I'M SO HAPPY! I GOT MORE REVIEWS! Please keep reviewing! To all of you who reviewed: You made my day!!! Anyway, this chapter reveals the true character of Aunt Sarah… I think.

greeniegurl101: THANK YOU!

Lela-of-Bast: THANK YOU! Yeah, Amelia and Robert were actually supposed to be a little different, but after the first couple of chapters with them they were just like Hattie and Olive, so I gave up and kept them fairly close to the same personalities as Hattie and Olive.

dancrchick: THANK YOU! Um, I can't really give you an estimate, but I know it will be pretty long. It is kinda drawn out, so I'll try to skip some parts that aren't really necessary to try to make it less drawn out. K?

The next day, after breakfast was long over, and Emma had almost screamed her lungs out (since everyone was awake, and I still couldn't speak), a servant knocked on the door.

"Excuse me, miss, but Amelia said that you aren't allowed out yet, and to be silent until she unlocks the door. She said she was only speaking to Emma." Then the servant left.

Emma's face turned into a deep red, but she did not speak.

Finally, when it was almost lunchtime, Amelia opened the door.

As soon as she did, Emma began to scream at her. For a moment, Amelia said nothing, surprised that Emma was talking this way. Then, she slapped Emma across the face. Now it was Emma's turn to be surprised.

That got me mad. I still could not talk, but my hands could still work.

SLAP! Amelia looked at me with hurt, shock, and pure hate.

I've always wanted to do that. I mouthed, and sneered. Next time I'd definitely punch her, I thought to myself.

Amelia's shoulders went up, and she said shakily, "Follow me."

Down the stairs, she said without any shaking, "Lou has left to look for a job, and I told mother that there is something I wanted to show her. And I'll have to talk about this."

Aunt Sarah was waiting for us in the parlor. Now that was a parlor! Anyway, she and Robert were waiting, rather impatiently.

"Yes, what is it, Amelia?" Aunt Sarah asked.

"Mother, I have found something out about Emma and Elisa."

Aunt Sarah was immediately interested (probably to tell the whole world what Amelia was going to tell her).

"Don't you dare." Emma growled.

Amelia just smiled. "Oh, don't worry. I will."

I wanted to punch Amelia, to get out this rage that pulsed through my body. I raised my fist, and just about to throw the punch, a hand came out of nowhere and stopped me. A tall, hooded figure stood over me.

"I suggest," he said quietly, "that you don't do that."

I just stood there, staring at him stupidly, and then hastily jerked my hand out of his. He had some sort of accent that I couldn't quite place at the moment.

"How dare you even try to harm my daughter!" Aunt Sarah roared at me. As she bore down on me, I stood quietly, my face expressionless. What kind of punishment could she possibly give me? She wouldn't do anything, right? She was a friend to my mother and father, right?

A stinging blow across my face answered my questions. I refused to cry out in pain, and continued to show no emotion. This whole thing was just a nightmare… only a nightmare…

"Now, as I was saying," Amelia went on as if absolutely nothing had happened, "they obey every command, although you can't say please. It has to be an order. Like this: Elisa, take two steps towards my brother."

I stayed put. The pain started. This was not a nightmare. The pain from the curse was all too real. Then Amelia said, "It takes them a little while. She'll do it."

I glared at her, and finally took two steps towards her brother. I still couldn't talk, or I would have said, "You know, I can do that on my own without an order."

"Now," Amelia turned on Emma. "Emma, spin around once, then take one step towards Robert."

Emma obeyed without even trying to struggle, trembling with rage.

"You see, Mother?" Amelia smiled sweetly.

Aunt Sarah stood up. She seemed to have shaken off her anger towards me (a little). "Well, it looks like you'll have to work to earn your keep in this house. I don't want poor girls living in my house without working to live here. Lisa!" She rang a bell. A servant entered.

"Yes, Madam?"

"Give these girls suitable servants' clothing." She turned to the hooded figure, who, throughout this conversation, had been standing in the corner, silently watching. "Thank you for stopping this girl from harming my daughter, Jonathan. You're here about the horses, right?"

The hooded figure nodded.

Robert leapt to his feet and whined, "Why can't they be my servants, Mother? It's not fair."

"They can be dear." Aunt Sarah said soothingly, turning her attention to her son. "But only one. The other must work around the house." Then she muttered to herself, "I can't believe we even let them come. All the trouble we have to go through! All because Amelia married that pauper."

I was disgusted. We were being bargained over like animals. All because of a curse, and all because we were poor!

(So that was why Aunt Sarah didn't like us, or really didn't seem to like Lou, either!)

Then I began to think about being a servant (a slave is more like it). In the back of my mind I could hear Robert arguing about why he couldn't "have both." I thought, What would Lou think? Would they tell him? And what about my belongings? Would they take them away? Most of the stuff I don't really care about, but-

Moonlight! I mouthed, jumping up and down. Moonlight! What will happen to Moonlight?!

"Has she gone dumb?" Aunt Sarah asked, staring at me.

Amelia laughed. "Speak, Elisa."

"Moonlight! You can't take him away from me. You can't! You can't!" I screamed, feeling so much younger than I really was.

Emma hung her head. She had given up.

"Oh, that horse? He's ours now." Amelia said.

"No, no!" I yelled. Everything was blurry. "Let me work more to keep him! I'll do anything!"

"Anything?" Aunt Sarah's bushy eyebrows went up.

I stopped. Would I do anything? Would I?

"Then work in the villa." Aunt Sarah ordered without an answer. "Away from your sister. All the servants come here!"

The bell was rung again. About twenty servants entered in the doorway.

Aunt Sarah pointed at Emma. "This will be your new companion. Jonhathan?"

The servant stepped forward.

"Yes, Madam?"

"Take this one with you to the villa. Now!"

"But, Madam, the-"

"Now."

Jonathan's huge, strong hand took me by the shoulder and steered me through the crowd of staring servants.

Before I was escorted through the doorway, I heard Amelia say, "No need for two sets of clothing. Elisa's not living here any more."