Chapter 2

Disclaimer: If you think I am Gail Carson Levine, you are sadly mistaken. Similarly, if you think I own the characters from Ella Enchanted, you are also sadly mistaken. THEY BELONG TO GAIL CARSON LEVINE. Is that clear enough?

El sat on the bench in the middle of the small garden. She was despondently pondering. A cheery voice called to her.

"El!" El turned. A bright smiling face greeted her. Dark hair framed the pale face. She was standing on the other side of the wall, her face peeking over.

"Hello, Daria." El glanced surreptitiously around. Then, she gathered the folds of her skirts up and leapt over the low wall.

"How are you?" Daria was about the same height as El, and the same age.

"I'm…good." Daria observed her in silence.

"No you're not." Daria had lived next door to her for as long as El could remember, and they knew each other very well. Daria was the only girl that El was permitted to play with, as Daria's father was another King's counsellor. El sighed.

"No…no…I'm not." They sat down.

"What's the matter?" El held her breath nervously and steeled herself.

"My mother wants me to get married."

"But that's great news, El!"

"No it isn't! It's going to be an arranged marriage, Daria. My mother might even want to set me up with the prince…" Daria's face turned pale.

"Oh." That was all she could say. El closed her eyes in guilt. Daria had been infatuated with Prince Jerrold for as long as she could remember. Unlike herself, Daria's father actually bothered to bring her to meet the royal family, and attend balls and the such-like. There, Daria had met the prince, and according to Daria, they had gotten on famously.

"I'm sorry, Dari. But it might not even happen! This is just what mother is thinking!" Daria shook her head.

"No, when your mother plans something, it usually comes true. No one has the courage to stand up to her." El knew it was true. "But it's not your fault." El looked at Daria.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm sorry." She vaulted the wall, and disappeared from Daria's sight.

How long Daria sat there, she really could not tell. She was almost frozen to her seat, by the time the servant came to call her in for dinner. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, and her reply to the servant was barely coherent.

"Yes ma'am." The servant curtseyed and left. Daria looked stupidly after the girl. What had she said to her? Something about dinner…Mother will want me to go in now…did she say we had company… no…probably not…I should go in…Daria stood up awkwardly. Now she noticed that the dark was falling. She shivered. She looked over the wall. The mansion next door was dark. There was one light on in the room that she knew was the sitting room. The window was open. Daria heard the silky laughter of Lady Rosalind, and the refined laughter of her guests. They seemed to be having a good time. Daria peered through the window. From what she could see, El wasn't there. Daria wasn't surprised. Lady Rosalind didn't like her daughter to attend balls with her, and El never did. She didn't seem to enjoy El's company, and so El spent most of her time away from her mother, eating with the servants. Daria looked towards the servants' kitchen. There was a light in there, but the only people in there were their cook and several servants. Just as Daria was about to turn away, a light at the top of the mansion's turrets caught her eye. There was a silhouette of a girl there. A light went on in that room, and as the light shone upon the girl's sad face, Daria could see that it was indeed, El.

Daria tore down the stairs, her hair in an untidy knot at the nape of her neck. Her old faded green gown ripped at the hem, but she kept running. After all only mother and father would see her. Hopefully they wouldn't mind. She wrenched open the dining room door, without waiting for the footmen to open it for her, and burst in, some of her hair flying loose from the knot. Her face was red and sweaty, and she tripped over the rug, and landed face down on her face.

A stunned silence ensued.

Daria lay on the rug, slightly embarrassed, but not completely abashed. After all, these were her parents. She had done worse. She felt a hand proffered to her. She reached up and grabbed it, helping herself to her feet. She looked up into the eyes of its owner.

And flamed even redder than before. She backed away, and flew backwards onto the carpet once more. What in the name of…everything…is HE doing HERE?

El stood, pacing in her room. But the prince isn't going to like me. So maybe he'll like Daria instead. After all Prince Jerrold is more powerful than Mother. Isn't he? He doesn't have to marry anyone he doesn't want to. And so he's not going to want to marry me. Honestly. She sat on her bed. A knock resounded at the door.

"Come in." She called. A maid entered.

"Lady Eleanor."

"Cassandra, it's El."

"El. Your mother bids you get dressed and come down. She says that you are going next door for dinner."

"Tell my noble mother, I will do as she bids." Cassandra nodded, and curtseyed. El turned to her wardrobe. The door closed behind her. This is a first. Mother wanting me to go to dinner with her, that is.