Ella Enchanted

chapter 28

I RODE home, calling myself a dolt but rejoicing nonetheless. In my room I opened my magic book to see if it would show me anything about the ball or Char's thoughts. There was nothing. The next morning I tried again and found an entry in his journal from the night before.

How dare she! That fright -- Hattie -- rusted at me the instant Lela left. "Some wenches will stoop to anything to intrigue a man," she said "I shall be devastated if I had to wear a mask in order to be interesting."

She warned me the mask might conceal anything: a deformity, advancing age, the face of a known bandit. "if I were sovereign," she said, "I would order her to remove her mask."

I wanted to reply, "If you were sovereign, every Kyrrian would wish you'd don one."

Certainly I've wondered why Lela hides her face, but it may be the custom in Bast. If she is a bandit, she's courageous to come to court. More likely she is disfigured. Maybe she's has a scar, or one eyelid droops, or her nose is a mottled purple.

I don't care. I'm pleased to have found a friend at these balls, where I expected to find only tedium.

Does Ella Lela want more than friendship? Why did I write that name?

Did she come to these balls, as every other maiden did, hoping to wed a prince? (No matter what I am like, so long as I am a prince.) I confess: I do wish to see her face.

I turned the page and found a reckoning from Olive to Hattie.

You o me 6 KJs. I danced with him to times wen you wer eeting. Pa me.

IN THE AFTERNOON, I slipped out of the manor to the greenhouse near the menagerie. There I picked daisies and wove the flowers into a garland to replace Lucinda's tiara. If I was to stay at the ball after midnight, I couldn't wear Lucinda's jewels.

My gown for the last ball was my favorite: white, with a low neckline edged in lace. The skirt parted in front to reveal a petticoat with three lace flounces. In back, my skirt was tied with a large bow that flowed into the graceful sweep of my train.

I faced myself in the mirror and began to set the garland in my hair, but Mandy stopped me.

"Here's something better, love." She handed me two packages wrapped in tissue paper. "Open them."

They were a tiara of woven silver leaves and a silver chain on which hung an aster made of lapis.

"Oh, Mandy!"

"I bought them at the market. They won't disappear at midnight." She placed the tiara on my hair and fastened the chain around my neck. "You make them beautiful, sweet."

I looked in the mirror. Mandy's selections added something that Lucinda's creations hadn't -- just right for my gown and just right for me.

CHAR WAS waiting for me at the palace entrance. When the carriage drove up, he dashed to help me out before the coachman could step down. The clock struck half after eight. The beginning of the last ball.

"You look splendid," he said, bowing.

I was touched by his gallantry, since he believed me disfigured.

As we went inside he said, "Your carriage is an unusual color."

"Not in Bast." If he knew much about Bast, I was in for trouble -- unless orange coaches were common there.

He took my arm. "May I visit you there?"

"Bast would be honored."

"And you?"

"I'd be honored too."

"If I'm going to visit your family, you should meet mine."

"I'll be delighted, someday."

"Now is a good time. They're nearby; you're nearby."

"Now? King Jerrold?"

He chuckled. "That's who my father is."

"But..."

"He's kind to everyone except ores. You needn't worry."

The king rose when we entered. I curtsied, blushing for my rudeness in wearing a mask before him. When I rose, he was beaming at Char. Queen Daria was smiling too.

I'd seen them many times, but never so close. The queen had a wide face, perfect for broad smiles. An honest face. Char resembled his father, but softened a bit. The king's face was severe in repose, although merry now.

"Mother, Father, may I introduce Lady Lela, my new friend and acquaintance from Bast, where the carriages are orange."

"Lady Lela." King Jerrold took my hand. He had the roundest, deepest voice I'd ever heard. "Welcome to Frell."

"Most welcome." Queen Daria embraced me. "I've waited long to meet the maiden my son loves."

"I don't love her, Mother. That is, I like her, certainly."

Over the queen's shoulder, I saw Char looking silly with embarrassment.

Queen Daria held me away from her and searched my face. "I can't tell through the mask, but you remind me of a lady I admired. She had the most playful spirit I ever knew." She added so only I could hear, "If you are like her, then Char has chosen well."

She released me, and I stepped away, dazed. I was certain she had meant Mother.

"Lady Lela is proof I haven't been polite and distant to everyone," Char said.

"Excellent proof," King Jerrold answered. "Bring along more proof and we'll be convinced." He frowned at my mask.

"We should return to my guests," Char said hastily.

As we left, I heard Queen Daria say, "I don't remember any orange coaches in Bast."

Back in the hall, Char asked me to save a dance for him later. "Just now, I'd better be polite and distant some more."

I didn't want him to go. Every instant of our final evening was too precious to lose even one. But I nodded, and he left me. I watched the dance and turned down partners.

"Mistress..." Hattie stood before me, simpering. "I've wanted to catch you alone, my dear. I am Lady Hattie, daughter of Dame Olga."

Lela had no reason to hate Hattie. "I'm happy to meet another Frellan."

"Charmont says you live in Bast."

No one called him Charmont.

She proceeded to pump me about my family and circumstances, pressing me until I said, "I hadn't thought it was the custom here to interrogate visitors."

"I apologize, but one has to be so careful when one is connected to royalty. You see, Charmont and I have an understanding. We are secretly engaged."

Had she gone mad, to speak such a falsehood?

"To protect him, I must ask you to remove your mask. I must see what lies beneath."

Thank heavens she had asked and not ordered. "You may ask, but I shall not oblige. Good evening, Lady Hattie." I turned and began to walk away.

"Lela, there you are!"

Char was back. "Now dance with me," he said. "Your prince commands you to. I want to spend the rest of the ball with you." He bowed to Hattie, standing a few feet away. "Excuse us."

I curtsied, reveling in her fury.

"They are all asking about you," he said, pulling me close as the dance required. "`Who is this mysterious stranger?' they say."

"The maiden who wears a mask."

"Why..." He stopped himself and changed subjects, speaking of court affairs.

I wondered how many more dances we'd have. The clock chimed half after nine. In a few hours Lela would be gone forever. I'd never be so close to Char again.

Despite a fierce struggle, I began to cry. He might not have seen because of the mask, but a tear coursed down my cheek.

"Lela. I'm so sorry!" There was so much remorse in his voice that I was startled.

"Why? What were you saying? I'm the one to apologize. I wasn't listening. I was thinking how sad I'll be to leave Frell." I laughed a little. "No more balls every night."

"But you can come back, can't you?"

"I suppose. But it won't be the same. You can never go back to a moment when you were happy."

"That's true." The dance ended. "Would you like to go outside? Every time the musicians start up, I'm reminded of all the maidens with whom I should be dancing."

Outdoors we strolled through the castle gardens while I kept listening for chimes. How much time had passed? How much was left?

Char spoke of Frell, asking whether I'd visited this sight or that, and describing each one for me. I must have answered him reasonably when I had to. But if called upon to repeat what I said or what he said, I couldn't. Most of my mind and all of my heart were set on the sound of his voice, the warmth of his arm in mine, the rhythm of our steps together, the fresh scent of the night air. And on the wish that each minute would last a year. I cried again, but in the dark he didn't see. And the clock moved relentlessly on: ten, half after, eleven, half after.

"That's enough," he said finally. "I can face them now."

Inside we danced again. "Soon it will be time for me to sing. After that, I'll either be surrounded by worshiping music lovers or be shunned by all."

"Surrounded," I said. "And I would never shun you."

"I wonder. You may shun me if you know the truth." He took a breath and was suddenly quite formal. "I apologize if I unintentionally raised your expectations, but I've resolved never to marry."

So the balls hadn't been his idea. I stifled a triumphant laugh. "You didn't mislead me. I've only been saving stories for home. I'll tell them, 'The prince said thus-and-so to me, and I said thus-and-so back to him. And, Mother, I made him laugh. I made our prince laugh. And Father, he danced with me --

one night with almost no one except me.' 'What did he wear?' my sister will want to know. 'Did he have his sword with him always?' Father will ask."

Char tightened his hold on my waist. "Marriage is supposed to be forever, but friendship can be forever too. Will you..."

I felt something at the back of my head. Hattie, dancing nearby with the Earl of Demby, snatched off my mask. I let go of Char and covered my face with my hands, but not quickly enough.