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?
IMPORTANT: In the High Castle of Ayortha, everyone speaks Kyrrian.
Chapter Six: Princess Hattie?!
___
Hattie turned stark white and proceeded to faint into a servant's arms. Olive burst into tears and fell to the floor wailing. Mandy's mouth was open and she was just staring at Dame Olga.
My vision swam with purple dots as I tried to clear my head of crazy thoughts running through my mind. Char was in Ayortha. Was that Dame Olga's correspondence? Were we to meet him there? No, he was already on his way back. But, Dame Olga had something up her sleeve. Something maybe even related to --. No, that couldn't be. Not something related to that lunch one day when she was whispering "Princess Hattie".
"W-w-w-why?" Olive stuttered after finishing her wailing. Dame Olga looked very pleased with herself even though her own daughters were taking it horribly.
"My darling, we are going there to help Hattie's future. But, I will say no more! I want to surprise you all!" Dame Olga blushed a little. "Now, I want everyone packing up everything in this house. The carriages arrive tomorrow at noon to take us to our new home."
"What!?" Hattie shouted. Nancy had waved smelling salts beneath Hattie's nose and she was up from the ground, but still white. She threw herself on her Mother. "Why? Prince Charmont is coming home soon! I want to see him!"
"Hattie, I have devised a plan in which you may see him whenever you want very soon."
"I don't get it."
"Soon, Hattie. Now, pack everything up! Only leave the furniture for our new home is already furnished!"
The servants drifted from the room and up to the attic to bring down trunks, suitcases and bags. Nancy pulled me to her side as we went up the stairs.
"Why are we moving to Ayortha?" Nancy asked. I shook my head.
"I don't know. Dame Olga has a reason, but I can't figure it out," I answered. Nancy pulled down a large trunk and we proceeded to carry it downstairs.
"It's not about the prince, is it? I mean, Hattie is all cuckoo over him, but how would moving to Ayortha help Lady Hattie get the prince?"
"I don't think the prince would marry her unless under circumstances of death. Though, if I was the prince, I would rather die than marry Lady Hattie!"
Nancy giggled. We dropped the trunk in the tea room.
"Me, too!" Nancy began grabbing pillows off the couch and chairs. I started packing things too.
___
At noon the next day, the carriages arrived. Everything was loaded on top and on the backs of them. Dame Olga combed each room looking for any bread crumb we may have missed. Nothing was found and she ordered us to line up outside the manor.
"We will be traveling to the High Castle in Ayortha. It is a five day journey. At night, when we stop at an inn, there will be four rooms you can occupy. I get one, my daughters get one, and the rest are for anyone who wants them. When we arrive at the High Castle, you servants will be shown to our quarters whilst I see the king. No questions asked. Now, assemble in the carriages." Dame Olga clapped her hands. Everyone began to get on the carriages. I started to walk over to where Mandy was, but Hattie yanked my arm.
"Ow!" I shouted. Hattie only gripped harder. She dragged me over to the first carriage and pushed me in.
"You are riding with me!" Hattie ordered. I sat down on the cushions as far away from Hattie as possible. Olive climbed in after Dame Olga. Dame Olga and Hattie sat on one side, and Olive and I on the other.
"What are we going to do at the castle?" Hattie asked her Mother. Dame Olga only smiled and looked out the window.
"Did you see Lady Isabelle's gown last Wednesday night? It was the brightest yellow I've ever seen!" Dame Olga laughed and changed the subject. I had to sit through the entire day listening to Hattie and Dame Olga make fun of other people and talk of upcoming events in the kingdom.
Olive made me tell her the story of Snow White three times and brush her hair until she fell asleep. She snored the entire way to the first inn. Dame Olga fell asleep as well, but Hattie stayed awake talking to me about random things such as, who's marrying who, which men are in love with her, and the parties she'd been invited to.
Every day, for the next four days, I was forced to sit in the same carriage as Hattie, Olive and Dame Olga. Dame Olga slept most of the time or ate snacks she had packed for herself and the girls. Olive counted her coins once every hour and then dropped them one by one back into her pink silk purse. Then, she ordered me to tell stories. Olive liked Snow White, Hansel and Gretal, and Sleeping Beauty. Hattie enjoyed the story of Cinderella and bade me tell her that story all the time. And she made me say Cinderella was exactly like her and the prince was Prince Charmont. I had to be the ugly stepsister.
It rained for two days. The rain came down in sheets. Thunder cracked through the sky and lightening lit up the clouds. Once, I escaped the carriage when we had stopped so Hattie could get some fresh air. I ran back to the carriage where Mandy, Nancy and one other maid were. Mandy made me drink tonic for every day I had missed, since I had been with Hattie the ENTIRE time.
On the fifth day, it was cloudy with a little bit of sun. Hattie squealed with excitement when she saw the tall stone castle in the distance. There were six towers in all and a blue and white flag flew at the highest tower. The castle was large with a market area just inside the gates. As the carriages passed through the main road into the castle grounds, everyone looked up and stared. Laughter died down, talking ceased. It was as if they saw us as the enemy.
The carriages stopped in front of the main doors to the castle. Dame Olga stepped out and met the servants waiting for us. She spoke to them in low whispers. They nodded and proceeded to begin unpacking the carriages.
"Ella, I go first!" Hattie said when I tried to climb out of the carriage. She elbowed me back and stepped daintily down into the arms of a waiting man servant. Olive went next, and then I got out.
The air was crisp and cool. I felt like dancing. After being cramped up in a carriage with Hattie, I wanted to feel free. Mandy grabbed my hand from behind me.
"The servants are to go this way, Lady," Mandy said. I smiled and opened my mouth to reply.
"Ella! Come here!" Dame Olga shouted at me. I looked at her. She was still talking to a man, but she motioned for me to come to her. "Mandy, go with the other servants."
"I'll see you later," Mandy whispered and took off after the other servants going into the palace. I walked over to Dame Olga.
"You are going to have your own rooms, Ella," she said. "Since you are still my step-daughter, I want to make you feel at home here with me."
I gaped at her. Why was she doing this? This was not normal for her. She had to be up to something.
"Come with me, Olive and Hattie and we'll go up to our quarters." Dame Olga turned to her daughters behind her.
"Why does she get her own rooms?" Hattie complained.
"Don't worry, Hattie. You'll get something even better than that."
"Hmph," Hattie flounced away from me.
The castle was beautiful. Rich red and purple carpets adorned every hall and room. Large windows looked down upon green meadows, tall trees, majestic mountains, and miles of grass, houses, and animals. There were many guards posted all around the halls and sometimes in rooms.
A guard escorted us through the castle, showing us useful rooms. The ball rooms, dining room, throne room, kitchen, tea room, sun room, fencing room, and two libraries were on the first floor, among many other rooms. On the second floor were the guest suites, another tea room, a small library, two studies and others.
Our apartments were in the West Wing. There were two floors in all for us. On the top floor were two bedrooms, a shared bathroom, and a sun room. On the bottom floor, there were three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a tea room, and a living\eating room. All of our furniture from the old manor was spread into the rooms.
"Hattie and Ella will take the two bedrooms upstairs, and Olive and I will take two of the bedrooms down here," Dame Olga announced. Hattie's mouth dropped. Olive frowned.
"Mother! I do not want Ella up there with me! She can sleep with the other servants in a bedroom down here," Hattie cried. Olive was trying to sneak up the stairs to my room and claim it.
"Olive, stay here. I have a reason for putting Ella up there and I shall tell you later, Hattie, if you want." Dame Olga turned to give orders to the people moving our trunks of clothes.
"Fine!" Hattie stomped up the stairs. "But, I get the biggest bedroom!"
I saw Mandy and walked over to her. She was going into a bedroom with a suitcase of clothes.
"Mandy!" I greeted and hugged her when I caught up with her. She put down the trunk and smiled.
"Hey, sweet, want to help me with unpacking these clothes? How was the tour of the castle?" she asked. I grabbed a shirt and hung it up in the closet. We spent the rest of the day unpacking and chatting.
I fell asleep that night listening to Hattie's snores from the other bedroom. Even with a stone wall in between us I could still hear her! Dame Olga had come in an hour earlier and talked to Hattie about the "secret". Hattie had gasped a few times, but other than that, I couldn't make out anything they were saying.
The next morning dawned cool and gray. A fine mist had shrouded the meadows and clouds rolled in promising rain. Dame Olga burst in practically singing.
"Good morning, Ella! It's a wonderful day, isn't it?" she sang. She wore a deep blue silk gown that actually looked becoming on her. I sat up in bed.
"What do you want?" I asked suspiciously. She smiled.
"Well, at noon today, we are due in court to meet the king and prince. The princess is in Bast currently, so she won't be there."
"What? Why do I have to go? I'm just a servant!"
"Oh, please, you're more than just a servant. I bought you this lovely dark green gown that'll bring out your eyes. You'll look so pretty in it. Now, here it is. Put it on, like a good daughter and come downstairs for some juice and breakfast. No spilling on yourself though!"
Dame Olga laid a beautiful dark green gown on the bed. It was sleeveless and tightened it at the waist and fell to the floor in a hoop shape. In the back, it was longer and had a train.
The curse tugged at me and I was forced out of the warmth of my bed to the cool air of the morning. Mandy came in after I had put the dress on. She buttoned up the back.
"Lady Hattie was very angry this morning. She wanted you to help her dress and Mistress said no. So, Nancy had to help her to put on the dress and poked her with a pin six times. Want me to do your hair?" Mandy asked as she finished the last button. I nodded. She swept it up into an elegant knot on top of my head and somehow got it to curl. Little curls framed my face. She added a touch of rouge and some lipstick. Then, kohl, to make my eyes look larger.
"Don't you look lovely," Hattie greeted me as I walked downstairs. She was sitting on a red couch in the living room. She wore a dark purple dress that lessened the largeness of her teeth. She looked extremely happy about something. Olive sat beside her in an olive green gown. She was hunched over and staring at a piece of thread lying on the floor. "But, don't forget this: You may be dressed up finely, but you're still a servant and will always be a servant."
I was about to say something back, when Dame Olga burst into the room.
"Girls! It's time!" Dame Olga cried. She swept out of the room out of our apartments. Hattie and Olive followed, leaving me to trail behind. Mandy had gone down to the kitchens to help out the head cook there.
Guards bowed to us as we went by. I thought this odd, for we were not royalty, nor related to anyone royal. But, Dame Olga nodded to them and her smile grew bigger. I noticed in the faint sunlight that she seemed to look younger and possibly even thinner.
We arrived at the throne room doors. A herald stood there.
"The Ladies Hattie, Olive and Eleanor of Frell and Dame Olga of Frell," Dame Olga whispered. The herald nodded and opened the doors. Hattie and Olive went first, then me, then Dame Olga.
"Lady Hattie and Lady of Olive of Frell. Lady Eleanor of Frell. Dame Olga of Frell." Horns trumpeted and we walked down the plush stairs to the sea of Ayorthian courtiers. All of them were dressed finely and stood by each other. Not much conversation was going on. They stared at us as we went by them.
Up ahead were two thrones. The king sat in one of them and the prince sat on a cushion below him. Hattie and Olive curtsied before the king and prince, then, I did. As Dame Olga was curtsying, King Rywan stood up and walked over. He grabbed her hand and brought her up to stand by him before the thrones. Prince Aaron was looking me over openly. His dark black hair spilled over his brow. Brown eyes flickered. He was indeed handsome, almost as handsome as Char.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Dame Olga. After many weeks of correspondence, she has traveled here from Frell to be with me and to become my wife. Tomorrow, we shall be wedded and you will have a queen and two new princesses!" King Rywan declared to the courtiers. They applauded to the blushing Dame Olga. Hattie and Olive stood there smiling.
"I'm a princess! I'm a princess!" Olive was saying joyfully. The blood drained from my head. Dame Olga's correspondence was King Rywan? Why? How? And PRINCESS Hattie? Why was I here then, if only Hattie and Olive were to be princesses? My eyes landed on Prince Aaron. He had stood up and was walking over to me.
Then, the answers flooded to me.
The fighting between Ayortha and Frell. Hattie wanting desperately to be Char's wife. Dame Olga willing to do anything for Hattie. Princess Hattie. The only way for Hattie to marry Prince Char was under forced conditions. For peace between Frell and Ayortha, what better way to end the war than with an arranged marriage so they could be untied? And King Rywan didn't have anymore daughters, so he needed a wife with a daughter.
The memories of me telling Hattie that she couldn't be Queen even if she was a princess of Bast hit me. I had planted the first seeds of this in Dame Olga's mind. To end the fighting between Ayortha and Frell was to have Hattie marry Char!
But, why Dame Olga? What was her part of the trade? Sure, King Rywan could get control over Ayortha through Hattie, but he could do that with any other girl whose mother he married and had wedded to Char.
Some one coughed. I looked up into Prince Aaron's brown eyes. And then, I fainted.
___
Author Note: Just in case there is any confusion on the whole Dame Olga – King Rywan – Hattie – Char thing, here it is in plain format: Hattie wants to marry Prince Char and the only way she could do that is if Prince Char Is forced to marry her. So, Dame Olga goes to King Rywan, who wants control of Ayortha and Frell, and proposes that they get married and Prince Char marries Hattie so Rywan can get a hold of Frell. Char has to marry Hattie because it'll be part of a peace contract between Ayortha and Frell. And Dame Olga promises Ella for something, too. (I'm not going to say what it is until the next chapter). Please review! But, no flames, constructive or not. Good reviews make me write faster! Sorry if this was poorly written or it doesn't make sense. I just wanted it out so I can get on to the action.
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?
IMPORTANT: In the High Castle of Ayortha, everyone speaks Kyrrian.
Chapter Six: Princess Hattie?!
___
Hattie turned stark white and proceeded to faint into a servant's arms. Olive burst into tears and fell to the floor wailing. Mandy's mouth was open and she was just staring at Dame Olga.
My vision swam with purple dots as I tried to clear my head of crazy thoughts running through my mind. Char was in Ayortha. Was that Dame Olga's correspondence? Were we to meet him there? No, he was already on his way back. But, Dame Olga had something up her sleeve. Something maybe even related to --. No, that couldn't be. Not something related to that lunch one day when she was whispering "Princess Hattie".
"W-w-w-why?" Olive stuttered after finishing her wailing. Dame Olga looked very pleased with herself even though her own daughters were taking it horribly.
"My darling, we are going there to help Hattie's future. But, I will say no more! I want to surprise you all!" Dame Olga blushed a little. "Now, I want everyone packing up everything in this house. The carriages arrive tomorrow at noon to take us to our new home."
"What!?" Hattie shouted. Nancy had waved smelling salts beneath Hattie's nose and she was up from the ground, but still white. She threw herself on her Mother. "Why? Prince Charmont is coming home soon! I want to see him!"
"Hattie, I have devised a plan in which you may see him whenever you want very soon."
"I don't get it."
"Soon, Hattie. Now, pack everything up! Only leave the furniture for our new home is already furnished!"
The servants drifted from the room and up to the attic to bring down trunks, suitcases and bags. Nancy pulled me to her side as we went up the stairs.
"Why are we moving to Ayortha?" Nancy asked. I shook my head.
"I don't know. Dame Olga has a reason, but I can't figure it out," I answered. Nancy pulled down a large trunk and we proceeded to carry it downstairs.
"It's not about the prince, is it? I mean, Hattie is all cuckoo over him, but how would moving to Ayortha help Lady Hattie get the prince?"
"I don't think the prince would marry her unless under circumstances of death. Though, if I was the prince, I would rather die than marry Lady Hattie!"
Nancy giggled. We dropped the trunk in the tea room.
"Me, too!" Nancy began grabbing pillows off the couch and chairs. I started packing things too.
___
At noon the next day, the carriages arrived. Everything was loaded on top and on the backs of them. Dame Olga combed each room looking for any bread crumb we may have missed. Nothing was found and she ordered us to line up outside the manor.
"We will be traveling to the High Castle in Ayortha. It is a five day journey. At night, when we stop at an inn, there will be four rooms you can occupy. I get one, my daughters get one, and the rest are for anyone who wants them. When we arrive at the High Castle, you servants will be shown to our quarters whilst I see the king. No questions asked. Now, assemble in the carriages." Dame Olga clapped her hands. Everyone began to get on the carriages. I started to walk over to where Mandy was, but Hattie yanked my arm.
"Ow!" I shouted. Hattie only gripped harder. She dragged me over to the first carriage and pushed me in.
"You are riding with me!" Hattie ordered. I sat down on the cushions as far away from Hattie as possible. Olive climbed in after Dame Olga. Dame Olga and Hattie sat on one side, and Olive and I on the other.
"What are we going to do at the castle?" Hattie asked her Mother. Dame Olga only smiled and looked out the window.
"Did you see Lady Isabelle's gown last Wednesday night? It was the brightest yellow I've ever seen!" Dame Olga laughed and changed the subject. I had to sit through the entire day listening to Hattie and Dame Olga make fun of other people and talk of upcoming events in the kingdom.
Olive made me tell her the story of Snow White three times and brush her hair until she fell asleep. She snored the entire way to the first inn. Dame Olga fell asleep as well, but Hattie stayed awake talking to me about random things such as, who's marrying who, which men are in love with her, and the parties she'd been invited to.
Every day, for the next four days, I was forced to sit in the same carriage as Hattie, Olive and Dame Olga. Dame Olga slept most of the time or ate snacks she had packed for herself and the girls. Olive counted her coins once every hour and then dropped them one by one back into her pink silk purse. Then, she ordered me to tell stories. Olive liked Snow White, Hansel and Gretal, and Sleeping Beauty. Hattie enjoyed the story of Cinderella and bade me tell her that story all the time. And she made me say Cinderella was exactly like her and the prince was Prince Charmont. I had to be the ugly stepsister.
It rained for two days. The rain came down in sheets. Thunder cracked through the sky and lightening lit up the clouds. Once, I escaped the carriage when we had stopped so Hattie could get some fresh air. I ran back to the carriage where Mandy, Nancy and one other maid were. Mandy made me drink tonic for every day I had missed, since I had been with Hattie the ENTIRE time.
On the fifth day, it was cloudy with a little bit of sun. Hattie squealed with excitement when she saw the tall stone castle in the distance. There were six towers in all and a blue and white flag flew at the highest tower. The castle was large with a market area just inside the gates. As the carriages passed through the main road into the castle grounds, everyone looked up and stared. Laughter died down, talking ceased. It was as if they saw us as the enemy.
The carriages stopped in front of the main doors to the castle. Dame Olga stepped out and met the servants waiting for us. She spoke to them in low whispers. They nodded and proceeded to begin unpacking the carriages.
"Ella, I go first!" Hattie said when I tried to climb out of the carriage. She elbowed me back and stepped daintily down into the arms of a waiting man servant. Olive went next, and then I got out.
The air was crisp and cool. I felt like dancing. After being cramped up in a carriage with Hattie, I wanted to feel free. Mandy grabbed my hand from behind me.
"The servants are to go this way, Lady," Mandy said. I smiled and opened my mouth to reply.
"Ella! Come here!" Dame Olga shouted at me. I looked at her. She was still talking to a man, but she motioned for me to come to her. "Mandy, go with the other servants."
"I'll see you later," Mandy whispered and took off after the other servants going into the palace. I walked over to Dame Olga.
"You are going to have your own rooms, Ella," she said. "Since you are still my step-daughter, I want to make you feel at home here with me."
I gaped at her. Why was she doing this? This was not normal for her. She had to be up to something.
"Come with me, Olive and Hattie and we'll go up to our quarters." Dame Olga turned to her daughters behind her.
"Why does she get her own rooms?" Hattie complained.
"Don't worry, Hattie. You'll get something even better than that."
"Hmph," Hattie flounced away from me.
The castle was beautiful. Rich red and purple carpets adorned every hall and room. Large windows looked down upon green meadows, tall trees, majestic mountains, and miles of grass, houses, and animals. There were many guards posted all around the halls and sometimes in rooms.
A guard escorted us through the castle, showing us useful rooms. The ball rooms, dining room, throne room, kitchen, tea room, sun room, fencing room, and two libraries were on the first floor, among many other rooms. On the second floor were the guest suites, another tea room, a small library, two studies and others.
Our apartments were in the West Wing. There were two floors in all for us. On the top floor were two bedrooms, a shared bathroom, and a sun room. On the bottom floor, there were three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a tea room, and a living\eating room. All of our furniture from the old manor was spread into the rooms.
"Hattie and Ella will take the two bedrooms upstairs, and Olive and I will take two of the bedrooms down here," Dame Olga announced. Hattie's mouth dropped. Olive frowned.
"Mother! I do not want Ella up there with me! She can sleep with the other servants in a bedroom down here," Hattie cried. Olive was trying to sneak up the stairs to my room and claim it.
"Olive, stay here. I have a reason for putting Ella up there and I shall tell you later, Hattie, if you want." Dame Olga turned to give orders to the people moving our trunks of clothes.
"Fine!" Hattie stomped up the stairs. "But, I get the biggest bedroom!"
I saw Mandy and walked over to her. She was going into a bedroom with a suitcase of clothes.
"Mandy!" I greeted and hugged her when I caught up with her. She put down the trunk and smiled.
"Hey, sweet, want to help me with unpacking these clothes? How was the tour of the castle?" she asked. I grabbed a shirt and hung it up in the closet. We spent the rest of the day unpacking and chatting.
I fell asleep that night listening to Hattie's snores from the other bedroom. Even with a stone wall in between us I could still hear her! Dame Olga had come in an hour earlier and talked to Hattie about the "secret". Hattie had gasped a few times, but other than that, I couldn't make out anything they were saying.
The next morning dawned cool and gray. A fine mist had shrouded the meadows and clouds rolled in promising rain. Dame Olga burst in practically singing.
"Good morning, Ella! It's a wonderful day, isn't it?" she sang. She wore a deep blue silk gown that actually looked becoming on her. I sat up in bed.
"What do you want?" I asked suspiciously. She smiled.
"Well, at noon today, we are due in court to meet the king and prince. The princess is in Bast currently, so she won't be there."
"What? Why do I have to go? I'm just a servant!"
"Oh, please, you're more than just a servant. I bought you this lovely dark green gown that'll bring out your eyes. You'll look so pretty in it. Now, here it is. Put it on, like a good daughter and come downstairs for some juice and breakfast. No spilling on yourself though!"
Dame Olga laid a beautiful dark green gown on the bed. It was sleeveless and tightened it at the waist and fell to the floor in a hoop shape. In the back, it was longer and had a train.
The curse tugged at me and I was forced out of the warmth of my bed to the cool air of the morning. Mandy came in after I had put the dress on. She buttoned up the back.
"Lady Hattie was very angry this morning. She wanted you to help her dress and Mistress said no. So, Nancy had to help her to put on the dress and poked her with a pin six times. Want me to do your hair?" Mandy asked as she finished the last button. I nodded. She swept it up into an elegant knot on top of my head and somehow got it to curl. Little curls framed my face. She added a touch of rouge and some lipstick. Then, kohl, to make my eyes look larger.
"Don't you look lovely," Hattie greeted me as I walked downstairs. She was sitting on a red couch in the living room. She wore a dark purple dress that lessened the largeness of her teeth. She looked extremely happy about something. Olive sat beside her in an olive green gown. She was hunched over and staring at a piece of thread lying on the floor. "But, don't forget this: You may be dressed up finely, but you're still a servant and will always be a servant."
I was about to say something back, when Dame Olga burst into the room.
"Girls! It's time!" Dame Olga cried. She swept out of the room out of our apartments. Hattie and Olive followed, leaving me to trail behind. Mandy had gone down to the kitchens to help out the head cook there.
Guards bowed to us as we went by. I thought this odd, for we were not royalty, nor related to anyone royal. But, Dame Olga nodded to them and her smile grew bigger. I noticed in the faint sunlight that she seemed to look younger and possibly even thinner.
We arrived at the throne room doors. A herald stood there.
"The Ladies Hattie, Olive and Eleanor of Frell and Dame Olga of Frell," Dame Olga whispered. The herald nodded and opened the doors. Hattie and Olive went first, then me, then Dame Olga.
"Lady Hattie and Lady of Olive of Frell. Lady Eleanor of Frell. Dame Olga of Frell." Horns trumpeted and we walked down the plush stairs to the sea of Ayorthian courtiers. All of them were dressed finely and stood by each other. Not much conversation was going on. They stared at us as we went by them.
Up ahead were two thrones. The king sat in one of them and the prince sat on a cushion below him. Hattie and Olive curtsied before the king and prince, then, I did. As Dame Olga was curtsying, King Rywan stood up and walked over. He grabbed her hand and brought her up to stand by him before the thrones. Prince Aaron was looking me over openly. His dark black hair spilled over his brow. Brown eyes flickered. He was indeed handsome, almost as handsome as Char.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Dame Olga. After many weeks of correspondence, she has traveled here from Frell to be with me and to become my wife. Tomorrow, we shall be wedded and you will have a queen and two new princesses!" King Rywan declared to the courtiers. They applauded to the blushing Dame Olga. Hattie and Olive stood there smiling.
"I'm a princess! I'm a princess!" Olive was saying joyfully. The blood drained from my head. Dame Olga's correspondence was King Rywan? Why? How? And PRINCESS Hattie? Why was I here then, if only Hattie and Olive were to be princesses? My eyes landed on Prince Aaron. He had stood up and was walking over to me.
Then, the answers flooded to me.
The fighting between Ayortha and Frell. Hattie wanting desperately to be Char's wife. Dame Olga willing to do anything for Hattie. Princess Hattie. The only way for Hattie to marry Prince Char was under forced conditions. For peace between Frell and Ayortha, what better way to end the war than with an arranged marriage so they could be untied? And King Rywan didn't have anymore daughters, so he needed a wife with a daughter.
The memories of me telling Hattie that she couldn't be Queen even if she was a princess of Bast hit me. I had planted the first seeds of this in Dame Olga's mind. To end the fighting between Ayortha and Frell was to have Hattie marry Char!
But, why Dame Olga? What was her part of the trade? Sure, King Rywan could get control over Ayortha through Hattie, but he could do that with any other girl whose mother he married and had wedded to Char.
Some one coughed. I looked up into Prince Aaron's brown eyes. And then, I fainted.
___
Author Note: Just in case there is any confusion on the whole Dame Olga – King Rywan – Hattie – Char thing, here it is in plain format: Hattie wants to marry Prince Char and the only way she could do that is if Prince Char Is forced to marry her. So, Dame Olga goes to King Rywan, who wants control of Ayortha and Frell, and proposes that they get married and Prince Char marries Hattie so Rywan can get a hold of Frell. Char has to marry Hattie because it'll be part of a peace contract between Ayortha and Frell. And Dame Olga promises Ella for something, too. (I'm not going to say what it is until the next chapter). Please review! But, no flames, constructive or not. Good reviews make me write faster! Sorry if this was poorly written or it doesn't make sense. I just wanted it out so I can get on to the action.