Continuing on…

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I felt a hand on my shoulder, shaking me gently.

"Miss Lolly, it's time to get you ready for the celebration!" I heard Cecilia say softly.

I yawned, covering my mouth with my hand, and sat up slowly, taking time to stretch.

"Come along then, miss… enough dilly-dallying! We've got to begin soon, Heaven knows 'twill take far too long anyhow!" She said, pulling me gently to my feet, and practically dragging me to the dressing room.

"Cecilia, I can walk, you know." I said, trying to pull away.

"Yes, but I sort of woke you a little late…" She said, glancing back at me and biting her lower lip nervously.

That made me suspicious.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Um… well… Five-twenty…" She said in a whisper.

I gasped. We would have to rush.

Now it was my turn to pull her along.

We got in the dressing room and immediately flew about like mad-women trying to get me ready.

I was searching around for ribbons and hair pins, while Cecilia got the dress ready.

"Abandon those hair bobs and get over here!" She ordered, making me slip my petticoats back off so she could tighten my corset again.

She pulled a little tighter than I thought was necessary, but I could handle it, seeing as we didn't have time to re-adjust.

I slipped a fresh set of petticoats on, and then Cecilia brought the dress from the wardrobe.

It was midnight blue with what seemed like silver dust sprinkled on, making it positively shimmer. It was in the fashion of the Belle Epoque period, and was beautiful for evening.

Cecilia herded me to the vanity where she brought the make-up out un-ceremoniously and began to do me up, forgetting that hair always came before make-up.

"Cecilia!" I said, making her stop applying something to my lips. "My hair!"

"Oh… I forgot…" She said, sounding incredibly harassed.

She quickly wetted my hair and spritzed some kind of sticky liquid in my dark locks. They seemed to curl by themselves, and she piled my hair onto a graceful pile on my head.

She inserted the diamond pins at the right spots, and was done within ten minutes of starting.

"Now make-up." I smiled, sounding like I was speaking to a two year old.

Cecilia smiled back and reached back in the box, taking out a few canisters and brushes.

I closed my eyes automatically, and she began to lightly brush something across my eye-lids… then put something wet and sticky on my lashes… then another brush on my cheeks, so light it was as though it wasn't even there… and then again something on my lips.

"Open your eyes now…" She said, patting my shoulder like always does when she finishes something.

I opened my eyes, looking into the mirror, and liked who I saw; a beautiful young lady.

"And now, we have to get you down to the garden! It's nearly six!" she said, already going to open the door for me.

We hurried downstairs as quickly as we could afford without mussing my dress or cause suspicion from anyone who saw us.

We arrived at the doors to the outside and slowed finally, knowing that we had a little time to spare.

"Do I look alright?" I asked Cecilia nervously. I had no idea what was going to be taking place outside, and was afraid of what might be wrong about me.

"You look beautiful. Now steady your breathing and look calm… alright, let's go." She said, opening the French doors for me, exposing me to the almost dust air.

I straightened my back a little more and held my chin high, walking regally to the little pavilion where Mother and father were.

It was evidently part of the routine; I exit from the house, walking slowly up the isle in between most of the denizens of CandyLand, and go to the pavilion, where Mother and Father were seated in their thrones, waiting to crown me with the one I would wear until I would be Queen.

Right then and there I would have liked to give a violent shiver at the thought of marrying, for that was the only way to claim the title of Queen. I knew almost no men, but I suppose I would have to have an arranged marriage like mother…

Before I knew it I was already at the pavilion in front of the Queen and King.

"Lolly Frostine Amelia Geneva Kandy, Princess of CandyLand, please kneel before us." Father said loudly, so all the crowd could hear.

I knelt, bowing my head as though in prayer.

"Princess Lolly, do you accept the fact that you are now of the age to gain title of Queen of CandyLand, and will have to face new responsibilities?" He boomed.

I hesitated for a moment, wondering what would happen if I stood up and said "No. See you later." and left.

"I do." I said clearly.

"Will you accept the challenge to devote every last bit of your mind, body and soul to the citizens and land of CandyLand?"

"I will."

"Can you stand the constant pressure of ruling a kingdom?"

I hesitated again. Did I have what it took to rule? Could I stand it? But the seconds were ticking and I had to answer.

"I can, and will." I said firmly.

There was a silence, but I kept my head bowed. And dang it, my neck was starting to hurt.

And then I felt a slight pressure on the top of my head, and I felt a zing of electricity. The Crown Princess tiara…

"Honorable citizens of CandyLand…" He said, and I would hear the pride in his voice "I have the pleasure of presenting to you…" he paused, and I took it as a cue to rise "The Crown princess and future Queen of CandyLand!"

I turned to face the audience of what was probably all of CandyLand, all applauding for me.

It was quite intoxicating, and I smiled, ready to always keep them this happy, this pleased.

-

It was after the citizens had left that we had the banquet for the nobles. I was introduced to several young men I had never known existed up until that point, but I pretended that I knew they existed, just had never met.

The whole thing went well, and it wasn't until after the nobles left that I had realized that the reason my mother and father kept speaking to the Lord Valliegha and Lady Haster was not because they were simply close friends, but for a completely different reason.

"Lolly, we would like to tell you something." Mother said after the last guest had left and we were sitting in the parlor.

"Yes?" I asked politely. I wondered what on earth it could possibly be.

"We've found you a husband." Father said.

There was an odd ringing in my ears, and I tasted bile.

"Wha… what?" I stuttered, praying with all my might that I had misheard him.

"We've found a suitable husband for you to marry for you to become Queen." Father explained.

If I had been standing I would have fallen to the ground, but seeing as I was sitting, I could only sit there in shock.

"You've met him a few times, and that's an advantage right there, you see? And He's such a good man for you…" Mother said, noticing that I was looking on the edge of fainting.

"Who is he?" I asked faintly.

"Lord Albert Licorice." Father said.

If I could have fainted, I would have; instead I stood up in surprise.

"Lord Licorice?" I demanded. Oh Lord, if it could have been any of the nobles, why did it have to be him; the foulest, black hearted man ever to have set foot in CandyLand.

"Yes, he's such a good man, and you two would be so nice together."

For the first time in my life I felt like shrieking at my parents "Are you insane?" but I couldn't get the words out. I wasn't the person who spoke her mind; I was the person who stood in disbelief, watching their opportunity to let themselves be heard pass right by.

"We've talked it over with him, and have already set the date for three months from now." Father said as though he were bestowing a gift.

Now I really felt faint.

"You…set…date…?" I murmured, my eyes rolling back in my head.

-

I opened my eyes groggily. Where the heck was I, and how did I get here? I couldn't remember what happened… and I wasn't in my room… instead I was in the world's most comfortable bed, with a huge window facing west… not east…

And then I realized I was in my new room, and at the same exact second I remembered what made me faint.

I was engaged to Lord Licorice.

I jumped out of bed and kneeled next to my bed in prayer.

God above, if anyone could help me now, it would be you. Please give me the opportunity to fix this mess, Lord, please. Amen.

I started to lift the sheets to get back in bed, but froze suddenly.

God had given me the chance to fix things…

I ripped the sheets off the bed and started tying the ends together. I knew mother and father wouldn't listen, and escaping would have to be the only option…

I finished that and crept to my dressing room, going to the new wardrobe and searching until I found the plainest, most sturdy dress I had; my riding dress.

I fished around for the chemise, basque, and petticoats that went with it and took off my nightgown, changing outfits.

I rooted around for the boots that went with it, slipped them on, and left the room, imagining it would be the last time I would ever be inside of it.

I went back to my room where the sheets were waiting, and opened the casement window, briefly glancing down the three stories.

I took the sheets and tied them to one of the sills, and dropped the sheets out the window where they dropped to what looked like three feet from the ground.

I took a deep breath and put one leg on the sill, hanging over, and then the next.

I felt butterflies erupt in my stomach as I looked down.

'Don't look down.' I told myself sternly.

I grabbed the sheet with both hands and eased myself off the sill.

I then hung suspended three stories from the hard ground with only my already straining muscles to support myself. I felt like the biggest fool in the world, but it was already too late.

I flailed my legs around to find the sheet below to get a better grip, and it helped my arms a little.

I inched down slowly and terrified one of the knots would slip, but after a few minutes I made it to where the rope ended.

I glanced down to see how far I was from the ground.

It was more than three feet… it was more like five.

I let my feet dangle as I once again supported myself only by my burning and quivering arm muscles.

I had only about three inches to spare on the sheet when I glanced down. It didn't look all that far from where the bottom of my skirt was dangling. I breathed deep, and held it as I let my hands slip, making me drop to the ground in a heap.

I jumped up immediately and looked around the grounds, making sure that no one was around before I sprinted past the massive gardens and ponds, and into the forest.

I was breathless from running as well as climbing, and sweat had gathered on my forehead, but I was astounded my plan had worked so well! I got away easily and now… now… was in the forest with no clue where to go or how to get out.

Now I was ruled officially a fool. I could have easily dealt with Licorice, but now I was in uncharted territory, that I had no clue what was out here; especially in the dead of night.

I wandered along, glancing back to see if I could get a glimpse of the palace, but I saw nothing but a load of stupid trees.

I had been wandering for a while, getting more and more frightened of the darkness as I continued, when from somewhere behind me, I heard a branch snap.

The only reaction I had was running. I didn't turn to look; all I knew was that I had to get out of there.

I ran, blindly tripping over roots or bushes, and getting scratched all over the face by brambles and catching my hair on random branches.

I was taking in air by gasps, but I still kept running. It was only pure terror that kept me going, and before tonight I had never felt it before.

Every tree, bush or whatever else was there was dark and menacing, ready to attack, and I would have run with my eyes closed if it hadn't been for the fact I needed my eyes open to run.

I glanced behind me to see if I could tell if anyone was behind me, but I chose the wrong moment to look back, because the next instant my foot caught on something and I was being tossed through the air and into a thorny bush and slamming my head into a tree.

For the brief second I felt stabs of pain coming from my exposed skin, and a throbbing hurt that made me feel like someone was hitting my head with something heavy, that I saw all sorts of frightening images pass my eyes, making me want to jump up and run, but I couldn't move any of my limbs…

Everything spun, making the ground the sky, and the sky the ground, and I felt, for the second time that evening, my eyes roll back into my head.

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I know I'm a terrible person, not proofreading, but I'm just feeling really lazy right now…

Extra long to make up for the ghetto-short chapter of last time.

Please Review!