CinderEll

Chapter Thirteen ~ Castles

When the flight finally touched down in Alluria's only airport, Alex was woken up by her mother, who had smiled at the scone of her daughter and her new 'friend' snuggling together on the couch.

"We're here sweetie." She said as she got up and grabbed her bag. Alex yawned and stretched as she looked down to find Ell snuggled around her, her head laying gently on her chest. Alex blushed beet red as she gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind the sleeping girls ear.

She looked like and angel.

"Hey, Ell. It's time to wake up now we're at the airport." She said as she gently shook her awake. When Ell woke up she looked up at Alex sleeping and when she sat up she rubbed her eyes.

"Hmm, where are we?" She asked sleepily and Alex chuckled.

"At the airport." She said and Ell blinked.

"Again?" She asked as she covered her nose in a sneeze.

Alex couldn't help but to grin, she literally sneezed like a cat!

"Yeah but this time we're almost home." She assured as she offered Ell her hand and she gingerly took it, a blush colouring her cheeks as she did.

Again, they were surrounded as soon as they'd left the plane, and Alex's body guards prevented any of the people from getting to them as they made their way into the large black car that awaited them.

Ell wondered exactly what kind of a home she was going too as she looked out the window in wonder. She could certainly tell she was in a country far away from her own when most of what passed her by where small villages and rolling hills.

She wasn't in cansas anymore, and she didn't have a puppy to take with her, but Ell thought that Alex was much cuter than a puppy anyway, so she didn't mind really that at all.

When the car finally came to a halt and Alex once again opened the door for her before she'd had a chance to open it herself, Ell got out of the vehicle.

When she looked up and around her, she blanched.

She was staring at a castle. A literal castle. Was this a dream? She slowly looked from Alex, to the castle, than back to Alex again as her mouth remained open wide.

Alex chuckled as she shrugged and blushed at the attention.

"Welcome to my humble abode?" She asked/said as she helped the men that had helped them at the air port, take their bags out of the boot of the car.

Ell wasn't exactly sure what was happening. Surely Alex didn't live in a literal castle. But she couldn't quite put two-and-two together as she continued to stare at the dwelling.

"Come along princess, let's get inside." Alex's main guard beckoned towards her as she grinned at Ell.

Ell's eyes grew wider as she finally began to understand. Princess, big guests. It all began to add up! The so-called 'big guests' they had been hosting at the hotel where Alex and her family and they where 'big guests' because they where literally royalty?!!

Ell had to steady herself for a moment as she thought back to all the times she'd embarrassed herself in front of the... princess.

"We'll be there in a moment Steven, please go ahead." Alex said as she walked up to Ell, a look of concern on her face.

"Are you ok there Ell?" She asked, and when Ell managed to draw her eyes away from the castle and back to her, they widened a she quickly made to curtsey, something she admittedly hadn't done since she was a child.

She ducked her head down as she did so, but Alex immediately brought her back up as she looked into her eyes.

"Please, there's no need for that Ell. We're friends aren't we? I honestly thought you already knew about my family and I'd rather you treat me as you always have than show formalities, if that's ok?"

Ell blushed bright red as she bit her lip and shyly nodded. Alex sighed in relief as she gave her a warm smile.

"Alright, now how about we get inside, it's awful cold out here." She said as she once again offered Ell her hand.

The entrance had a grand staircase, even bigger than that of the hotels, and the walls were adorned with large paintings that had gilded edge frames. Ell had never been in a real life castle before, but somehow she felt this is exactly what one would look like as she looked around in awe.

When her eyes, during their endless wandering, met Alex's sister as she proceeded to try to slide down the banister of the stairs, Ell gave a squeak as she ran up and caught her at the bottom before she could topple to the floor. Alex ran after her and smiled warmly at the two as her sister laughed.

Ell looked scared out of her wits though, to which Alex gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Sorry Ell, Rose can be a little... wild." She said as she glared at her sister who proceeded to stick her tongue out at her with a pout. Ell smiled at Rose gently as she shrugged.

"Well, I'm sure she'll be a wonderful adventurer when she grows up. But for now how about sticking to safer adventures?" She tried, and Rose nodded with the sweetest smile Alex knew for a fact was fake. But she liked Ell and Rose clearly wanted to impress her with just how 'grown up' she was, so she got up, dusted herself off and proceeded to walk carefully up the stairs.

Alex chuckled to herself. "If only that would last." She said as she grinned at Ell and offered her a hand up.

"She's cute though." Ell said with a smile, and Alex shrugged.

"Cute, yes. No sense of person safety? Check. Annoying as all heck? always. But I love her all the same." She replied.

"Now how about I show you to your room? I think you'll like it a lot." Alex said with a giant smile. Truth be told, she really wanted Ell to stay in her room with her, but her mother had been worried that they'd keep each other up all night with 'sleepover shanninigans.' So she'd settled for the room next door instead.

When she lead Ell into it, her whole face grew pale as she looked around the room in awe and wobbled a little on the spot. When Alex noticed she immediately walked up to her and helped her to sit down on the bed.

"What's wrong? Is it the room is it not to your liking?" Alex asked in concern, thinking that she would happily change anything as long as it made the girl happy, but when she began to cry Alex pulled her close.

"I-I-It's so wonderful." She stuttered in-between her sobs as she shook in Alex's arms.

Alex frowned in confusion.

"... than why the tears?" She asked in confusion, and as Ell pulled back and wiped at her eyes she gave a little hiccup, to which Alex mentally cued as she looked at her in concern.

"N-No one has been this kind to me s-since my parents died." She said as she looked down at her hands and Alex frowned deeply at the thought of the turmoil she had been through until now. She gently placed her hand onto her as she brought her chin back up and looked into her eyes.

"Well that changes now Ell. You deserve so much kindness and I want to give it to you." She said sincerely, causing her to blush as found that she couldn't tear her eyes away from the princess charming in front of her. Just as Alex began to move further towards her, hoping to capture the moment in a kiss, they where interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Princess? I've put your bags in your room." Steven said as he smiled in a sidemen t at the red cheeks of the two teenagers.

"I'll... leave you be. Make sure to get some rest." He said with a chuckle as he closed the door.

Ell played with her hands as Alex scratched at her head awkwardly.

"Well, I suppose your probably really tired from the flight, jet lag and all so um I'll-" Alex said as she got up off the bed and made her way out of the room, bumping into three things as she went, her cheeks as red as a tomato.

"Goodnight Ell." She finally settled on, to which Ell gave a shy smile and wave.

When she'd closed the door Alex leaned on it with her back as she sighed heavily. Just how much did that girl affect her? She wondered as she made her way back to her room, daydreaming about adorable sneezes and kisses and Ell.