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 Five: Plotting
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"Ella, I said I wanted more raspberry tea. NOT more herb tea! Take this filthy cup away and get me some RASPBERRY tea!" Hattie shouted. I walked over to the dining table and took the cup away from her outstretched hand. Hattie scowled at me and turned back to her lunch, which consisted of a ham sandwich, a bowl of chicken soup, an apple, a roll and chocolate pudding.
Hattie had been moody for the past three days. Ever since the balls. Ever since, Char. I knew she despised me inside, but she didn't dare show it because Dame Olga had been very touchy and shouted at anyone making trouble. And I was no longer to call her Mum Olga. It was "Mistress", since I was no longer part of the family, and now just an ordinary servant. Which Hattie just LOVED to tell me any chance she got.
Hattie took away the three dresses Mandy had saved from my Mother's wardrobe the day after the ball. I caught her trying on the green one yesterday, but she couldn't quite fit. It ripped down the side, unfortunately. Olive stayed in her room all day, every day. She only came out to get a few pieces of white cake from the kitchen a couple of times a day.
I had been ordered not to mourn or cry over the loss of my father. I was to focus on serving Dame Olga and her daughters. Mandy was stuck in the kitchen full time because Dame Olga kept having company over to help her "get over" the loss of her husband. But, really, she just wanted a reason to go shopping for new dresses and show them off.
I had not heard any news from Prince Charmont. He was in Ayortha and due back in a few weeks or so. Hattie cried over him every night. She seemed to think she still had a chance with him.
I walked through the hallway and into the kitchen. Mandy was outside collecting herbs for dinner for a dinner party tonight. Dame Olga had requested roast pork and mutton.
Water was boiling in a kettle on the stove. I turned off the stove and put the kettle on the counter. I grabbed a new cup and filled it with water and added the raspberry tea bag.
"I'm waiting!" shrilled Hattie. I sighed and took the cup of raspberry tea back to her. She smiled rigidly as I returned. I knew she was going to say something really mean, when Dame Olga waltzed in through the doors.
"Hattie, apple of my eye, how are you this fine day?" Dame Olga greeted. She dismissed me after I curtsied to her. I backed into a corner of the room until I was needed again. Waiting on Hattie was my main duty now. Supposedly to make her feel better, but in reality to make me feel inferior.
"A tad bit sad still over the absence of Prince Charmont, but getting better. How are you, Mother?" Hattie replied and sipped her soup. She sipped a lot daintier than her slurping when it was just me in the room.
"Oh, I'm all right. I've been thinking, dear, and I think it's high time you settle down and marry. I do want grand children, you know. And you would have your own household and such," Dame Olga said when she sat down on the red cushioned chair across from Hattie. Hattie looked up sharply.
"Mother! Prince Charmont is the only one for me!" Hattie insisted. I rolled my eyes.
"He seems to not want to marry at all, dearest. I only want for you to be happy."
"I'll be happy when I marry the prince."
"I don't know how you're going to marry him with him in Ayortha and possible marriages for him with princesses from other countries for peace!"
"He'll come for me, when he comes back from Ayortha, and we'll be married before summer."
The giggle I was trying to hold in burst. Hattie and Char? What a laugh! Only in her dreams! Hattie and Dame Olga turned on me at once.
"And what is so funny, SERVANT?" Hattie hissed. I shook my head and cleared my face of any amusement. Hattie's squinty eyes got smaller. "Tell me, now, Ella."
I clamped a hand over my mouth to try and hold it in. I was suffocating and turning red, but it was worth it if I didn't say anything and didn't get punished. The words were forming on my tongue and my lips tried to open against my will.
"Take your hand from your mouth and tell me this instant, Ella!" Dame Olga ordered. My hand flew from my mouth.
"Prince Char won't marry Hattie. Ever," I said. Hattie gasped.
"And why not? I am quite a catch!" Hattie cried. Olive chose that moment to saunter in. She looked at me and walked over.
"There's no more cake in the kitchen." Olive stared down at me. She had not taken a bath in the past three days and it showed, or rather, smelled. I almost choked with each breath I took.
"Not now, Olive, sweet. We are talking with Ella." Dame Olga straightened a curl on her wig. "Come sit down until we're done."
Olive slowly walked over and sat down beside Hattie. Hattie looked alarmed at the smell of her sister, but said nothing and continued eating and watching me.
"Anyways, who do you think you are, Ella? You're NOTHING more than a SERVANT. The prince won't take a second look at you. He probably despises you now." Hattie smirked. I shot to my feet.
"That's not true!" I cried.
"Sit!" Dame Olga commanded. I sat back down, but I was too angry to stop shouting at Hattie. Char did not despise me! And I was not just a servant!
"Hattie, the prince wouldn't even marry you if you were the Queen of Bast!" I shouted.
"Be quiet! You're just jealous that I'm prettier and richer than you!" Hattie yelled. I tried to yell back at her, but I couldn't. The curse wouldn't let me. Olive laughed.
"Hattie wouldn't be queen. She'd be a princess. Then, I would, too! Hattie, be a princess!" Olive exclaimed.
"Do shut up, Olive," Hattie answered. "Leave, Ella. Go back to the kitchen where you belong."
I got up and left. On my way out, I glanced at Dame Olga. She was staring out the sunlit window with a thoughtful expression on her face. Her lips moved, as if she was talking to herself. It was almost as if she were saying, "Princess Hattie".
I shook my head and continued on towards the kitchen. Olive shouted from to me from the dining room.
"Bake me a cake!"
____
In the weeks that followed, Dame Olga seemed to be much cheerier. She had a large secret. One that she wouldn't even tell Hattie. Every few days, Dame Olga would send out a letter and get one in return a little while after that.
I tried looking in my Magic Book for anything on the letters she would send or receive, but something was keeping the book from letting me see them. Perhaps it was an enchantment or charm of some sort.
The Magic Book only showed me one picture of Char. It was a few weeks after the letters between Dame Olga and her "friend" began. He was preparing to ride back from Ayortha. Apparently, King Rywan had hurriedly negotiated some sort of contract with Frell recently.
I stroked the picture of Char. He was standing by a large window in his bedroom. He stared out to the rising sun beyond the forests Dantuin (dan- twin), and the mountains of Zabor (za-bu-er). Behind him were a few servants packing his bags.
He would be home soon and he would come to Dame Olga's house. He would have purpose to come and see me now, since my Father had died and he wanted to pay his respects. I closed the book. I could and would not let him see me.
"Ella! Get down here at once!" Dame Olga's voice rang through the corridor outside my room. She sounded excited about something. I groaned and trudged down there as slowly as I could.
Dame Olga, Hattie, Olive, Mandy, Nancy, and most of the other servants were crowded into the tea room. Dame Olga was waving a letter in front of her.
"Everyone! I have wonderful news!" she shouted. Everyone stared at her. I saw Hattie's face and knew she was hoping Char was coming for her. I held my breath and waited for the "wonderful" news.
"We're moving to Ayortha!"
___
Author Note: How was this chapter? Sort of boring, but I had to put something in to lapse time. Hehe. Next chapter will be a good one. Review everyone! Aren't you happy that I posted twice in just a few days? Hooray!
Chapter Six: Princess Hattie?!
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 Five: Plotting
___
"Ella, I said I wanted more raspberry tea. NOT more herb tea! Take this filthy cup away and get me some RASPBERRY tea!" Hattie shouted. I walked over to the dining table and took the cup away from her outstretched hand. Hattie scowled at me and turned back to her lunch, which consisted of a ham sandwich, a bowl of chicken soup, an apple, a roll and chocolate pudding.
Hattie had been moody for the past three days. Ever since the balls. Ever since, Char. I knew she despised me inside, but she didn't dare show it because Dame Olga had been very touchy and shouted at anyone making trouble. And I was no longer to call her Mum Olga. It was "Mistress", since I was no longer part of the family, and now just an ordinary servant. Which Hattie just LOVED to tell me any chance she got.
Hattie took away the three dresses Mandy had saved from my Mother's wardrobe the day after the ball. I caught her trying on the green one yesterday, but she couldn't quite fit. It ripped down the side, unfortunately. Olive stayed in her room all day, every day. She only came out to get a few pieces of white cake from the kitchen a couple of times a day.
I had been ordered not to mourn or cry over the loss of my father. I was to focus on serving Dame Olga and her daughters. Mandy was stuck in the kitchen full time because Dame Olga kept having company over to help her "get over" the loss of her husband. But, really, she just wanted a reason to go shopping for new dresses and show them off.
I had not heard any news from Prince Charmont. He was in Ayortha and due back in a few weeks or so. Hattie cried over him every night. She seemed to think she still had a chance with him.
I walked through the hallway and into the kitchen. Mandy was outside collecting herbs for dinner for a dinner party tonight. Dame Olga had requested roast pork and mutton.
Water was boiling in a kettle on the stove. I turned off the stove and put the kettle on the counter. I grabbed a new cup and filled it with water and added the raspberry tea bag.
"I'm waiting!" shrilled Hattie. I sighed and took the cup of raspberry tea back to her. She smiled rigidly as I returned. I knew she was going to say something really mean, when Dame Olga waltzed in through the doors.
"Hattie, apple of my eye, how are you this fine day?" Dame Olga greeted. She dismissed me after I curtsied to her. I backed into a corner of the room until I was needed again. Waiting on Hattie was my main duty now. Supposedly to make her feel better, but in reality to make me feel inferior.
"A tad bit sad still over the absence of Prince Charmont, but getting better. How are you, Mother?" Hattie replied and sipped her soup. She sipped a lot daintier than her slurping when it was just me in the room.
"Oh, I'm all right. I've been thinking, dear, and I think it's high time you settle down and marry. I do want grand children, you know. And you would have your own household and such," Dame Olga said when she sat down on the red cushioned chair across from Hattie. Hattie looked up sharply.
"Mother! Prince Charmont is the only one for me!" Hattie insisted. I rolled my eyes.
"He seems to not want to marry at all, dearest. I only want for you to be happy."
"I'll be happy when I marry the prince."
"I don't know how you're going to marry him with him in Ayortha and possible marriages for him with princesses from other countries for peace!"
"He'll come for me, when he comes back from Ayortha, and we'll be married before summer."
The giggle I was trying to hold in burst. Hattie and Char? What a laugh! Only in her dreams! Hattie and Dame Olga turned on me at once.
"And what is so funny, SERVANT?" Hattie hissed. I shook my head and cleared my face of any amusement. Hattie's squinty eyes got smaller. "Tell me, now, Ella."
I clamped a hand over my mouth to try and hold it in. I was suffocating and turning red, but it was worth it if I didn't say anything and didn't get punished. The words were forming on my tongue and my lips tried to open against my will.
"Take your hand from your mouth and tell me this instant, Ella!" Dame Olga ordered. My hand flew from my mouth.
"Prince Char won't marry Hattie. Ever," I said. Hattie gasped.
"And why not? I am quite a catch!" Hattie cried. Olive chose that moment to saunter in. She looked at me and walked over.
"There's no more cake in the kitchen." Olive stared down at me. She had not taken a bath in the past three days and it showed, or rather, smelled. I almost choked with each breath I took.
"Not now, Olive, sweet. We are talking with Ella." Dame Olga straightened a curl on her wig. "Come sit down until we're done."
Olive slowly walked over and sat down beside Hattie. Hattie looked alarmed at the smell of her sister, but said nothing and continued eating and watching me.
"Anyways, who do you think you are, Ella? You're NOTHING more than a SERVANT. The prince won't take a second look at you. He probably despises you now." Hattie smirked. I shot to my feet.
"That's not true!" I cried.
"Sit!" Dame Olga commanded. I sat back down, but I was too angry to stop shouting at Hattie. Char did not despise me! And I was not just a servant!
"Hattie, the prince wouldn't even marry you if you were the Queen of Bast!" I shouted.
"Be quiet! You're just jealous that I'm prettier and richer than you!" Hattie yelled. I tried to yell back at her, but I couldn't. The curse wouldn't let me. Olive laughed.
"Hattie wouldn't be queen. She'd be a princess. Then, I would, too! Hattie, be a princess!" Olive exclaimed.
"Do shut up, Olive," Hattie answered. "Leave, Ella. Go back to the kitchen where you belong."
I got up and left. On my way out, I glanced at Dame Olga. She was staring out the sunlit window with a thoughtful expression on her face. Her lips moved, as if she was talking to herself. It was almost as if she were saying, "Princess Hattie".
I shook my head and continued on towards the kitchen. Olive shouted from to me from the dining room.
"Bake me a cake!"
____
In the weeks that followed, Dame Olga seemed to be much cheerier. She had a large secret. One that she wouldn't even tell Hattie. Every few days, Dame Olga would send out a letter and get one in return a little while after that.
I tried looking in my Magic Book for anything on the letters she would send or receive, but something was keeping the book from letting me see them. Perhaps it was an enchantment or charm of some sort.
The Magic Book only showed me one picture of Char. It was a few weeks after the letters between Dame Olga and her "friend" began. He was preparing to ride back from Ayortha. Apparently, King Rywan had hurriedly negotiated some sort of contract with Frell recently.
I stroked the picture of Char. He was standing by a large window in his bedroom. He stared out to the rising sun beyond the forests Dantuin (dan- twin), and the mountains of Zabor (za-bu-er). Behind him were a few servants packing his bags.
He would be home soon and he would come to Dame Olga's house. He would have purpose to come and see me now, since my Father had died and he wanted to pay his respects. I closed the book. I could and would not let him see me.
"Ella! Get down here at once!" Dame Olga's voice rang through the corridor outside my room. She sounded excited about something. I groaned and trudged down there as slowly as I could.
Dame Olga, Hattie, Olive, Mandy, Nancy, and most of the other servants were crowded into the tea room. Dame Olga was waving a letter in front of her.
"Everyone! I have wonderful news!" she shouted. Everyone stared at her. I saw Hattie's face and knew she was hoping Char was coming for her. I held my breath and waited for the "wonderful" news.
"We're moving to Ayortha!"
___
Author Note: How was this chapter? Sort of boring, but I had to put something in to lapse time. Hehe. Next chapter will be a good one. Review everyone! Aren't you happy that I posted twice in just a few days? Hooray!
Chapter Six: Princess Hattie?!