A Heart of Gold A Heart of Stone (Complete)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

           

Adelaide didn't sleep that night she had arrived back at her dorm room to find everybody fast asleep so she quickly and quietly changed into her nightgown. She stared down at Rothbart's dress in her hands and trembled it had caused so many problems that evening and without her Mother's necklace she felt bare but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to throw the garment away and instead she folded it up and slipped it into the draw in her bedside table.  The princess lay back on her bed staring at the canopy singing her mother's song softly to herself; 'cause these chords are hypnotizing, and the whole world's harmonizing, so please children stop your crying, and just sing along with me...." She turned her head to look at her clock smiling as she saw the numbers flip to 6:30. Rising from the cold bed she went to the dresser and grabbed a piece of paper and began to scribble a note for Elsa:
'Good Morning Elsa, Coral is alive but currently in a coma can you please tell Vanessa. Oh and could you tell Kronk I'll be in the princesses lounge. Thank you, Adelaide'
Pinning it to Elsa's bed post she walked over to her wardrobe and reached for a yellow skirt before something stopped her, she turned her eyes on the bedside table, before she had even realized what she had done she had changed into Rothbart's dress its colour darker than the night before but shrugging her shoulders Adelaide pulled her hair up into a messy ponytail and crept out of the room.

Adelaide loved the princesses lounge. Mickey had gotten Merlin to enchant the door so when any of the princesses or heroines walked into the room it would create an image of what caused them to relax. Adelaide had once asked Meg what she had seen the first time she had entered, laughing Meg had replied it was the place she had first admitted her feelings to Hercules and while most of the princesses saw an isolated place like the Forest or a clear brook Adelaide saw her mother's sitting room and this morning it was a comforting sight, a memory of a happy time in her life. Spotting the red velvet arm chair she had sat in with her mother she curled up gracefully in it her tears falling once again before the world faded to black.

A shrill ringing woke the princess with a start causing her to fall from the chair and onto the floor, realizing it was her phone she quickly hit 'answer'
"Hello."
"Adelaide?" A familiar voice swam through her thoughts.
"Dina-Marie? Sweetie how did you call me?"
"Vivy did." She replied proud of her accomplishment.
"That girl I swear she's more trouble than I am." Adelaide muttered before replying to her youngest sister. "What's the matter Dina? It's unusual for you to get Vivy to ring me." She said softly, Adelaide could practically hear her sister's trembling lip through the phone.
"I miss you and- and daddy says you're not going to be our Adie any more you're gonna be some smelly man's Adie!"
"He did? Well don't worry sweetheart I will always be yours. Now do you think you could go find Daddy and give him the phone?" She asked hoping the twins were in the mood for an adventure. "Ok." She heard Dina call Blake and Alice and the sounds of their footsteps echoing in the hall as they screamed and ran around to find their father. A few moments later her father's voice appeared.
"Yes?"
"Are the twins and Dina outside the study?" Corinne hissed.
"Of course they are."
"Good. What on earth possessed you to tell them I wasn't their Adelaide anymore?"
"Well you won't be in a few months." he commented snidely.
"Of course I will! I am their sister and to Dina-Marie I'm more than that!" Adelaide heard heavy footsteps coming down the hall and lowered her tone to a scathing whisper.
"It doesn't matter what I told them. I am their Father, and may I remind you I am also yours."
"You don't need to remind me. I know it all too well."
"Hold your tongue child." Her father growled. "Anyway I'm glad your sisters called you I have news. Proteus will be arriving to meet his fiancée today." He said causing Adelaide to sit up straight.
"No not today, call him, tell him to cancel!"
"No Adelaide he is on his way and should be there soon. Now please make yourself presentable and don't disappoint me." He said firmly, Adelaide let out a sinister laugh.
"Oh don't worry, I couldn't disappoint you more than I already do." She pulled the phone away from her ear and hit 'end call.' 
"Well here's to hoping I can break the engagement off." The princess thought as the door swung open.
"Princess." Kronk looked to the chair before his eyes looked down to Adelaide still sat on the floor. "You're on the floor?"
She looked up and smiled falsely.
"It's much more comfortable."
Kronk stared at her for what felt like hours before he responded.
"O-k so breakfast?" He pointed down the corridor.
"Mmm excellent idea." Getting up she brushed her dress down letting Kronk carry on staring as she walked down to the canteen.