The Lost Princess

Chapter 4

When Charlotte woke up it was still dark outside with no sign that the day had even begun. “We have to be off before day break or we’ll never make it before noon,” John said as he gently shook her shoulder.

Charlotte took one more deep breath then sat up in her bed. She was use to getting up before dawn. James had always woken her up for one reason or another. Sometimes he would do it just because he had nothing else to do.

Charlotte was getting dressed as usual when Susan knocked on the door. She quickly threw on the rest of her clothes. “Come in,” said Charlotte. She was a little worried about how Susan and John had reacted to her big secret. Neither had spoken to her, other than the wake up call and a few orders here and there, since last night.

Susan walked in while Charlotte was checking her reflection in the mirror. “When we go into town we usually wear our best clothes,” said Susan. Charlotte spun around to face her. In her hands laid a dress. It was a dark blue color and Charlotte could see what looked like silver lining the collar and wrists.

“It’s not real silver or anything. We couldn’t afford that even with the biggest harvest we’ve ever had, but after last night I thought I would add a little something extra. I bought the material while Martha was still with us. I was going to give her the dress before she left, but her parents showed up three weeks earlier than we had expected and I hadn’t found time to even start. The night after you showed up I began working. I was going to give it to you when you left or if you stayed I would give it to you on a holiday, but I decided to give it to you now. To let you know that I would never betray your trust. None of us would. You can stay here as long as you like. As far as I go, your family now.”

Charlotte starred at the dress. It was beautiful. Sure she had worn better. She had dresses with actually silver linings and gold ones too, but this one was by far the best dress she had ever received. She took the dress from Susan’s hands and laid it out gently on the bed. Then she turned to Susan and wrapped her arms around her. 

“It’s the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen. Thank you so much….for everything,” said Charlotte. Tears had started to roll down her cheeks. They began to laugh and cry together for what seemed like forever.

When they both finally pulled away Susan was almost beaming. “I always wanted a daughter. I love my boys, but I always wanted a daughter,” she said. Charlotte’s heart almost stopped. She already had a mother. A father. An entire family. How could she just forget that and live a happy life here? Just weeks before this she had been living in a castle with her family, her real family, and now they were all dead except for her. And here she was with another family learning and living almost like nothing even happen. Charlotte was so confused. She had tried for so long to keep everything inside. In the last two weeks she hadn’t cried once in fear that she would be caught. 

She cried now though. She sat beside her beautiful dress and cried. Susan wrapped her arms around Charlotte once again. “Whats wrong? Don’t you like it,” she asked. “My family is gone. They’re all gone. My Mother, my Father, even my brother. They’re all gone.” 

Charlotte sat with Susan for a lithe while longer until she stopped crying and was able to put on her dress. She felt as if a thousand pounds had been lifted off her shoulders. Though her eyes were still red and puffy, the dress looked gorgeous on her. The dark blue color complimented her pale skin and red hair perfectly.

Charlotte didn’t know what came over her. When she finally let the emotions she had been suppressing out it was like a tidal wave crashing to shore. She couldn’t stop it.

If you looked hard enough out the window now you could just see the crack of dawn.

“We are a little behind schedule. Its nobodies fault, but now we have to hurry and we can only stop for one bathroom break,” said John.