Chapter 8
Dorothy walked into her room in the servants hall. Lady Rose sat curled up on the bed. On a table was a picture book and the title read in gold writing the princess and the pea.
"Sometimes I wish life could be like how it is in fairy tales," sighed Dorothy picking up the book. "I'd love to be a princess."
Lady Rose meowed and stretched and then jumped off the bed.
She then tugged Dorothy by the skirt and motioned her head down the hall.
"What is it?" asked Dorothy.
Lady Rose then ran out of the room and Dorothy ran after her.
…
Edward was walking along the top floor of the castle when he heard barking. He looked down to see Nancy and Nora.
"What's up you two?" asked Edward rubbing Nora's head.
The two retriever puppies just kept barking and jumping and then ran off, Edward quickly realized they were trying to tell him something, so he took off after them.
Both Dorothy and Edward ran down the halls after their pets. Finally Lady Rose could see Nancy and Nora running the other way.
The three animals dodged each other just in time, and Dorothy and Edward ran into each other.
They fell to the ground and looked at each other.
"Dorothy?" exclaimed the prince as he picked himself up and then helped Dorothy up. "I'm so sorry"
"It's okay" assure Dorothy.
"No, it's not," said Edward. "I feel awful."
Dorothy smiled at how kind the prince was to commoners.
"Do you have a lot of chores today?" he asked.
"Not really" said Dorothy admittingly.
"Well, I'm going out for a while," he said. "Bethany's spending the afternoon getting ready for the ball, would you like to join me?"
"Yes please" said Dorothy excitedly.
The two walked down the hall together. Lady Rose, Nora and Nancy smiled; the plan was working perfectly.
"Nathanial, Rosebud, Buddha and I will go with them," said Lady Rose. "To see how it goes."
Nancy and Nora nodded.
…
Edward and Dorothy walked into the garage and there were cars lined up against each other.
"Your family has a lot of cars," said Dorothy.
"My family has collected a few cars over the years," said Edward. "Why don't you pick one."
"Really?!" exclaimed Dorothy.
She looked around at the cars and then stopped at a Lexus.
"How about this one?" she said.
Edward looked.
"The 1998 Lexus LS," said Edward. He walked over to a case there were eight key chains with a key on each one. He grabbed one and walked over to the car.
He held the door open and let Dorothy climb in. neither of them noticed that Rosebud, Nathanial, Buddha and Lady Rose entered the garage and saw Dorothy getting in the car.
"Come on" whispered Nathanial.
One by one, the puppies and the cat climbed on to the back bumper and Edward started the car.
The car drove out of the garage, along the driveway and out the gates and went down the road.
Lady Rose and Buddha climbed on to the roof of the car and watched as the car went down the road and into town.
"We're heading for the harbour," Buddha called down.
"The prince must be taking Dorothy to Ireland," said Nathanial. "The ferry takes people from Dove's Isle to the mainland and back."
The car drove across a dock and on to a small ferry. The ferry went across the water and up to another dock. Edward drove the car off the ferry and they drove into a town in Ireland.
Edward turned the car into a parking lot of a restaurant. Edward and Dorothy then got out of the car and went inside. The four animals climbed down from the car and went up to the window and peered inside.
Edward and Dorothy sat down at a table and had a nice lunch of bangers and peas.
"So how long have you been betrothed to lady Bethany?" asked Dorothy.
"Since high school," replied Edward. "I'm in my sophomore year in college in Nebraska, until our parents decided to hold the wedding, so I had to return to Dove's Isle. I hope I can go back to college before I assume the throne."
"I sometimes I wish to go to college to," said Dorothy. "But I dropped out of high school to help my mom work in the castle."
"Do you love animals?" asked Edward.
"I love my cat Lady Rose," said Dorothy. "Do you love the nationals?"
"Of course, I do," said Edward. "I love all animals."
"So do I" said Dorothy softly.
The mixed group of animals watched outside the window and smiled seeing Dorothy and the prince having a good time. Their plan was working perfectly.
"It's great," said Rosebud happily. "Dorothy and prince Edward are falling in love."
"It won't be long before he realizes he loves her and proposes to her" added Nathanial.
"We should get back to the car," said Lady Rose. "They're getting ready to leave."
Inside Edward and Dorothy were getting ready to go pay for their food. So, the four friends went back to the car.
The ride back to the castle was silent. Edward and Dorothy didn't say a word, Edward stared ahead at the road and Dorothy looked away from him. Both seemed in a world of their own.
The car slowed down as it went through the gates, Rosebud, Buddha, Nathanial and Lady Rose leapt down from the car to avoid getting noticed.
The car stopped in front of the stairs.
"Thanks for taking me out" said Dorothy kindly.
"It was nothing," said Edward. "I like getting to know people better."
"Dorothy," called the head maid stepping out. "There's laundry to be done!"
"Coming!" Dorothy called back. "Gotta go" she said to Edward.
"Ok," said Edward. "I gotta help get ready for the engagement ball anyway."
Dorothy went up the stairs and Edward went to park the car. The buddies and the nationals plan was working perfectly.