A Tangled Web of Lies

"Did you see him look at me, he is completely enthralled," Madison shrieked.

"Ugh," Alison snorted, making the most unladylike sound. "You must be joking. I can tell he is love with me. Right Mama?"

"Of course darling," Madame was saying. "I will be flabbergasted if he does not choose one of you to be his wife." I almost laughed in their faces. Fact number 7: My ugly step-sisters honestly believed they had a chance with Crown Prince Chadwick.

"Madame," I said. Everyone turned to me. "I will not be accompanying you back home."

"Do whatever you like Isabella. You will have to walk home," my step-mother said with a mixed look of indifference and annoyance.

"Of course." I watched while they were assisted into the carriage. As the cab drove off, I waved goodbye, a smile on my face. I should have gone to Lily's then, to get ready to return to the palace, but I decided being Lady Jacqueline could wait. Instead, I wandered around the gorgeous city. I walked in no particular direction but soon was in front of Leo's Bakery.

"Welcome to Leo's!" someone called as a bell hanging from the door I had opened dinged. It was early afternoon so the place was just recovering from the breakfast crowd. People sat at tables surrounded by oversized chairs. Waiters dressed in white and black balanced trays of something with a tantalizing smell. I sat down at one of the chairs in the corner of the store, enjoying the cozy atmosphere.

"What can I get for you?" a waiter asked after I had settled in.

"Anything with chocolate," I said, feeling too lazy to even ask for the menu she had in her hand. As she turned to leave I blurted, "Is Chris here by any chance?" She smiled knowingly.

"Yes, he is working today." She looked like she wanted to say more but then thought better of it. Likewise, I just grinned back at her. A little while later Chris brought out a cake overflowing with melted chocolate.

"For you my lady," Chris proclaimed, bowing mockingly.

"Why thank you good sir," I answered in the same tone. He sat down next to me as I begun to munch on my cake.

"How are you Bella?"

"I'm fine."

"And how is everything… working out?" I laughed at his expression.

"Uh, I would tell you if I actually had an idea on how it should be working out." He gave me his amazing smile. "It is very peculiar," I added as an afterthought.

"Like a completely different world."

"Exactly."

"Can I ask you something Bella?" I nodded, my mouth full, "What have you gotten yourself into?" Here he lowered his voice. "Impersonating someone, you can get into a lot of trouble and for what, a chance to play princess."

"You do not understand," was all I said.

"I guess I misread you." He got up from the seat, still speaking low. "I helped you because it seemed like you needed me, but you won't even tell me what this is about. I am just worried about you Bella. Life in the palace is not some fairytale." We were both quiet then, immersed in our own thoughts.

"What did you say?" I asked after awhile. Chris looked aggravated. "Something about fairytales?"

"Yes… so?"

"Where did you learn that? It is a human word." His eyes clouded.

"I do not know Bell, from the guys I guess," he answered with a shrug. It was too late, the gears in my mind had begun to churn.

"You say you are a Hoodlum, and go with that when it is convenient to you."

"I am a Hoodlum."

"The nephew of Robin Hood huh?"

"What exactly are you implying?"

"You are not being honest with me either Chris. Something just doesn't seem right."

"I have to get back to work," he said, making it clear that our conversation was over.

******

"Who does he think he is?" I asked Astra. She was laying on my plush bed while I was seated on the floor. I had not seen anyone except Ms. Rey. I had told the housekeeper that I was feeling better having recovered from my morning headache and had gotten lost taking a walk in the gardens. There was a knock at the door. I took Astra's place while she went to open it. The guest greeted Astra with a curtsey and I soon realized it was Delilah.

"Hello," she said. Delilah was just the cheery type of person I wanted to see. "It is so wonderful to see you both safe and sound. There was quite an uproar here last night and then to add to the confusion, my charges could not be found." She put her hand to her forehand dramatically.

"What happened?" I asked. That was all the impetus she needed.

"The entire west dining room collapsed onto the servant's tunnel. Experts have been in and out since last night and no one can explain what happened. The servant's tunnel was searched for any clues and cleaned, which delayed everything." This was the end of the official story. "But I heard that some of the young kitchen girls heard screams coming from the tunnel. One even said the door was half open when she awoke this morning. And then you two, everyone said you were missing. They were worried you might have gotten hurt. No one had seen you since breakfast, and when I knocked to inform you where lunch would be held, you were not here."

"I thought someone was sent to tell me about lunch. A girl said it was in the west dining room," I said before Astra could stop me. Delilah gave a small gasp.

"A girl? No, I was supposed to do that. No one goes into the west dining room anyway. You were there?"

"But when we discovered no one there Lady Jacqueline did not want to return to her rooms," Astra saved.

"Ah," was all Delilah said. "I am just glad you are well." Astra and I shared a meaningful glance. "If you need anything please just send for me Lady Jacqueline," she finished before giving me a small curtsy and leaving.

******

I spent the rest of the afternoon in my room. It seemed that my days as Lady Jacqueline were coming to an end, and what did I have to show for it? A near death experience perhaps, but was Prince Chadwick anywhere near falling in love with me? I groaned with frustration. Sitting in one of the chairs by the fireplace, I realized I was out of ideas.

"Astra?" I asked suddenly. She was stretched out in front of the fire.

"Yes," she said, not bothering to turn to me.

"Where is Sir Lawrence and Blue Jay? I have not seen them since last night."

"Nor I. Do not worry about it they have to be around here somewhere."

"I guess," I answered, falling back into the chair. Something just did not feel right. I had not shaken this feeling of foreboding since my encounter with Princess Marigold this morning. "I will be back," I resolved. Astra began to sit up. "No, stay here, I won't be long." With that I strode purposely to the door and out of the room. I turned to the right and walked a few paces, passing Princess Margaret's door. A few doors down, I was in front of Princess Marigold's room. I lifted my fist and knocked tentatively. Inside nothing stirred. Taking a gulp of air, I pushed open the door and rushed inside.

It was very warm and humid, which made the air in the room a thick haze. I walked further inside. It was very much like my own except it gave me a feeling I could not quite place. Suddenly I felt that I was not alone. I scanned the room, my heart quickening in my chest. Finally my eyes darted to the floor, where right at the foot of the bed laid a cat. It studied me. I walked towards it. Something was drawing me to the all white cat with startling black eyes.

I knelt down beside it and stroked its fur. What was I doing? I did not break into Princess Marigold's room to pet her cat. The cat meowed. Then, suddenly, its attitude changed from indifferent to psychotic. It jumped up on the bed and began clawing until I thought it might tear a hole in the bedspread.

"Chloë," a rich voice called. I quickly laid flat on the floor and pushed myself under the bed. "Chloë!" The footsteps came closer. The cat, Chloë, jumped off the mattress and landed right near me. The woman muttered something under her breath. I listened to her words but they made no sense to me. As I tried to focus on finding a way out of my present predicament, Chloë began to grow. She stretched out to a length thrice her size. Her paws developed into hands and her feet did likewise. The white hair soon turned into long almost transparent locks. I would have put a hand over my mouth to keep from gasping, but I could not move. "Fix my hair," the woman said, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. Chloë nodded and set to work.

The woman idly chatted while her hair was being done. I tuned out her dull words and wondered where Princess Marigold could possibly be. "I cannot wait to have his heart," the woman said. Her morbid tone frightened me enough to pay heed to what she said next. "Tomorrow night when the clock strikes twelve, it will be mine. No one will be able to stop me." She laughed sinisterly. A few minutes later, it seemed that Chloë had finished. The woman got up and walked to the full length mirror. From where I laid I could see her reflection. She began to transform as Chloë had. It took less than a minute before I was looking at Princess Marigold's snickering face in the mirror.

"Come Chloë," the Princess said. The girl gazed down and I prayed she had not given me away. Princess Marigold clicked her tongue and Chloë obediently followed her out the door. It took me a moment to collect myself before I emerged from under the bed. The room was even warmer now, and I finally placed the atmosphere I had been feeling. It was the feeling of magic; however, it was not like Astra's. This magic felt thicker and wicked. I hurried out of the room and briskly walked to my room, thinking of whom I could possibly tell what I had seen to and more importantly who would believe me. I had scanned through my options and walked straight into a guard that was directly in front of my door.

"Lady Jacqueline," he said coldly. I nodded. "Come with me." Before I could respond he grabbed my hand forcefully.

"Let go of me!" I screamed. He ignored my plea and dragged me to the wall. Pulling a tapestry aside, I saw the faint outline of a door. He pulled opened the latch and I found myself inside the servant's tunnel. The man walked behind me, seeming unfazed as I struggled against his grasp. We finally stopped at a door which he opened.

"Go," said the guard. I walked deeper into the unknown room and shuttered when I heard the door being shut behind me. The room had velvet blue walls and as I got closer I realized it was almost completely filled by a desk behind which sat Queen Evangeline. I curtsied, not understanding why I was here.

"Sit," she said. I obeyed. "Lady Jacqueline, I just received a letter from your father. It was a beautifully written but I am sure you can understand my confusion when he stated that he understands how stubborn sons could be. I then went on to read about how much his daughter was looking forward to visit Faylinn. So then I stopped, put on my glasses, and read that line again. Can you explain 'Lady Jacqueline'?"

"Your Majesty," I began, trying to buy time. Queen Evangeline raised her hand.

"When I learned of this, my advisers had many suggestions on who you are and what to do with you. Miss, you are extremely lucky, I have decided to let you leave with the promise that you will stay away from my family with a warning that you can take to heart. A guard will escort you to your room, now get out." She glanced down then, with an apathy that made it seemed we had been speaking to about the weather. I closed my eyes and then opened them quickly. What had just happened?

"Your Majesty, I …"

"You are pushing your luck girl," Queen Evangeline said without looking up. A guard appeared behind the chair.

"I will lead you to your room to collect your things," he said in a somber voice. Queen Evangeline waved him away with a flick of the wrist. I walked away from her, the guard in front of me. He opened a door that had faded into the velvet walls and swiftly lead me back to my room.

Astra looked up as I entered the room. "I will wait for you here," the guard said. I nodded before closing the door behind me.

"We have a problem," I said.

"So do we," Astra replied.

"Sir Lawrence is missing," Blue Jay sang from her perch on Astra's shoulder. I sighed. "I have not seen since this morning. He left me by saying he could no longer wait for you. He is on a mission to deliver news to the King."

"It is okay. That is what he came to do." Astra looked confused and I realized I had never told her how Sir Lawrence had come to be staying at my manor. Just then there was a swift knock at the door. I rolled my eyes. Couldn't the guard be a tad bit more patient? Today I had been a personal slave to twiddle Dee and twiddle Dumb aka my lovely stepsisters, had been told off by perhaps my only normal friend, seen a crazed witch transform into a princess in front of my very eyes, and had been kicked out the palace by Queen Evangeline herself. "Yes," I said, opening the door with a huff.

"Hello," my visitor answered in a crisp voice. She did not look happy and Marana Bell was the last person I wanted to see angry.

AN: Hey readers! I am so very very sorry for the long wait. I do not want you to think I have given up on this story because I haven't and I have every intention of finshing it. Thanks for reading and like always I hope you enjoyed this chapter and this story. ALSO, I reached 50 reviews for this story. If I could I would throw all my reviews a virtual party. Thank so much to all of your comments and criticisim, I really appreciate it. So until next chapter -which I try my hardest to post faster- happy reading ~Iris Lily~