After Ella had dutifully shown Elaine to her suite, she returned to her own rooms where she found a hastily written note from the Prince explaining that he had received a call from one of his ambassadors about another ogre situation. After slipping on a silk nightgown, Ella lay in bed feeling lonely and sorry for herself. The usually luxurious feeling of the bed had been replaced by a cold emptiness where Char usually slept. Soon, Ella's thoughts turned to young Elaine. Ella was curious about her; she had hardly spoken a word during her tour of the palace. Although to anyone else this sort of behaviour would be considered rude, but Ella knew what it was like to suddenly be deposited in an unfamiliar place like a parcel. She resolved that the next day after breakfast she would introduce Elaine to the servants in the palace so that she wouldn't feel so isolated while Ella was attending to other guests.
When Ella awoke the next morning, sunshine was streaming through the window onto the bare pillow beside her head. Char had not yet returned, and so Ella ate breakfast alone before descending to the main hall where she was to meet Elaine. To her surprise, Elaine was conversing with Harold, Ella's least favourite of the palace guards. He leaned against a pillar, leering at Elaine, who appeared to be leaning back as far as possible without falling over. As Ella approached the two of them, she realised with a sick horror that she recognized the look of despair on Elaine's face: it was the same as the one that she herself had worn under the curse of obedience. Ella hid herself behind a sofa while she watched Elaine answer every question directed at her as curtly as possible. Harold persisted with unnecessary question, smirking at her every response. Elaine's cheeks flushed red, and Ella decided that she'd seen enough. She marched briskly towards Elaine and manoeuvred herself between Harold and Elaine before saying, "I believe you've had your fun for today, sir, if you'll excuse us, please." Harold sneered and turned away to bark some orders at the novices.
"Hush," Ella tried to calm down Elaine, who sniffed noticeably before rushing up the stairs. Ella followed as fast as she could, but she was no match for Elaine, who had locked herself in her bedroom before Ella reached the top of the staircase. "Elaine, please! I just want to speak to you!" Ella paused, and heard muffled sobs from behind the closed doors. "Elaine! Open the door!" She tried a sharper tone, but then decided on a more soothing approach. "I know what you're going through Elaine, and it's not easy, but I can help you…" The door slowly creaked open, and Elaine's flushed and tear-streaked face appeared in the doorway. "You can?" she asked weakly, her eyes shining with hope.