Spellbound: COMPLETE

Chapter Eleven: Ariadne

Ariadne's POV

"Ardeen! Ardeen! Wake up!"

My eyes slowly opened and I saw four of my sisters looking down on me. I hurriedly looked around and realized that I was outside, asleep on a bench.

"What am I doing here?"

"Sleeping," Iris said giggling.

"How did I get out here though?"

Bell shrugged. "One of the guards said he thought he saw you sleepwalking last night."

Charities nodded and reached down to help me up. "Ardeen! Your dress is all wet! Did it rain last night?"

Then what happened came flashing back to me and I sat back on the bench. "Oh, please tell me that was a dream."

"What?" Charities said.

"I had the most terrible dream last night. But it felt so real."

"I'm sure it was just how worried you were last night."

I nodded. "What time is it?"

"You missed breakfast," Iris said as if that was the worst thing that could happen to a person.

"Is it that late?" I asked and my sisters nodded.

"And father wants to see you," Bell said hesitantly. "He's in his study."

"He doesn't know?" I said and stood up.

Charities shook her head. "Good luck. He's not his usual self this morning."

He's not the only one. I thought and walked to my father's study, which was next to the library. I knocked on the door and went in when he called.

"You wanted me, father?"

"Yes," he said looking at some papers he was reviewing. "Please, have a seat."

I sat down and waited until he finally spoke.

"Why didn't you come help judge with Charities?" He looked up at me. "I didn't give you much to do last night, and I find that you managed to get out of the one task I asked of you. It's not like you."

"I did get someone to replace me-"

"Yes, and that's why your punishment isn't going to be as bad as it might have been."

"Punishment?" I asked. I've had punishment enough!

"Yes, you disobeyed my command, and for that there are consequences."

My mouth hung open, I wanted to tell him about what had happened just hours before, but I didn't think he would understand. I didn't even know how much of it was real.

My father looked thoughtful for a moment. "The question is, what should be your punishment?"

"I will take whatever punishment that you deem necessary, father."

He smiled proudly. "My decision is that you have to dance with Lord Tweedle, whom you turned down yesterday when you didn't show up, and you have to spend the next week studying your duties as crown princess. Harriet will help you."

I nodded. "Yes, father." I sighed, and he looked at me expectantly. "I'll dance with Lord Tweedle when he asks me and I'll review my duties as crown princess."

He smiled. "Good. Now, go help Diana get ready for her ball tonight."

I nodded then went out of the room, and back to the common room where everyone was giving Diana their opinion on how amazing she looked in her beautiful light yellow dress; it made her look like she was glowing. We then did her beautiful raven black hair up in a complicated series of braids and curled the ends that hung down with a hot rod. Then we rushed her downstairs to eat something before the ball began.

I knew there would be more children at this dance because Diana herself was only 14 and there would be many gentlemen coming to try and win the last dance with her. Diana's competition was my favorite to watch: each gent was equipped with a few sticks and tomatoes; to use as an arrow without significant injury. They were also given a bow to shoot the stick at their fellow competitors. You win the competition by either finding Diana in the woods under the moonlight, because she was named after the goddess of the moon, before all the others and getting her to the castle unharmed and spotless, or you must be the last man standing without tomato guts on you.

While we were waiting for the competition to start, I danced with a lot of strangers that all reminded me of Peter or Prince Wilson in some form or another; my heart was dying inside. After dancing with a man who was obsessed with his hat - that looked a lot like Peter's - and who kept talking about all the other girls he had danced with, like Lady Layton who he had danced with twice already, I decided to take a break from all the spinning and stepping.

I went over to a couch, not the one I had watched Peter and Lady Layton dance from, and closed my eyes, wishing I could erase the last day from history.

"Princess!" Lord Tweedle said and I opened my eyes to see him bowing in front of me. "I'm so glad I have found thee."

"Yes, and I apologize for yesterday-"

"No need, thou canst make up for it tonight."

"Of course," I answered remembering my promise as I looked away from his gaze but instead found myself staring right into Peter's eyes.

"Do you think we could go for a stroll in front of the castle? I need some fresh air," I said standing up.

"Why of course, milady," Lord Tweedle said and led me outside.

We walked around the orchard of trees twice before I felt like I could breathe properly again. Then we turned to go back to the dance and I found myself staring into chocolate brown eyes. I could not escape now.

"Peter!" I exclaimed. "What are you doing out here?"

"I came to apologize for yesterday."

I looked at him closely, this was more like the Peter I knew, but I still wanted to be cautious as I hadn't had the best of luck as of late.

"For how I treated you last night, it was uncalled for, I give you my most sincere apology," he said with a deep bow.

"I'll forgive you if you forgive me," I replied, remembering the hurtful things I had said.

"There is nothing to forgive," he said sincerely.

"I didn't think..." I started to say, wanting to explain everything, but not really knowing how it happened myself.

"You really didn't think he would kiss you?"

I heard Lord Tweedle gasp.

"No, I didn't know."

He nodded. "Who was he?"

"I also don't know, but someone I wish to never see again."

Peter looked surprised but nodded. "Well I should let you two head back inside, I wouldn't want to be responsible for keeping her majesty waiting."

I smiled, but everything felt so awkward. "Of course, and thank you."

"Ardeen! Ardeen!" I heard Diana yell from a distance.

"What is it, Diana?"

"The dance was so much fun!" She said, her eyes twinkling in the starlight. "I wish every night could be like this!"

"I'm glad you had a great time. Why don't you tell me all about it inside?"

She nodded but didn't wait until we got back inside. Lord Tweedle dismissed himself once we were in the grand hall, which I appreciated, leaving Diana and me to discuss that night's adventures.

So..... thoughts?????