Princess Charity locked herself up in her room and refused to show up at lunch or at dinner. Concerned, Ella sent Ismat up with a tray of food. Ismat returned to Ella's room bearing a bitter expression.

Presently, Ella was seated in a dark-red sofa and Ismat hovered close-by, hands locked behind her dull peach dress dotted with green flowers. 

"Did she accept it?" Ella asked eagerly.

Ismat nodded. "Yes, but after yelling at me to stay away from her. Has she gone mad?"

Ella cringed. That definitely did not sound like something Charity would do.

"It seems so." Ella muttered. She needed to talk to Arthur  but later.

"Poor thing, I wouldn't blame her. Maybe she's still suffering from the shock of 'That Day'."

"I guess so." Ella replied absent-mindedly, fiddling with the ends of  her hair.

Ismat noticed and prodded Ella with her finger. "You sound far-away, what's wrong?"

Ella let out a shaky breath when her eyes landed on Ismat's pale blue ones. Maybe what she really needed was someone to talk to and confide in. Maybe, that's what the Princess needed too.

"Let's have a ladies' night." Ella blurted out.

Ismat scratched her head in shock. "Er...what?"

Ella sprung out from the sofa  like she had been stung by an ant. "You, me, Charity. Maybe that's what she really needs. Maybe she isn't mad as we suspected." She spoke with fervour.

But Ismat did not match the excitement on Ella's face.

"But, me? Why do I have to? I'm a mere servant-"

Ella grinned. "Nonsense! You're going to be there. Tomorrow night, same place-" she gestured at her room. "-if you try to escape, I'll hunt you down."

Ismat snickered, a smile filling her face. "Very well then." Her gaze strayed to the wall clock on the wall. "Ella, I must go attend to some duties. I will see you later."

Ella reached out and clasped Ismat 's hands in a friendly lock. "Take good care of yourself Izzy."

Ismat smiles at  the nickname. "And you too, El."

When Ismat had gone back to her work. Ella sank back into the sofa with a self-satisfying sigh. It felt so good to talk to someone of her age and gender, someone she could confide in. Though they met three days ago, it felt like Ella had known Ismat all her life.

Ismat had a good heart, Ella could feel it whenever the girl was around her and she wished they would become friends.

Friend.

That was a luxury Ella never had growing up. She had no friends except the horses in the stables and the pretty ducks at the backyard, if those counted.

After Ella's father died, her mother was scared of loosing her only child and so, Ella was confined to the walls of their mansion.

That didn't mean Ella grew up miserable. On the contrary, she found a lot of things to keep herself occupied. Like the piano lessons she attended  every Saturday and Sundays, and the needlework  lessons too, then much time in the stables playing with the horses and in the evening, feeding the fishes and the ducks.

Ella forced her thoughts to a corner and decided to visit the princess in her room. Hopefully, she wasn't grumpy anymore.

Charity's room was five doors away from hers. When Ella got there, she knocked softly and opened without waiting for Princess Charity's permission, not minding that the princess may have a thousand darts ready to skewer anyone who dared trespass.

Ella was pretty shocked that Arthur was in the room and he and Charity were having a very decent conversation on the sofa in the princess' room. A very decent conversation that involved Arthur leaning in till their faces were inches away.

Ella, suddenly feeling a twinge of mischief cleared her throat. Arthur inwardly cursed whoever it was that had interrupted until he saw Ella grinning like a Cheshire cat. His cheeks flamed up and so Charity's also did.

Ella waved casually. "Oh please do not let me interrupt whatever it is you were about to do-"

"Ella!" Charity protested, sinking lower into the sofa as if by doing that she could vanish into the sofa.

Ella winked at Arthur before leaving the lovebirds alone. Well, that was something.

~~~~~~~~•••~~~~~~~~

The next days passed slowly. Preparations for the ball was ongoing, Charity's mood had greatly improved, Ella knew why. Ella smiled to herself as she helped Ismat air the clothes at the backyard where the lines were. Eric, Charity and Arthur were probably discussing about kingdoms and other stuff that concerns royalty

Ismat picked out the goofy grin on Ella's face. "What are you smiling at?" She pried.

"Charity and Arthur." Ella replied, her grin expanding.

Ismat chuckled securing the clothes with a couple of pegs. "They like each other but are much too stubborn to admit it."

Ella agreed. "Yeah." She stared up at the sky, admiring the beautiful blue shade and white clouds scattered here and there.

"Just like two other people I know." Ismat whispered in a  roguish tone.

"What was that?"

Ismat chuckled. "Nothing."

A couple of silent moments passed.until Ismat spoke up again.

"Arthur has never been this happy. Before you came here, it had been lightning and rain clouds everyday. It's not like he's a mean person, but after his parents were killed in a fire, he changed. The real Arthur died."

Ella processed all that Ismat told her. Arthur had lost his parents too? She never knew that. Although quite many times, she had wondered if he didn't have parents. He was much too young to live independently.

Losing a parent was one thing, losing two was a different case. Growing up, Ella knew how many times she had wished for a father figure. Her prayers were answered but Brian was the total opposite of all she wished for. He ended up taking away her mother.

Ella felt miserable. Her mother had been gone for two months now. Even though she wanted to search for her, where would she start? All Ella knew was that everything would be okay, very soon.

"You 've gone awfully quiet." Ismat rested a warm hand on Ella's shoulder, spotting the sadness in Ella's eyes.

"Talking about Arthur's parents. Was the fire incident orchestrated?"

"Yes."

"Was the arsonist found?"

Ismat shook her head, feeling sad. "No, they weren't."

They?  Ella's brows furrowed in utter confusion but she refused to air her thoughts. Instead, the cogs and wheels in her head turned here and there.

Something wasn't right somewhere.

Ella's sixth sense was telling her that something was off, but she couldn't lay her finger on what it was just yet. She used to be a very trusting person but with the whole drama that had taken place in her life lately, all that trust vanished. Ella chose to be a little wary. She could trust no one.

Ella aired the remaining clothes in the basket. "I'm a little tired. I should go back in."

Ismat nodded, carrying the empty basket. "Thank you for helping me. You are too kind, Ella." She remarked.

Ella only blushed and strayed back inside the mansion. When she passed the Study, there were no longer voices.

Wondering where Charity, Eric and Arthur  went to, Ella stood at the large window overlooking the mansion grounds and tried to spot any of them.

No success.

Her gaze then strayed to the painting on the opposite side of the wall. She went close and ran her fingers over the painting of a beautiful woman that looked so much like Arthur.

With curvy brows, striking brown eyes, red hair, pale face dotted reckles at her cheeks and Plump limps parted in a peaceful smile, the woman was simply beautiful.

"That's Arthur's mother."

Ella flinched, hearing Eric's voice. She wasn't expecting any human presence yet.

"What happened to her?" Ella looked up at Eric standing beside her also facing the portrait. His calm eyes rested on Ella.

"She died with his father in a fire incident. They said it was an accident, but I don't believe that crap, neither does Arthur." Eric stated.

Lies were always difficult to discern in this part of the world because everyone was minding their own businesses and wouldn't dare prod into matters like this. Only few actually cared.

"How have you been lately?" Eric asked her.

Ella patted her olive green dress, much aware of the Prince 's piercing gaze.

"I've been well."

Eric expected her to look into his eyes while saying that, but her gaze skipped around them, coyly avoiding his.

He stepped closer, that singular movement alarming Ella.

"Are you sure?"

Ella felt woozy just by their close proximity. But why? "Y-yes." She stammered.

Eric smirked. "Then why can't you look me in the eyes when you say that?"

"Because." Ella mumbled.

Eric chuckled and moved back a couple inches. "Your reaction is priceless, Ella." His chuckle erupted into a full-blown laugh that ticked Ella off.

She pursed her lips in annoyance of her  humiliating moment.

"God, you're so-"

Ella poked her finger in Eric's chest. "Don't you dare make fun of me."

Eric lifted a brow at her finger on his chest. Then, eyes raising to her face, he grinned.

"Or what?"

"I'll kill you in your sleep."

Eric shuddered pretentiously. "Oh, I'm scared."

"How about I kill you right now?" Ella said.

The prince spread out his hands in what was a pathetic excuse of an apology.

"Forgive me dear Ella." His tone was mocking.

Ella launched out with her hands. The movement was sudden but Eric's reflexes were fast. He caught her hands and held them in place, never letting go as his eyes bored into Ella's.

Caught off -guard, Ella's throat dried up and she wordlessly stared back, their hands now hanging beside them but still connected.

Ella wondered what the tingles in her brain were. What did they mean? Why did she have them each time the Prince was around her? Why didn't Arthur hold that same effect over her or Benjamin.

True, she liked Benjamin, but what she felt was nothing like what the Prince was making her feel.

"Holy hell! Why do the two of you look like you're going to kiss?"

Only Arthur could be as blunt as that.

Ella freed her hands from Eric's,  aiming a dirty look at the intruder who smiled generously at what he just discovered.

Enough incriminating material for future purposes.

"Shut up." Eric mumbled. His cheeks were a startling shade of red.

Arthur smirked at Ella, his mind going back to the day Ella found him in Charity's room. Pay back.

Ella chuckled nervously and fled to look for somewhere worth hiding in.

Arthur is such a devil...😂

I hoped you liked this Chapter. Pls vote and comments.

Thanks for reading!

By the way, I'm off Wattpad till next year. Something about needing a break, kinda. 

For those who celebrate Christmas, I love you, and those who don't, I love you too. Enjoy the season!

Your Crazy Writer signing out...