(This chapter was updated on 6/2/2016)
Once Ella and Prudence had left the room, Kit sighed and made his way back to his office. He was ecstatic, still barely able to believe that she was finally here.
Ella. Her name was Ella. And she was here and she had accepted him and she would be his wife and everything finally felt right in the world. Not only was she the most wonderful, captivating, beautiful woman he'd ever met, it turned out she was also from an old and well respected family. True, she was not a princess, but Kit doubted that even his father would have disapproved of a match with such an historically prestigious house. He felt like he was walking on a cloud and it was becoming ever more difficult to act as the dignified monarch he was expected to be. Everything was perfect.
When he'd helped her out of the carriage, all he could think about was that this would be her home. Their home. He smiled at the thought of it. But there was something bothering him, something that he wasn't sure how to address. She had not looked well. Not at all. She was thin, and that was not a problem on its own, but she did not look as though she was meant to be that thin. She looked as though she wasn't eating properly. Her hands were coarse and rough when he had touched them, and he imagined all the labor and hardships those hands must have had to endure. She was covered in ash, but he had been able to see bruises underneath, though he thought she perhaps tried to hide it. She did not look healthy, to say the least, and he wondered what kind of magic had allowed her to appear at the ball as she did- a radiant angel from a mistreated scullery maid.
Kit was definitely worried about her. He knew that they had only known each other a short time, but he'd fallen hard and fast for her, to put it mildly. And he felt genuinely sick at the thought of her "family" having had mistreated her so. Ella had not said much about her condition, and he had not asked, but he was able to put the pieces together enough to make some conclusions. They'd certainly been abusive towards her, if not enough to raise any suspicions from anyone who knew her.
Kit marveled that Ella had been able to bare it all so well, and come out better for it in the end. He hoped that he would someday deserve her. He would do everything in his power to make it right again for her, whatever that meant. He'd help her in any way he could.
He could not wait for the presentation later that evening. It would only be a few members of the local nobility and gentry, here to welcome their future queen and pay their respects. The engagement ball would certainly be a party not to miss, but that would come later. For now, he was anxious to be able to proudly stand beside the woman he loved and, afterward, finally have a real moment alone with her.
But now, as he approached his office, his mind went on to less pleasant business. He would have to deal with the Grand Duke sooner, rather than later.
It was not that Kit wanted the man gone. He was not a villain, and he'd practically helped raise him. Kit knew that in some way, the Duke had had the kingdom's best interests at heart, but to lie to a king and disobey his orders meant, at best, insubordination and, at worst, treason. He could not be considered a just king if he let the man go with a slap on the wrist; but he also prided himself, this early in his reign, as being a man of mercy and fairness.
Have courage, be kind. Those words echoed in his head. He was grateful for Ella's presence in his life and her little mantra; it seemed the very thing to get him through the trials of his life, no matter the situation.
He sent a page out to summon the Duke, who arrived shortly afterward. When he arrived, Kit was seated at his desk, doing his best to strike an imposing and yet composed figure. He knew that the Duke would try and talk his way out of the situation, but he could not let that happen.
"Your Majesty," The Grand Duke said, bowing to the king in a most respectful fashion. "My most sincere congratulations on this happy day that you have found your bride. If I may explain-"
"Have a seat, Your Grace," Kit interrupted, motioning to the chair across from his desk. The Grand Duke looked hesitantly at the chair, and then back at Kit, who dared him with his eyes to disobey his king, yet again. The man took a seat.
"Forgive me, Your Grace," Kit continued, not allowing the other man to get a word in, "but I am in no mood for an explanation. I took you to be a man of honor, and yet, when we made a bargain between honorable men, you turned your back on it. I suppose you would have gladly disobeyed your king and caused the unhappiness of many more than just myself, all for the sake of an alliance with a kingdom that is only slightly better off than our own? That seems to be the only explanation required." The man looked nervous.
"Your Majesty," the Grand Duke said, stammering. "I admit that I was deceitful, and yes, I may have kept this information from you, but it was only for the protection of the Kingdom of Astrielle!"
"And you would protect the kingdom by betraying those around you," Kit said. He was becoming less and less convinced that the Duke deserved mercy. For though he may have spoken the truth about his intentions, he was obviously hiding something else. And if there was some sort of conspiracy that Kit was not aware, of, and if there were others involved, he would no longer be merciful. He took a deep breath.
"Grand Duke, if you are hiding something from me, or protecting someone else, you can be certain that your punishment will be far worse than it already will be. You will tell me all this instant." The man said nothing for several moments, considering.
"I worked in league with the Lady Tremaine, Your Majesty. She brought me the other glass slipper and threatened to tell all that the Mystery Princess was in fact a cinder girl. I thought it would have brought embarrassment to your house if that knowledge had gone public. So I promised her the title of Countess and marriages for her daughters if she kept the girl hidden from you."
Kit sat in silence for a moment, deliberating. He could not let the anger he felt towards this man cloud his judgement. He knew that he had to deal with this in the best possible way. But he did not want to be too harsh, though he knew that the penalty for treason against the king was either life in prison or death. He stood, and so did the Grand Duke, who, though old enough to be Kit's father, was practically shaking in his boots.
"Grand Duke," Kit began, slowly and formally. "You are forthwith stripped of your title and position. You will leave the royal household by dawn tomorrow."
"But your Majesty-"
"You will take the remaining wages you are owed in your commission and you will leave the kingdom. If you return without Royal pardon you will be incarcerated."
The man said nothing, and only bowed towards Kit, before removing his hat and slowly walking out of the room, his head hanging low.
Kit sat back down in his chair, wondering if he had just done the right thing. One thing was for certain, he needed to deal with Ella's family, sooner rather than later. And he needed to think fast. It was proving more and more obvious to Kit that there was much more to her story than he knew, and he desperately wanted to make things right. But, seeing as there was not much more that could be done at the moment, Kit went to go prepare for the presentation.
Ella followed Prudence down several corridors towards, as she was told, her chambers. Chambers. As in, more than one. Ella wasn't sure she had completely fathomed what marrying a king would mean for her. Everything would change.
As they approached a large pair of doors, they were met by three maids and one young lady, possibly a few years older than Ella, but not by much. They all curtsied as she and Prudence approached.
"Good afternoon, my lady," the gentlewoman said. "My name is Mariaclara. I'm the daughter of the Duke of Moromont and I've been appointed by the king to be your Lady in Waiting. You'll be able to appoint others at your own discretion, should you need to." Ella curtsied to her.
"Thank you, Mariaclara. I hope we can become good friends."
"This is Helen, Annabelle, and Beth," she said, motioning to the maids, who all smiled and curtsied once more.
"It's truly a pleasure to meet all of you," Ella replied.
"Yes, yes, and now, if you're quite finished, we have much to accomplish in a very short amount of time," Prudence said, moving the maids aside with a flick of her wrist so that she could unlock the door. Once the door was unlocked, she handed the key to Ella. Then, she opened the doors and led the party into the room.
Ella was speechless. The room was absolutely beautiful. It had to be twice as large as her parents' bedroom had been. The walls were painted the blue of the sky on a clear spring morning. A small crystal chandelier (well, small compared to those in the main ballroom) hung from the ceiling. There was a large sitting area with plush armchairs and a chaise that looked made for lounging in on lazy afternoons. The chairs surrounded a beautiful stone fireplace, with a portrait of a beautiful woman on horseback above the mantle. The room was trimmed in gold filigree to match the furniture, and there were gold birds delicately painted on the walls, as if in flight. There were massive windows which led out onto a balcony that overlooked the gardens and a lovely fountain. They let the sunshine in and lit up the whole room spectacularly. In a small alcove off to the side was a raised area that held the bed. It wasn't a grand poster bed but it was large and Ella imagined it would feel like sleeping on a cloud.
It was really the bed that got to her. Ella hadn't slept on a proper bed for years now, and she felt tears come into her eyes at the very thought of one belonging solely to her. She tried hard not to think about it; she didn't want the ladies thinking she was unstable, crying over a bed.
"Do you like it, my lady?" Mariaclara asked.
"It's beautiful! I love it!" Ella said through teary eyes.
"That's very good," Prudence said. "But enough of this. We have work to do. Helen, draw us a bath."
Over the next few hours, Ella underwent a strange kind of hell in preparation for the banquet. Obviously the staff had their work cut out for them in trying to make Ella presentable, but somehow, they'd managed. She'd been scrubbed, soaked, dressed, undressed, dressed again. She'd had her hair properly styled for the first time in years and it was fascinating to her how long it could possibly take to make hair stay in place. She'd had all her measurements taken (all of them), she'd been sprayed with perfume, she'd been scolded for mistreating her hands, and she was sure she'd been judged the whole time. In the end, Ella decided that being "pampered" and given a "makeover", as the younger maids had called it, was something she could live without.
But, she had to admit, she did look beautiful.
She stood in front of the full length mirror in the seamstress's quarters, taking in her reflection. Her hair had been tamed and put up into a series of braids and curls, with dark blue ribbons having been run through the braids. One curled strand of hair fell delicately down to rest over her collarbone.
Her dress was a dark, vibrant blue- much darker than what she wore to the ball, almost a midnight blue, like sapphires. It was accented with lace up around the neckline, which made a large semicircle off of her shoulders. It had a beautiful damask pattern that glowed in the light, and had accents of gold on the trim, the lace, the lining. She wore gloves to cover her hands, that had been so overworked. Perhaps at some point they'd become softer and more presentable, but for now gloves were best (at least according to Prudence).
The jewelry and shoes that had been provided were gold as well, to match the dress. She wore large sapphires set with gold in matching earrings and a bracelet. She wore no necklace, and that made for a look of overall elegance in simplicity. Ella thought this was appropriate. She was not royalty- not yet anyway, and even if she were, it would not do to show up in garish and attention-seeking clothes. Not if she was to represent the entire kingdom. Elegance and humility was best, and these seamstresses knew what they are doing.
After what felt like hours of scrubbing, they had finally gotten all of the soot off of her skin, and she was no longer perpetually grey in tone. But in doing so, they had revealed the bruises that she was not able to hide underneath her clothes. None of the maids had said anything, though Ella knew they had all seen them. Ella had just asked that they be covered with powder.
"There's nothing to them, really," she'd said. "And they're almost healed anyway. No need to worry His Majesty." And they'd listened to her. So hopefully there was no reason that Kit would ever have to know about it.
In truth, she was actually stunned at how well she looked. Though she was still thin, as she couldn't remember the last proper meal she'd had, and she still looked exhausted, and she still carried herself with little confidence, and she looked the part. Hopefully, soon, she would be able to play it as well.
"When you're ready, my lady", Mariaclara had said, "We will lead you to the Banquet hall. You'll meet his majesty and be presented for the local nobility, and then dinner will be served." Ella nodded, gave a small smile, and followed the girls out of the room. She took a few deep breaths and reminded herself to have courage.
She immediately felt better when she saw Kit standing in the corridor, outside the doors to the banquet hall, though she didn't look it. She noticed in amusement that he was wearing matching blue and gold jacket, and it was only then, when she had a moment to think, that she realized they were wearing the colors of the House Harcourt, Kit's family. She thought it was genius, whoever had come up with the idea. They would stand as a united front, and Ella would appear as one of the family.
She approached him, and he smiled when he saw her. He walked over to join her, taking one of her gloved hands and setting a kiss upon it.
"You look beautiful," he said, taking in her transformed appearance.
"Thank you, Kit," Ella replied. "You don't look too bad yourself."
She could hear conversations happening on the other side of the doors, and she wondered just who might be there to see her, and how many people were present. She was nervous, and she was sure that Kit could tell.
"What's wrong?" he asked, seemingly worried. Ella was still getting used to the idea of people worrying for her.
"Nothing," she said, rather unconvincingly. She fanned herself with the gilded hand fan she'd been given and tried to pretend she wasn't nervous. Kit was silent for a moment, still watching her. After a moment, he spoke.
"Are you unhappy here?" he asked. "I don't want you to be unhappy, please tell me if you don't want to be here." Ella looked at him and shook her head in disbelief. How in the world could he believe that?
"Kit…" she started, pulling him to the side, in a dark little corner so that the footmen at the door could not eavesdrop. She spoke in a hushed voice, practically a whisper. "You've done me such an honor by having me here, by choosing me. I want to be worthy of you… of all of this," she said. gesturing around to the general area. Kit shook his head, smiling.
"Believe me," Kit said, taking her hands in his. "You, my darling Ella, are more than worthy. Of all of this." And then, he pulled her close to him and in an embrace that was entirely improper for two people who were not yet officially engaged. His hands went from her hands to her face, gently holding her so that they were only inches apart. Ella felt the breath leave her lungs. She'd never been kissed before, but she was sure that was what was about to happen. She smiled a little at Kit, who was looking at her with complete adoration. He handled her so carefully, as if she were a frightened deer that might run away. Then again, she did have a history of doing just that. Her arms found their way around Kit's shoulders as he closed the small distance between them.
Ella felt as though her heart might explode, and her lungs felt empty. She kissed him back, feeling the butterflies in her stomach. She knew from then on that she wanted to be able to kiss this man for the rest of her life. More than anything.
Just then, they heard someone clearing their throat behind them. It was the Royal Crier, who was to announce the couple.
"A thousand pardons, Your Majesty," he said, seemingly hesitant to make eye contact with either one of them, "But it's time to begin."
Ella and Kit broke apart quickly, Ella clearing her throat and Kit straightening up his jacket. He offered Ella his arm, which she took, and they walked through the Banquet Hall doors that had now swung open. The Royal Crier announced them as they entered.
"Presenting His Majesty the King, Christopher Harcourt, the Third of His Name, and his intended, Miss Eleanor Beaumont."
There were not as many people in the hall as Ella had anticipated, maybe only about fifty total. But all fifty heads turned to look at them, all offering curtsies and bows in one motion. Ella and Kit returned the bow and entered the room.
Well, here goes nothing, she thought.
Kit was more than proud of his fiance. The presentation had been a rousing success. All that had met her had been absolutely charmed. She had been witty, polite, sincere, sophisticated… everything that could be asked of a queen. He was absolutely elated.
He stood on the balcony now, getting some fresh air, while Ella spoke with a Duchess at the table. She'd been roped into a card game, and apparently was doing quite well. He liked seeing her look as though she was enjoying herself. Something told him she'd seen too much sorrow in her short life.
"If I may say so, Your Majesty," the Captain said, approaching him from behind. "I believe did well in your choice of a bride." Kit smiled and looked back out over the balcony.
"Yes, Captain," he said. "I believe I have."
"Well, I wish you every happiness, my king," he said, draining the last of his champagne glass.
"I thank you, Captain. You've always been good to me. You've done everything you could to ensure my well being, and you've always had my best interests at heart. Tell me, how do you like politics?" The Captain chuckled.
"To be honest, I've always detested politics. But… I will admit that I also have a talent for it."
"I'm glad to hear it," Kit said. "Because I'd like for you to become my new Grand Duke, and right hand man. Starting immediately." The Captain smiled.
"You do me a great honor, Your Majesty." The men laughed and the Captain patted Kit on the back. "I'm not sure I deserve it, but I will try to live up to your expectations."
"I wouldn't have it any other way, Damon," Kit said.
"Well, it seems that I need another drink, to celebrate my promotion," Damon replied. Laughing, he walked away, leaving Kit to go find Ella.
About a half hour later, the two had left the party, and were strolling the corridors, laughing and talking. Ella didn't know where they were going, but Kit did. And while Ella was giggling and finishing off the last of her glass, Kit was taking her out to one of the lower roofs. When they arrived and they walked out the door and into the night air, Ella stopped dead in her tracks.
The view was beautiful, though in Kit's mind it did not compare to the lady beside him. She looked out over the view, seeing where the forest met with the sea, and the entire sky blanketed with stars. She said nothing for quite some time.
"Speechless?" Kit asked in a teasing manner. Ella nodded.
"It's just... Everything that's happened. I still can't believe it. It all feels like a dream."
"Then it's a wonderful dream," he replied. Together they sat in silence, under the moonlight for a while longer.
"I want you to feel that you belong here, Ella. What's yours is mine. We are to be married, after all." Ella didn't say anything, and Kit wondered what she was thinking. The smile fell from her face, and she assumed a much colder air than before.
"Oh… are we?" Ella responded flippantly, turning around to face away from him, her face stoic and haughty. Kit hesitated. The pleasant, confident expression on his face faded and his smile started to fall, as a cloud of doubt settled in. What was that supposed to mean?
"Well… aren't we?" he asked, hesitantly. He looked at her expectantly, and Ella paused a moment, leaving him in suspense. Kit didn't understand where this new change in attitude had come from. Did she not want him? What on earth was she thinking? Her silence was torturing him, she must have known that. After a moment, she turned to face him, looking directly into his eyes.
"I don't believe you ever asked me," she said. Her eyes were shining and there was a smile on the corner of her lips. It took Kit a moment to realize that she was teasing him. Relief flooded his face. He took a moment to think, and Ella waited patiently for his response. An idea struck him, and he looked, as if she were the only light in his life and the only thing that mattered, and played along with her game.
"You're right, my lady. A grievous error on my part. I believe I shall have to remedy that situation at once." And with that, he took her hand and led her down the room, down a long corridor, through the great hall and out into the gardens. Kit was sure that Ella had her suspicions about where he was taking her, but she said nothing.
It was a warm, lovely night, with a nearly full moon shining down on them and lighting up the gardens in a silver moonlight. Kit pulled her aside, down a small lane that he hoped she recognized. He pushed the door open, just barely visible in the night, and led her inside.
"Your secret garden," Ella said, breathlessly. Kit, still holding her hand, turned to her.
"I confess, ever since the ball, I have thought of it as our secret garden," he said quietly. Truly, it's as much yours as it is mine." Ella dropped her hand and looked around the garden with a look of wonder on her face.
"It's even more beautiful than I remember it," she said, heading right for the swing and caressing the ropes with gentle affection, reliving her wonderful time at the ball, the last time she'd been in this garden. She sat down on the wide swing, rocking gently back and forth. Her eyes met Kit's, and she blushed. He was looking at her like that again. As if she were a goddess, some perfect being that he wanted to worship. Kit wasn't quite sure he could ever stop looking at her like that.
He approached her slowly, as if unsure how to begin. "I suppose I must do this properly," he said, dropping down on one knee before her. "Forgive me, Ella. I am afraid I can't think straight when I am around you. I am not nearly as charming as people make me out to be." Elle could only smile and return his loving glance, trying ever so hard to be the dignified lady. She was keeping her composure better than Kit was, and that was for certain. Hands shaking, he pulled out the small ring box he'd kept with him, ever since the night of the ball. He had known, since then, that he would not be happy unless he could offer this mystery girl his hand.
"This was my mother's," Kit said, opening up the box to reveal a small, tasteful, but ornate set of diamonds on a ring. Ella was struck by the beauty and simplicity of the ring- it had one large stone set inside a circular setting that contained numerous smaller stones. It sparkled as though it had just been made.
"I had intended on giving it to you after everything was settled," he said. "I wanted to have it sized for you and able to plan out a more formal proposal." He was obviously nervous, just like he had been when he'd asked her to dance at the ball. "But I feel that this is as good a time as any. And I know my mother would have approved of this, right now." Ella was barely looking at the ring. Kit could see tears welling in her eyes, but she only had eyes for him. Still, Kit continued, wanting to do things properly.
"I know that she would have wanted to give it to the woman I truly loved, and I know without a doubt that that woman is you. I have known since we first met that you were special to me, and I now find myself before you, unable to imagine a life without you. You've completely captured my heart, Ella. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife and making me the happiest man in the kingdom?"
Ella was beaming, with tears streaming down her cheeks. Kit had barely finished speaking when she shouted, "Yes! Of course!" Kit smiled, overcome with joy. He felt as though his whole life was falling into place.
"I confess, I don't know if it will fit you," Kit admitted as he began to slide the ring onto her finger. "I will have it resized straightaway if it does not." No sooner had he said this, though, when the ring easily slid onto her finger without a problem.
"A perfect fit," Ella said, absolutely elated.
"Yes," Kit replied. "An absolutely perfect fit." He pulled Ella to her feet and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I know that we've only known each other a short time," he said, looking deep into her eyes, " but I am falling for you, Ella. Truly."
"I feel the same way about you," Ella replied, laughing. "It's just all moving so fast. This morning you didn't even know my name."
"Well, it was not for lack of asking. I distinctly remember, it was you who ran out on me instead of telling me who you were." Ella smiled.
"I promise you, at some point, I'll explain everything."
"I believe you," Kit said. And then he kissed her, passionately, never wanting to let her go again. So this is love, he couldn't help thinking.
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