The Wronged Princess - Book I (20 page)

Essie
spout
ed
with impatience, “Oh, think about it, Cill
. 
How many maidens throughout Chalmers must have dainty feet
?
For surely
,
I
can
not be the only one in all the land
. 
I venture not, as the shoe clearly did not belong to me.
”
Then musing, more to herself Cinderella thought, Essie said, “His highness did not quite think that one out,
non
?
”

Cinderella’s laughter could not be contained, bursting forth
. 
The contagion took hold, because
Essie
’s unfettered laughs soon followed suit.

Pricilla stared at the both of them as if they actually held their laughing heads in their hands
. 
With narrowed eyes on them, she said, “I fail to understand the hilarity of the matter.”

Cinderella patted tears from her eyes with the back of
a
gloved hand and met
Essie
’s
. 
She lifted her chin and said, “Esmeralda and I have come to a truce of sorts.
”

Pricilla looked at her sister, the disbelief in her eyes
,
clear
. 

Essie’s eyes never broke with her own
,
nodding
in agreement.

“We have, Cill
. 
’T
is
much more pleasant than being mean all the time.
”
Her full mouth softened into a wide smile
. 
Cinderella thought she’d never looked more beautiful than in that moment.

Cinderella spared Pricilla a glance, almost burst
ing
out in laughter once more at Pricilla’s flabbergasted surprise
. 
Her mouth gaped
;
open
ed
and closed like a fish underwater spouting bubbles.

“But…but
M
amá
will be furious!
”
Pricilla stuttered, her shock obvious.

For a moment,
Cinderella studied her stepsisters as the
three
of them
seriously contemplated this new tribulation, each daring a glance at
one
another
. 

It was true
!
Stepmamá
hated Cinderella
with an unnatural passion
. 
Cinderella shu
dd
ered at
what
punishment
Stepmamá
would no doubt
bring over Cinderella’s head
should she learn of this current evolvement
. 
She blew a strewn strand of hair from her face through pursed lips.

Suddenly Pricilla’s spilled laughter cracked at the incongruity
of the situation
. 
The same thought must have occurred to
Essie
as a small giggle escaped
. 
Cinderella’s gaze moved from one to the other not quite sure of what to make of their jubilant reaction
. 
She felt an involuntary twitch of her own lips
. 

Was it possible they could become friends
?
What would happen
when they learned
she
was the mysterious princess
?
And h
ow
w
ould
she
be able to
choose sisters over life with Prince Charming
?
She peered into Essie’s
laughing,
brilliant green eyes
. 
Prince
might
even
prefer this new Essie…

The dilemma subdued her laughter to a weak smile.

*****

Prince guided his large gray toward the stables with Arnald fast on his heels
. 
The morning had been a long but fruitful one of guiding repairs on the wall along the western perimeter of the castle grounds
. 
Flocks of sheep grazed undisturbed by their presence which never ceased to amaze him
. 

Prince loved this por
tion of his life, working along
side the men who labored the land to feed their families, keeping Chalmers Kingdom safe
. 
He vowed there was no greater purpose in life than these men
. 
He felt humbled and honored by their service to his family, to this land
. 

His
unpretentious and proud people had educated and protected him as a small child through all the years he’d ridden the land next to his father
. 
Now,
as
an adult
he
found his
duty unequivocal
. 
Keeping the land safe, productive, orderly
. 
A position he took with great solemnity.

He and Arnald set toward home
. 
A
ll he envisioned was a long soak in a hot bath
. 
Arnald pulled up beside him when an outburst of delighted laughter exploded through the air
. 
Not the shrilly, artificial kind most females were taught to use in the presence of their male counterparts and Betters
. 
But the genuine, humorous kind when one believed no one
would hear
. 
They slowed their horses in perfect unison
. 

Prince raised a hand to shield his eyes from the bright afternoon sun and spotted an open carriage on the path toward Demeter, the natural goddess of the harvest
. 
Colorful
parasols
curtailed his view
but t
he uninhibited amusement was just too curious to pass by
. 

Prince met Arnald’s eyes with raised brows
. 
Then, testament to the true friends they were—or mayhap the blood of the relation
—without a word spoken between the two, turned in simultaneous redirection
. 
No question in following such irresistible sound.

By the time Prince and Arnald had approached the rear of the carriage the laughter had dissolved into fits of girlish giggles, indicating their arrival had indeed gone unnoticed
. 
To Prince’s surprise, it was Espelina, Pricilla
and
Cinderella
. 
He discerned at once how enticing laughter made the trio look
. 
He hesitated for a moment, knowing the carefree sound would stop once they were made aware of his presence.

But alas, an honorable gentleman did not eavesdrop
. 
It was with great reluctance that he cleared his throat and inclined his head at their startled expressions
. 
“Ladies, a lovely afternoon, is it not?
”
As expected, the silence resounded in an abrupt halt
. 
Hands flew to their mouths
. 
Whatever they found so humorous must have been exceptionally so, as seen in their desperate efforts to constrain their grins.

“Your highness.
”
This from Eptelinda
. 

Pricilla and Cinderella inclined their heads politely as well, amusement clearly still lighting their faces
. 
His eyes narrowed as he tried to comprehend what appeared so different about Erstella since supper the evening before
. 

“You are enjoying your ride?” he inquired.

“Immensely,
merci
,” she said
. 
Her unflinching gaze, almost defiant, head held high, had brilliant eyes boring into him as sharp as cut emeralds.

Prince frowned, feeling as if someone had leveled a punch in his midsection as he realized that the air surrounding him was a natural breeze of the lightest wisps
. 
For some reason, she did not appear so unnerved toward him
. 
Her eyes were not batting with uncontrollable f
l
u
r
ry
. 
They were framed by dark lashes tilted up at the ends
. 
Quite beautiful
,
in fact
. 
Could it be she held excessive ability in the company she kept?

The thought disturbed and…well, annoyed him
. 
Prince felt as if he’d lost personal power, somehow
. 
It was a blessing his royal nature ran too deep in his blood to appear less than poised and self-confident
, however
.

“The grounds are breathtaking, sir.” Pricilla added
. 
Her boldness glittered through eyes what he’d previously thought of as plain gray
. 
He was wrong
. 
Confidence had turned them to a striking silver. The change
downright
astonishing
. 

His gaze move to Cinderella’s brown eyes
. 
The soft familiar warmth from their early morning chance encounter reassured him
. 
Fathomless depths he cou
ld easily drown in this instant
. With her hair drawn up he could see she had less natural curls than
the others
. 
It was much less fashionable, and yet perfect on her
. 
The air around him glowed with an unusual iridescence
. 
The fickleness of his senses caught him unawares
. 
Could he now be falling for the
almost
servant?

“Lovely, sir.” The object of his thoughts chimed in
,
startling his attention
. 
Her assurance came across more reserved but he reveled in its sweetness, further irritating him
. 
Glow like sparkles dangled in the atmosphere just out of his reach
. 
He willed her to meet his eyes, but she’d dropped them to the fingers clasped in her lap.

Pricilla’s obvious delight in their shared secret did draw a quirk of a smile
. 
It was nice to see Cinderella in a cheerful honey colored frock
. 
A far cry from the drab brown patched gown and apron she’d donned earlier
. 
The air literally bristled with mischievous caper
. 
Either that, or he was about to swoon again, he decided.

Prince glanced toward Arnald, his oldest and dearest friend in the world
. 
Leastways, his one close blood relation, who posed a nonchalant air on his horse without so much as a care in his demeanor
. 
That odd tingle sent a ripple over his skin, and a small awkward silence ensued
. 

He cleared his throat. “Yes, well, we shall be on our way then
. 
Ladies, enjoy the remainder of your afternoon.
”
He graced the trio with a short bow
. 
As well as one could
bow
seated on a horse
. 
Prince signaled to Arnald, and they resumed their journey toward the stables in silence
. 
Uncontained giggles burst ou
t
following their departure
. 

“What do you suppose that was about, Arnald?
”
Prince asked perplexed.

Arnald shook his head. “Women are extremely pleasurable to look upon, but cease asking me to explain them
. 
Most especially, the fair one.
”
Then, with a sly look added, “Your highness.”

“You are not above the dungeons,” he muttered.

*****

“Essie, I don’t know how you think us to pull this jest with
no one the wiser.
”
Cinderella
knew her nerves were pressing her tone to an unnatural curtness and shrill.

“Of course it will work,” Essie assured her
. 
“Queen Thomasine has already included you
;
we are just ensuring no one forgets
. 
That is all.”

“Mayhap I would not mind so much if they forgot,” she muttered under her breath.