The Search for Cinderella

Chapter 17

Jade watched her friend's expressions carefully. The pair sat on a stone bench in the farthest corner of the garden. Behind them another party or the other was taking place as if the accident hadn't happened at all. The person whose goal was to separate Emma from the Prince's social circle had succeeded.

Many days had passed before Emma had allowed herself the luxury of being seen outdoors. The two friends had talked via letters but nothing of import had been said beyond basic civilities. Jade had been surprised her friend had invited her to the southern gardens for a walk. The younger girl was usually careful about how much they were seen together.

The fair haired girl bit her pink lips as the conversation paused to an uncomfortable lull. Her satin covered feet dug into the dirt while her hair was loose down her back unlike her usual style. She took a shaky breath before exhaling what troubled her.

"I shall not return after the weekend," The girl said. Her pale eyes were firmly stuck on her fingers resting in her lap.

"Oh, Emma," Jade commiserated.

"My father will not allow me to risk my life by staying here," The fair haired girl explained even though none were required. She continued to examine her bitten nails.

"Will you be allowed to attend the ball," The older girl asked. She placed her hat besides her for the afternoon sun was blazing down on them.

"Yes, my father will accompany me, of course. He also wants me to meet a royal clerk at the ball. Samuel is an only son who will inherit the family home. I will have no financial difficulties once we marry. According to my father he is handsome enough," Emma rambled as if the decision had already been made.

"You will be terribly missed," Jade had no other words. She knew it was not within her friend to fight her father's demands especially now when he feared for her life.

"We will meet again, I hope," Emma replied with a brittle sort of a voice.

"Not in the world you're going to. Who is going to allow me to visit. Even mailing letters to each other would be scandalous," The secretary said, hotly, feeling furious about their fates.

"You would make a pretty girl. Maybe you should get Mister Geppetto to comission you his famous gowns so we can meet as equals," Emma giggled at her absurd thoughts.

Jade's alarmed cough soon turned into laughter. Her friend had no idea how close she was to the truth. Their laughter was only broken by the distant sounds of a trumpet.

"There's a royal party going on. Did you not go?" Jade asked curiously. In all this time Emma had been unable to miss even a single one.

"He- Ed- The Crown Prince mercifully did not invite me. He finally listened," The younger girl whispered almost as if to herself.

"You finally spoke," Jade corrected, "Speaking your mind is not bad, is it?"

"My father would be horrified by my impudence but I cannot live under his shadow any longer. These royals are just people, not something to be worshipped," Emma said, "The reverence my father has for them is unnecessary."

"I agree and yet here we are with random women trying to kill you for daring to steal attention from the Royal Princes," The secretary gave a bitter laugh.

"But why? What have I done to gain such enemies?!" Emma exclaimed. She waved her pale hands in the air with frustration.

"Childhood playmate of the two Princes might be too weighty a role for someone with an envious disposition to ignore," The older girl wondered.