Glass Slippers [1st Draft]

31. Two Years Later

Chapter Thirty-One:

Two Years Later

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The palace was in an uproar and Mrs. Landon was not surprised in the least. After all, it was the wedding day of the Prince and the soon to be Princess, everything had to be perfect. Even the royals of the court were rushing about doing last minute preparation, especially the visiting ones— she'd even passed Gardenia Hedgeworth dressed in palm fronds helping with the flowers.

At least Mrs. Landon thought they were flowers. They looked like it, she just hoped the crafty old woman wasn't up to anything. But if Gardenia wasn't, others would be.

In fact, Prince Leopold had to change his doublet twice after two incidents with Harriet and a glass of wine, and Princess Sophia had her work cut out for her convincing her betrothed that bare feet at a wedding was not a custom amongst humans, especially in a royal court.

Even Estella, who was visiting for the wedding, had a job to do. Although Linette had steadfastly refused to go to the wedding, instead choosing to stay home with her newfound companion, Edina had jumped at the chance, leaving the kinder step-sister to show her around the palace while doing her best to avoid the paths of eligible gentlemen of the court. No one really deserved to have Edina set on them.

However, while the royals and the other servants and maids were given the tasks of decorating the Great Hall, cooking the feast for after, cleaning the palace spotless, and making sure they were presentable, Mrs. Landon had a different job. A job she fondly called Corden Duty.

Two years ago, she had returned back from a trip visiting her sister, a maid at a finishing school for girls that specialized in dancing, to find a note from Clara waiting for her, telling her to come to the palace when she could. The very next morning she had set out and by the evening she and her family had been installed in the palace as three of the palace's new workers. While her husband and son worked in the stables and the armory, Mrs. Landon had been given the job that she loved most.

Her job was to look after the Corden siblings and watch them all be happy and live the lives they deserved. That being said, her current job included the dubious pleasure of convincing a certain curly-haired redhead to wear a dress, and she was making very little headway. Thankfully, Amelia and James had been much more compliant when it came to getting into their clothes, but as always, Harriet was being stubborn.

"Frederick said I didn't have to wear one of I didn't want to," Harriet argued, her wiry arms crossed over her chest tightly. "He said I could wear trousers like I usually do."

"That's because Prince Frederick spoils you. Remember, dear, we agreed on this, you, Clara, and I, did a month ago. You would wear a dress for the ceremony but change into trousers after. I thought you were happy with the decision?"

Harriet threw herself back onto her bed with a groan forgoing answering to instead mess up the hairstyle that Mrs. Landon had just meticulously set. Mrs. Landon did her best not to scowl at the fifteen-year-old.

"But I don't want to wear a dress at all! They're weird and uncomfortable and unbelievably frilly." Harriet pointed at the dress she was supposed to wear. "And it's yellow! What possessed Clara to pick the color yellow?"

"Clara likes the color yellow and it's her wedding day," Mrs. Landon replied, beginning to get a bit exasperated with Harriet. "She will only get this experience once, and I will not have you ruining it for her. She has been dreaming of marrying for love since before you were born, do not mess this up," Mrs. Landon said, pointing a wrinkled finger at the pouting teenager.