Chapter 7
Disclaimer: Meh. Not GCL. Don't own Ella. Profit not. Sue not.
Thank you to andreaaft and Mickimeg and guess who? I love you all! (in a purely platonic sense of course )
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"Jerrold is engaged…to Daria."
Her mother's words were blunt and tactless.
El stood stock-still.
Lady Rosalind turned, and seeing her daughter's stunned, hurt face, she attempted to comfort her.
"Dear…" The word sounded strange in her mouth. "Dear… It was an arranged marriage… a long time ago. And besides…I'm sure I can get you another husband… Just give me time…"
Her mother's complete failure to comprehend her situation hardly surprised El at all. She looked up at her mother, and smiled numbly.
"I'm fine." Her voice sounded distant to her ears, as if coming from behind a glass wall.
Her mother put her hand on El's shoulder. The numerous rings dug into her skin.
"Coming back to the ball?"
"Can I have a few moments to myself?" Her mother frowned.
"If you must." She heaved a self-sacrificial sigh. "But I insist that you return soon."
"Yes mother."
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Mandy looked up as the kitchen door was flung open.
"El?" The girl was obviously distraught. Her hair was coming down, and her face was pale and frightened.
"Mandy!" She flung her arms around the fairy. Mandy hugged her back. Then she made her sit down.
"What's wrong, my sweet?"
"Jerrold's engaged…" Mandy drew in a sharp breath. She had heard of the prince's attentions to El. She wrapped her arms around El, but El pulled away. "I have to return to the ball."
"Are you sure, my sweet? I don't want you to get hurt." El frowned.
"How can I get hurt worse than I already am?" With that, she took a deep breath and spun around, and walked out of the kitchen, tidying her hair as she did so.
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Jerrold looked around, as he saw El re-enter the hall. Quickly, he strode over to her.
"El? Are you alright?"
El looked into his eyes for the last time. She could never look directly at him again.
"Jerrold…" Her tone was cool and distant. "I know that you're engaged to Daria." Jerrold tried to interrupt, but she held up a hand to stop him. "I know you're engaged to Daria. I hope that you'll be very happy together, and that we'll always be good friends."
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Daria spun around and saw Jerrold gesturing wildly. El was standing there, looking calm. Daria knew El too well. She could tell that inside, El was very upset. She felt a pang.
How could I throw away a friendship because of a guy?
She walked quickly over.
"…I didn't know, El, honest!"
"Ahem." She coughed. Jerrold twisted quickly around.
"Oh…Daria…" He was less than pleased to see her, she could tell. El flushed at the sight of her.
"Daria." Daria couldn't tell whether El was pleased to see her, or upset to see her. There was a wary note in her voice, but that could easily be because she was controlling her emotions. "Daria. I want to say that I'm sorry…for all of this…" She gestured towards Jerrold. I hope you will be happy together." She looked at Daria in the eye, then gave her an impulsive hug. Then she ran away.
Daria was left standing with Jerrold.
"What was she talking about?" Jerrold sighed.
"She's gotten the idea that we're engaged."
"What?"
"Exactly."
"I'm going to talk to her."
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El sat by the fountain, watching the little droplets of water splash against the surface.
"El?" The voice, though tentative, is undeniably Daria's. El turns to face her.
I have to face her some time.
"Hey."
"Can I come sit with you?"
"Sure."
Daria takes a seat.
"Where did you get that idea from?"
"That you guys were engaged?"
"Yes."
"Lady told me."
"Oh."
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El's mother doesn't lie about something like that.
Daria sat in her bedroom.
That's it, I'm going to ask mother.
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"Mother?"
"Yes child?"
"I'm engaged to the prince?" The words sounded silly in the air.
"How did you find out?"