Chapter 3
by Starsinger
Who is the young woman? Well, we'll find out. No, still don't own them.
The horses pulled up just short of Piotr. The girl in front peered down at him. "Logan?" she asked someone behind her. "Are you sure this is the right place?"
The large, hairy man Piotr had seen that morning rode forward, "Yes, Princess, this is where Remy said we would find the girl. She's a beautiful little girl, too."
Piotr scrambled up off the grass and bowed. Her smile lit up his afternoon, "Who are you?" Kitty asked.
"Piotr, Your Highness. You arei looking for my sister?" he asked tentatively.
"We're looking for Illyana. She wrote me a letter that got to me through Remy LeBeau. You're the late Duchess' son, aren't you?" Piotr nodded. "Would you mind taking us to see her?" He gathered his art supplies and hiked up the hill, the horses trailing behind him.
"Nikolai, we have guests! Illyana!" Piotr called, quickly galvanizing the household into action. Kitty dismounted. Piotr couldn't help but realize how the red riding habit she wore set off her lovelyii brown eyes. She reached up and put a gloved hand placed it on her hat, smiling at the much taller He tore his eyes away from her as a little blonde tore through the door, "Snowflake, this Princess Catherine."
Illyana squealed, suddenly becomingivthe happiest little girl in the county. She ran over and hugged Kitty leaving the older girl laughing as Illyana's arms didn't quite go around her skirts. Logan pulled out a chair as Kitty sat. Nikolai set a glass of lemonade beside her. "Thank you," Kitty said. "Well, I heard from Remy that you want to be a princess!" Illyana nodded solemnly. She rocked back and forth on her heels, this was the only thing that betrayed her nervousness. Logan set a box on the table beside her. "All right, turn around."
Illyana obediently turned as Kitty opened the box. First, she pulled out a mirror, and put a finger to her mouth to keep Piotr quiet. Next, she pulled out a delicate necklace with a single teardrop sapphire hanging from it. She made Illyana close her eyes before she put it around the little girl's neck. Then came a matching bracelet. She then turned her back around and pulled out a small tiara containing yellow diamonds in a heart shape. A large yellow diamond dropped down from the center of the heart. Placing the tiara on the little girl's head, she held up the mirror and told Illyana to open her eyes. The shriek of excitement that followed threatened to permanently deafen Kitty. She laughed, amazed at how such a loud, piercing sound could come from such a petite child.
Piotr exited the chalet with the party.
"Don't worry about returning any of it." Kitty said. "Every little girl should feel like a princess, and what better place to do so than at a royal ball? It was good to meet you, Your Grace," she said, giving him another one of her heart melting smiles. Stunned into silence, it took Piotr a moment to realize that he had not corrected her assumption that he was the Duke. But by then it was too late, for she had already mounted and ridden away.
Hours later when Sebastian and the others returned home from their shopping trip Piotr greeted them, hoping to tell them about the royal visit before they walked into the door, "Stepfather, we had visitors after you left."
"Really, Piotr, not your tedious friends again," Sebastian rumbled.
Suddenly, Illyana flew into the room, eager to show her papa the jewelry. "Papa! Papa! Look what the Princess gave me! She came herself and gave me all of this!".
Stunned, all three looked at the little girl in her new finery. Sebastian turned toward Piotr with a sigh.
"You were saying, Piotr," he said.
"Yes, Stepfather, Princess Catherine and her entourage came to pay us a visit this morning. Apparently, Remy delivered a letter from Illyana to Princess Catherine, expressing her desire to be a princess,vii and her wish was granted."
"Did you know about the letter?" Sebastian asked.
"No, Stepfather, it came as a complete surprise."
"Well, even though we weren't home, we can turn this to our advantage. The Princess has noticed our family." Sebastian turned to address his two sons, Pete and Scott. "I'll see if I can arrange for us to go to court before the ball. We haven't attended the King and Queen in a while."
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Kitty stood in front of a mirror, she was trying on a yellow dress for the Autumn Ball. The huge hoopskirts were all the rage, but Kitty wouldn't wear one to a dance. She liked to dance, and she preferred a simple A-Line Hoop, which made it much easier to dance with a partner. It was the first of three dresses she would wear for the three day event. Her mother and Anna sat in the chairs behind her. Jean Paul stood slightly apart from the ladies inspecting the the dress from afar. Finally, he came forward and started nitpicking the stitching, the embroidery, and every little detail on the dress. Kitty slapped his hands away with a laugh, "Jean Paul, this dress is perfect." Kitty gazed at her reflection in the mirror, watching the dress swish elegantly with her movement. "I wonder of Piotr likes yellow," she said wistfully.
The Queen raised an eyebrow. "Kitty," she said, "You do realize that Piotr is not the Duke."
"He's not? He didn't say anything," she said as she slipped on the elbow length gloves.
"Apparently, a will was never found. His stepfather is the Duke."
"That doesn't sound right. He's the child of the late Duchess."
"It's complicated my dear," Ororo said softly. "And until a will is found, the Duchy will probably go to one of Sebastian's sons."
Kitty frowned, "Still, I hope he comes to the ball. He was cute."
Anna grinned, "If you like the tall dark and handsome type!"
Fortunately, Anna wasn't the giggling type. Despite being a girl, Kitty actually hated giggling. Jean appeared from Kitty's bedroom with a large russet gown and beckoned Anna in. The other girl sighed as Kitty took her place on the couch. When Anna finally exited the room, she looked so breathtakingly beautiful Jean Paul collapsed on the couch beside Kitty in a mock swoon.
"Merci!" Jean Paul exclaimed. "Mon Ami, it's not as if Remy's not drooling after you as it is. In that dress you will have the entire male population doing the same!" Kitty couldn't help but smile as she started fanning Jean Paul, who acted as if he were ready to pass out. The low cut bodice of the dress showed off Anna's ample cleavage while still managing to leave much to the imagination. "Well my darlings, you are both exquisite. But I too must look my best at the ball, so its off to the tailors I go! Orevoire!" He fluttered out the door.
Queen Ororo laughed at his exit, "One day he'll make someone a fine wife!"
My favorite telling of Cinderella was in a show called Faerie Tale Theater. The Prince met Cinderella at a three day ball. There was no pressure on him to find a bride. It just happened. I'm hoping that this is what will happen here.