Chapter 8: A post-poned argument and a story by King Jerrold

Ella's POV

"Why?" I was confused. I knew I was avoiding his last statement but he would get hurt if he were married to me.

"Why what?" Char asked with a worried expression on his face.

"Why do you still want to marry me?" You could die! I could be Kyrria's downfall! Anyone could order me to do anything!" I was yelling. I couldn't handle the pressure anymore, he didn't get it, he just didn't understand. I chocked down my sobs. I would make him understand.

"Char! Anyone could--" I stopped in mid sentence. The door opened and there stood Char's sister Cecilia who must have been listening to the conversation, and Areida.

"Cecilia", Char said with an air of patience. "What do you think you're doing? I told you to wait below, this doesn't concern you."

I saw Cecilia scowl at him. She was about to retort back when Areida beat her to it.

"Your highnesses," Areida said looking at Char and his sister, "please.... you found Ella and I apologize that you had to wait quite a while for her but Ella really should get some rest, she's ill.

I knew I could depend on Areida! She proved to be a true friend at three different times. At finishing school, when she and her family let Mandy and I stay at their inn, and now she would save me from dealing with Char. For now at least. I couldn't ask for a better friend. I needed to think things through and gather my thoughts together. I wasn't ready to face Char, I was too upset and tired. I couldn't make him understand that he couldn't marry me. Not yet anyway. I needed to think of what I was going to tell him, how much I wanted to.

"She's ill?" Char asked disbelievingly. He folded his arms and had a stern expression on his face as he walked over to Areida.

He paused a moment then said, "Whats wrong with Ella?"

"Well actually that's why she was out. Highness, Ella has a common cold and I think she needs her rest. She went out with the cook only to get fresh air." Areida looked confidently yet pleadingly at Char.

"Ella..." Char started and looked into my still tear shining eyes before speaking again. "Ella, whether you're truly sick or not I'll leave you for tonight... Just think about what I said." He paused again and then said, "and to answer your question... I want you to be my bride because I love you." He smiled at me and then turned to his sister. "Come Cecilia."

He walked out of the room. Cecilia glanced at Areida and I before following him out. As she passed Areida, she stopped and asked, "do you have rooms available for my brother and I?"

Areida turned to me questioningly. I nodded my consent. Areida couldn't just tell the princess that she wasn't welcome!

She took a step forward and swept a graceful curtsey before saying, "of course your highness."

"Thank you. I will inform my brother that we have rooms to stay in for the time being." She wasn't looking directly at Areida when she said this but at me. "I believe he went downstairs, I will go get him. When we come back it would be kind of you to show us our rooms."

"Of course," Areida said blankly. Cecilia smiled and left. Areida and I were now alone.

"Ella, I want to know what's been going on."

Cecilia's POV

As I was about to follow Char out of Ella's room I caught Ella's eye and I realized Char completely forgot to ask for rooms for us to stay in!

I decided to ask the serving girl whether there were any rooms available for Char and I. She turned to Ella as if confused about whether to answer me or not. Ella nodded her head to the girl and the girl curtseyed to me and said, "of course your highness."

I wanted everything to work out with Char and Ella. I caught Ella's eye again and said, "thank you, I will inform my brother that we have rooms to stay in for the time being."

I let the girl know that I would first find Char and tell him that we each had a room and then when we came back it was for her to show us where we would be staying. She agreed and I smiled one last time at Ella before leaving to get Char.

As I strolled down the hall and staircase I thought about what now haunted my thoughts.

"When I was born, the fairy Lucinda gave me the 'gift' of obedience. Anything anyone tells me to do, I must do."

I overheard Ella telling this to Char when I was listening behind the door.

This was definitely a reasonable answer for why she didn't want Char to find her and for why she had hurt him with saying that she eloped. However.... It was nonetheless horrifying. Char needed to realize the seriousness of him having a queen that could be told do absolutely anything and obeying it.

I had heard of the fairy Lucinda before. On his birthday, years ago, Father once told me a story about her.

Flashback

I was in the castle library reading a fairy tale about a Gnome who was lost when my father, King Jerrold walked in. I was so engrossed in the story that I didn't realize it when he sat next to me.

"Hello Cecilia," he greeted

I jumped. "Father, you startled me! Happy birthday!"

"Thank you my dear, today was a very...interesting day. Be ready to be amused." I grinned. I loved him telling me stories.

"Well, your mother and I were in a meeting this morning with some of my best knights. We were discussing the situation with the recent ogre killings in Jenn when out of no where a young woman with dark hair pops right in front of our table with a small one-person cake in her hands that said 'happy birthday King Jerrold.' She introduced herself as the fairy Lucinda.

I thanked her for the cake and had one of the servants bring it to the kitchens. I had heard of her and I didn't know what magic she might have put in to the cake. I didn't believe I did anything to offend her but she went ballistic.

She started crying and saying that I was an ungrateful king and that no one appreciated her gifts anymore.

Your mother and I tried to console her by telling her that I would eat the cake later but it did no good.

She told me that I didn't deserve the 'gift' that she added in to the cake for extra flavor. She said extra flavor with a big smirk on her face.

I asked her what the gift was and she told me it was the 'wonderful' gift of listening. She told me it would make me a better king. That whenever someone spoke either directly or indirectly to me I would 'have' to listen.

If chancellor Thomas was making one of his speeches my mind wouldn't be free to wander! Believe me Cecilia, I was very lucky that she added her magic into a cake instead of just bestowing the gift upon me without me having to eat anything. When the fairy disappeared I was more then happy to send a servant to the kitchens to destroy that cake.

Then the knights, your mother, and I all laughed about how that gift would have affected me. One day I hope that fairy learns her lesson."

"Father, I'm glad you didn't eat the cake," I said when the short tale was over.

I didn't think Lucinda's attempted gift was funny. If father had eaten that cake he would have had to listen to everything and anything speaking to him. He already listened to people speaking to him, he didn't need a so called gift to make his mind a slave from ever wandering freely again.

"Father, your real gift from Lucinda is to be grateful that your mind can still sometimes wander when chancellor Thomas is speaking," I said while starting to smile."

My father just laughed.

End of story flashback

So when I neared a down cast looking Char sitting on a wooden chair by the entrance of the inn I had four thoughts in mind. I had to tell him that the girl would be showing us our rooms, that was my first thought. My second thought was that Ella had to be rescued from that dreadful curse that Lucinda the ridiculous gave her. The third thought that I had was how could Char be upset with me for listening behind the door to his and Ella's conversation? After all I'd done! And my last thought,

"Where's the fairy book?" I voiced this thought out loud.

Okay, I have been very lazy lately and have had AWFUL writers block on this story, so my wonderful beta, who I am now beta to, (smiles) wrote this, and will most likely finish the story for me. However, I added a few sentences and words and corrected several things. Of course, she gets all credit for it. Okay, I'd like to thank all the people who have reviewed this story, and have been patiently, or not so patiently, waiting for me to update! Well, hope you enjoyed the chapter.

and i would write an acknowledgement to you, but i have to hurry..not an excuse, i know. sorry