A High School Fairytale

Prologue

When I was little, mother would tell me a story about a girl named Ella. This girl was cursed and had to do whatever she was told to do. (I don't think that mother always disapproves of this, considering I am a bit rebellious.) One day this Ella girl met a prince and later married him. I know that you are thinking that I'm weird telling you this, but there is a point. According to mother, Ella had a fairy godmother! A real live fairy! Also, that Ella had fairy blood in her, but not enough so that she could do magic, but enough to give her small feet, called fairy feet. When I was told this, I would burst out laughing and say, "Then mother, I must be related to this Ella, because I have fairy feet too!" well, I also have very small feet, so I am very clumsy.

A few years ago, mother had stopped telling me this story, but this afternoon, she came up to me with a very serious expression on her face. "Kitiara, you should sit down, I need to tell you something." So, thinking that she was going to tell me that my father was terribly ill or something, I just plopped down on the floor! She laughed at me, and told me to sit in a chair like a young lady, so I did. Then she said something that I'm still trying to comprehend. "Kitiara, you remember the stories that I told you about Ella, the girl who was cursed?" I nodded my head. "Well, you are related to her." I just sat there staring at her. "Honey, you are her great-great-great granddaughter." I still said nothing. Sighing, mother tried again. "You know how every female in our family is named Eleanor on my side? Well, that is why. We are all named after Ella's grandmother, though some go by Ella, Lela, Eleanor, Lean, whatever we like. I decided to break the tradition, so I named you differently, but that doesn't matter. You used to say that you had fairy feet, well, you do. I have them too, as well as all of your grandmothers and aunts on my side of the family." She stopped and stared at me. I'm still saying nothing, just looking at her like she is insane. "Oh do stop that! In not kidding, I'm very serious!"

"Mother, you can't be serious, because you just told me that one of my relatives was a fairy! I'm going to go call the doctor, better yet; I'm going to get Mandy." Mandy was my childhood nurse that somehow just stuck around with us. She works as a maid now, but still takes care of my mother and myself when we get sick.

"I'm fine! You have to listen to me, and Ella was not a fairy, she just had fairy blood."

"Sure mom, I believe you. Mandy! Mandy, mother is really sick! I need some help!" I shouted, because I had no clue where she was. At the sound of my voice, the little lady named Mandy came bustling in. Feeling mother's forehead for a fever, she looked over at me.

"There is nothing wrong with your mother Kit. Why did you think there was?" she said, straightening her skirts. Staring at her, and then at my mother, I open my mouth, but nothing came out. Seeing my distress, Mandy glanced over at my mother. "You told her didn't you?" she asked.

"I had too! She is old enough to know the truth, so I told her! And it's not like she won't find out soon enough anyways. I mean, it happened to my mother's mother, it happened to my mother, and it happened to me, so it will happen to her soon as well! I just wanted her to be ready when it does."

"But lady, she obviously thinks that you need to go to a hospital now, and by the looks of it, she thinks the same of me." Mandy stated, glancing over at where I had now collapsed on the floor. No I didn't faint; I just couldn't stay standing anymore.

"Would someone please tell me what is going on?" I demanded from where I was sitting. "And what happened to Grams Nana and you? What is going to happen to me? Why do I have no clue what you are talking about?"

As my mother and Mandy exchanged glances, my mother recounted the story of Ella, but a different version than what I have read in books. This version, Ella was from England, and not from some distant world, which is why all the ladies on my mother's side have an English accent, including me, and why we always go to England when they reach my age. To go visit our family, who just happens to be high up in the line for the throne!

I couldn't take it anymore, so I did the only thing I could think of doing. I ran. Since I live in Washington D.C. where my father is a senator, I have to have a body guard follow me whenever I leave the house, but I was so out of it, I didn't even notice. I ran until I got to a park, which just happened to be my favorite spot about eight blocks from our house. Running through the park is a little brook surrounded by woods on one side, and a few trees on the side that I was on. Seeing a bridge, I bolted to it and raced over to where I knew there was a weeping willow on the other side. Upon reaching it, I collapsed on the ground, heart pounding.

Seeing me fall, my two wonderful body guards came racing even faster after me. Since I didn't know they were there, I didn't bother to set a slower pace for them, since they can't run as fast and as far as I can, (I'm a figure skater, so I have very strong legs.) but seeing me fall gave them extra strength. When they reached me, one of them came over to me and helped me up, while the other guy, much older and larger than the first, tried to catch his breath. Looking up at the guy, I noticed that I had never seen him before. He must be new. I thought to myself. I guess they figured out that old Giles over there just isn't enough to watch over rambunctious me. At least he is close to my age. I bet that they figured that a young boy might settle me down! Ha! This could be fun! Let's see, I think I'll start with flattery.

"Are you alright miss?" the new boy asked. "You gave us quite a fright running out like that. We thought that you had seen a ghost or something judging from how pale you were. Your color seems to be coming back, but you are still shaking a bit." That was when I noticed that he was still holding me, more like hugging me really. So I backed away from him slowly.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry about that. I forgot that Giles had to follow me. I just thought that I'd get a bit of fresh air, climb some trees, walk around and maybe run a bit. I didn't know that you would come as well sir. If I had, then I might have slowed down a bit and let you catch up." I said, smiling a little, but keeping my eyes on my shoes.

"A funny lass! They said that I would get a handful out of you, but they never said anything about a sense of humor! Oh, forgive my terrible manors, I never introduced myself. My name is Tristan. I am to be your new body guard because Giles decided to retire."

I had forgotten all about Giles! "Oh! Giles, you're retiring? Did I wear you out that much? I had no idea that I was that much of a handful!" I told him laughing.

"Nonsense child! You were a joy. It is just that my old body can't keep up with a sprightly young lass like you. My wife would like me home a bit more, so I decided to let her have me." Giles told us. Now that I look at him, he does look pretty old, which I had never noticed.

After we had talked for some time, we all turned around back to the house, for it was getting close to supper and sundown. About a block from home, I turned to Tristan. "I'm sorry; I never told you who I am. I'm..."

"I know perfectly well who you are." he said chuckling a bit. "Unless you are not 5 foot four, have long curly auburn hair down to your mid back, bright green eyes with blue flecks, and the daughter of a senator, then I do need an introduction." Finishing his speech, he turned to look at me. Well duh he would know all this; he is to be my new body guard! So I just looked at him like a dork and cocked my head. At this, he just started laughing. I guess I must have looked ridiculous, because Giles did as well.

Smiling, I playfully hit them both. "What?" I demanded.

"I'm sorry lady," Giles said whipping tears from his eyes because he was laughing so hard, "but in all my years of watching you, you have never looked so dumbstruck!" At this, I also started to laugh, because I normally have some witty comeback to everything. Instead, I just tapped Giles on the shoulder.

As he turned to me I smiled at him and said curtly, "You're it!" and I took off running the rest of the way home laughing and screaming while he and Tristan just looked at each other and then took off after me.

When I got back to my house, I bolted through the door to the laundry room and hid behind the dryer. A few seconds later, Tristan burst in and a bit after that Giles came in. Since Giles knew me better, Tristan turned to him for help finding me. "Where could she have gone? The house isn't that big, so she couldn't have that many hiding places. Could she?"

"Well, as you will find out, she is an expert at not being seen when she wants to be hidden. Also, she is excellent at ditching people, so you always need to have your guard up around her. She may be a pretty little lass, but she is very tricky and cunning. She has street smarts, so she can get herself out of a jam, but she does need a little help once in a while. As to where she has hidden herself, there is only one place I can think of."

"And where might that be oh master of hide and seek?" Tristan asked, giving his predecessor a huge grin.

"Under her bed of course! Where do all girls go, but to their rooms?"

"Under her bed? Can she fit under there?"

"Come with me, I'll show you." So off they went, supposedly to my room, but I knew better. Giles knew that I was somewhere in hearing rang, but didn't know exactly where, so he thought that he could trick me! Clever man, but it didn't work. So I hopped out from where I was hiding and raced after them hoping to scare at least one of them. As I raced to my room, I never came across them, so I just plopped down on my bed. I'll just talk to them tomorrow. So now I am just sitting here thinking about what my mother told me. Could I really be related to a person out of a book? This just doesn't seem real! And with that, I drifted off to sleep.