Seventeen-year-old Princess Ella was brushing her long beautiful chestnut hair. In a few minutes her lady’s maid, Anna, would come and help her prepare for the wonderful ball tonight. It was a special ball her father, the king, had planned. He had decided it was time for his daughters to meet some eligible princes for future husbands. Sadly, Ella knew he wasn’t referring to her future husband. Instead he was set on matching up Ella’s two older sisters Nicole and Claire.
Nicole was nineteen and had decided at a young age she wasn’t going to marry anyone, she would rather move to India and show poor people that royalty care about them. Ella often looked up to her older sister’s compassion and eagerness to help, but was confused at why she wouldn’t want to be married anyways. Claire, at eighteen, was rather opposite of Nicole, she loved to sneak out of the palace and go down to the stables to ride horses. At least, that’s what she would tell Nicole and Ella, but in the darkness of the night, Ella would often follow her sister in secret. Rather than riding, she would spend the entire night talking with the stable boy, Nathan. Or on the odd occasion they would go riding together. And it was clear that Claire would rather marry the low stable boy than any prince.
Ella on the other hand would much rather fall in love and have a perfect fairy-tale. She wanted someone to take her to balls, someone to dance with, and someone who would care for her and their children as he ruled his kingdom. But for Ella, it felt like that would never happen. Her father knew her feelings, her father knew everything. He even knew Nicole’s dreams and Claire’s secrets, but he wanted what was best for his daughters. He wanted them to be treated right and cared for. He wanted his two oldest daughters to be treated the way Ella longed to be treated.
“Milady,” Anna’s soft voice distracted Ella’s gloomy thoughts.
“Yes?”
“Would you like me to help you’s dressing?” She asked as she pulled the beautiful silk purple gown from the wardrobe. It has belonged to Ella’s mother many years ago before. Sadly, her mother had died seven years prior. Now, Ella gratefully accepted the offer of help. “Miss’m, is something bothering you?” Anna gently asked.
Ella didn’t often share her thoughts or feelings with anyone aside from her father. But her father seemed too set in his ways. “Why is my father forcing my sisters to find husbands – yet he won’t let me even dance with anyone? I’m only a year younger than Claire! I don’t understand!” She mourned.
“Mmm, milady, if I may…” Anna began rather shyly. I nodded for her to continue as she tightened the corset around my waist. “I believe your father, the great king, knows you far too well. He fears that you will fall in love and forget your father. That all you do will be about the prince. That you’ll forget your responsibilities to your family and care little about what your father wants to teach you. The time will come milady. Your father loves you dearly, and loves dancing with his little princess. I heard him say so ‘imself. He was boasting about spending the whole evenin’ dancing with his beautiful Ella. But trust me Princess, the day will come. He’ll let a prince step in eventually. And he won’t let it be some boy who’ll go hurtin’ you after. He wants the best for you, and he’ll only let the best cut in. But only when the time is right, he loves you!”
By now Anna was finished fixing Ella’s hair into perfect ringlets. She looked beautiful, but her mind was on what Anna had said. Would he really let the perfect prince cut in at the perfect time? It felt like her father would never let her go. However, so far there hadn’t been the perfect prince – so could she blame her father for protecting her? Some princes seemed nice from a distance, but on the inside, they didn’t seem worth the fight with her father.
Hours past, Ella was still sitting at her mirror just thinking and wondering about what Anna had said. A knock on her chamber door startled her. “Ella?” Her father’s strong caring voice was heard from the other side. Ella jumped up to open the door for her father. There he stood, tall with dark brown eyes that showed Ella how much he cared for her. “Are you ready for tonight my love?” He asked. Ella’s worried and confused expression quickly changed into a smile. She knew Anna was right, her father cared so much for her.
“Yes! I am ready.”
“Wonderful! Tonight I only have one daughter to dance with. My precious Ella,” he turned to leave,
“Wait, Father…” Ella reached for her father’s strong arm. He turned to look at her, “I love you!” She embraced him.
“I love you too! More than you can even understand.” He smiled.
The evening soon arrived, as did the many guests. There were princes from all around the kingdom, and all to dance with Princess Nicole and Princess Claire. Both of Ella’s sisters looked beautiful, it was sure all the princes would fall in love with them – if they allowed it. Before the royal entrance, the three sisters and their father stood behind the large double doors leading to the ballroom.
The head guard’s voice could be heard loud and clear, “All rise for Princess Nicole,” Nicole entered, curtsied and stepped to the right. “Princess Claire,” Claire entered, curtsied and also stepped to the right. “And now, our Great King and his youngest Princess Ella,” With my arm wrapped around my father’s, we entered together. I curtsied and he bowed his head in respect for his many guests. I stepped to the right, joining my sisters. Our father gave a short welcome, and commenced the dancing to begin. Immediately princes began to ask my sisters to dance. And immediately, my father took my hand and together we walked to the dance floor.
As we danced I looked around the room, there were so many princes. They all seemed so gentle and kind. A part of me was glad to be dancing with my father, and part of me wished I could dance with a prince. All in a moment my eyes met with a prince’s. I had known that prince for a while, but hardly had a chance to speak to him. In my heart I wanted so badly to dance with him, for him to sweep me off my feet and carry me away.
“Not yet my precious daughter,” my father’s reassured. I looked up, my focus returned to my father, and we continued dancing.
The End
Nicole was nineteen and had decided at a young age she wasn’t going to marry anyone, she would rather move to India and show poor people that royalty care about them. Ella often looked up to her older sister’s compassion and eagerness to help, but was confused at why she wouldn’t want to be married anyways. Claire, at eighteen, was rather opposite of Nicole, she loved to sneak out of the palace and go down to the stables to ride horses. At least, that’s what she would tell Nicole and Ella, but in the darkness of the night, Ella would often follow her sister in secret. Rather than riding, she would spend the entire night talking with the stable boy, Nathan. Or on the odd occasion they would go riding together. And it was clear that Claire would rather marry the low stable boy than any prince.
Ella on the other hand would much rather fall in love and have a perfect fairy-tale. She wanted someone to take her to balls, someone to dance with, and someone who would care for her and their children as he ruled his kingdom. But for Ella, it felt like that would never happen. Her father knew her feelings, her father knew everything. He even knew Nicole’s dreams and Claire’s secrets, but he wanted what was best for his daughters. He wanted them to be treated right and cared for. He wanted his two oldest daughters to be treated the way Ella longed to be treated.
“Milady,” Anna’s soft voice distracted Ella’s gloomy thoughts.
“Yes?”
“Would you like me to help you’s dressing?” She asked as she pulled the beautiful silk purple gown from the wardrobe. It has belonged to Ella’s mother many years ago before. Sadly, her mother had died seven years prior. Now, Ella gratefully accepted the offer of help. “Miss’m, is something bothering you?” Anna gently asked.
Ella didn’t often share her thoughts or feelings with anyone aside from her father. But her father seemed too set in his ways. “Why is my father forcing my sisters to find husbands – yet he won’t let me even dance with anyone? I’m only a year younger than Claire! I don’t understand!” She mourned.
“Mmm, milady, if I may…” Anna began rather shyly. I nodded for her to continue as she tightened the corset around my waist. “I believe your father, the great king, knows you far too well. He fears that you will fall in love and forget your father. That all you do will be about the prince. That you’ll forget your responsibilities to your family and care little about what your father wants to teach you. The time will come milady. Your father loves you dearly, and loves dancing with his little princess. I heard him say so ‘imself. He was boasting about spending the whole evenin’ dancing with his beautiful Ella. But trust me Princess, the day will come. He’ll let a prince step in eventually. And he won’t let it be some boy who’ll go hurtin’ you after. He wants the best for you, and he’ll only let the best cut in. But only when the time is right, he loves you!”
By now Anna was finished fixing Ella’s hair into perfect ringlets. She looked beautiful, but her mind was on what Anna had said. Would he really let the perfect prince cut in at the perfect time? It felt like her father would never let her go. However, so far there hadn’t been the perfect prince – so could she blame her father for protecting her? Some princes seemed nice from a distance, but on the inside, they didn’t seem worth the fight with her father.
Hours past, Ella was still sitting at her mirror just thinking and wondering about what Anna had said. A knock on her chamber door startled her. “Ella?” Her father’s strong caring voice was heard from the other side. Ella jumped up to open the door for her father. There he stood, tall with dark brown eyes that showed Ella how much he cared for her. “Are you ready for tonight my love?” He asked. Ella’s worried and confused expression quickly changed into a smile. She knew Anna was right, her father cared so much for her.
“Yes! I am ready.”
“Wonderful! Tonight I only have one daughter to dance with. My precious Ella,” he turned to leave,
“Wait, Father…” Ella reached for her father’s strong arm. He turned to look at her, “I love you!” She embraced him.
“I love you too! More than you can even understand.” He smiled.
The evening soon arrived, as did the many guests. There were princes from all around the kingdom, and all to dance with Princess Nicole and Princess Claire. Both of Ella’s sisters looked beautiful, it was sure all the princes would fall in love with them – if they allowed it. Before the royal entrance, the three sisters and their father stood behind the large double doors leading to the ballroom.
The head guard’s voice could be heard loud and clear, “All rise for Princess Nicole,” Nicole entered, curtsied and stepped to the right. “Princess Claire,” Claire entered, curtsied and also stepped to the right. “And now, our Great King and his youngest Princess Ella,” With my arm wrapped around my father’s, we entered together. I curtsied and he bowed his head in respect for his many guests. I stepped to the right, joining my sisters. Our father gave a short welcome, and commenced the dancing to begin. Immediately princes began to ask my sisters to dance. And immediately, my father took my hand and together we walked to the dance floor.
As we danced I looked around the room, there were so many princes. They all seemed so gentle and kind. A part of me was glad to be dancing with my father, and part of me wished I could dance with a prince. All in a moment my eyes met with a prince’s. I had known that prince for a while, but hardly had a chance to speak to him. In my heart I wanted so badly to dance with him, for him to sweep me off my feet and carry me away.
“Not yet my precious daughter,” my father’s reassured. I looked up, my focus returned to my father, and we continued dancing.
The End
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