A/N here is the 2nd chappie. Please enjoy. It took forever to do.:)
Lena ran all the way into the manor and deposited the clothes onto a table. Deciding that she needed to get out before she was called to do something else, Lena went to practice her archery in the forest.
When she was practicing Lena heard stomps of horses and voices coming from the direction of the pathway. She shrugged her shoulders and went back to her shots. She was concentrating so hard that she didn't hear when the people came up behind her. Her arrow flew strait and true onto the very center of the target, half an acre away.
"Wow!" someone murmured behind her. Lena jumped a foot into the air out of surprise and dropped her bow onto the ground. Turning around she saw that the Prince and the man she saw with him in town were standing right behind her. Gasping she grabbed her things and ran out of the forest, ignore their protests to her departure.
What was he doing there? Lena asked herself. How can the Prince just strut up to her and expect her to become immediate friends? Does he not realise that she was in the middle of her practice and that he was interrupting her alone time? Not like she needed anymore of that but whatever.
Was that her? She was in breeches and she had a BOW AND ARROW! Wow, the Prince never saw such a beauty in his life but why does she insist on refusing him? She didn't even know him, but all she felt was hatred. What had he done do influence such feelings of malice?
Lena was still running even though she was out of the forest. She was so preoccupied that she wasn't watching where she was going and she ran strait into someone, causing them to both to tumble on to the ground. Lena started to get up, apologising profusely at the person, but was greeted with a surprise when she saw who it was. There right in front of her was Lisa, Brad's mom.
"Sorry again Lisa" Lena announced
"Don't even worry about it. But just out of curiosity what were you running away from?"
"I was running away from that egotistical Prince and his stupid friend! They were watching me when I was practising my archery! They don't have any boundaries! Why do they think they are so much better and that they can just-"
"Lena, you're babbling!" Lisa said cutting Lena off and giggling while doing so.
Lena blushed at that statement. Why was she making such a fuss? Those guys were not worth her thoughts.
"Lisa did I tell you about my plan to ruin the Evils' lives?" Lisa just shook her head and Lena described how she was going to the ball and determined to show them up for what they did.
"Oh my god, that sounds like so much fun! So what are you going to wear?" Lisa asked Lena with excitement.
"What do you mean 'What am I going to wear'? I am wearing that dress I made" she replied confused
Laughing Lisa replied "No you cannot wear the same dress! That's terrible! You can't show them up if you do that, let me help you."
"Lisa I cannot do that to you, it is my responsibility, not yours."
"Oh come on, I love doing this, being a mother you don't get this chance anymore, especially a single mother."
"Alright then Lisa, just for you" so Lisa and Lena headed to Lisa's house to begin the process of getting ready for the ball that would bring them closer together and bring a couple of people closer too.
Lena went to the second ball in a dress that was grander and more beautiful than the last. Lisa knew that the whole ballroom would be filled of men trying to get her and women jealous of her. Lisa decided that she too would come to this ball and sent her children to her friend next door. The same thing happened when Lena went down the stairs. Everything went quiet but this time Lena didn't even blink. Lisa, however, blushed at the crowd's close attention on her and her friend. Never before was she seen as a beauty or anything worth being stared at. When they glided down the last steps her eyes connected with a man in the crowd. He was quite tall with sandy brown hair and sparkling blue eyes.
Lena looked over at Lisa to see her staring at the Prince's friend that she saw in the village. He stared at Lisa with the same intensity. Lena knew that this was the right man for Lisa from the connection they made right away and decided that she would diminish the anger that she had for him. Maybe just maybe she would be able to be civil to the Prince who, it seemed, would do anything to annoy her.
Lena knew what she had to do. She grabbed Lisa's arm and headed over to the Prince and his friend.
"Hello" Lena spoke kindly initiating the conversation.
"Hi, I am Prince Derrick and this is Compatriot, my best friend."
"I am Lisa and this is my really good friend Lena" Lisa spoke up without a quiver in her voice, but Lena knew she was nervous.
"Nice to meet you two ladies, would you do us the honour of dancing with us?" compatriot asked.
Lisa blushed and replied with a sweet 'yes'. The Prince looked hopeful at Lena's response, which she replied with an "I guess I have to".
While on the dance floor Lena was talking to the Prince.
"Don't think that I actually like you, I am only doing this for my friend. She and Compatriot had an obvious connection so I did what any friend would do. Don't you dare think that I like you at all, I will only tolerate you for Lisa's sake." She spoke frankly.
"Uh… okay." How do you reply to something like that? The Prince wondered. He had done nothing to this girl, so why was she acting like this? "Wait, I deserve and explanation. You cannot just start being fed up with me. That is unfair."
"You deserve an explanation!" Lena repeated emphasising the word 'deserve'. "Because you are a Prince, is that it? Is that why? You think you can just parade around here ordering people around but I won't be ordered around by you that's for sure!" and for the second time Lena slapped the Prince and spun around walking into the gardens leaving the Prince with a befuddled look on his face. What has he done this time?
Lena ran into the gardens wondering if she will ever have to see him again. Ugh! Knowing her luck, Lisa will want to come to the next ball and she will have to go with her. Well, she didn't have to spend time with the good-for-nothing Prince. What is he doing now ruining her fun time to get back at the evils? She didn't have to run away, he could not ruin her fun! With new determination Lena turned around and walked back into the ballroom.
Whispers swept across the floor as Lena walked in. "Why is everyone whispering and staring at me? Oh right, I slapped the Prince on the face, pretty logical reason for being talked about."
"No, it's because you stole the attention of the Prince and ruined everyone's chances; everyone now knows who he is smitten about."
Lena jumped at being spoken to but realised that it was just Lisa. She laughed at her friend "You are rather funny when you try Lisa, you know." Lisa looked at Lena like she was crazy
"I wasn't kidding" she swiftly turned around and headed off in an unknown direction. Probably to find Compatriot Lena thought. The ball ended without much more excitement. Lena and Derrick did not spend a second more in each other's company and Lisa and Compatriot never left each other's sides.
Just like Lena thought, Lisa wanted to go to the last ball to spend time with Compatriot. Knowing Lisa would not want to go alone; Lena went with Lisa to get another dress. Spending the day getting ready and avoiding the Evils, Lena did not have a moment to spare to think about what happened at the previous ball.
They arrived at the ball and received not the same amount attention but more because of the events that occurred. When they got down the stairs the girls went in separate directions. Lisa left to find compatriot and Lena went off to a chair to watch the spectacle the Evils always made.
The Prince watched Lena again amazed at how beautiful she was. Her beauty outshone all around her, making her look like a beautiful red rose surrounded by weeds. He was surprised that he cared so much what she thought, but he had to know her. He couldn't stop thinking about her. He kept remembering how it was to dance with her. He remembered her gorgeous brown locks and her eyes which were a beautiful emerald that sparkled every time she laughed. Also how she fit into his arms, like a puzzle, like they were meant for each other.
Lena saw the lady who gave her a ride to the first ball and thought she should go say hello and thank her for all she did. When she was walking she saw the Prince walk towards the elder woman and Lena stopped to watch them for a second.
"Hello Ellis"
"Oh Derrick, I was looking for you"
"Why? What did I do this time" the Prince said laughing
Laughing with him Ellis replied "I haven't seen you in a while. Did your parents arrange this idea?"
"The balls?" seeing her nod he continued, "Yah and they decided about the whole marriage thing to. Gosh, they never give me any freedom at all"
"Derrick, you know as well as I, that they believe in tradition. They, themselves, had an arranged marriage maybe they feel it is best?"
"Ellis, I wish I could believe you. Maybe they are doing it for good reasons but they know that I don't want an arranged marriage. I have told them since I was five."
Realizing she was intruding and that she heard enough Lena left to contemplate what she just heard. The Prince didn't want this event at all. He wanted to choose his wife himself. Maybe he wasn't as bad as she thought; maybe she shouldn't have made such wild assumptions. How could she make up for what she had done? She had done such mean things to him; she definitely did not deserve his forgiveness. What should she do? After much deliberation, Lena figured that she should apologize for what she assumed and did to him because all of her 'freak outs' were backed up with her assumption.
Seeing him walk back in the ballroom Lena headed over to try and apologize. She started to freak out on the inside. How would he react? Would he be angry or would he be able to put this behind him? Lena desperately hoped that it was the ladder. She was so nervous that her hands got all clammy and she started to shake slightly.
"Hi Derrick," he looked up in surprise at her talking to him, "Can I, um, talk to you for a second?" he nodded and they left the ballroom to the gardens
"Well," Lena started off nervously "I'm sorry."
The Prince laughed "I am sure that you are, now that you realise that you should keep the monarchs on your side."
"No, Derrick listen! I am sorry. For making wild assumptions that you were an egotistical Prince, for making fun of you, for embarrassing you and for thinking I was better. I was wrong and I am sorry." She said looking at her feet. Derrick lifted her chin up to see that she was crying. .
"You are really sorry, aren't you?" she nodded "Well, I forgive you. I am sorry for getting mad at you just now. You didn't deserve it." Derrick said smiling apologetically. "Lena? Do you think that we could be friends, maybe?"
"Friends? You mean it? Of course and don't be sorry it is my fault."
The two new friends walked into the ballroom happier than they had been in weeks. All traces of tears long gone Both chatting about nothing, making fun of other dancers and girls. They shared stories of the past and were surprised that they got along so well. They both knew that this was a friendship that they would cherish forever. They both thought that maybe one day their friendship could grow into something more spectacular. They danced song after song, never wanting to let go, while the rest of the ballroom looked on enviously.
Just then Amanda and Miranda spotted the Prince dancing and talking to some masked maiden and decided to go talk to him. Walking up they overheard his conversation.
"Lena, you did that?" Derrick asked
"I know, I know! It is really embarrassing. Don't spread it around" she replied blushing.
"Lena!" Amanda screeched quietly out of fury. "It was you all this time?"
"Oh crap!" Lena replied. "I have to go Derrick. Now!" the Prince eyed her curiously.
Lena ran to find Lisa and told her the predicament. Together they left the ballroom so fast that they forgot to promise that they would meet the guys later.
"Lena don't you dare LEAVE!" Amanda yelled.
"LISA!" Lena yelled,"RUN!" they were running so fast that Lena did not notice that she lost her slipper until she was at the house.
AN: one more chappie. Please R+R…..