Into The Woods

True to her word, Ella set about arranging the picnic for her and Felix for the following afternoon. In fact, it took most of that evening and the next morning preparing everything she wished to. The kitchen staff was more than accommodating, and with the help of a few servants to locate the other items she'd planned to bring, Ella was ready to meet with Felix for their afternoon sojourn. She had even walked through the grounds near the castle to find just the right spot.

( She had high hopes for the afternoon...definitely too high, she told herself firmly. )

Ella expected a trip to the marketplace to be much more of an ordeal to secure, but she had underestimated her sway already. Each time someone suggested she take a bigger carriage, or more guards, or perhaps had the vendors come to her (as the tailor, royal jeweler, and so on already had)....Ella simply smiled and said no, she was quite pleased to be traveling with just a guard, and two close by, and one lady-in-waiting. The were perfectly happy walking; it was not that far as the town was fairly close to the castle as it was. In the end, she did compromise on the carriage, for her lady's less sturdy constitution and the sake of their slippers (as Felix had said, they weren't really good for anything). She did hope that she could take a short bit of time to visit her mother's grave.

( Thankfully, they did not garner as much attention as she worried they might. )

Ella had almost made it outside her quarters before the retinue stopped her. With a good-natured smile, albeit of chagrin, she turned back to the ladies that the Queen had insisted she employ for her needs. Goodness, her needs? Ella managed not to gawk at that. What needs could she possibly have? It turned out quite a few, if her ladies were to be believed. Ella could never put her hair just right; her dress was always wrong for the activity she chose; it was far too early or too late or too close to this meeting or that audience to go out....if it wasn't so delightfully funny, Ella might have protested. Instead, she just humored all of them and let them do as they pleased with her. They did know better, after all.

( Sweet freedom.. )