The Dying Rose (Completed)

Chapter 34: Jealous Of The Moon

I heard the sound of a carriage rolling up outside. I peered out of the barn, where I was still hiding out, and saw Rixenda climb out, with assistance from Lucas, and proceed towards the barn. She was dressed in the soft pink gown that she had told me about. It looked beautiful on her, as everything always did. Lucas stood at their small carriage, sent from the castle, which was waiting for us. Or rather her, because there was no way I was going to this ball.

"Well, are you coming or not?" she asked, once she had cleared the door. Lucas, meanwhile, went towards the cottage, to collect Petronille.

Why would I go? So that I could look like an idiot in front of Galien and his aristocratic friends? So that Mirabelle could flounce around the ballroom on his arm, where I should be, before me? No. It would be torture.

"I wasn't invited. I'm not wanted. I'm not going," I said, defiantly.

"You weren't invited because you're supposed to be dead. If the man who loves you knew where you were, trust me, you would have an invitation, if you weren't the guest of honor."

I turned from her. "No, I wouldn't. He doesn't love me. And I don't love him."

"Oh, really? Because, you see, I heard that my best friend, Arabella Durand, was in love with a prince. She kissed him free of a curse. And my best friend is not the type to sit idly by and let some other woman marry her man."

"Rixenda, I have no dress I can wear. Surely, you realize I cannot go like this?" I said, flustered with the truth.

"Oh yes, you do. I made you one," she said determinately.

"When?"

She smiled mischievously. "When you were going to marry Henri Faure, and it's in the carriage. You're going to sneak in, and when Lucas goes to put the horse in the stable, he'll meet you behind it. The dress is tucked in a feedbag, and nothing will look out of place."

"You mean no one is going to notice Lucas handing a dirty girl a bag behind a stable? You let me know how that pans out Rixie. I'm not going. It's too much, seeing him with her."

She gave sigh of indignation. "You'll be fine. Arabella, you are not giving up, not yet. I did not trek halfway across the realm to see you let him go now. They are not married yet; you don't even know that this is an engagement ball. You have got to step up, woman!"

I felt my face flush. "Rixenda, what do you not understand? I am a commoner, a poor inventor's daughter. He is a prince, no, a king. She's a princess. I cannot compete with that. It's like being jealous of the moon! I'm not a fit match for him, and he would be stupid to marry me when he has her." It took all I had to blink back the tears that were threatening to spill from my eyes.

"Really? Jealous of the moon? If she's the moon, you're the stars! You have to go, Arabella! If you do not go tonight, then- then you aren't the same girl I've known for years. What about your dreams? You wanted grand adventure? I call breaking a curse, saving a man, all by loving him an adventure. I call becoming a queen an adventure. Now that you have the chance to be happy, are you going to go hide like a scared little mouse? Because Arabella Durand wouldn't. She'd take this ball by storm. But, maybe that's not who you are. Maybe you've never really been her." She glared at me, waiting for me to accept her challenge.

I wouldn't. I stood there, in defeat and didn't even acknowledge the knife she had just wedged into my soul. I couldn't.

She shook her head. "I guess not."

With that, my best friend turned and walked back to the carriage. She climbed inside, with help from Lucas, who kept looking between the two of us, clearly not knowing what to do. Finally, he took his place on the carriage, and urged the horse onward.