Disclaimer: Anything by Gail Carson Levine is not mine! I just own some characters and the plot. Anything you recognise most likely belings to Ms. Levine unless said otherwise. So please don't sue me.
Summary: When Sarah, Ella's daughter, is kidnapped on the night of her debutante ball she at first has no idea what is in store for her: a quest, magic, a prince in disguise... And Sarah had originally thought that she would lead an ordinary life.
Author's Note: I never thought that I would get the amount of reviews that I have gotten. So a HUGE thank you is in order to everybody who did review. I won a bet with my sister about it so I'm happy!
I really love any constructive criticism because I guess in the long run, this is what fanfiction is all about.
I really loved all of your suggestions about what should happen when Sarah goes into her mother's room.
Please Review!
Chapter 12:
Home Sweet Home
-
Sarah pushed open the door to her mother's bedroom. She was certain that this was where her mother would be if she was sick. They did have a hospital wing but Ella had never liked going there. It always made her feel uncomfortable.
The first thing that Sarah saw when she entered the room was her father. His face had become gaunt with worry and Sarah was surprised at how thin he had become.
He was standing up beside the bed.
"Father!" Sarah cried. She ran towards him and hugged him.
"Sarah. You're back. I did not think that you would come."
Sarah looked down at the bed. She could see the outline of a small body (which was buried under a pile of blankets) that she guessed to be her mother's.
"How is she doing?" Sarah asked, referring to her mother.
"She has gotten worse over the past few days. We aren't-" and here King Charmont choked.
Sarah embraced her father. "Don't worry, Dad. I'm sure she will pull through." Sarah wished that she could believe what she was saying.
"We are not sure if she will live for much longer. It is my entire fault. We were talking in the courtyard. We were arguing, about you." Char managed to say, every word laced with pain.
Sarah swallowed and felt guilty. She had not really thought much about what affect her disappearance must have had on her parents.
"I wanted you to come back home to Kyrria. This mission in Linnarch is too dangerous for you. Your mother insisted that it was destiny and you must go along with it. I walked off in a huff and you mother was attacked soon after that. If only I had stayed. If only I not been so difficult.
"When we found your mother she was covered in blood, yet we found no wound. Blood was oozing from her nose and eyes and ears. It looked to be the work of a sorcerer."
Sarah went over to her mother. It was not her father's fault it was her own. She wished that she had never gotten involved with Christian and Linnarch. It had brought her nothing but trouble.
Her mother was as white as the sheets wrapped around her and her face was drenched with sweat. She moaned as if she was feeling all the pain in the world.
"Oh mother! What am I to do?"
Sarah wept.
Christian left the bedroom silently. Though he was supposed to be her bodyguard, he knew that she would be safe up there in the room - he felt that he was intruding on their privacy and he wondered how Sarah would react to all that he had seen. He knew that she hated people seeing her in her weaker moments.
The Prince of Linnarch decided to take a walk outside and clear his head.
People looked at him curiously as he paced in one of the Royal Courtyards. He was still in his "peasant" gear and people moved away from him as he walked by.
"What should I do? I am going to kill Rapat. I am really going to murder him!" he exclaimed with great vindication.
This caused a little girl that was playing with her boat in the fountain to run away and call for her Mother.
Christian had circled the fountain for about the twentieth time when a rather pretty redhead approached him.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
Christian grunted.
"Pardon? Could you please speak up?" the girl determinedly asked.
"Yes. Yes. Of course I'm alright. Do I look disturbed to you?" he snarled.
"Actually you do. You are talking to yourself and seem to be content with walking around in circles. You are also dressed bizarrely and have a habit of grunting when somebody asks if you are okay. I would say that you are definitely NOT alright."
"What is it to you? You do not know me."
"I am just trying to help. Has nobody ever shown any caring feelings towards you?" the girl asked, gently.
"No. Well, there was somebody, once, a few years ago. And there is another girl who has, not that I have done anything to deserve it."
"I am sure you that there are many people who are concerned about you."
Christian shrugged. "Not really."
The girl frowned but when she spoke again she spoke more gently, "Are you sure you are okay? Would you like a drink or something?"
Christian never got to reply because just at that moment, somebody yelled out, "Isi!"
The girl's eyes widened. "Sarah!"
Christian looked astounded as the Princess of Kyrria hugged the strange redhead.
"I have not seen you in ages. How is the Finishing School that you are attending?" spoke the girl named Isi.
"Huh? Right. It's been great. I see that you have met my servant, Christian who accompanied me to Kyrria." Sarah told her, remembering the excuse her parents had given to the public for her absence.
"How is your mother?"
"There have still been no signs of recovery." Sarah had been upset at seeing her mother in such bad condition and had gone down to the courtyard to, like Christian, clear her thoughts.
Isi's face suddenly drooped in despair. "Oh no. Here he comes. Hide me quickly." Isi hissed.
"Who comes?" Christian asked but soon saw whom she was talking about.
A man with dark black hair was approaching them. He had light blue eyes and very pale skin. Sarah at once knew who it was. "Pierre."
Pierre was the man who on the night of Sarah's debutante ball, had proposed to Sarah. (A/N: See chapter 2).
He walked straight up to Isi, ignoring Sarah and Christian, and grabbed her hand. He then proceeded to slobber all over it with his mouth. Isi wrangled back her hand from his grasp and wiped it on her dress.
"Hello, Pierre. I would like to introduce you to my friends. This is Christian, and this is Sarah, whom I think you have met before." Isi arched her eyebrows, waiting for his reaction.
"Sarah! You are back." Pierre made to grab at Sarah's own hand but she was too quick for him and managed to move it away from his reach. "But why are you dressed like that?" he asked, referring to her peasant clothes.
"Yes, why are you dressed like that?" Isi also questioned.
"It was part of my disguise. There have been an ever increasing number of bandits on roads so the Head Mistress of the finishing school suggested that I dress up like this as well as my servant." Sarah lied, though technically, some of it was true. They had decided to dress up so that Rapat would not be able to find them.
Isi and Pierre seemed to accept what Sarah said to be true. They made small talk for a few minutes, with Christian feeling left out, until Pierre had to leave. "I have to dine with my parents tonight so I better hurry."
It was growing dark but Sarah did not want to leave Isi, she had a lot of questions to ask.
"So, has Pierre turned his attentions to you now?"
"Unfortunately. You would think that by being a commoner he would not be interested but I guess seeing as the Princess will not have him, Pierre is willing to settle for the best friend. But I must say, he mostly paid attention to you while we were talking." Isi hinted.
"Yeah, right…"
"It is true," Christian insisted, " ' Sarah, what do you think of the flowers?' 'How lovely you look, Sarah.' 'What are you doing tomorrow, Sarah?' It was sickening."
Sarah raised her eyebrows in amusement. If she did not know any better, she would say that Christian was jealous. But then again, Sarah doubted that Christian actually had a heart.
The sound of a clock chiming made Sarah realize that she had managed to forget about her mother for a few minutes and immediately felt bad about it. Her mother could be dying and here she was having a good time. Sarah flushed and hastily said goodbye to Isi.
She then dragged Christian back up to her mother's room – which is where they spent most of their time in Kyrria for them next few days and nights.
For the hundredth time that day, Sarah said to herself, "This is all my fault. If I had not gotten involved with Linnarch none of this would have happened."
Christian winced. It is not her fault, it is all mine. He thought. He had kidnapped Sarah and brought her into a world of danger and Christian now hated himself for it.
"No, it is not your fault. Do not blame yourself." He tried to reassure Sarah.
"Yes, it is." She said stubbornly.
Christian put his hands on his head. They were still in Ella's bedroom. She had a fever and it was getting worse.
"Do you think that your mother would want you to blame yourself? Well?"
"If only I had never met you. If only I had never gone to Linnarch."
Christian desperately wanted her to stop blaming herself. It was making him feel even guiltier.
"See, it is all my fault. I am the one that kidnapped you. I am the one that brought you to Linnarch!" Christian yelled.
"Do not be such an idiot! It is not your fault. Do not feel guilty. If only you would open up your feelings. You never let anybody know what you are thinking or feeling. Why? If only you would just tell me- "
Christian desperately wanted to make Sarah stop talking. She was bringing up memories of something that he did not want to think about. Christian could either hit Sarah, or he could do something else…
Sarah looked at Christian and saw that he was smiling. She was about to launch into another lecture when he grabbed her by the waist and kissed her.
The moment his lips touched hers she felt something erupt between them. She was startled at first but then she put her arms on his shoulders and moved her hands through his hair.
Sarah leaned into Christian. She loved the smell of him. He smelt of sweat and the forest. She loved the feel of his muscles through his shirt.
Sarah had not kissed a boy before. Not really kissed one. The little games she had played with the boys around the palace when she was little did not count.
The sound of Ella moaning interrupted the heated kissing. The two sprung apart.
"I hope that next time I will not have to kiss you for you to stop talking." Christian said bitterly.
Sarah gasped. So that was all she was to him? A nuisance that would not stop talking. She had hoped that that kiss had meant something to him. Sarah turned her back to him so that he could not see the hurt expression on her face.
"Sarah." A voice croaked. It was Ella.
"Yes, mother." Sarah was elated – her mother had regained conciousness.
"I love you. You will take care of yourself, won't you?" Ella spoke.
"Mother, do not be silly. You are going to get through this."
There was no reply.
"Mother, please get better. Please!" Sarah insisted.
Ella briefly smiled and then closed her eyes.
And died.
A/N: Another cliffhanger. Now the question is, is Ella actually dead, or isn't she? All will be revealed in the next chapter!
Please R/R!
A huge thank you to all my reviewers!
Who Really Cares?: Thanks for your suggestion. You sound like you would make a great writer yourself. Have you written any fanfics?
A fan on the book: no, my real name is not marina. My actual name is angie. I have a friend called marina and that is where I got the name from. (marina eyes is kind of a weird fanfic name but oh well!)
Shima and Tempis: Thanks for your lovely review. I hope this chapter answered your questions (though Ella may not be dead…)
Naughty little munchkin: thanks for reviewing. Morgana will appear later in this fic. I am glad you got the hint!
Dragon 21: thanks for your review! (though I did think that the chapter I wrote was really bad! Thanks for your encouragement).
Evo422: you may not believe me when I say that I did not realize that Morgana was the name of Ursula's sister in The Little Mermaid 2! I found that really weird but thanks for letting me know (and for reviewing my story!)
Alcapacien: thanks for your review! And I loved your idea for what should happen. I reckon you should write an Ella Enchanted fic!
Luv ya all,
marina eyes.