Disclaimer: This story and all of its characters (except for Akata, the one thing I can get credit for. yea!) belong to Gail Carson Levine.

Authors Note: Sorry this one took me so long. School finals. Home work! Thank god schools almost over. Promise next chapter will be longer. (:

2 years later

It was a cloudy day, the rain clouds coming in from the west of the mountains. Ella carefully scrubbed the white tiles on the floors, just like Hattie had told her to. She had changed in the past two years. She had been made in to a laundry maid, and because of all the bleach she had to use, her brown hair was now blond. She had grown taller (except for her feet.) and stronger. She was also tanned from working in the sun. And dirty too. She had become friends with almost all of the maids in the manor. She had gotten used to the regular routine: wake up, get dressed and eat breakfast, do laundry, do what ever chores Hattie or Dame Ogla wanted her to do, do laundry, eat dinner, go to bed.

Ella continued scrubbing the tiles, every once in a while getting up to get a drink of water. She could see a small band of men in the distance. She took a quick glance of them, then getting back to her work. She was surpised when they stopped in front of the manor. She quickly got back to work hoping they wouldn't notice her. But they did.

She turned her head in the other direction-trying no to catch any more attention from them. Akata had told her that bandits lived in the mountains, coming down every once in a while to pickpockets and steal. But when she looked up again, she realized she was wrong. There were at least 20 men, all dressed in what looked like gold. One man was dressed better than the rest. That man hopped off of his horse, and started walking towards the house. When he was no more than two steps within the gate, Hattie ran outside the house. Hattie being as careless as she always is knocked over the bucket that Ella was using to wash the tiles. It spilled, all over causing Ella to get soaked and water everywhere. Ella quickly scrambled to clean up the mess. As she was cleaning, she bumped shoulders. She turned her head to see who it was. It was the man! He was no his hands and knees using a rag to help her scrub it up. After the mess was cleaned, the man apologized to her. He then asked for her name. She quickly replied, "Ella". The man's bright blue eyes seemed to widen, but then they shrank. He stayed silent watching her. Hattie started to talk to the man trying to distract him off Ella, "Your majesty, why have you traveled so far to visit us?" Royalty! Ella was embarrassed. She slowly backed away. But the man motioned for her to stay. She stayed, until Hattie sent her off on another chore.

She went around the rest of the day doing her chores, till it was time for her to sleep. She was tired, but she couldn't sleep. She got out of bed and took a walk around the gardens. She walked to the top of one of the hills and look at the stars. "They're beautiful, aren't they." Ella jumped, startled by the voice. She turned. It was the man. Remembering her manners, she bowed. She felt his warm fingers under her chin, tilting her head up. " I never got a chance to ask you Ella, where do you come from? I recognize you." Ella searched her mind for an answer. But without a past, she could remember living no where else but here. "Here" she said. "All your life?" he asked. "For as long as I can remember, your majesty." "Char, you can call me Char." "Thank you, Char." "I like you Ella, you remind me of a lady I knew." Ella blushed. She watched as he walked down the hill, back in to the house.

Char left the next day, traveling off in to the distance. Ella looked until she couldn't see him any more. She hoped he would return soon, maybe to take her away from this place.

Like it? Hate it? Have a idea? Tell me at roserose44@hotmail.com, or write a review (points down below) Please give me constructive critism please! I need it!