I uncrossed my arms and lowered my head in defeat. "You are right; I should not be associating with Christian. I am so glad that I have good sisters like you to look after me. Perhaps, we can all go dine in the dining hall for breakfast."

Giselle wiped her nose on a delicate lace handkerchief, "I am hungry, Tori. Perhaps we can go eat and forget this whole business."

Victoria was examining me. I tried to look as innocent as possible in hopes she wouldn't suspect my real plan. Perhaps if I made them believe I truly was going to go along with what they wanted they would let their guard down and I could slip past them. "Fine, we all will go have breakfast downstairs. But don't you think that I will let you out of my sight for a moment, Miss Ebony. You will sit between Elle and me and will not go anywhere."

Giselle nodded and went into her room to get ready. I was not fully dressed and neither was Victoria. I was hoping that she would leave me alone to go change in her room so I could sneak out while she was not looking. She suspected this though and pulled me by my wrist into her room. She made me act as her lady in waiting and help her wash and dress. I went along with her, still hoping that I could somehow get away. I fixed her hair and tightened her corset. When she deemed herself presentable she allowed me to get ready. She had me take my clothes into the washroom while she sat on her bed facing me. There was no way I could sneak past her and soon Giselle joined her sister on the bed. I got dressed and hoped I would have a chance to escape during breakfast. Surely surrounded by the other guests they would not force me to stay.

I walked to the dining hall with a stepsister on each arm. Victoria obviously thought I would make a dash for it on the way to breakfast she and Giselle both linked their arms with mine. I tried to act as if I believed it was a sign of good faith and friendship like Giselle said, but I knew better. At the dining table I sat between them while a few of their friends for the previous night sat around us. Everyone ignored me as they ate their breakfast. It was just as it had been last night; Victoria and Giselle were the center of attention and were loved by all. The only difference was that I was forced to sit near them and be ignored than sit on the opposite end of the table and eat in peace. They laughed girlishly at the jokes others made and Giselle seemed to have taking quite a liking to a handsome young man that sat across the table from her. I looked at the clock that stood in the corner; the little hand pointed directly at the ten as it chimed out the hour. I mumbled to be excused and tried to stand up but Victoria grabbed my wrist under the table and yanked me back into my seat. I stared dejectedly at my almost empty plate. No one had noticed. There was only one other time that she had physically forced me to do as she wanted. I had fought back and hit her. She immediately began crying and told everyone I had maliciously attacked her. I tried to protest, but no one would believe me. It was the ugly duckling's word against one of the town's most beloved members. I knew she was already popular with the guests at the inn and I was sure if I tried anything she would do the same as she did back then. It seemed that I would not be able to get away from her today.

"Oh, Jack," Giselle said to the man across the table from her. "You tell the most wonderful tales. I hope one day I will be able to join you in the Iron Mountains so I can see for myself the wonders that you speak of."

The man smiled and two dimples formed on his cheeks. His smile made him look nice, not at all someone who would get along with Giselle's real personality. I pitied him for his bad fortune of meeting my step sister. If he was as kind as he looked, he deserved someone equally as kind. "Perhaps when the celebrations are over, you and I might travel to my home in the mountains and I can show you the wonders myself."

Giselle blushed and grinned at him shyly as I had seen her do dozens of times before with dozens of men. She probably wouldn't even remember his name in a week. I watched them flirt for another five minutes thinking about how I should be on my way to the castle now where I could be with the prince and see the surprise he had for me. I wondered what it could be. He said his sister had given him a task so I assumed it was something to do with her wedding celebration. After all he had showed me on that first day, I wondered what other amazing things were in store for this coming month. On my other side Victoria was talking to her own man who sat to her right. Her hand was still clutching my wrist tightly. The man she spoke to was just as handsome as Jack, but he didn't have Jack's boyish dimples when he smiled. Ten minutes past the hour, the carriage was probably waiting outside for me and I couldn't get away.

The doors to the dining hall opened and everyone turned to see who had entered. It was a man in a white uniform under a golden waistcoat. He wore white gloves on his hands that were sternly placed at his side in the manner of a servant. He must have been the servant of someone very important to wear such a nice uniform. His hair and mustache were nearly the same color as the waistcoat he wore. He was a very impressive figure for a servant. Victoria and Giselle gasped like they had seen him before. Victoria's grip on my arm tightened and I could feel her nails digging into my skin. All my attempts to free my wrist only made her grip tighter. I could not believe how strong she was. I examined the man closer; he must have been from the castle. Surely they must have seen royal drivers at the castle and recognized him. He must be here for me, I thought. Giselle and Victoria were not going to the castle this week. Then I looked around at the other faces in the room. Of course he could be here for any one of them as well; everyone here was a friend of someone in the castle. They should all have their own carriages to travel to the castle though, so perhaps it was for me. Victoria's grip on my arm was excruciating now as the man announced himself.

"The carriage has arrived for Miss Ebony of Lyscos." He said loudly to everyone in the room. He also looked directly at me and everyone else in the room followed his gaze. I wanted to stand but Victoria still held my wrist.

Victoria and Giselle were not the only ones who recognized a royal servant. A large woman who sat on the opposite side of the table and down a ways waved her fork at me. When she spoke her many chins wobbled, "Now don't just sit there, girl. When royalty sends a carriage for you, you get in it and go to the castle."

Her words raised a murmur of agreement and a few other people told me I should not be rude to the man and go with him. "Oh, no, my dear sister cannot go to the castle today." Victoria choked out, but she knew she was outnumbered. Giselle was staring longingly at Jack, but her many glances at me and the royal servant told me that she was paying very close attention to the rest of the room.

"Nonsense," Said an old man with a monocle in his eye. "One does not simply turn down the royal family. It is not done. Back in my day the youth had more respect for their rulers. Why I remember the last celebration in this city my sister was summoned by the royal family and she went straight away without hesitation. That was the proper attitude. Now stand up girl and go with the man."

I looked at Victoria. She held me a moment longer and then let go. She knew she had lost today; I would go to the castle and see the prince. I couldn't help but give her a triumphant smile and I could tell she was trying her best not to lash out at me in some way. She couldn't do anything with all these people about. I stood up and apologized for my rudeness. I followed the man to the lavish white carriage that sat just past the wide stone steps. He opened the door for me and helped me into the carriage. I gasped at what I saw; I was not the only one in the carriage. Prince Christian was smiling at me from the seat. I sat down next to him.

"I almost thought you weren't going to come. So I sent Augustus in to find you. I told him to not take no for an answer." The prince said as the carriage pulled away.

"I would not have said no." I said. I rubbed my wrist tenderly. It was still throbbing a bit and the nail marks were noticeable on the bottom. "I apologize for keeping you waiting."

"You are here now. You are going to love your surprise, I'm sure. When we arrive at the castle I will take you to the hall of pictures and then we can…what happened to your wrist?" He cut off as he noticed the hand mark on my wrist. He slowly reached out and examined my skin. Gently he ran his finger over the crescent shaped nail marks. All the pain seemed to go away at the touch of his hand.

As much as I didn't want to I pulled my arm away. "It's nothing." I said quickly. He did not need to know about Victoria's treatment of me. "It got caught in my sleeve this morning and the buttons dug into my skin."

I winced at my lie. The prince glanced at the dress I was wearing. It was light green with lace running along the bodice and not a button anywhere. I'm sure he noticed this and knew that the mark on my hand was not from my dress but he did not inquire further.

So this last chapter just kind of wrote itself. I was kind of off writing for a few days then when I sat back down to it again it all just flowed. Bit exciting. I would like to thank you all for sticking it out this far. Chapter 10 is the farthest I've ever gotten on a story and I'm only getting started!