Chapter 5

Dinner

The day that Char was going to come over was a flurry of preparations. I spent the day cooking foods with Mandy as Hattie and Olive stayed inside their rooms, preparing their hair.

As I was mixing dough, Hattie entered the kitchen.

"How do I look?" she said, flouncing her hair.

"You look pretty, Hattie," I said, for the eighth time that day. Lying came second nature to me now.

Hattie pouted.

"Just pretty? I'm ravishing! Beautiful!"

"If everyone else were ogres," I said under my breath. Hattie didn't hear me. I finished kneading the dough a final time and put it into small lumps on the cooking pan. They would be baked into bread rolls.

I wiped my hands on my apron.

"We're all done," I informed Hattie. "I'll be leaving now."

Hattie ignored me and skipped back to her room.

Back in my room, I packed up some KJ's into a tiny sack, in case I was hungry. I didn't know where I was going to go yet.

Then a thought flicked into my mind. What if I did stay? I could at least catch a glimpse of him. I looked at myself in the mirror. He would never recognize me. I couldn't even recognize myself; I had aged considerably over several months. My cheekbones were hollowed, and my eyes were dull.

I pushed the thought away. I would break down if I actually stayed. I held the tiny sack in my hand and went out left my house.

As I left the house, a small piece of paper by the door caught my eye. I picked it up and scrutinized it for a moment. Then I stuck it into my pocket.

The sky was still bright, and there was a tint of dark blue settling in.

I walked several paces, breathing in the air. For a moment, my frustrations disappeared. Then, an order started pulling at me. I felt scared. No one had given me an order before I left. I grew fearful. Was the curse so powerful that I would have to follow an order than I hadn't even heard? Maybe Mandy had said something as I was leaving.

I stuck my hand into my pocket and felt something. It was the note. I took it out, and relaxed somewhat.

Come to my manor.

Daniel

On it was an address. I felt relieved that I knew where the order had come from. However, I would have to follow it. The pain and dizziness was growing unbearable. As I looked for his manor, my head grew fainter and fainter. If I didn't find it soon, I was sure I would collapse.

Just then, I saw a large manor. It was probably Daniel's manor. Instantly, my symptoms stopped. I sighed in relief. Then I had an idea. I had already come to his manor, but I didn't have to go in.

I took several steps away, and my head started spinning again.

I growled in fury. I would have to go in.

Hesitantly, I walked up to it. From the outside, his manor was enormous. It looked at least five times the size of my manor, and my manor was already one of the largest in the country.

I walked up the gate in front of the manor and pushed it. It creaked open. I walked up to his door and knocked.

There was silence. Then, the door opened.

A well-dressed young man stood at the door.

"Hi," I stammered, intimidated by his crispness. "I'm here to see Daniel."

The man eyed me. "And who are you?"

"I'm Ella," I said. "Lady Eleanor of Frell."

"Wait a moment," he said, and headed into the manor. I heard his echoing steps. Several minutes later, he came back with a pink, fleecy robe in his arms.

"Please come in," he said formally, handing me the robe.

"Sir Daniel told me to bring this. He thought you might be cold."

"Thanks," I said. It was then that I realized how numb I was. I slipped the robe on over my dress, and I was enveloped with warmth. The material was extremely fine.

"Follow me," the man said. He led me to a large living room, richly furnished with persian rugs and victorian furniture. A fire was burning brightly. Daniel sat writing at the desk.

"I'll leave you here," the man said. Daniel looked up. A smile broke out on his face when he saw me.

"Ella!" he exclaimed getting up from his desk.

I smiled weakly. I wasn't really in the mood to see him.

"Have you eaten already?" he asked. I realized that I hadn't. I was starving, but I didn't dare to admit it.

"I'm not hungry," I fibbed. My stomach growled voraciously. I grimaced.

"You didn't hear that," I warned. He laughed.

"No, of course I didn't." I smiled at his good nature.

"Come have dinner with me," he said. "I haven't eaten yet. " I was about to refuse it, but my stomach growled again. Daniel suppressed a grin. He led me to his dining room. Along the way, we passed by at least fifteen bedrooms. And I knew there was more than that.

Though the table was enormous, we both sat down side by side. A butler came in, with the first course of food. It was fried trout stuffed with cheese. I took a bite out of it, and my mouth was filled with the heavenly taste of creamy cheese and soft fish.

"I'm delighted that you came today," Daniel said casually, but I could tell that he really meant it. There was then an awkward silence. The words I had said to him the previous day came crashing between us.

"Are you still mad at me?" I finally asked him. Daniel looked at me.

"About what?"

"Yesterday...what I said..."

Daniel sighed. "I was never mad," he said. "I'm sorry, I said those words yesterday in my frustration." He sounded genuine. "I'm not angry," he said softly. A strand of my hair was covering the side of my face, concealing me from Daniel. He reached up slowly and tucked it behind my ear. I felt my face flush.

" I shouldn't have told you about my problems yesterday" I said. "You needn't to be burdened by them. I'm really sorry."

A candle flickered between us.

"Whoever he is," Daniel said softly,"I hope you two can be together."

I trembled. Did he truly mean it?

"Why are you being so kind?" I asked him, my voice quaking.

"Is there anything so wrong with being kind?" he queried.

I shook my head. A tear flowed out of my eye. I had never felt someone care about me so deeply in a while. Daniel wiped my tear away.

"Tell me what's wrong," he said.

Though it was an order, I wasn't reluctant.

"His-" I started. I paused. "His name is-"

"No, don't tell me his name," Daniel continued. "Otherwise I'm afraid I won't be able to contain my anger against him."

"He's at my manor right now," I continued. I saw Daniel's eyes fiercen slightly, but he said nothing.

"And?" he asked. I didn't want to tell him any more.

The next course came, and the fish was swept away.

"This corn is specially grown for me in my garden," he said, deliberately avoiding what I had just said. I knew he was doing that so I would feel better. I did.

I took a bite. The sweetness was just right.

We finished the rest of the meal, and then sat at the table, talking amicably. It made me feel better not to talk about Char.

The clock chimed eleven. I had been at Daniel's manor for 6 hours!

"I should go!" I exclaimed. Daniel got up.

"I'll walk you home," he offered.

"No, I'll be fine." I answered.

He walked me to the door. I started to take off the fleecy robe.

"No, keep it," Daniel told me. I was glad to.

Outside, it was completely dark. I could barely see, and I could not tell where to go.

"I'm walking you home," Daniel insisited. I silently gave in.

The cold wind bit at us as we walked along. However, I felt safe to have Daniel by my side.

I rubbed my hands together, trying to warm them. I felt as though my ands would freeze off. Daniel grabbed my hand. His hands were warm.

I looked at him in surprise.

"We don't want your hands to freeze off, do we?" he said.

We reached my manor shortly. We stood a distance from the door

"Will you come visit me again?" he asked. I didn't hesitate.

"Yes," I said. I had softened towards him. I trusted him now.

Daniel closed the space between us and embraced me in his arms.

"Good night," he comforted. Just then, a light shone from the manor. I looked up in surprise. The door to my manor had just opened, and Char was walking towards us. He peered into the darkness.

Then, I saw recognition in his eyes. I dropped my hands from Daniel's quickly.