Disclaimer: The characters you recognize from Ella Enchanted are not mine, duh; they all belong to the wonderful lady, Gail Carson Levine who wrote Ella. Other than that, it's all mine, hehe.
Chapter Five: Home"Mum?" Kaetlin finally asked. Sylva turned back to us and I could see a glint of suppressed fun in them. I started to wonder if she had just been doing an act.
"Huh? Oh, right. Well, we talked it over and... we decided she can stay."
We all cheered and Kaetlin gave me a hug. But Sylva held up a hand.
"Wait, wait. There are conditions, of course. If Val stays with us, even if for only a couple weeks-" She seemed to think that it wouldn't be for more than a month. I hoped she wouldn't mind about thirty-five extra months. "-she'll have to be a contributing member of this family." I nodded. "That will include chores and anything else that needs doing that everyone else helps with." I nodded again. "Well, you're in! You'll have to share a room with Kaetlin; I hope you don't mind." We both shook our heads emphatically. I didn't mind at all and it would appear that Kaetlin didn't either. "You'll have to sleep in the trundle bed until we get a real one for you and can fix up the guest room for you." I nodded and Kaetlin grinned at me.
"It'll be just like having an exchange student again, except that you get to help with chores and stuff too," she giggled. "Or maybe it'll be more like having a foster kid again, come to think of it." Sylva smiled.
"That's the only reason we let you guys do this. You seem to fit in well with the family and as long as you're willing to help out, you should be fine."
Kaetlin jumped up and pulled me after her.
"Come on, Val! Lets go to my – our room." She grinned at her correction.
I followed her up to her room and we sat on the bed as she regaled me with all of the things we would be able to do now that I was living with them for a while.
"I haven't had another girl my age in the house for so long! Shean's fine, but it's so nice having another girl to talk to." I nodded. "It's a good thing that we've had foster kids before. I don't think Mum would have let you stay otherwise. But they've never seemed to stay for long." She sighed. "How long do you think you'll be staying?"
"Three years," I replied with certainty. I figured it was probably better to let them know now than to find out later that I couldn't stay for that long. Kaetlin clapped her hands excitedly.
"Ooh, goodie! I think that was about how long the longest foster stayed. But I was too young to remember." She grinned. "Oh, this'll be so fun!" I smiled.
"I hope so. My only sibling is a sister who is twelve years younger than me."
"Awww!" Kaetlin cooed. "Just a little baby!"
"No, she's three."
"But that's still a baby. Can she talk yet?"
"She can string together words easily enough, but she doesn't make real sentences yet."
"Ooh, I've always wanted a little sister!"
I laughed. "I'm not exactly younger than you."
Kaetlin rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Oh, I know that. But with all the foster kids we've had, none of them have been that much younger than me. Oh well, you'll be even better!"
"Thanks!" I replied sarcastically, grinning at her.
"So, what's it like being a princess?" Kaetlin flopped onto the bed and propped her head in both hands as she looked up at me. "I've always wanted to be one."
I sighed. "I hate it." She looked surprised but didn't interrupt. "I have no freedom, I was on my way to meet a possible future husband I don't like before I got taken here, and I have to marry whoever my parents choose!"
Kaetlin gave a dreamy sigh. "I'd be happy to get married."
"Oh no you wouldn't!" I said emphatically, and then reconsidered. "Well, maybe you would. You'd probably make a better princess than I would."
She laughed. "Oh, come on. You're joking about all that stuff."
I shook my head vigorously. "Uh-uh! You're more like the other princesses I know than me... except that you're not boring or an airhead and you wear pants."
Kaetlin giggled. "Is being a princess that bad?"
I nodded. "At least for me it is. I've wanted to be an ordinary peasant girl for most of my older life."
Kaetlin grinned. "Too bad we couldn't switch positions."
I shook my head. "I'd give anything to be able to do that."
A/N: Do you think you know what happens next? Tell me! Since I write this freehand (no outline), I don't know what's going to happen next either. So if you think that so-and-so's going to do this, or this-and-such is going to happen, post it in your review or email me. There's a good enough chance I might put it into the story or rewrite a chapter to include it!
A/N: Thank you to:
Emtec, Gothic Valley Girl, Gayle, Meghan. Nikki enchanted, Mandy, EllaFreak, & b2okworm1 for reviewing!