SPECIAL on hold

Chapter 1

A/N: set in the early 1900s.

Chapter One

Abigail sat on the roughly made wooden stool in the corner, punishment for 'being a know-it-all and saying all the answers'. All she had done was, well, say all the answers to the English homework. She didn't cry, though. She did not care. She was smarter than them all. She should be with the eighteen year-olds! Alas, she was the only 12-year-old in the 15-year-old class, and she already got enough stares.

In the dreary, dull room of the orphanage, the tutor's pinched face and monotonic voice fit perfectly. The seven 15-year-olds in the room, three girls, four boys, were all much taller than her, and rarely talked.

When she got out of her class, she was stopped by the headmistress, a worn woman in her forties.

"Hello Abigail." she greeted her.

"Hello Mrs. McCarty." Abigail responded politely.

"How are your classes?"

"Honestly, awful. I can't stand the teachers and the kids are such a terrible bore. I wish I could be myself here. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, you are so kind to me. In all the books I've read, the orphanage heads are horribly mean. In the plays, too. Oliver and Annie and Cinderella is an orphan, too, and Snow White as well-"

"Yes, my dear. Speaking of which, the orphanage has a new tutor who will meet with you privately every day, except for weekends. His name is Monsieur Jean Claude. He is French. He also wants to give you a test. He says 'highly logical and intelligent pupils deserve to be taught, orphaned or otherwise'." the headmistress interrupted.

"Wow! Will he teach me French? That's one thing I could work on. And what test?" her ears perked up.

"He forwent details. I'm sure you'll find out soon. He sent you a gift. It's on your cot."

"Really?" she questioned doubtfully. Was this all a trick?

"Yes. He has very rich relatives, so expect well. Go ahead and skip the rest of your classes, unwrap your gift." Mrs. McCarty's eyes shone. She had never seen a girl in her orphanage so excited.

"Oh, thank you Mrs, McCarty!" Abigail positively glowed. She dashed upstairs to her room.

In the vacant, shabby place, a bright spot lit up her bed. A box, wrapped in pink flowered paper and a huge white satin ribbon. A card on top said To: Abigail From: Monsieur Jean Claude in fanciful cursive.

She gaped in awe at it. She carefully undid the delicate bow and ripped open the paper. A simple box, about a foot and a half long and similar width, lay inside the pretty wrappings. Inside was a full-length red dress, made of satin, with white ribbons on the several, tucked layers, opening slightly in front to reveal an abundance of ruffly white layers.

The sleeves were full and opened to a similar gauzy white pattern underneath, which was slitted at the elbows, and trailed many inches. Layers of lace covered the bodice and low collar. It was indeed French. There were matching satin slippers, a pearl necklace and a ruby ring. It was very old fashioned, too. But, its charm was undeniable.

A quiet knock and Mrs. McCarty stepped in. "Try it on, Abigail, I'll help you."

Abigail undressed and slipped it on. She put on the slippers and jewelry, and Mrs. McCarty buttoned the buttons in and adjusted the jewelry and curled the petite girl's long, black hair. Everything fit just right. Even in the cracked mirror, she looked like a dream. A princess in the stories she had read. They both looked in wonder. Neither had seen such beauty.

"I pray this isn't a dream." she said aloud.

"Oh, it's not. I must go, you can leave it on until supper, so you don't muss it. Have fun. You can read in the library or anything." the kind headmistress gave leave.

Abigail twirled around a bit.

"Oh bother, I hope I'm not being vain." she sighed to herself. She contented herself by sitting by the fire on a chair and reading War and Peace. It was intense to her standards.

After reading through half the book, the clock struck four. Classes and chores done.

A hoard of girls came pouring into the room, more than were assigned.

"Gosh! Tatiana was right! She swore she saw you in a fancy red dress out of a crack in the doorway." Wren said. She was the oldest. She was seventeen. As soon as she turned eighteen, she would be out to make her own living. But that was eight months away. Tatiana was a gossipy fifteen year old girl in Abigail's English class.

"And wow! That's so not fair! Mrs. McCarty playing favorites! How could she afford that?!" one girl exclaimed.

"It wasn't her. It was a new French tutor who's coming named Monsieur Jean Claude. He's going to teach me. He's got rich relatives and he got me this." Abigail motioned towards the gorgeous dress.

"Well, it looks awful old-fashioned." Tatiana sniffed, filled with envy. Many older girls looked the same.

"Well, what's your best? That old starchy gray thing?" Heather, Abigail's friend came to her defense. She was fifteen and very tough.

"At least I-" Tatiana started to say, then Heather glared at her through her piercing hazel eyes.

A small girl named Felicity who had long, plaited, red hair walked up timidly to see the dress.

"It's like a fairytale!" her little voice gasped. Abigail laughed lightly. "Come on, I will tell you a story." All the younger girls huddled around her chair and sat near the fire. Several pairs bright eyes looked at her expectantly. Tatiana and Wren huffed and left the room.

"Once upon a time, there lived an orphan. Her name was Meredith. She did not know who her parents were, like many of you. She was very quiet and because of that, noticed everything. She saw everything, and no one knew she was there sometimes. She was also very smart-"

"Like you!" Felicity interrupted.

"Well, she was fourteen, not twelve. Anyways, she realized a pattern. Whenever the classes was over, her teacher, Ms. Worth, disappeared. How very mysterious, she thought to herself. She decided to investigate further.

The next day, she hid behind the place the teacher normally disappeared at, which was right behind the desk. Just as the teacher started evaporating into nothingness, she caught onto the Ms. Worth's leg. She found herself in an instant in a cave.

'What is this!' Ms. Worth exclaimed when she noticed her.

'Where are we?" Meredith asked boldly.

'Why you sneaky little girl! You should know to mind your own business! I never would of expected you to behave like this!' the teacher snapped.

Meredith took a quick look around. The walls of the big cave were lined with torches, and it was otherwise empty. 'You must be a witch!' she gasped.

'No! Why on earth would you jump to such ridiculous conclusions. I am not a witch, I am a cave-fairy. I came to explore your world. Witch indeed!' she scolded.

'Cave-fairy? What is that?" Meredith wondered.

'Well, I suppose to put it simply, we are like fairies who prefer to stay in caves! Here, let me show you something.' and with that, Ms. Worth waved her arms in a complicated pattern, and they were in front of a castle. Meredith looked in amazement at the huge building.

'You can see the castle! Well, my dear, that means that you are a fairy!' Ms. Worth said.

'Truly!?'

'Yes! How incredible! Maybe you are the lost cave-fairy princess!'

'What?' Meredith cried, alarmed.

'We lost her many years ago. Do you say that you are fourteen?'

'Why, yes...'

'Fourteen years, ago, baby Princess Reena was stolen into a different world! Your world, in fact!' Ms. Worth explained-"

"Cave-fairy!" a girl with curls said.

"Princess!" Felicity added.

"Oh, yes, but we will have to continue later. I lost track of time! Supper!!" Abagail said hurriedly and shooed them away so she could change.

After supper, Abigail could hardly sleep after she had washed up. Close to an hour later, she finally found peace.