Down the Rabbit Hole

By the time Prince Chadwick, Princess Margaret, and I had walked for a quarter of an hour, we had acquired more people than we had left with. There was of course a chaperon, a messenger who said it was urgent the Prince hear his news, an official who, after excessively apologizing, told Prince Chadwick that there were some discrepancies containing the bill advisers had just written up, and a throng of servants and such that needed to speak to the Prince.

"Crown Prince Chadwick!" someone called. We all spun around. I prayed it was someone who needed him immediately because my feet were starting to hurt. But no, no such luck. Instead Lady Marissa appeared from behind a rose bush. "I was just admiring your beautiful roses when I saw you coming through the way. Imagine my delight in having caught such wonderful companions," she explained. The Prince blushed and I looked at him with a bewildered expression. Could he not hear the acidic sweetness in her voice?

"You are most welcome to accompany us Lady Marissa," he said as a reply. She nodded gathering up her massive skirts. If I thought the dress was hideous when I had first seen it I was in for a surprise now. The pink bodice faded into a more ghastly shade of pink and the train was even longer then I had imagined. Uh, I shuttered.

"Are you cold Lady Jacqueline?" Prince Chadwick asked.

"No, I am quite alright." He smiled secretively.

I did not talk much, which is quite rare for me, but anytime I said or did something, Prince Chadwick was on it. It actually was starting to become rather annoying.

Now Lady Marissa, she can talk. In all honesty I have no idea what she was babbling about. All I know is that she never shut up. Princess Margaret hung on her every word and it was evident Prince Chadwick found her very attractive or maybe he could not help himself from staring. Let me let you in on a little secret about Lady Marissa. After living with Alison, I know a stuffed corset when I see one. That is all I am going to say.

"You have been quiet Lady Jacqueline, is all well?" Prince Chadwick asked, interrupting Lady Marissa. Perhaps it was the inquisitive and caring gleam in his eyes but for that moment I saw Chris smiling at me. It passed and I focused in on the present. In the seconds that followed I made a silent promise to myself. I would get Astra back to her home and when I myself got home, I would do what I had wished on her to do. I would no longer be my step-family's servant. A fresh smile on my face and a goal to complete, I turned to Prince Chadwick.

"Thank you for inquiring but I am well. So tell me Prince Chadwick, what do you like to do?" I asked him stealing Chris' question. He looked confused as I probably did when asked.

"What do you mean?" he asked after awhile. I could feel him focusing in on me causing all the other people with us to disappear. He ran one of his large hands through his hair and the crown that sat there wobbled. I chuckled when the embarrassed look appeared. The crown now sat crooked.

"May I?" I asked quietly so that only he could hear. He nodded and lowered his head. Balancing on my toes I straightened the crown. "Do not think you can be exonerated from my question so quickly," I said as he straightened.

"Oh no, Lady Jacqueline, I would never think that."

"So, what do you do for fun?" He gave me a blank look. "In your free time." I added.

"I am sure the Crown Prince rarely has free time." Princess Margaret interjected, laughing to herself. However, her voice could not go through the barrier Prince Chadwick and I had put up around ourselves.

"I like to ride in my free time." He nodded, seeming to convince himself of this. "Do you enjoy horses?" I wanted to say I had never ridden one but then stopped myself.

"Yes. When I was younger I used to ride to the edge of my estate and look over the gate. If I strained my eyes I could see the ocean." I finished in a melancholy tone. Lies! I had never seen the ocean.

"Oh yes. The Neridan Sea is legendary for its beauty." I nodded. Telling more lies I had soon developed a story of my childhood in Nerida. Prince Chadwick and I walked in a haze and we very quickly arrived back at my quarters.

Lady Marissa excused herself and turned hurriedly to the west wing, her young handmaid behind her. We then stopped at Princess Margaret's door and left her and her lady-in-waiting. Prince Chadwick and I then finally arrived at my door, the chaperon on our heels. "It has been a pleasure speaking with you Lady Jacqueline. I most enjoyed your company." He took my hand and lightly kissed it.

"And I as well," I answered my thoughts in a jumble. He then left me with a warm smile. I stood outside my door for a moment before opening it. Here I must be honest with you, I actually felt butterflies in my stomach and my heart in my throat. But I am sure it was just nerves. I mean imagine being in a foreign place that is a complete contrast to your normal residence. I think that I was simply overwhelmed by it all.

So I opened the door, expecting to see Astra sitting lazily. But instead I am greeted by total mayhem. It seemed that Sir Lawrence and Blue Jay have arrived.

Sir Lawrence was chasing Blue Jay around the room. They were both covered in what appeared as a soft winter's snow.

"What is going on?" I asked my voice low. They stopped dead in their tracks.

"You are back," Astra answered from her position in the middle of the floor. I noticed she too was covered in the mysterious white substance. I rolled my eyes, the real Bella seeping through Lady Jacqueline's dignified manner.

"Yes" I answered rather sarcastically.

"How was your walk?" She asked knowingly.

"Lovely. Astra, what is going on?"

"Flour." Blue Jay said, flying to me. I wrinkled my nose confused.

"What? Where were you? You know forget all my questions we just have to clean this up before someone discovers my room like this." The room was in upheaval.

"It is flour, my lady, from the kitchen," Sir Lawrence said, his calm voice not matching his aggressive stance. "I just might murder this little bird that Astra is so fond of."

"Who you calling little, mouse?" Blue Jay answered from her present perch on a post of my bed.

"Uh!" Sir Lawrence jumped up and down, his sword waving in the air. "You get down from there madam and fight an honest fight."

"No one is fighting," I said.

"I am most sorry Isabella for you have been nothing but kind to me but I cannot honor that. We went to the kitchen following the scent of freshly-baked bread and this bird, she flies overhead and knocks down a bag of flour. All over me!"

"It was an accident," Blue Jay called from the ceiling. I rubbed my temples and felt very much like an overwhelmed mother with two misbehaving children.

"And then she has the audacity to taunt me., He huffed and took a deep breath, air filling his cheeks. I could not help but laugh.

"It was funny," Blue Jay said. "Thank the lord Astra was there to help us."

"I was with Delilah," Astra intermitted. "So then we make a sport of it, throwing flour on each other." I shook my head. "Sir Lawrence got the heaviest load and then Chef Victor chased us out with a spoon in his hand." We are all laughing now. I am enjoying the moment with my closet friends. I walk over to Astra and lay down on the flour covered floor.

******

It seemed one morning as Lady Jacqueline could make me forget who I am. I have never met the girl, so why should I pretend to be her. I was going to win the Prince's heart by simply being Bella. This palace had no idea what it has coming.

We rolled around in the flour for what seems like much too short a time when I hear a faint tap at the door. Astra got up to open it and a small girl of about seven stood in the doorway.

"Pardon," she curtsied. "I simply wished to inform you that lunch will be in an hour's time in the west dining room."

"An hour?" I asked once she was gone. "We just ate."

"We are noble. What else is there to do?" Astra reminded me.

"Okay guys come on. I am sure Delilah will be here any minute. Do you think I will have to change again?" Astra nodded and we are both stared at my flour covered dress. "It can become a new style." With that I twirled around. What followed was another round of laughter.

******

"Please stay in my room," I said to Sir Lawrence and Blue Jay before Astra and I left. After the announcement of lunch, Astra went in search of something to clean with and returned with a rag and a mop. It seems that I am always cleaning something or another. That done and still no sign of Delilah, I dressed casually in a deep purple gown, one of Alison's that I had always personally envied. My hair was let loose and my shoes clicked against the cool floor with every step.

It took quite a while to find the west dining room and I was glad to have Astra with me. Again I thought of Delilah. Where was she? But alas Astra and I finally entered the dining room. It was rather large and bare with a rectangular table pushed up against the wall. But I only grasped those details; my eyes immediately went to the ceiling.

The ceiling dipped towards me and away from me in an alternate pattern. It made me feel like I was looking up at the ocean and the dips were majestic waves. The artist was defiantly trying to capture this because it was dyed a sea blue-green. The mural also included sea nymphs and mermaids, fish and crustaceans; all in all the affect was breathtaking. I studied it, Astra's gaze following my own.

BOOM! The loud sound filled the room. I whirled around but it was too late. Astra ran to the where the noise had come from. It was the sound of the huge solid oak door –the only entrance and exit to the dining room– closing shut. She pushed on the door but it was no use.

"I do not think we can get it open Astra," I told her, walking towards the door. She shook her head.

"How did this happen?"

"I don't know," I answered pouting angrily. Someone had shut the door on Astra and I, of that much I was certain. There was no way it could have closed on its own. How could I have been so stupid? I rolled my eyes frustrated. Astra took to banging on the door with her fists but I could tell by the time the noise reached the other side, it would be barely audible. "Can you try a spell?" I asked the star. She closed her eyes and walked to the other end of the dining hall, deep concentration evident on her face. Every so often she would look up and sigh heavily, noticing the door was still closed. Astra went on like this for a half of an hour before finally walking back to the heavy door and me.

"It's not working. I do not know what to do. The other times were so easy; I just had to imagine what I wanted. But now, it's not working," she explained looking close to tears.

"It is okay Astra," I cooed, remembering how young she was. The next couple of hours passed slowly. At first I hoped someone would wander into the room, but then I realized its bareness probably meant no one usually spent time in here. Slumping against the door I looked around the room. Without I could see dusk was setting. The window! I thought jumping up from my position. I walked to it. It was an old looking thing, circular in shape, and just the right size for someone to crawl out of. I could see two brass iron rods behind the glass that ran adjacently. "I think I have an idea." I said more to myself then Astra. Staring at the glass I realized it was much too thick to break through and nothing in the room could help me. I sighed and backed away from the window, going back to my previous position.

Several more hours were passed banging on the door and window. I am sure people were starting to worry about us. Astra curled into a ball next to me; she looked as drained as when I had first met her. Her fists were clenched and I reached out to stroke her hair. Suddenly she shut up, her eyes as golden as the polished metal. She whispered something softly in a language I could not understand. Then she fell back in a faint.

I was so focused on her that I did not notice the change in the room, the electricity that filled it. It was gone in a flash that left me believing I imagined it. But another look at the window confirmed that I had not. The glass looked opaque. I walked towards it, my hand outstretched. The ground under foot wiggled as I moved. I jumped testing out the once hardwood floor. It shook more violently. As I landed my second jump a hole formed in the middle of the base. The floor seemed to incline towards the hole. I could not see where the hole opened to. Deciding to take a chance I put the then semi-conscience Astra under my air and jumped out of the west dining room.

Ello readers! Thanks for reading this newest chapter of Broken Glass I hope you liked it. I brought Sir Lawrence and Blue Jay back because I love them, you got some Chadwick and Bella action, and a whole new chapter! Is there anyone you want to see more of? I am so excited about this story and I hope you are too. This story is going to be quite different from your average Cinderella story, even more so then I had previously had in mind. Please review with your critiques and comments, or just to say you like the story. They mean so much to me. Chapter 13 almost done. With love ~Iris Lily~