Thanks to all my reviewers! Your reviews really keep me going! Thanks to singinstrwberri for all the good suggestions. I don't know if I did much better on this chapter, but that's for you to decide.
This chapter I used a lot from Ella Enchanted. So here's my disclaimer.
Disclaimer: I do not own the conversations in this chapter. I (unfortunately) do not own Ella. boo hoo.
Oh well. On to Chapter 4!
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The next day, just as we were sitting down to our embroidery, Madame Edith entered the room, with three unfamiliar girls following behind her.
"Young ladies," she announced, "here are three new friends for you.'
I rolled my eyes, recognizing the same phrase Madame Edith with every new girl. I set down my sewing and stood with my classmates, and curtsied, wondering if these girls could be any worse than those I already knew.
As I took my seat again though, one of the new girls caught my attention.
While her two companions wore expensive looking outfits, she curiously wore only a plain, every day gown. Another thing I noticed about her was that she did not have the haughty, snobbish look I knew so well. Instead she looked tired and pale.
"Back to work, ladies," Madame Edith said. "Sewing Mistress will help the new pupils."
I watched the new girl closely, waiting for her to look my way. I hoped against hope she was different than the others.
She finally glanced in my direction. I smiled.
Her slightly rebellious look faded slightly, encouraging me enough to wink.
I continued to study her as Sewing Mistress handed the girl the standard embroidering materials. I watched as she struggled with the needle and thread, debating with myself if I should try and befriend her.
I was still debating when Sewing Mistress noticed the girl's obvious distress.
"The child has been raised by ogres or worse!" she exclaimed. "Hold it delicately. It's not a spear. One brings the thread to it." The poor lass looked faint as she stared down at her marked linen.
I finally acted. Grabbing the dress I was fixing a small rip in, I quietly pulled my chair up next to hers.
"You have to knot the end of the thread and start underneath," I blurted. The girl looked up, surprised. I continued.
"And Sewing Mistress would ridicule you if you sew a green rose. Roses have to be red or pink, or yellow if you're daring." I hoped she wouldn't think me rude for correcting her.
The girl smiled. She was quite pretty, with glossy brown hair and sparkly green eyes. Her face Her face was slender and pleasant, with a bright smile.
"I'm Ella," she said. "I would stand and curtsy, but I would be to afraid of breaking something."
I laughed. "My name is Areida. I live in Amonta, just inside Ayortha."
I hesitated. Should I tell her how poor I was compared to everyone else here at school? Luckily, Ella solved my problem by changing the subject.
To my surprise and delight, Ella began speaking in my native language, Ayorthain.
"Abensu utyu anja ubensu," she said, looking pleased with herself.
I was ecstatic! "Ubensu okommo Ayortha?"
"I only know a few words," Ella admitted, changing back to Kyrrian.
I was disappointed, but not for long.
"You could teach me," Ella suggested eagerly. I thought a moment, then agreed, grinning widely.
Ella was incredible. By the end of sewing class, she was speaking short sentences.
"Utyu ubensu evtame oyjento?" she asked. ("Do you like finishing school?")
I shrugged, not wanting to tell her so soon of my unpopularity.
"You don't? Is it terrible?" she asked, having to resort back to Kyrrian again.
I was about to answer, but unfortunately Sewing Mistress spotted the three messy stitches Ella had managed to make during our language lesson.
As Sewing Mistress began lecturing Ella, I again noticed how faint and pale she looked.
Sewing Mistress ordered Ella to her room. "No supper for you tonight."
"I'm not hungry," Ella announced defiantly. I admired her for her stubbornness in not willingly giving in.
Ella's stomach growled loudly. I realized with a start she that she must be incredibly hungry.
"Then you may do without breakfast as well, for your impertinence," Sewing Mistress said irritably.
Ella left the room, a maid leading the way. I couldn't help but feel lonely again.
During supper, I managed to conceal a small white roll among the folds of my dress. Excusing myself a few minutes earlier, with Sewing Mistress watching me suspiciously, I made my way upstairs.
I had no idea where Ella would be sleeping, so wasted part of my precious few minutes searching the many bedrooms of the school. Finally, I found her curled up on one of the plush chairs in the Lavender Room (my own room, I noted happily), fast asleep.
I hated to wake her but I didn't have much time. I knelt beside her and shook her shoulder. "Here Ella," I whispered. "You can eat this."
As Ella drowsily turned her head, I uncovered the roll from my dress. "Wake up. Ella, wake up," I whispered more urgently. How much time did I have before the other girls finished supper?
Suddenly, Ella was sitting up, wide-awake. I sighed in relief, and thrust the roll into her hands.
"It's all I could get. Eat it before the others come in," I said.
I nervously glanced at the door while Ella made short work of the roll.
"Thank you," she said looking much better. "Do you sleep in here too?"
I nodded.
"Where?"
The door opened before I could answer. Julia and two of her friends entered. As I had feared, they began their taunting as soon as they had spotted us.
"Look! Queer ducks flock together," Julia said, smiling snidely. She purposefully mocked my Ayorthain accent by pronouncing her l's as y's.
Ella ignored her, instead directing a question to me.
"Ecete iffibensi asura edanse evtame oyento?" ("Is this how they behave at finishing school?")
I grinned, understanding the joke. As long as we spoke Ayorthain, the other girls would have no idea what we were saying.
I replied. "Otemso iffibensi asura ippiri." ("Sometimes they are much worse.")
"Are you from Ayortha too?" Julia asked Ella, none too politely.
Ella shook her head. "No but Areida is teaching the beautiful Ayorthain language."
Ella paused, shooting me a sly grin, before continuing. "In Ayorthain you are an `ibwi unju'."
I started laughing, knowing she had only said tall girl, while Julia would think it much worse. Ella and I moments though. Just as I had collapsed to sit upon the chair with Ella, for I was laughing too hard to hold myself up; Madame Edith entered the room.
"Young ladies! What do I see?" she exclaimed.
I sprang to my feet immediately, but Ella couldn't stop laughing.
"My chairs are not made to take such abuse," the headmistress said. "And young ladies do not sit two to a seat. Do you hear me? Ella! Stop your unseemly laughter!"
Ella stopped.
"That's better." Madame Edith turned to the rest if the girls. "Into your nightdresses, young ladies. The Shores of Sleep are approaching."
Ella and I exchanged a glance and almost burst out laughing again.
As sleep began to take me, I allowed myself to hope that my dreams of a friend at finishing school would come true.
This chapter I used a lot from Ella Enchanted. So here's my disclaimer.
Disclaimer: I do not own the conversations in this chapter. I (unfortunately) do not own Ella. boo hoo.
Oh well. On to Chapter 4!
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
The next day, just as we were sitting down to our embroidery, Madame Edith entered the room, with three unfamiliar girls following behind her.
"Young ladies," she announced, "here are three new friends for you.'
I rolled my eyes, recognizing the same phrase Madame Edith with every new girl. I set down my sewing and stood with my classmates, and curtsied, wondering if these girls could be any worse than those I already knew.
As I took my seat again though, one of the new girls caught my attention.
While her two companions wore expensive looking outfits, she curiously wore only a plain, every day gown. Another thing I noticed about her was that she did not have the haughty, snobbish look I knew so well. Instead she looked tired and pale.
"Back to work, ladies," Madame Edith said. "Sewing Mistress will help the new pupils."
I watched the new girl closely, waiting for her to look my way. I hoped against hope she was different than the others.
She finally glanced in my direction. I smiled.
Her slightly rebellious look faded slightly, encouraging me enough to wink.
I continued to study her as Sewing Mistress handed the girl the standard embroidering materials. I watched as she struggled with the needle and thread, debating with myself if I should try and befriend her.
I was still debating when Sewing Mistress noticed the girl's obvious distress.
"The child has been raised by ogres or worse!" she exclaimed. "Hold it delicately. It's not a spear. One brings the thread to it." The poor lass looked faint as she stared down at her marked linen.
I finally acted. Grabbing the dress I was fixing a small rip in, I quietly pulled my chair up next to hers.
"You have to knot the end of the thread and start underneath," I blurted. The girl looked up, surprised. I continued.
"And Sewing Mistress would ridicule you if you sew a green rose. Roses have to be red or pink, or yellow if you're daring." I hoped she wouldn't think me rude for correcting her.
The girl smiled. She was quite pretty, with glossy brown hair and sparkly green eyes. Her face Her face was slender and pleasant, with a bright smile.
"I'm Ella," she said. "I would stand and curtsy, but I would be to afraid of breaking something."
I laughed. "My name is Areida. I live in Amonta, just inside Ayortha."
I hesitated. Should I tell her how poor I was compared to everyone else here at school? Luckily, Ella solved my problem by changing the subject.
To my surprise and delight, Ella began speaking in my native language, Ayorthain.
"Abensu utyu anja ubensu," she said, looking pleased with herself.
I was ecstatic! "Ubensu okommo Ayortha?"
"I only know a few words," Ella admitted, changing back to Kyrrian.
I was disappointed, but not for long.
"You could teach me," Ella suggested eagerly. I thought a moment, then agreed, grinning widely.
Ella was incredible. By the end of sewing class, she was speaking short sentences.
"Utyu ubensu evtame oyjento?" she asked. ("Do you like finishing school?")
I shrugged, not wanting to tell her so soon of my unpopularity.
"You don't? Is it terrible?" she asked, having to resort back to Kyrrian again.
I was about to answer, but unfortunately Sewing Mistress spotted the three messy stitches Ella had managed to make during our language lesson.
As Sewing Mistress began lecturing Ella, I again noticed how faint and pale she looked.
Sewing Mistress ordered Ella to her room. "No supper for you tonight."
"I'm not hungry," Ella announced defiantly. I admired her for her stubbornness in not willingly giving in.
Ella's stomach growled loudly. I realized with a start she that she must be incredibly hungry.
"Then you may do without breakfast as well, for your impertinence," Sewing Mistress said irritably.
Ella left the room, a maid leading the way. I couldn't help but feel lonely again.
During supper, I managed to conceal a small white roll among the folds of my dress. Excusing myself a few minutes earlier, with Sewing Mistress watching me suspiciously, I made my way upstairs.
I had no idea where Ella would be sleeping, so wasted part of my precious few minutes searching the many bedrooms of the school. Finally, I found her curled up on one of the plush chairs in the Lavender Room (my own room, I noted happily), fast asleep.
I hated to wake her but I didn't have much time. I knelt beside her and shook her shoulder. "Here Ella," I whispered. "You can eat this."
As Ella drowsily turned her head, I uncovered the roll from my dress. "Wake up. Ella, wake up," I whispered more urgently. How much time did I have before the other girls finished supper?
Suddenly, Ella was sitting up, wide-awake. I sighed in relief, and thrust the roll into her hands.
"It's all I could get. Eat it before the others come in," I said.
I nervously glanced at the door while Ella made short work of the roll.
"Thank you," she said looking much better. "Do you sleep in here too?"
I nodded.
"Where?"
The door opened before I could answer. Julia and two of her friends entered. As I had feared, they began their taunting as soon as they had spotted us.
"Look! Queer ducks flock together," Julia said, smiling snidely. She purposefully mocked my Ayorthain accent by pronouncing her l's as y's.
Ella ignored her, instead directing a question to me.
"Ecete iffibensi asura edanse evtame oyento?" ("Is this how they behave at finishing school?")
I grinned, understanding the joke. As long as we spoke Ayorthain, the other girls would have no idea what we were saying.
I replied. "Otemso iffibensi asura ippiri." ("Sometimes they are much worse.")
"Are you from Ayortha too?" Julia asked Ella, none too politely.
Ella shook her head. "No but Areida is teaching the beautiful Ayorthain language."
Ella paused, shooting me a sly grin, before continuing. "In Ayorthain you are an `ibwi unju'."
I started laughing, knowing she had only said tall girl, while Julia would think it much worse. Ella and I moments though. Just as I had collapsed to sit upon the chair with Ella, for I was laughing too hard to hold myself up; Madame Edith entered the room.
"Young ladies! What do I see?" she exclaimed.
I sprang to my feet immediately, but Ella couldn't stop laughing.
"My chairs are not made to take such abuse," the headmistress said. "And young ladies do not sit two to a seat. Do you hear me? Ella! Stop your unseemly laughter!"
Ella stopped.
"That's better." Madame Edith turned to the rest if the girls. "Into your nightdresses, young ladies. The Shores of Sleep are approaching."
Ella and I exchanged a glance and almost burst out laughing again.
As sleep began to take me, I allowed myself to hope that my dreams of a friend at finishing school would come true.
