When Rita awoke the next morning, she felt sick. The next day would be Christmas Day but it wasn't as exciting for her as it was for other teens. They got presents when she on the other hand got a worthless meal. The thought of being dressed like a lady in public didn't please her. She peeked out the window and threw up.

"Hey!"

Rita looked down in shock. Spike had vomit on his head. Rita was laughing until she realized she was in her Union Jack lingerie. She stepped back to dress.

"Good news." Said Remy. "The toads are so overexcited so not many ordered breakfast."

Rita and the others were satisfied. They probably wouldn't have to do as much work as usual.

"So Rita, I heard Le Toad's letting you go." Said Mercedes. "Not like him."

"Not at all." Rita agreed. "But Maria talked him into it."

"But he hates you." Said Laura.

"Laura!" Her mother burst.

"It's ok Maria. I knew that since the day we first met."

"What are you gonna wear?"

Rita scanned the room with her eyes then whispered.

"I snuck last night and saw a seamstress. This nice man actually offered to buy it for me and we went out to dinner. I saw Ted walking around and I almost got caught."

"Who was the man?" Laura questioned.

"You won't believe me. It was the Prince."

"But he's not single!"

"Keep your voice low." Said Maria. "Walls have ears too."

"I'm not lying." Said Rita. "I'll show you the dress tomorrow."

Since the hours of work have been greatly reduced, they decided to watch the Maggie St. James Show, their version of the Corny Collins Show. All the dancers on the show were royal and rich. There was a part in the opening song where all the dancers would line up and say their names.

"I'm Sharpay!"

"Al!"

"Yasmin!"

"Erik!"

"Violet!"

"Dash!"

"Ella!"

"Andre!"

"Belle!"

"Raoul!"

"Aurora!"

"Phillip!"

"Maria!"

"And I'm… Roddy."

"Will you turn that racket down?" Mercedes snapped. "My ears are not garbage cans!"

"But it's the Maggie St. James Show." Said Laura. "The best show ever."

"Yeah well underground here we don't have too many channels. The humans take everything away from us including our own lives." Said Remy.

"Their lives are a lot worse than ours." Said Maria. "With animal testing, predators and those cruel traps."

Rita turned off the TV. Laura stopped dancing and looked at her best friend.

"Mercedes." She began. "The baby is due any day now. You should rest."

"Oh my dear, I'll be quite fine."

"Please." Said Rita. "My mum went through this at least twenty times. If you rest, the laboring wont hurt as much. Rest while you have a chance too. We have a lot of work to do starting in five hours."

Back at the Palace, Roddy and the others were getting ready. He was nicely dressed in a flawless tuxedo. His sister was wearing a strapless black ball gown and a diamond tiara with a skull in the center. All the princes looked handsome, but Roddy was the best looking.

"Roderick, where's Sharpay?" his father asked.

"I don't know." Said Roddy. "I don't think she'll show up."

"She's sick?"

"No dad." Said Roddy. "I broke up with her." He announced his good news with pride, fearless of the king's reaction.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You know. 'See you' and 'Goodbye' and such. She wasn't the right girl for me."

August was outraged. He was tired of working hard to keep his land peaceful and safe for rodents.

"You're the future king." He reminded his son. "You need to have a queen."

"Not all kings ruled with a queen. If I want to rule alone, I will."

The King glared at the Prince. Roddy was right, put the news upset him. August was quite fond of Sharpay. They were both stubborn, picky and spoiled so it was very easy to see why they got along nicely. Roddy looked at the ring he was going to give her. A three million pound ring made of real diamonds, gone to waste. He put the ring away in his jacket pocket and sighed.

Rita and the other servants had to help the Toad girls with their hair and makeup. She scrubbed, dried, sprayed, curled, straitened and polished for too long. She and the others were really tired of how picky the little girls were being. Rita was afraid she wouldn't be able to get dressed. When she got the last girl done, she sighed with relief.

"Hold on there young lady." Le Toad stepped into the saloon. "You didn't work hard enough this week."

"What are you talking about? I did everything you told me to do when you told me to do it."

"But you didn't do them the way I like them to be." He said. "So as punishment, your not going."

Rita did not believe what she was hearing. She ran upstairs into her room and slammed it shut. The mirror in her room shattered from the blast. She laid on her bed and cried. Why? Le Toad had a heart but he never bothered to use it. Hers was breaking as hot tears streamed down her eyes. She looked out the window and noticed everybody in their fancy coats walking into their personal carriages.

"Who case anyway?" she sighed. "It's a stupid formal party. I bet it's boring and strange and… and absolutely wonderful."

She rested herself on the floor. She told Roddy she'd be there. She wondered if he even wanted to see her there. Fifteen minutes later, footsteps were coming up the stairs. When the door opened, she saw about twenty female servants coming in with buckets of hot water. They began to fill up the bathtub. She looked up in surprise. A few others were walking in with hair supplies.

"What are you doing?" she asked. She knew what they were up to but she thought she was daydreaming. She wiped her eyes as they continued to fill the bathtub with hot water. Maria and Laura came in.

"Ah Rita." She smiled. "You really disserve to go."

"But Le Toad…"

"Forget what he said. Your going even if you don't want to. Wheres your dress?"

"In the box."

Rita knew she wasn't supposed to fold it, but she didn't have a closet.

"Iron this." She said to Mercedes. "You, take off your clothes. The bath is almost ready."

Rita could not believe all these women were risking their tales to pamper her for a party. She felt bad about it but took off her clothes.

"You, hide these." Maria told another servant.

"Where is she going to put them?"

"Under the bed." Said Maria. "So if anyone comes up here, they wont suspect a thing."

Rita felt the temperature of the water and slowly climbed in. One of the ladies poured a bucket of water on her.

"Stick your hands and feet out dear so we can clip those nails."

"What if Le Toad see's me?"

"He wont." Said Laura. "Because you'll look completely different."

Rita's nails weren't polished but clipped. A servant came in with glass flats and put them on Rita's feet. They were a perfect fit. Five minutes later, Rita's hair and nails were clean and she smelled like daisy perfume. Maria blow dried and curled her hair. Rita didn't know what she was doing until she finished. Rita's hair was down and nicely curled. She felt like a princess the moment she saw herself. She put her dress on and allowed the servants to admire her. She looked gorgeous. She wasn't wearing makeup or nail polish but could beat Miss Universe in a pageant.

"Now, now. You're already late!" They pushed her out of the room.

Laura went downstairs to check for hitman. When the coast was clear, they escorted Rita to the front. She handed Rita a long red coat and took her outside to a sled.

"Remember, Le Toad's coming back at twelve thirty. At midnight, you have to leave."

"I'll keep that in mind." Said Rita. "Thank you."

Rita rushed in and was then on her way to the Saint James Ball.