The Lost Princess - A 'Selection' spinoff

CHAPTER 55

"We all ready?" Ella asked, looking around in her chambers.

Practically every female person in the palace were dressing up in her room - they all chatted about as tens of maids helped them with their dresses and hair and makeup.

It felt like a unicorn had threw up glitter and dresses everywhere.

Corsets, bras and lacy underwear were strewn all around her once impeccable chambers, and Ella had seen a lot more of the women than she wanted too.

"Wait just a minute. I need to curl my hair like Lo's," her Aunt called out.

Ella stared at herself on the mirror, enjoying the few minutes she would get before she was pushed out of the way - she was in her green dress, the locket Eric gifted on her neck, and her multiple rings glistening on her fingers. Her right hand was in a sling, and her wound was still bandaged. Her make up had been done in such a way that she looked older, more feminine.

"You look good," Adelaide said, coming to stand beside her.

"You're one to talk," Ella said, smiling at her drop dead gorgeous friend.

"Oh Ella?" she heard Queen Vienna call from the inside.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I'm borrowing one of your dresses," Vienna said. "We're about the same size, and I don't like my current one. Makes me look pasty".

"Yeah. Sure," Ella said listlessly.

"Seriously, who did these people stand each other during their Selection," Adelaide asked her.

"We can hear you," Elizabeth said.

Ella and Adelaide looked at each other quickly, before walking to her table and seeing the masks scattered on it. Each and every one of it was gold in color - they had all decided that it would be easier for them to recognize each other in the crowd, if ever they needed something.

"Did you invite Kate after the..." Adelaide trailed off, looking at Ella nervously.

"No," she replied shortly.

"Don't you think-".

"No," Ella said, her voice ringing in the suddenly quiet room. "It takes a long time to hurt me, to make me truly angry, but after that, I neither forget, nor do I forgive".

"Ella-".

"No. She is not my friend, and never was," she said. "And I see no point in discussing this matter further".

There was a short pause.

"You remind me of your grandmothers," Mei said, breaking the silence.

Ella nodded at her through the mirror.

Adelaide sighed, and took one of the masks on the table and tied it around her eyes - it was beautiful with a bit of green feathers fluttering on the side. Ella gave her a thumbs up, and Adelaide walked away to join the others.

Ella picked one of them up - the least gaudy looking one with delicate filigree work.

"Looks nice?" she asked herself, testing it by keeping it over her face.

"Looks gorgeous," Johanna said, coming beside her and tying it for her.

"I won't be surprised if one visiting Princes propose on the spot," Laura said, coming near her too, and winking at her through the mirror.

Ella sighed.

"It's like having nine extra mothers with you all here," she said. "Four to five of which are those who try to set me up with random people".