We eventually left Blacks after making plans to meet whenever we could. It was not very easy though, for sneaking and disguising is not quite as easy as it sounds. We made plans to leave a week later, still very unprepared might i had.

That night I was exceptionally kind and polite to my stepsisters, and with the favor they owed me, they were forced to reciprocate.

Even my stepmother was taken aback by the fact that we were finally conversing, like the siblings I still doubted we were.

We all had dinner together, which pleased my father immensely. I excused myself as quickly as I could, making a grand show of feeling under the weather. To which my stepmother rolled her eyes, decidedly unamused by theatrics.

"You should go to bed dear, try to sleep it off, hopefully you'll feel better in the morning." My father said kindly.

"Yes, off with you now, go to your room and stay there." My stepmother said, Waiting eagerly for me to leave, in her eyes I was an intruder. But of course I had not given a fig. If I had not made prior plans, I would have sat back down, and pointedly ignored her irritation. I had always found her antics quite amusing
.
Kissing my father and exchanging forced goodnights with my stepsisters, I hurried upstairs to my room, feeling really sick from all the forced pleasantries I had endured all evening.

Dana came in to run me a bath and we both exchanged smiles, this was getting ridiculous, but I did quite enjoy it I must say. I dismissed her, and sank in the tub, my mind drifting off to the events that took place this afternoon.

Meeting the noble knights was actually more pleasant than I anticipated, I mean were they rude and obnoxious? Yes. Did they think women to be frail creatures who could not move nor think by themselves? Yes. But still, it had been fun.

I firmly refused to think about a certain obnoxious prince, but instead thought of the mysterious Prince Sebastian, and why he was the way he was with me.

After drying, I hurriedly dressed up in shirt and breeches, and wore my nightdress over it. I went to bed and made a show of blowing out my candle. Yanking on my bracelet, I tried to summon my godmother, but she was as silent as she had been for awhile. Resolving to write to whoever was in charge up in the godmother kingdom and asking for a replacement, I settled in bed waiting for the signal to launch into action.

My door creaked open, and I immediately shut my eye and pretended to sleep. My father hesitated by the door, then walked up to me and sat beside me on the bed.

"Ella? Are you asleep?" He asked me, lightly shaking my shoulders, I remained limp and even added a slight snore for better effect. He stopped and sighed, resorting to stroking my hair instead.

"I am so sorry my dear girl." He paused and continued.

"Its time for you to know the truth, but I cannot bring myself to tell it to you." He sounded weary now, and I held my breath, what was he talking about?

"I have failed you your highness, I knew about it all, your unhappiness and loneliness. But they were my family too." I could hear him sobbing softly now.

"Your eighteenth birthday is but a mere few weeks away, I just hope you can forgive me then." He stopped, and I was literally trying not to scream at him to continue. I didn't understand anything he said, and something told me I should dread this new truth.

I felt him stand and moved to my window closing the shutters. He spoke once more, albeit softly.

"He is here now, he has come for you, I can't hold you back anymore." Was his final comment, before exiting my room. I immediately bolted upright breathing hard. What was my father trying to say? He called me your highness, what was going on?" My hands felt extremely cold, what the hell was going on?

Just then a tap sounded outside my window, I jumped down and waited for the second tap. When it sounded, I immediately pulled off the nightdress revealing my breeches and shirt underneath.

Quickly putting my hair up in a ponytail, I laced my boots and opened my window.

"It's about time." Rheanon hollered, while Finnegan shushed her and she attempted to bite off his head. Ian stepped closer.

"Jump down, come on." He smiled, opening his arms. I rolled my eyes, as if I would risk it.

Rolling his eyes in the exact same fashion, Sebastian raced backwards a few feet and literally flew to my window.

I was shocked. He balanced his feet on my ledge, and braced himself with his hands.

"Good evening." He grinned so wide I automatically grinned back.

"So what's the plan now that you are up here with me?" I asked.

My lips still stretched in a grin, for some reason I was quite happy to see him.

"Do you trust me?" He asked mischievously.

I thought about it hard, did I trust him? I was not sure. But as I looked into his eyes so much like mine, only one answer came to mind.

"Surprisingly I do."

He wrapped one hand around my waist, and pushing all his weight on that foot, he hoisted me out, our blonde hair flying. We rushed down, floating at the last minute, before landing gracefully.

We looked at each other, and laughed. While I rose on tiptoes to smoothen down his hair, while he ruffled mine in the process. A deliberate cough made us pause, and straightened up from each other.

Everyone had different expressions. Rheanon and Bella looked surprised. Finnegan and Alexander looked amused. Levi looked quite bored, while Rose and Ian looked quite displeased.

"Err you know we could have just gotten you down by flying on the unicorns Prince Ian brought from the royal stables." Bella pointed out, furrowing her perfect brows.

"Err that's actually correct." Sebastian scratched his head.

"Wait! So you mean to tell me I put myself in mortal danger, when there was a perfectly safe way down?" I asked Sebastian, who pressed his lips together.

"Bloody hell!" I exclaimed, and they all burst out laughing.

~

Looking forward to the next part? Pls drop a star and a comment..... thanks 😊