Royal Pain

Chapter 7- Wedding Bells Are A Ringing!

Royal Pain

Madeline woke the next day on the ground of the floor of the ballroom. When she sat up she realized that Michael had left her to sit alone and feel the pain of regret for letting him kiss her. It wasn't like a one night stand or anything. But she had never kissed anyone before so he was her 'first' and now he's gone. She'll have to avoid ever speaking to him again because of the awkwardness of the events and now she was crying... again.

Madeline stood up wiping her tears on her arm. She tripped on something and when she looked back she saw a jacket... Michael's jacket... and she picked it up and carried it with her. All the way up to her room and off her balcony. Madeline had the last laugh this time. She sat on her bed only to realize it wasn't empty. She rolled over to lift the covers up to reveal.

"Melody? What are you doing here? I thought you left?" Madeline said sitting up allowing Melody to escape from under the covers. "Well I did but then I was walking home and remembered that I didn't want to be by myself so I turned right around climbed right back up those vines and climbed right into your bed." Melody said with a smile. "And some guy came in early this morning and placed this on the nightstand beside me." Melody pulled out a sheet of paper and passed it to Madeline. "I swear I only read the first line.... or two." Melody giggled, "Read it, it's really sweet."

Madeline-
What a sweet girl you are. I had an amazing time talking with you and that moment we shared I will treasure forever. I'm sorry I had to leave so early I had some business to attend to before tomorrow's big day! I'll be by the castle later tonight and we can hang more. Not going to give a time, want to surprise you.

-Michael

Madeline smiled at the little letter left for her. She was on cloud nine and she wasn't going down yet. Madeline and Melody walked out of her room and all the way to the dining room where breakfast was being served. "Good morning ladies, How are ya doing?" Asked Gretta the head chef. Madeline sighed and smiled while Melody told the chef what she had dreamed of the night before. "and then it whispered, 'LEAVE and don't come back.' Or something like that." Melody said, her mouth half full of eggs.

Madeline quietly replayed the nights' events over in her head again and again. Dance. Talk. Kiss. Dance. Talk. Kiss. She seemed to be in a trance only stopping to listen to the wedding plans from Gretta. "And I made the largest cake I could, and we are having the best of the best tomorrow morning." Gretta smiled at the two girls listening. "Oh you two don't care, go ahead you may be excused." Gretta began collecting plates and cleaning up after the two.

Madeline wished away Melody and started towards the ballroom where the reception would take place. "Alright what do you need me for?" Madeline asked pushing the doors open. "Well, why don't you sit down and look pretty. Well try to." Sir Jerald said pushing Madeline back towards one of the chairs. "Wow, that's not very nice." Madeline said standing up on the chair so they were eye level. "And I don't have to try, you do." Madeline jumped down from the chair and pushed him aside.

"Lily what would you like for me to do?" Madeline stepped forward. "Well you could go and get mom's veil out from the closet down the hall and put it on the mannequin in my room." Lily said not looking down once. Madeline wandered around until she found the closet. "What a coincidence." Madeline said walking up to the only door she hadn't looked behind.

The secret double door.

Or whatever. It didn't have a real name but that's what Madeline was going with. She placed her hand on the door and pushed it open. Upon stepping into the closet part, Madeline noticed that the door was cracked open. When she peeked inside, she saw that the winter wonderland had disappeared and it was now a gray wasteland. Opening the door more Madeline saw a lady standing in front of two people. Madeline slowly stepped one foot closer towards the door and with her luck creaked one of the floorboards.

The heads of the three people snapped towards her. Madeline slowly began to back away from the door as the three started to charge at her. Madeline slammed the door shut grabbed the box marked VEIL and she closed the door to the closet. Standing on the outside of the door, it seemed that the beings were scrapping at the door blocking them from entering the closet.

Madeline turned and headed towards Lily's room. She placed the veil on the mannequin's head and Madeline could picture Lily in the dress. In the distance Madeline could hear wedding bells ringing, signaling that the rehearsal was about to begin.