Cloaked Beauty

Chapter Thirty

 New cover as of August 9, 2012. I hope you guys like it. Thanks to BlazePierre for creating the cover.

I have to apologize around a million times for being the latest poster ever. I've been real busy, since I've been getting ready to sign up for all my classes next year... sigh, stressful stuff. The teachers also won't stop giving me projects. Hopefully this spring break will let me catch up on writing.

Sorry about there not being any Drake or Derek in the last chapter, but they can't be in every one, can they?

… So maybe they can, but I decided to not put them in. You can enjoy their company in this chapter if you please.

Chapter Thirty

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“Up, or down?” Francesca asked.

“Up,” I replied.

We were both in Francesca's room, getting ready for the dinner party that was to be held in the next forty minutes. I wasn't really in the mood to play dress up with the maids, or to even go to the dinner party, but I knew I had too. There would be many people at the party, but I would still be on duty, protecting Derek. Though I had argued with Francesca's maids that I should wear my knights uniform, they had argued back by saying that any young woman should be well dressed in public. After a few moments of our bickering, I finally gave up and settled on one of the choices they had chosen – a modest looking white gown. The ends softly fluttered around my mid thigh, showing off the rest of my legs.

Francesca sighed frustratingly, releasing the pony tail from her grasp and dropped her hands from her hair, collapsing down onto her bed. “Ugh, I give up. I'd thought I'd try to do my hair myself, but I suck. I need one of the maids to help me, or a stylist.”

“It's about time you realize that,” Belle said from the comer, from which she was perched on a chair, a magazine in her hand. She placed it onto the table beside her and stood. “Come on darling, let's make you more beautiful than you already are.”

As Belle worked on Francesca's hair, I fiddled my hands nervously at Francesca's door.

“Fran, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“You know, it's just, I want to talk about your parents, Doesn't the king and queen find it strange that-”

She held up a hand, suddenly going still. “Belle, could you leave Celeste and me alone for a second?”

Belle shrugged nonchalantly, but I read the curiosity flickering in her eyes. “Of course.”

When she and the other maids left, Fran turned to me.

“Why did you make her leave?” I asked. She sighed.

“No one can know about this, I'm sorry. Honestly, you're the only one who knows.”
“But isn't it strange that no one here knows? Don't you think the Radeskians would be happily spreading the news that they had taken over?” She shook her head ruefully, her eyes dark.

“They're making it look like they haven't taken over.”

“But how?” She bit her lip uncertainly.

“My mom is still alive, and they're making her act as if nothing has happened. No news has passed through.”

“Your mom is alive!” She nodded