Hi. Sorry for the wait on this chapter but I had a lot of homework to catch up on. Anyway, here's the next chapter, and before I forget, I have to thank my lovely reviewers.
Someone: Jassmyn, I know that was you! did you even read the story: P
Alene:Thank you for your praise: ) I'm glad you like my stoyr. Sohere'sthe next chapter...
As soon as Callista reached the manor, Adrianna grabbed her wrist with a strong grip that Callista hadn't known she was capable of. "Ow!" Callista exclaimed as Adrianna's nails dug into her flesh. She was dragged to her room and Adrianna closed the door behind them. "You didn't think you'd get away with that little tantrum you had this morning, did you?" she asked. Not waiting for Callista's answer, she took something out from behind her back and told Callista to kneel and face the wall. Tears welled in Callista's eyes as the whip struck. The lashings ripped through Callista's thin shirt and she bit her lip to silence the gasp of pain she was trying to suppress. The whip came down again, once, twice, three times.
Callista looked up to see Adrianna's cold gaze fixed on her. In icy tones, she finally spoke. "That will teach you to disobey your betters" she said softly, her eyes glinting madly in the darkness of the room. "You are a worthless piece of filth, just like your mother ".Adrianna left the room, slamming the door behind her. All the anger and resentment she had ever felt rose up to the surface and threatened to come out. She remembered every punishment, every act of unfairness she had had to endure. Mary's laughs as she swept floors and fetched dresses, Adrianna's glares as she was forced to combed Mary's hair or clean the room. Callista would have loved to throw something at the door but, unfortunately, there was nothing in her room she could risk breaking.
She heard Adrianna's voice say over and over again "You are a worthless piece of filth, just like your mother." Unbidden, an image of her mother flashed before her eyes, not the memory of her lying motionless in the wooden coffin or frail with sickness, but the healthy one, who had held her hand all those years ago and had sung to her and laughed as Callista tugged on her red curls. Callista collapsed onto the floor, tears running down her face at the memories and the rush of emotions that engulfed her. Something inside her snapped as she remembered her stepmother's voice. "You are a worthless piece of filth. You are a worthless piece of filth. You are a worthless piece of filth."
"Just STOP!" Callista yelled to herself as she pushed away all the memories and all the feelings.
Feeling oddly cold and detached, Callista felt the trickle of blood slide down her back and got up to move towards the water basin. She winced as the open wounds began to sting and brought another wave of pain. Moaning softly at the pain, she moved herself onto the bed. Callista reached for a cloth on her washstand and dipped it into the water basin. With much twisting, turning and stabs of pain, she somehow managed to lay it across the long red gashes she knew were on her back. Lying very still, she tried to ignore the excruciating pain
."Callista!" she heard Anna exclaim as she saw the girl lying on the bed. "Good heavens!" she gasped as she peeled off the cloth covering the lashing marks. "What happened!" she cried.
"Your mother, that's what happened" Callista said dully.
"Don't move, I'll go get something that will help you. I'll be back in a minute" Anna told her as she ran out the door.
"It's not like I can move." Callista muttered into her pillow. Several moments later, she heard Anna re-enter the room.
"This may sting a little," Anna warned her as she pulled up the back of Callista's shirt, "I'm going to clean the wounds" She dipped a clean cloth into the water basin and then into a bottle she was holding. Callista squeezed the pillow tightly as she felt the cloth being pulled along her skin. Callista resorted to biting the pillow as the pain increased, her back felt as though it was on fire. Then, cool hands applied a soothing balm to her back and Callista relaxed her grip on the pillow.
The pain lessened considerably and Callista sat up. "Take this," Anna said as she handed her a roll of bandage "Now pass it around your front, and back to me" Callista did as she was directed. "There. Finished." Anna declared as they wound the bandage around for the last time, Anna securing it with a pin of some sort. "How do you feel?" Anna asked.
"Wonderful" Callista said sarcastically.
"There's no need for that, I'm just trying to help"
"I know, I'm sorry" Calista replied miserably, "I appreciate all your help, it's just that it's so unfair!"
"No one ever said life was fair" Anna said wisely. Callista sighed sadly. The door opened again and Maia walked into the room carrying a rather large white box.
" 'Ello dear," she said "I heard wha' 'appened wit' the mistress this mornin'. Are you alrigh'?"
Callista nodded. "I'm fine now Maia, thanks to a lot of help from Anna."
"Tha's good t'hear. Anyway, I jus' wanted t'give you this." Maia handed her the white box "It belonged to your mother."
"Really?" Callista looked up, amazed. She was about to open her mouth to ask Maia if she knew why Adrianna hated her mother so much but Maia was already speaking. "Aye, she gave it to me for safekeeping. It's for the ball." Maia said.
"What ball?" Callista asked blankly.
"The prince's one"
"What is it?" Callista asked curiously as she looked back down at the box.
"You'll 'ave to open i' t'find out" Maia smiled sympathetically and left.
"Do you want me to go?" Anna asked Callista
"Hmm?" Callista said as she struggled with the lid of the box. "Oh, no, you can stay." She managed to get the box open and saw several packages wrapped in tissue paper. Anna sat next to her on the bed and helped her take the things out of the box.
They unwrapped the first tissue paper packet. Inside was a gold bracelet, scattered with small white pearls and green stones that sparkled in the light. Along with the tiara, they found a set of earrings and a hair pin in the shape of a rose. "They're exquisite Anna whispered, amazed at the beauty of the jewellery. "Wait a minute," Callista said and walked over to her closet. She pushed open the secret compartment and brought out a necklace. She set it against the bracelet and saw that it matched exactly.
Anna handed Callista the next parcel and she unwrapped it eagerly. Material poured into her lap and she saw that she was holding a stunningly beautiful dress. The bottom of the skirt was a deep emerald green colour that became lighter as it moved up the dress, the top part of the bodice being purely white. Small glass beads were sewn expertly into the dress and there were several layers of petticoats to be worn under the skirt. Callista was at a loss for words. Anna eased the dress out of her grip and replaced it with another tissue packet. "This is the last one" she said. Callista heard the clink of glass and unwrapped the tissue carefully. Her hands felt cool, smooth glass. They were glass slippers. "Try them on" Anna told her.
"But they'll break!"
"They wouldn't have been made if they weren't able to hold someone's weight, now stand up" Anna ordered, being her usual logical self. Tentatively, Callista slipped them on her feet. Callista stood, and to her amazement, the slippers did not break. They were very comfortable and were a perfect fit. She twirled around for a minute, then sat back down. Anna smiled at her happily and Callista couldn't help but smile back. "Does that mean you'll come?" Anna asked hopefully.
Confused, Callista asked "Come where?"
"To the ball"
"Uh…"
"Oh please come Callista" Anna pleaded. "You might never have the chance to wear these." She swept her arm over the contents of the white box. Callista began to say 'no' but Adrianna's voice came back to her. You are a worthless piece of filth.
I'll show you who's worthless Callista told the voice silently.
The next week passed with no major incidents. After her administering her beating, Adrianna didn't act any nastier than usual and Mary was her normal bratty self but Callista tried to avoid them nonetheless. They neither cared nor noticed and spent the week preparingfor the ball. This involved quite a lot of buying new things and since Callista had been restricted to the house for being late on the morning of her punishment, she thankfully, did not have to join them. She spent this time sewing a dress for Anna, to thank her for her help with everything.
The day before the ball, while Adrianna and Mary were out looking for hair ornaments, Anna came to Callista's room to go over the plans for the next night. " I convinced mother to rent a big fancy carriage to impress the royals, you know how she is. With Mary standing there, she lapped it all up and agreed, so now we can take the normal one. We'll leave an hour after Mother and Mary leave, is that enough time for you to get ready?" Callista nodded. "Good, there's nothing else, except that we have to leave at midnight so you're back here before Mary."
"What if they come home earlier?" Callista asked nervously
"Don't worry, if they do, I can stall them for at least half an hour, that should be enough time for you to get back here." Callista jumped up and hugged Anna.
"Thankyou" she said, "for everything" Anna patted her softly on the back.
"I forgot to ask, how is your back?"
"It doesn't hurt much anymore. What was that ointment you used? It works wonders! What was in it?"
"I don't actually know. Maia gave it to me, you should ask her." Anna turned to leave but Callista stopped her.
"Wait" she said, walking over to the closet. She pulled out a neatly folded green-blue bundle. "Here" she held out the bundle. Anna unfolded it and shook it out. Silk spilled onto Anna's arms as she was left holding a dress. It was the same colour as her eyes. Anna had never seen material this colour before.
She touched the fabric in wonder and discovered it was consisted of two layers. The bottom was a dreamy blue and colour a gauzy green fabric covered it, giving the dress its distinct colour. Delicate blue beads were sewn artistically onto the skirt and bodice. An intricate design was sewn between the beads in silver thread. Anna looked at Callista speechlessly. Callista looked disappointed. "You don't have to wear it if you don't want to" she said.
"Of course I'm wearing this, it's wonderful! It's nicer even than Mary's best dresses. It must have taken you weeks to make, thank you" Anna beamed. Callista blushed at the compliment. "It didn't take me that long. And it's to say thank you for everything you've done for me. Oh, here, this is for you as well." She handed Anna a mask that matched the dress perfectly. Anna smiled ecstatically and Callista smiled back happily.
The day passed quickly in a flurry of chaotic preparations. Although Mary was yelling at her for anything and everything, Callista was unperturbed. Mary's preparations took even longer than usual tonight, three hours were wasted on her appearance instead of the usual two, but that was to be expected. After all, it was the Prince's ball and Mary had great ambitions to be queen. When she finally declared herself ready that night, she had changed her dress three times, had a tantrum because she thought her shoes were not the exact shade of light blue that her dress was, made Callista repolish her jewellery and thrown her hairbrush out the window because the woman doing her hair was pulling too hard.
Anna had had the sense to stay in her room until Mary had decided she was ready. She called Callista to help her dress for the ball just as Mary was threatening to push one of the other maids out the window because she had bumped her as she was rising from her chair. While Callista was taking the dress from Anna's wardrobe, Adrianna walked in. "Aren't you ready yet?" she yelled angrily at Anna. "The ball starts at seven!"
"Seven?" Anna asked innocently, "I thought it was eight. Oh dear, you'll just have to go ahead without me then. I'll just take the normal carriage when I'm ready. It will make you look all the better won't it? You won't have to exit the carriage with a plain looking girl like me." she added . Adrianna looked as though she was considering something, then she nodded. "That's true." She agreed as she looked at Anna. "Just make sure you don't do anything that will embarrass us" she warned Anna as she swept out of the room. The two girls heard Mary shrieking about being late and a minute later, the front doors closed with a bang.
Anna and Mary took only half an hour to get ready, taking turns to help each other get ready.
When the two girls descended the staircase to the entrance hall, Callista was surprised to see all of the servants assembled there. "What are they all doing here?" Callista asked.
"They're here to see their mistress off to her ball." Anna said with a small smile. Callista suddenly felt a little self conscious in front of all of them. She blushed and gave a little wave as she was handed into the carriage by Caleb who gave her an encouraging smile. Callista smiled as she settles herself in the carriage. I'll show Adrianna how worthless I am, she thought as the carriage made its way to the castle.
Eric looked around the ballroom helplessly as he listened to Lady Mary's incessant chatter. He spotted William in a corner of the room, chatting to a pretty girl with brown hair. Someone save me, Eric thought as they waltzed around the room once again. He had already spent an hour in Lady Mary's company, and by the looks of it, he would most likely have to spend the rest of the night with her too. She had a very strong grip for a lady and it did not seem like she was going to let go of him anytime soon. His gaze fell on Mary's mother, Lady Adrianna, who was trying to engage his mother in a conversation. Eric smirked as his mother brushed her off and went to speak to the envoys from Esteban. "What amuses you, your highness?" Mary asked as the dance finally ended.
"Oh, er, I was thinking of um, a joke a lady once told me" he lied quickly.
"Would you share the joke with me?" Mary asked him, batting her eyelids.
"Er, she said um, she thought that dresses were, um" Eric looked around, trying to find something funny about dresses.
"dresses your highness?" Mary prompted.
"That they're silly and um, everyone should just wear breeches" Eric finished. Where did that come from? he thought as Mary gave a high pitched giggle.
"Oh, that's very funny" she said, batting her eyelashes some more.
Eric looked around for an escape. He saw William walking towards a door to another room.
"Excuse me Lady Mary, I am being called by my friend Sir William." He said, hurrying over to William. William grinned at him as Eric caught up with him.
"Having fun?" he asked.
"Oh, yes" Eric said sarcastically, "if by fun you mean having your ear talked off" William laughed.
"Been dancing with Lady Mary have you?"
"Unfortunately, yes. She cornered me the moment she arrived."
The two young men walked out of the ballroom and into the entrance hall where people where still arriving. "I wish could leave." Eric said dejectedly.
"You can't leave, this is your ball and you've got to pick someone " William said. Eric looked confused. "Didn't your mother tell you?" William asked
"Tell me what?"
"You have to find a girl"
"Who do I have to find?"
"You know, a, a" William lowered his voice "a bride"
"WHAT!" Eric yelped in surprise. Several people turned to look at him. "What do you mean find a bride?" Eric asked William.
"I thought you knew"
"Knew what?"'
"What this ball is for"
"I was told it was for my birthday"
"Well, yes, it is but it's also to find you a wife. That's why your mother went to so much trouble." Eric was speechless with shock. He opened his mouth several times, but nothing came out. He stood motionless, gaping like a goldfish. "I have to get married?" Eric said at last. William nodded.
"I can't believe they're doing this to me again." Eric said angrily
"Well, at least you know this time" William pointed out.
"But do you remember what happened last time?"
"It's not going to be that-" William broke off suddenly as he caught sight of something behind Eric.
"It's not going to be that what?" Eric asked him. William did not reply. Eric followed the direction of his gaze and turned.
"Don't we- she's that- isn't she?" William stammered as Eric scanned the crowd of people who had just arrived for a familiar face. He saw someone move out of the crowd and towards him. His jaw dropped as he nodded dumbly. "Yeah William, it is"
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