Gabrielle had not had this much work since she came home late, that afternoon she saved John. Even then, she had never been forced to work this hard before. Isodara said she wanted everything to be perfect and she meant it. Many times Gabrielle was forced to redo something or even an entire room because one thing was not clean to her satisfaction. The young stepdaughter did her work without complaint. She made everything shine and sparkle to the best she could do. She was not alone. Isodara as stretching deep into her pocket's for the prince's visit. She had professional decorators come in and gardeners as well. Gabrielle could not help, but wince at this, knowing this would cause a lengthy tax hike on the people.
However, but to Gabrielle's surprise she had a helper with her. It was a secret though and she only appeared when her stepmother and eldest stepsister were gone. She looked at the head of chocolate locks that was furiously scrubbing at a stain on the floor. Though, Gabrielle could not help, but notice how weary her helper was becoming over a relativity little work. Her helper throw down the rag, through a moment, and took heavy breathes.
"I never thought your work was easily." Admitted Estelle, "But I never thought it was this hard." She confessed this with a bit embarrassment. Estelle wiped the sweat from her brow. The younger stepdaughter had never seen her stepsister, so red and puffy. Gabrielle let out a light giggle.
"Too many people underestimate how hard someone's job really is until they try it themselves." She looked at her younger sister sympathetically, "I don't hold it against you for not holding out as long as me. I remember when I first started cleaning. It was after my father's death and I didn't want to do anything, but feel sorry for myself." Gabrielle continued to scrub, where Estelle had left off. "But Isodara wouldn't have that, so I had to get to work. It took a while to build up my strength. I remember how swore I was for the first few weeks." She, said reminiscing.
"I'm sorry." Muttered, Estelle. "I should have said something, but I was young and lost in my own selfish thoughts about this new place and how it would affect me." Gabrielle turned to look at her younger stepsister. Her face was full of genuine regret.
"Don't feel that way. You were just a child. We all were, at least you are trying to help now and I would never criticize anyone for helping me." Estelle gave a small smile and they both continued their work until Isodara arrived and Estelle had to leave. The days continued until it was soon the day Gabrielle dreaded arrived; Prince Adrian's arrival.
She had considered confiding in Estelle a number of times, but she never worked up the courage to do it. Would Estelle honestly believe she was the girl whose song set the deserter free and the one who stole the prince's attention at the ball. In her heart she believed, or perhaps knew, that Estelle would believe her, but she told herself that Estelle was too practical to listen to such nonsense. In the end she just kept her mouth shut and let the burdens pile over her heart.
Finally, it was time. They were all waiting in the lobby. Rosella was pacing and talking excitedly to her mother about the prince and how handsome he was and everything. Her mother gushed with her looking excited. Isodara was glad at least one of her daughter's had an interest in the prince. Speaking of lack of interest in prince's Estelle was off on the sofa, looking bored, nothing unusual there. As for Gabrielle, herself, she stood off in a corner of the room. She was nervous and felt something build up in her stomach. She twitched her fingers, as she waited for what was too short of a time, despite Rosella's complaining about it taking too long. Finally, they heard the sounds of hooves. Rosella and her mother ran outside. Estelle slowly followed, out, but kept her distance from them. Gabrielle stayed inside.
She kept her back to the wall and stood next to the window. She hesitantly peaked out the window to watch the arrival of the prince. Soon the sounds of hooves became louder and on the horizon appeared a white carriage, surrounded by guards. When the carriage made a turn she could see the royal crest to it's side. Her heart dropped even further down her insides. There was no mistaking it. The prince was arriving. She could see Rosella giving a few jumps of excitement and her mother likely scolding her for not showing resistant. If Gabrielle wasn't so nervous she might have giggled at the site, but she was far too nervous now.
Soon the carriage stopped in front of the manner. The footmen dismounted from it and opened the doors and who existed it, but the prince himself. He was dressed in white and blue. He was a handsome sight, Gabrielle would admit. Rosella must have been going crazy. Isodara was the first to make a step to him and she bowed.
"Welcome, your highness." Her daughters followed along, but Rosella was clearly more excited about this than Estelle. You could just tell from the tone of their voices. Prince Adrian greeted them both politely.
"My what a lovely house and even lovelier ladies it houses." remarked the prince. This response obviously pleased Lady Isodora and made Rosella blush. Gabrielle just knew that Estelle was doing her best not to roll her eyes.
"Well, let's not stay out here in the hot sun." Remarked, Isodara, "Come in, Prince Adrian and make yourself comfortable."
"You are a considerate hostess, my Lady." The prince gave her a gentlemanly smile, that must have easily charmed her and helped boost her ego.
"Oh, you are too kind, my prince." She lead him inside and when the doors opened, Gabrielle tried to make herself go as far against the wall as possible. Wishing she could become part of the wall, but the moment the prince entered the room, his eyes started searching. Gabrielle already knew exactly what he was looking for and started to hold her breathe. Then it happened; light blue eyes feel upon her and she was caught. Then he smirked at her. Gabrielle felt like an animal that had just been cornered by a wolf.
"Take a seat, your highness." said Rosella, cheerfully behind him. Gabrielle caught a grimace of annoyance on the prince's face ,but it faded quickly, and he turned back to the eldest stepsister.
"I shall." He sat took the seat that was suggested to him by the curly blonde. When he did, as suspected Rosella took the seat that was next to him and smiled at him brightly. For the first time she could remember, Gabrielle was glad for Rosella. She had temporally avoided the prince's attentions. Perhaps Rosella she could keep this up the entire visit. It gave the unwanted stepdaughter a glimmer of hope.
"What are you doing, you lazy girl?" She was startled out of the daydream by her angry stepmother. She turned to Isodara and she pointed her long finger to the kitchen.
"Get to the kitchen and fix his highness and the rest of us some tea." She commanded. Gabrielle got out her thoughts and nodded, before picking up her skirts and headed to the kitchen. As she rushed to the kitchens, she overheard this.
"Forgive us, your highness. Sometimes you can't help, lazy help." apologized Isodara.
"As you say, Lady Isodara." Replied the prince back. Was it just her, or did she get a hint of annoyance in the prince's tone. Gabrielle went to lighting the stove and fetching the water for the tea. She could hear bits of the conversation floating into the kitchen, as the kettle boiled. It was mostly Rosella talking and trying to flirt with the prince. Isodara talked as well, using the mask of a good hostess. Estelle wasn't speaking at all, not much of a surprise to Gabrielle. The prince was responding politely, but he was mostly politeness. He wasn't flirting back at Rosella and she knew that most have been driving her stepmother crazy. She could see Isodara gritting her teeth at the prince's lack of romantic interest in her daughter.
Soon the tea was ready, much to Gabrielle's dread. The kitchen had become a bit of a safe haven to her from the prince. She waited a bit for the tea to cool and too keep more time she added pastries, that she had baked last night. Isodara hadn't asked for them, but she knew her stepmother wouldn't mind that. She finally picked up the tea tray and with a brave face went back into the parlor.
It was the same as where she had left it. With Rosella hogging up to the prince and Estelle far away and looking bored. Isodara was focusing on Rosella and Prince Adrian and didn't turn her head to acknowledge her. However, the prince did notice her entrance. He looked up at her and smiled. She was sure that it was a smile that would make most ladies hearts melt, but it only made the blonde feel uneasy. She laid the tray in the center of the room and started pouring tea.
"I see you brought pastries." Commented Isodara, "I didn't ask for them." Gabrielle was immobile for a moment. She thought for sure her stepmother would not mind the pastries.
"I just thought they would be good with the tea. Forgive me, if I have displeased you, mistress." She responded in the humblest tone she could manage. She prayed to Hestia for her stepmother's pardon.
"No, it is fine." Isodara turned to the prince, "Even the seemingly most useless of servants can have a good thought once in a while." She said, stiffly, as she took her tea. Gabrielle carefully handed the prince the tea and as she did his fingers caressed her hand. It as a sudden moment, but she felt it. However, it was so sudden and subtle, she doubted that either her eldest stepsister or stepmother noticed it. It made Gabrielle give a deep blush and she swore the prince gave a small smirk at that. The unwanted stepdaughter poured the final cup and went over to where Estelle was sitting and handed it to her
Estelle promptly, thanked her. The only one to do so. She then took her place at the corner, waiting any instructions from her stepmother or stepsisters. Prince Adrian was silent mostly, as Rosella rattled on and finally he spoke.
"May I ask you something, Lady Isodara?" He said, in his usual polite tone that he had taken to during this visit.
"Where is your third daughter?" The tension in the room changed and she saw both her stepsisters dart their eyes to her for a moment. Rosella quickly looked away, but Estelle lingered for a moment. Estelle took a sip of her tea and Gabrielle swore a small smirk was threatening to form on her younger stepsister's face.
"I beg your pardon, your highness?" Isodara quirked, even Gabrielle could hear the clear nervousness of her tone and a seasoned politician like the prince was sure to read it, easily.
"I mean your stepdaughter." He leaned back, looking more relaxed. His expression took the form that Gabrielle had been more familiar on him, less of his polite mask and more of the real him. "I did some research on your house before coming over. I try to know the history of as many houses as I can." He took another sip of tea. She knew his pauses were just adding to Lady Isodara's anxiety.
"I know your late husband, Persephone watch his soul, had a daughter from his first wife. Now what was that daughter's name..." He gave a purposeful pause. "Something that started with a G, I believe." The unwanted stepdaughter wished she could now see her stepmother's face. "Let me see was it..Georgia...no...Grace, Giselle?" He gave another pause that she was sure to cause her stepmother's heart to pound further, "Ah, now I remember Gabrielle." He took a satisfied sip of his tea.
"Yes...that's...right...Gabrielle." Came her stepmother, finally. Her voice was filled with uneasy tension. Gabrielle could tell from the expression on her prince's face that he was enjoying making her uncomfortable, a little too much. The blonde wasn't exactly enjoying her stepmother being uncomfortable. While she was cruel to her, she disliked seeing someone made to be so...scared.
"Yes, Gabrielle." Began the prince, "I have not seen any death records of her. I take it she is still alive?"
She was now looking at the back of her stepmother's head, wishing she could read into it to know exactly what she was thinking.
"She is still alive." Not even Lady Isodara would tell that big of a lie to a prince, telling any lie to royalty could have her land seized or worse. "It is just my stepdaughter has been very sick ,in the mind, since her father died." Now Lady Isodara was lying, it wasn't as big a lie as saying she was dead, but she was still risking a lot, if the prince decided to call her on her lie.
However, the prince made no move to and simply nodded as Isodara continued on with her lie. "Since her father's death Gabrielle has become very reclusive and accepts no visitors and won't come out to any social events. It is rather tragic." Isodara finished, trying to sound sympathetic about her stepdaughter's 'condition'.
"I think it is actually rude of her!" Added Rosella, to the lie. "She should have at least made an appearance for you, my prince." She then fluttered her eye lashes at him. Rosella spoke so passionately it sounded like the truth. Rosella could have made wonderful actress in the right life.
"I truly do not blame her." calmly said the prince. Rosella's mouth made an "o: shape. The prince continued, "I sympathize with the sick in the mind and grieving can take a lot out of a person. I have meet with the widows and orphans of my dead soldiers. I know the struggles they go through and I like to think my ego is not big enough to desire any prolonged suffering of a mind sick person."
Rosella turned red, realizing her mistake and how unsympathetic she must look. Gabrielle sensed the prince was holding back a smirk. He had gotten both girls into uncomfortable and socially risking positions. Gabrielle just knew the white-haired prince was enjoying this. She just knew. The prince continued and looked at Lady Isodara.
"If she is truly that sick in the mind, you might want to bring her up to the capitol or hire a capitol doctor to come see her. If you want her to get better that is."
"Of course, your highness." Immediately interjected Isodara, "I would love for Gabrielle to get better an accompany my girls on trips to balls and such." At this comment both Estelle and she looked at each other. From the expression that Estelle held, Gabrielle wondered if she was holding back a laugh. This was probably the most outrageous lie that her stepmother had told, yet.
"That's good. Family is important." Declared, Prince Adrian.
"Yes, it truly is, your highness." readily agreed, Lady Isodara. After, that the conversation became less interesting, as Rosella got over her embarrassment and started to flirt with the prince again. The prince began to talk less and Isodara took notice of this.
"Why don't you show the prince the gardens, Rosella." suggested her mother. Rosella nodded, eagerly and looked back on the prince.
"I would enjoy it, but it is awfully hot out there..." He commented.
"I'll just send the servant to follow you with water." said, Isodara, solving the problem. The prince smiled,
"That would work out well." He said getting up and offering Rosella his arm; that she eagerly took. Gabrielle's face fell. She knew the prince had tricked them. Even if she was the only person in the room to notice that.
"Go get the water and glasses for my daughter and his highness." Ordered Isodara, to her. The unwanted stepdaughter, despite his misgivings, did not protest and went to get a water pitcher, some glasses, and a trap to carry it on. When she came out her stepsister and the prince were waiting for her. They strolled back out to the gardens and Gabrielle followed behind with the little water tray.
The gardens were looking better than they had in a long time thanks to the gardener that Isodara had recently hired. They all walked along the cobbled paths of the garden, as Rosella gushed about the beauty of the garden and the virtues of spring.
The prince was now back in his polite mask and responded to her cordially. She proudly showed off their statue of Aphrodite. Aphrodite was a special goddess to Rosella and was the main one she worshipped. While her stepfamily were not the most pious people they still had their deties. For Rosella it was Aphrodite and for her stepmother it was Hera. Only Estelle seemed not to have a God she cared for. Somethings she secretly wondered if Gabrielle was an athiest, but she would never ask directly.
They continued their walk until they came to a shaded table and Rosella invited the prince to sit down. He did so and Gabrielle placed the water tray on the table. Rosella happily seated herself next to him and continued to chat with him. Then he said this,
"I noticed that your mother didn't invite your other sister to go out with us."
"Oh, Estelle, she wouldn't be interested anyway."
"Her expression looked a little hurt to me and surely you care about your sister's feelings." Rosella wanted to avoid the mistake of seeming insensitve in front of the prince again.
"You know you are right mother, was probably not thinking correctly." She said, careful not to insult her mother. "I'll send the servant after her." Rosella turned to Gabrielle and was about to give out to orders, when the prince interupted.
"You really want to send a servant to fetch your sister?" Asked the prince, in a innocent, but confused tone.
"Yes, why not." Asked, a puzzled Rosella.
"Well, it is just kindness is something I value in women and I can see a lot of kindness in you." She could not see her eldest stepsister's face, but she was sure it was beaming right now. "I was thinking that Estelle would feel much more special if her own sister went to get her instead of a common servant. I know you would like her to feel good." Gabrielle felt her heart drop to her stomach. That manipulative bastard! He was playing her stepsister and she knew Rosella was eating right out of his hands. Rosella stood up, graving her skirts.
"Yes, of course. You are perfectly, right, your highness." She gave a curtesy to him. "I will return soon and with my beloved younger sister." She quickly turned and walked off, leaving her alone with the prince. She knew now Prince Adrian had got exactly what he wanted.
"So they have you as a servant, Gabrielle." Gabrielle felt herself shiver at the direct address to her. She slowly looked at the prince. She was unsure of how to respond.
"No, need to lie here. You and I both know your stepmother and stepsister are lying, bitches. I could have them thrown in the dugeons for all the ridicalous lies they have told me today." Gabrielle frowned.
"Please, your highness, don't do that. They may not be the kindness stepfamily in the world, but I don't want to see any harm come to them." She pleased with the prince. To her surprise he have a light chuckle.
"You are too good. You know that. If I were you I would have likely have poisoned them all by now. But you don't have the heart, or should I say lack of a heart too." Gabrielle looked down, "Unlike me." added the prince.
"So the curse is true?" She asked, hestiantly. Gabrielle didn't want to have a conversation with the prince, but she couldn't hold back her curiosty.
"Yes, my lovely, it is very true." Lovely, that was the second time he called her that. Looking back to his time with Rosella she couldn't recall him calling her that.
"So you can't love?" She asked, timidly, and the prince simply nodded. "But what about your sympathy toward grieving and people sick in the mind?"
"I simply lied." He said, casually. "I have no heart or sympathy toward them in truth. However, if I have ever been cruel too a widow or orphan, then the answer is no. I simply go through the motions of comforting them." He took a sip of his water. Yes, Gabrielle could see that. He had went through the motions of being polite to her stepfamily, when it was clear he had nothing, but contempt for them.
"I can't imagine life without a heart." She whispered.
"I can't imagine life as a slave." He shot back at her. His light blue eyes looked at intensly for a moment. "Do you want to be free of those foolish women?"
"I would like it..." She couldn't lie or put on an act, like her stepmother and Rosella. "But I am afraid of the price you will want for it." The prince laughed again.
"A good heart and a good head. A rare combination, indeed."
"Why are you inerested in me?" She asked, needing to get it out. This cause the prince to pause and take a long drink of water.
"You might as well ask me why the sun rises. I just am." Gabrielle looked at him curiously, so the prince didn't understand his intersted in her. She wasn't sure what to say now, because she could hear the sounds of footsteps. Her eldest stepsister was coming back, likely dragging a relucant Estelle. Her stepsister's shown up and the prince's polite mask was up again. He greeted them both warmly.
He politely asked Estelle a few questions. Her answers were simple and boring, likely on purpose. Soon Rosella took over the conversation again, asking as many questions as she could about war. Though it was clear she knew little about war. Gabrielle herself cringed at the historical mistakes she made, but Prince Adrian gently corrected every mistake she made. Never showing any anger or dissapointment at her.
Soon the day began to darken and it was time for Prince Adrian to leave. They all escorted him to his carriage and wished him a goodbye. His carriage soon rolled off into the distance. Gabrielle released a breathe that she had been holding in all day. She had survived the prince's visit and none of her family knew about her secret. She made supper and helped them all to bed. When everything had quited down, she lit a candle and read her new book to hersekf, as Astrid set next to her.
The prince's visist had put Isodara and Rosella in a good mood. Both seemed convinced the prince was in love with her. If only they knew the truth, oftened thought Gabrielle. Her mind sometimes wondered back to the prince's offer. He offered her as escape from being Isodara's slave, but what was the price? She was not sure, but something told her she couldn't pay it.
She put it in the back of her mind and spent the next days enjoying herself. Since the manor had been so well clean she did not need to spend too much time cleaning, which gave her more time with her new book, that she soon finished. How she enjoyed reading...if only her stepfamily, beside Estelle, understood her passion for the written word. How nice that would be.
The lack of chores and the good mood of Rosella and Isodara had given Gabrielle many peaceful days. Who knew something good could come out of something she was dreading so much. Then it happened. Isodara called them all too the parlor, with a letter in hand. A letter with a royal crest. Gabrielle's heart didn't drop to her stomach, but she was still nervous at what it would have in it. When they were all gathered, she announced what was in it.
"You have been invited to the palace for the summer." Announced Isodara with pride. Rosella started to jump up and down, squeeling like a little girl. The color drained out of Estelle's face. Then Isodara unxpectldly turned to her.
"The invintation stated that my girls were to bring their own personal servant. So you are lucky to see the palace too." Isodara stiffened, "I don't see why they can't provide their own, but oh well." She then dismissed her stepdaughter. Isodara might not know why a servant had to be brought along, but Gabrielle had a good guess that it had to do with the certian orders of a crowned prince.
Later, when she scrubbing the upstairs floors. She happened to overhear an argument between her stepmother and younger stepsister.
"You can't make me go!" Shouted Estelle, it was a surprise. Estelle rarely raised her voice to anybody.
"You are going and that is final" Shouted back, a furious Isodara. Even though the fury was not directed to her, Gabrielle could not help, but feel her heart shiver at it. She never liked being on the side of an angry Isodara.
"No, I want to stay, here." Estelle, stomped her foor in protest.
"You are going and maybe you can actually find a husband there! Have you thought about that!"
"Have you thought that maybe, just maybe, I don't want to get married to a stupid man!"
"Don't be foolish. I will not have a spinister daughter and that is final! You are going. No more arguments about it." She heard Isodara stomp away and Estelle running back to her room. Gabrielle frowned, being at the palace for Estelle meant being away from Lisette. Later, when she was helping her to bed, she tried to comfort her.
"It is only two months and you can write to each other. Maybe send her a present?" Suggested Gabrielle trying to be as cheerful about this as possible, as she brushed Estelle's chocolate locks. Estelle looked blankly into the mirror.
"This is going to be the worse summer of my life." She muttered. Gabrielle just gave her a hug from behind and thought, not just you, She still had not worked up the courage to tell her about the prince. Maybe she didn't have to know, just maybe. The days soon passed and summer was coming fast. Packings and trip preparations started to go on.
Estelle had agreed to hide Gabrielle's books in her things, which made her quite happy. On the day they left she said goodbye to Astrid. The cat seemed to sense her mistress was going away and was rather clingly to her, as she gently petted her.
Finally, all three of them were loaded into the carriage and Isodara was still shouting instructions to her and the rest of the men on staff at the carriage. Gabrielle knew it would be a two day's drive to the palace. She wasn't sure if Estelle would talk to her, not wanting to risk Rosella knowing about their new frienship. However, it turned out that Estelle did not care and talked to her anyway. Rosella for once was the silent one and looking bored. Through the trip Gabrielle sang them both songs and told them stories. Estelle listened with intersted, but Rosella looked bored.
Finally, as the night drew on they arrived at their resting point. A manor of a minor noble, who Idosara had ties with. Gabrielle slept in the servant's quaters while her stepsisters got rooms to herself. She didn't have anything to complain about though, since she got a cot to sleep on. Much better than straw. The next morning they broke their fast and started early. If the weather and road permitted it, they should arrived at the castle at nigthfall. Gabrielle once again told stories and sand songs to keep Estelle entertained, but Rosella looked bored and spent quite a bit of the time sleeping. Estelle at one point, even moved to Gabrielle's side, so that Rosella could stretch out and sleep.
It was around dusk when they finally arrived at the capitol. A country bumpkin, like Gabrielle was not expecting the sight she saw. So many people and buildings. She looked out the window to watch all the life that passed by her. She also saw some sights that confused her; like women who were undressed standing at corners and windows with hankercheifs that seemed to be signaling men in. Must have been a city custom, she guessed.
Soon, the palace in the distance became closer and closer. Rosella became more alert and went to fixing her hair that had been mused when she had been laying down. Soon they were at the palace entrance. The driver showed the guard their invitaions and the gate opened to let them in.
They were soon parked in front of the palace and servants from the palace started to unload their luggage. Gabrielle and her stepsisters were escorted to their rooms. The palace was beautiful and Gabrielle couldn't help, but guak at what she was seeing. It was something out of a book, but it was real.
Estelle and Rosella's rooms were adjoined. In Estelle's room was her sleeping area. It was the size of a small closet and contained nothing, but a cot and a small drawer. Gabrielle helped her stepsister's unpack and after Rosella had settled off to sleep, she and Estelle unpacked her books and hide them in the drawer.
They said their goodnights and Gabrielle went to sleep, unsure of what the next day would hold.