Dreaming Cinderella

Chapter 7

Emilia turned around in her stool so that she was now facing the mysterious stranger, who she had soaked earlier that day. He was staring at the two girls' with an amused look on his face, having overheard their conversation he was teasing them. 

"What are you doing in here?" Emilia asked, deciding to carry the conversation away from the one she and Margaret had been having. She bent to pick up a potato by her foot, only to find that Margaret had knocked off a bunch and they were all now resting on the floor.

"I thought I could offer my help." The Stranger admitted shrugging his shoulders', moving so that he could help retrieve the fallen potatoes. His fingers brushing against Emilia's as they reached for the same one. Emilia dropped the potato, allowing the stranger to take it in his hands' instead, surprised at his offer.

"I can't let you do that!" She said, knowing her Mother would be furious to learn that a guest was helping around with her chores. Especially a guest who she had earlier soaked through with a bucket of water.

"Why not? You're already letting me stay here for free, it's the least that I can do, and I won't take no for an answer." He said stubbornly and Emilia met his eyes' realizing for the first time how close the two of them actually were. They were on their knees picking up the fallen potatoes', their faces so close she could feel the warmth of his breath on her face. She felt her face burning slightly as she realized how beautiful his green eyes were. They were like two little green jewels with flecks of gold dust within them. His hair a brownish-red and he had little flecks of freckles splash across his nose. It wasn't a lot, just a few, and Emilia found it cute, it suited him she thought taking in his looks.

"Have I got something on my face?" The Stranger asked, when Emilia had stopped talking suddenly, to take in his looks, and she felt her face heating up even more. She stood up quickly, throwing her rescued potatoes back on the table, where they would be rinsed later. The movement startled Margaret who had been watching them closely, but now she jumped almost falling off her stool, but quickly caught herself before she fell.

"Fine, you can help! Go wash these potatoes." She said sternly, ignoring his question, her heart was beating so fast she thought it would burst from the pounding, but slowly it returned to normal and she relaxed wondering to herself what had happened. She'd never had anything like that happen ever, and didn't understand. Why had her heart reacted like that? Was she sick? Had she gotten sick from being soaked through after all? She didn't think so.

"Alright,  Trouble I'll take care of these." The Stranger said taking the potatoes in a large bowl a grin on his face at the word. Emilia was confused until she realized it was her he was calling trouble.

"Hey! My name is not 'Trouble', it is Emilia!" She shouted at him annoyed but he just laughed, making her more annoyed, as he walked over to where there was some fresh water so that he could rinse off the potatoes.

"Emilia..." Emilia looked to Margaret whose voice had become hushed, and saw that her friend was staring at her with a worried expression and she was looking around her. Emilia mouthed, "What?" and Margaret pointed behind Emilia with her head in answer. Suddenly Emilia looked around and realized that the entire room had fallen silent and everyone was watching them. She felt her face burning again and silently cursed her temper, as she sat back down on her stool quickly getting back to work peeling more potatoes'.   

"Everyone back to work, please." Emilia heard Helga order, her tone that of one in charge and for once she was grateful of the older girl. But that feeling lasted only a second. Soon the older girl was standing beside her and Emilia lifted her head slightly so that she could look over at the girl, knowing she was about to lecture her.

"Can I help you Helga?" Emilia asked smiling sweetly knowing that her efforts would do nothing more than infuriate the girl, but she couldn't help herself. The two had never liked each other and neither could seem to help but show it.

"You know your Mother wouldn't approve of you making a guest help like this." Helga hissed through clenched teeth so that nobody else would over hear. Emilia rolled her eyes, shooting a glance behind her to where the Stranger stood washing the dirt off the fallen potatoes'. He was facing her and she could see that he was focusing hard on the potatoes, taking the task a little too serious. As if sensing her staring at him he looked up and met her eyes', smiling slightly as he held up a cleaned potato as if letting her know he was doing what she'd asked. She quickly looks away turning her attention back to the annoying Helga.

"It's not my fault he offered his help." She shrugged, deciding to ignore the girl, returning her attention back to her own work, knowing this would anger Helga, but deciding not to care. What was the worst she could do after all?

"He's a guest!" Helga reminded her slapping her hand down on the table, and Emilia jumped from the movement her knife slipping and slicing at her finger.

"Ow!" She cried startled, her finger bleeding. She blinked at the wound already feeling sick. She'd never liked the sight of blood.

"Hey! You made her cut herself!" Margaret cried angry standing up from her stool and moving to Emilia's side. "Are you alright, Emilia?" She asked and Emilia nodded.

"It's not my f-fault." Helga stammered clearing knowing her words' were a lie, but saying them anyway. She looked around her and saw that everyone had stopped working and was looking at them to see what had happened. Her face was red. "Get back to work!" She ordered and quickly everyone did as they were told, too scared of her wrath to disobey her.

"Hey, are you alright?" The Stranger took Emilia's finger in his hand, suddenly at her side looking at the cut. "This doesn't look too deep, but still we should make sure to clean it carefully so that it doesn't get infected." Emilia didn't have time to answer before he started to pull her up off the stool. "Let's go to the well to get some fresh water, we don't need to get blood all over the kitchen." He suggested, and she watched as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped it around her finger keeping the blood from dripping onto the floor. "I'll help you." He winked, and she didn't have time to complain before he pulled her behind him from the room, leaving a surprised Helga too stunned to complain.