TWISTED

13: Yes, I Do

Ella slipped away when a maid came up bearing some letters for the young Lord. As she wandered across the beautiful ground, her mind mulled over the difficult task Arthur asked her to accomplish. Well, it wasn't a compelling one, she could back out of it at any time.

"I want you to be my companion at the ball." He had requested.

Ella did a double-take, eyes widening in utter horror. "What did you say?"

Arthur nodded, with a desperate look in his eyes. Ella understood. Her heart beat slowed to normalcy.

"This is about the princess, isn't it?"

Arthur smiled sheepishly, cheeks burning a deep shade of red in embarassment. "You figured us out."

Ella grinned. "I'm not blind, Lord Arthur."

He rolled his eyes at her mischievious demeanor. "So, are you in or out?"

"In."

Ella was far too deep in her thoughts until she collided with someone. A girl.

She was carrying a basket filled with clothes way out of her proportion that reminded Ella of Star.

"Oh my...I'm dreadfully sorry." She said, dumping the basket on the bright green grass.

Ella smiled, not in the least offended. "It's nothing."

The girl seemed relieved. At what exactly? "For a moment, I thought you were going to strangle me."

Ella grimaced at the picture of strangling an innocent person. "But why would I do that?"

The girl shrugged. "I guess not. The name's Ismat and you look like a very pleasant person."

Ella bowed her head, slightly overwhelmed with her words. "Well-"

Ismat scrutinized Ella with her dark-brown orbs. Flicking a strand of her long red hair out from her face, she gestured at the basket.

"Do you mind helping me out?"

Ella got to know several places in the huge mansion, the Library, Arthur'ss personal study, the kitchen, the laundry, the Servants' Lodge for both male and female.

Ismat was originally from Saudi Arabia. Her parents were wealthy people witha long line of businesses. She had two other male siblings, Aziz and Ali who were always kind to her.

Her wicked uncle had ordered her kidnap and she was secretly shipped to Europe with his other slaves. There she realized he was running an illegal trade in slaves. He sold them to who ever wanted them for whatever purpose.

"That's really mean."

Ismat nodded. "True. I don't know if he's alive or not. After the police discovered his secret, he went into hiding."

Ella hoped he was dead. Wicked souls like him didn't deserve to live.

Ismat gasped as if realizing something. "Pardon me, I did not ask your name."

"Ella."

Ismat folded some more clothes in the laundry. "Ella, you're really beautiful, you know."

Ella blushed again. Ismat caught her blushing and smirked.

"So, Aria..."

Of course, news travels fast. Ella proceeded to tell Ismat everything she could remember.

Ismat had an agreeable personality. Ella mused as she headed up to her room. She had stolen a glimpse of Eric and Charity through the window. They were comfortably seated in the garden talking about something.