The Lady-in-Waiting

Chapter 13

Lucinda

I finally find Desiree and the geese in the palace in a sitting room. I open the door, huffing after the quick flight. Who knew flying was tiring? Not me. I'm usually a human. Desiree puts a hand over her mouth when she sees me and runs over to me. Her brothers are still geese, so I guess they just go back to the palace.

"I am soooooo sorry, Zorana!" she exclaims. "We had to rush out of the house and we were halfway back when we realized we forgot you, so Lisa went back to get you from Baba Yaga's house, but she still wasn't back by the time we got back to the palace, so George was about to go back to find you!"

"It's..." I hesitate. "Okay. I suppose we didn't plan the exit well enough, but I'm glad you were able to take the geese and escape."

"What happened when you were there by yourself?' asks Desiree.

"Baba Yaga locked the doors and windows with magic and was going to check the security cameras," I tell her. "But I used my magic on the door before she could check them thankfully."

"That's great," says Desiree. "I'm happy you're safe!"

You're just happy because it would make you look suspicious if I disappear, I think. I'm not sure what I think of Desiree. While she's George's sister and she's nice, I don't think she likes me that much. Maybe that's because I'm so close with George or because of something Zora said to her herself. Either way, I don't think we're on too good of terms.

Suddenly, the door opens with a slam and George enters. He also looks exhausted and is still wearing a coat.

"I found Lisa and she said Zorana's not at Baba Yaga's anymore, also that Baba Yaga's door is gone," George says, tears in his eyes. "I don't know where she is! I hope we can find her!"

George looks around the room and notices that I'm there. He slowly starts to grin. He runs over to me and starts crying.

"Lucinda!" he cries.

As soon as he gets to me, he kisses me. On the mouth. In front of his siblings. It's not that I don't enjoy the kiss. I'm ecstatic! I feel as if I have been waiting for this kiss forever like this is an important moment. Because I've always been betrothed, it's my first kiss, too. But Desiree and his other siblings don't know I'm Lucinda.

"George!" yells Desiree. "You're engaged to Lucinda! Why are you having an affair with the goose girl?!"

"It's not an affair!" George protests. "Why did you immediately assume it was an affair!"

"You kissed Zorana on the lips when you're in a relationship," protests Desiree. "That's a dead giveaway of an affair."

"I'm not in a relationship!" protests George. "I've been betrothed since I was born! Besides, Zorana is Lucinda!"

Desiree laughs. I don't blame her.

"How are two separate, very different women of different ages the same person?"

"It was a spell!" says George. "She was cursed! Just like I was before you made me my magic shirt!"

"You can't just blame every weird situation on witches!" says Desiree.

"I can blame the ones in which witches were involved!" says George. "The real Zora cursed her!"

"Yeah, I'm sure because it's not like everyone is blaming all bad things on her right now," Desiree says sarcastically.

"She did curse me, though!" I speak up. "She was my lady-in-waiting before we came here, remember? That's when she switched our bodies! But I took away her wand at the last second, so we transform back to normal from noon until one pm."