The Search for Cinderella

chapter 19

"Did you know you are scheduled to be escorted by Prince Luke himself tomorrow night?" Jade spoke in lieu of a greeting as she firmly planted herself in a leather library chair. Her fair haired friend was startled by the sudden appearance and dropped her pen.

"Me? How? Why?" Emma questioned the secretary as she blinked incessantly at the news.

"I just penned this particular tit bit in his diary today. That's all I know!" Jade raised her hand in surrender.

"My father will not be pleased," The younger girl bit her lip after she spoke.

"How strange! I would have thought it an honour," The secretary exclaimed.

"I've told you before that my father likes to maintain a consistency of status. He thinks it unseemly to be a centre of attention at our social status. Besides I have a potential suitor to meet at the ball. Any man would be intimidated by such high ranking company," Emma explained. Her sentence was punctuated with a heavy hearted sigh. She closed her book as a lost cause.

"Shouldn't they be pleased you come with such prestigious contacts," The older girl scrunched her face in confusion.

"I am much too divorced from the world of men to have a significant impact on my future husband's dealings. My contacts would only incite gossip in my husband's social circle," The fair haired girl explained impatiently.

"What a load of rubbish," Jade groused. They started at each other with growing frustration and it seemed prudent to change the subject ,"I suppose your chosen gown hangs in your wardrobe by now."

"Of course, pretty boy! My father was alarmed I refused to go my regular modiste; my late mother's favourite, but I decided it was time for a change. I visited Mr. Gepetto instead during my last trip to the capital. He was very obliging even before I introduced myself to him," Emma answered, regaining the twinkle that usually danced in her eyes.

"I've written to him about you," Jade nodded with satisfaction. She looked down at the book Harry had lended her but was interrupted by Emma who decided she was now much too distracted to continue her reading.

"Is it just me or do you feel there are more people frequenting the library than usual?" The girl hissed to her companion. Jade glanced around and made the same observation. She surmised it was the new guards added for her friend's protection.

Just as Jade opened her mouth to verbalise her assumptions the Crown Prince marched forward from behind them and thew himself in a chair facing the pair as if it were a common occurrence.

"I hope I am not interrupting," The man asked with fraying politeness. He looked uncomfortable enough that Jade shook her head in negation. The seated pair jumped to their feet to give the Crown Prince an appropriate welcome. Unusually enough the Prince waved their attempts at propriety away.

"No interruption at all, your Highness. We were merely discussing our outfits for tomorrow's Ball. After all Emma shall be escorted to the Ball by Prince Luke," The secretary answered serenely not waiting for Emma's input. Her friend stared at her as if she'd gone mad.

"I see," Edward's dark blue eyes narrowed at Jade's twitching lips. Her glee did not need a physical form to be read.

"You should have told him it was unnecessary, your Highness. My father would have escorted me as he has always done before," Emma protested after a pregnant pause. She looked like she could no longer contain the words bubbling forth.

"Yes, I too deem it quite unnecessary. I have positioned guards all around you. You would have been safe enough. Lady Josephine's punishment has all but been announced and no one would dare touch a single strand on your head while in the presence of the Royal family," The tall Prince announced with conviction.