sun was bright and the light morning fog was clearing. A few crows cawed from the trees. I had put Char and the balls to the back of my mind. I wasn't going to think about them right then. I wasn't.
"Lady! Mistress is calling for you!" Mandy called from the door to the kitchen. I grabbed a bunch of flowers and ran back inside.
"Where do you want these, Mandy?" I asked. She was back at the stove, finishing the eggs.
"There's a vase in the cupboard over there."
I followed Mandy's finger and opened the cupboard and produced a crystal vase. I poured some cold water from a red pitcher into it and hurriedly stuffed the flowers into the vase.
"The Dame is in the parlor. Take the flowers with you and set them on the table in there." Mandy stirred the eggs one more time. "And don't drop the vase!"
"All right," I said and walked out of the kitchen and towards the parlor. As I passed the entry hall, I saw the men grabbing their cloaks from the closet and putting their hats on. They were leaving.
I walked by them. Some shot sympathetic looks at me, and some just stared. I opened the doors to the parlor and walked in. Dame Olga sat on the red couch sniffling into a handkerchief. When she saw me, she began to wail.
"Ella, I have some awful news for you," she choked out. "Close the door. I want to break it to my sweet girls gently."
I closed the doors. Dame Olga waved her hand at me to sit on the chair across from her. I placed the vase on the table and sat. What was the horrible news? Surely it was not about Char!
A crisp sheet of paper was in her hand. It shook with each sob Dame Olga cried.
"What is it?" I asked. Dame Olga blew her nose and then coughed.
"Those men came with dreadful news. It seems that . . . well, your father is dead."
The world crashed down. My father was dead? Even though he was not a good father, I still loved him. And he was dead?
"You're lying."
"I'm afraid not, Ella. He was traveling through the Northern Woods. And it was foggy. His horse was stumbling and he didn't know that there was a cliff ahead, until too late."
"No."
Gone was my only hope of ever getting away from Dame Olga and her family. Gone was my only family left. Gone was my father. I was all alone.
"Now, go away, Ella. I want to grieve alone. And don't tell my poor girls."
I left the room, stumbling. I mindlessly walked the hallways until Mandy, who had been worried about how long I had taken with Dame Olga, found me. I fell weeping into her arms.
Now, Dame Olga was free to do whatever she wished with me. But, little did I know at the time, I was in for a lot worse than being alone with Hattie, Olive and Dame Olga. A lot worse.
___
Author Note: Thank you for your reviews and my hand is getting better. Since I can no longer play golf after school, I've had a lot more free time. I think I can continue updating frequently. Yay.
Chapter Five: Plotting
***History of Ayortha for my Story***
Ayortha and Frell have been long time rivals. No wars have broken out, but they're close. Frell wants to make peace with them, but there's a problem. The King of Ayortha wants to conquer Frell and will do it any way he can.
Royal Family
King Rywan – very devious, plots to conquer Frell
Prince Aaron – evil, plots with father for throne of Frell, also likes Ella, will do anything to spite Prince Charmont
Princess Allianna – meek, obedient (not in the way like Ella), kind, married to Duke Tristan of Bast