Warnings: hidden meanings.
Chapter Twelve: A Piece of Cake
I arrived at Ilea's solar at the proper time as specified by the strict rulings of etiquette.
"Princess Elensar, how good to see you!" Ilea smiled and one gloved hand clamped onto my elbow. "Jana, sister, Elensar is here."
Her gown was similar to mine; I was relieved to see, for it was made of the same loose style as mine, except that her outfit was a pale hue of sky blue.
Jana walked out, gowned in soft pink, her long hair flowing down her back. "Milady, so happy that you could join us." She swept a curtsey, and I nodded genteelly.
"I'm just delighted to be here," I said, a smile pasted on my face.
"Come, sit, and let us talk!" Ilea sat on a cream-colored cushion, Jana echoing her sister's actions. I chose a pillow and sat down gently.
"Elensar, I've been just dying to get to know you better," Jana cooed in my direction.
"Ah." I squeezed out from behind the smile.
"Tell us about yourself! What's Meridian like? What is your family like?" They continued to pelt me with questions in such rapid succession that I had no chance to get a word in edgewise.
"Well," I began, and instantly the torrent of questions abated. "Well, Meridian is nice. It's prosperous and it has a splendid climate, perfect for our crops." I smiled rather nervously.
"Ohm but that's boring!" Jana pouted childishly. "Isn't there anything interesting there?"
"Of course!" I responded, offended by her bluntness. "Near my home, there is a waterfall that is easily within an hours' ride. It's very…peaceful there." I smiled, thinking of my little getaway.
"Is the court not peaceful?" Ilea asked sedately, providing a calm counterpoint to Jana's extreme enthusiasm.
"No. It isn't, not at all. With so many people there all the time, there is rarely peace. Much like here- always, something is happening." I smiled, knowing that they were digging for information.
"What about your family?" Jana asked interestedly. "Aren't there twelve of you?"
"Yes, tell us about your family." Ilea leaned forward slightly, showing that now she was truly paying attention.
"Actually, there are thirteen of us, my brother included." I corrected Jana gently.
"You have a brother?" Jana squealed excitedly.
"Yes, I do. His name is Owen." I toyed with the sleeves of my gown tensely, wishing that the interrogation would be over, and tea would begin. "He's a year younger than I am- exactly. We had celebrated our birthday a few months before I began my…visit…here." I smiled graciously, being very careful not to insult or incriminate Adrian in anyway, like a good little Princess.
"What about your sisters?" Ilea turned her ice blue eyes on me. "The oldest just got married, didn't she?"
"As far as I know, yes. I was not able to attend the wedding, due to certain circumstances that had called me away from home at the time of her wedding." I was beginning to enjoy mincing my words just so, implying many things without ever saying anything about them.
"That's so sad!" Jana declared vapidly. "Well, tell us about her! I sympathize with you entirely. I would hate to miss anything important in Ilea's life." She looked so heartbroken; I almost could have believed her.
"And I would be devastated if I were to be excluded from anything that Jana might plan." Ilea smiled serenely, and I bristled at her carefully insulting wording.
"You could both be excellent actresses," I simpered, giggling like Jana.
Jana laughed flatly, the controlled expression on her face saying more than words. "Really, Elensar, one might have thought that that had passed for wit."
"Why, thank you!" I smiled sweetly, relishing in her annoyance.
"Why don't we start on tea?" Ilea rose gracefully, her face revealing nothing at all. "Marissa!" She called into one of the cleverly hidden doorways.
A servant girl brought out a silver tray with fine china on it, and a pot of tea. "Enjoy, my ladies." She nodded slightly, in subservience to our respective ranks.
"Thank you," I said to her. She seemed not to hear except for a slight hesitation in her step.
"You do not thank servants for the work they do!" Jana laughed imperiously. "They are paid to do a good job, and therefore they need no thanks." She scoffed at me over her teacup.
"I just find that it is good manners to thank people when they do things. After all, I'm not the one paying the servants, am I? I believe that would be you, or at least, your mother." I took a sip of hot tea, burned my tongue and tried not to let it show on my face.
"Is the tea too hot?" Ilea asked, concern filling her voice. Apparently, I hadn't been good at concealing my pain; I wasn't quite the actress that I had thought myself to be.
"No it's fine." I made sure to blow gently on my cup before taking another sip, however. Jana stifled a scornful snicker.
"Elensar," Ilea nudged a platter of delicacies toward me, "Would you like some of these tarts?"
"No thank you, really, I'm not hungry at all." I pushed the platter back towards her. "Thank you anyway. I'm sure that they're delicious."
"They are." Jana took a dainty bite from one just to prove her point.
A rustling of fabric startled all of us. "Ladies, we're very sorry to disturb you, but may we join you?"
Ilea's smile could have lit the room. "Of course, your Highness."
"Oh goody, more guests," I said sarcastically.
Jana apparently didn't pick up on my liberal use of sarcasm, and she replied, "Yes! Guests are always welcome!" He smile was almost a match for Ilea's.
Lord Nethal and another noble that I hadn't been introduced to yet followed Adrian into the room.
"Princess Elensar, this is Baron Michel!" Jana took his hand possessively, and he folded himself onto a pillow next to her.
"Pleased to meet you," I said, even though I wasn't.
"Delighted, Princess." Michel seemed about as enthusiastic as I did. Michel was the opposite of Jana in everyway, it seemed; he was dark where she was fair, stolid when she giggled insipidly.
"Oh, Elensar," My smile slipped slightly, but I hastily pasted it back onto my lips. Adrian was the only one who could get away with such informality. "Lord Raven would like to see you after your social engagements for the afternoon are through."
"I'd be delighted to," I said, not even trying to make my voice a little more than the dull monotone it was.
"Good!" Adrian turned back to Ilea. As much as I despised and loathed my oldest sister, I had to wonder, had he really forgotten her that fast? Had he forgotten me so quickly? The thought slipped unbidden into my mind, and I flushed, remembering our little encounter in my cell.
"Elensar?" Nethal pressured my arm with his. "Are you alright? You look a bit…flushed."
"I'm fine, really." Memories of saying that as I was released from the stocks surfaced, and I shook my head slightly.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," I snapped, rather loudly, I suppose, for everyone turned to glance at me.
"Is there…something wrong, Princess?" Ilea's voice was condescending and brimming with mocking laughter.
"No, nothing is wrong at all," I chirped, annoyed at how empty-headed I sounded.
Adrian raised his eyebrows in silent question. I kept on smiling, pretending not to see him. "Are you, sure, Princess? You do not see like your usual…lively self."
"Alas, you have found me out!" I sighed dramatically. "I am afraid I must depart, for I feel as if I cannot linger here in the oppressing opulence of the King; if I should tarry any longer, I may become truculent and not pleasant company." I affected sorrow, while inside I was shaking with glee, "I take my leave of you, my hostess," I curtseyed to Ilea, "Milady," I included Jana in the action. "Gentleman and King, worry not for me, for on the morrow, I shall be just peachy." I wondered where the last theatric lines came from, and why on earth I had used peachy to describe myself. "Farewell," I stood and left the ladies' rooms with a graceful, gliding walk that made me seem almost ethereal.
Nethal looked slightly confused, Jana wore a stiff expression that was trying desperately to pass for cheerful, Ilea's face was smoothed into a mask of cool anger that simmered under the surface, Adrian did not look happy, and the Baron had an amused smile curling his lips.
I was quite proud of myself.
Author's Note: A shorter chapter, this time. A little present from me before school starts on Thursday. :o( Not fun. I would have updated sooner, but I've been busy getting ready and all that fun stuff…
Review Responses:
Zagato: Thank you!
Lilred-07: Yeah…I dislike it when Princesses are portrayed as really stupid. I had to do something about it…hehe.
No myridon: Elensar? Behave? No…as for where this is going, I currently have about twenty chapters written, with a possibility of thirty or so as a final amount. I'll probably eat my words, but that's my estimate.
Miss Piratess: Hah…I think that Kisses of the Rogue is actually a romance novel, too, just to let you know. I didn't write it, just borrowed the title. :o) Adrian is just becoming so cute and cuddly, no?
MapleRose: Timing is everything- that last chapter happened in the same day. Let's say she got up around noon, stays in her room eating/reading/dressing until one, then goes to Adrian then and stays there until two or so. Then she takes her leave of his charming presence and goes and eats/reads again. She has to be at Ilea's solar at three, so that gives her about an hour to eat and read. It worked out in my mind, at least. Does that help at all? As for where this is heading…I have about twenty chapters written (not all of then edited to my satisfaction) and possibly ten to go after that. I promise, it gets into the actual fairy tale. Really. :oD
Flummoxed: A long stay? Well, to Elensar it probably seems that way…her sisters care, no worries. :o) I hope you can pick up your own story again soon!
Turwen: Thanks bunches!
RnB Diva Gurl: Romance? Of course there will be romance! I'm such a sucker for that kind of stuff…hehe. :o)
