A princess story- Part 10

   Evelyn, Lily and I walked the halls until we reached the courtyard, where my parents and Lady Aquilla would have their carriages.
   "They're over there," Lily pointed to a carriage.
   "Grace, I thought you were in the carriage!" my mother shrieked as Evelyn and I ran to meet my mother and my father.
   "I'm not Grace, I'm Evelyn," Evelyn calmly said.
   "Evelyn?" My father gasped. "You know your sister, Sabrina?"
   "Father, I am Elise, not Sabrina," I replied, as Lady Aquilla stepped out of her carriage.
   "Father? What are  you doing here? I thought you were in Germany!" Aquilla asked.
   "Aquilla, you are Sabrina, a Norwegian princess. I am the Norwegian king, also your father from Germany. Evelyn, I am your father also, and you are a Norwegian princess, and this," my father beckoned to the carriage, and my sister Grace stepped out, "is your twin sister Grace."
   "What?!" all of us girls shrieked.
   "It's true, girls," Mother smiled, sadly.
   "Whoa, all this is so strange," Lily spoke up.
   "Brit Nilsdatter?" Father turned, with a look of shock on his face.
   "No, I'm Lily Olesdatter, her daughter," Lily replied.
   "Well, you look and sound just like your mother," Father sighed.
   "Father, who is Brit Nilsdatter?" I questioned. Why would my father recognize a mere servant from the British court?
   "Aunt Marit's maid, from when I was a little prince. Brit was the same age as I, and we were friends. How ironic that Brit's daughter is your friend," Father explained.
   This was all very strange to me at the time, but now I am Queen Elise, as Edward's mother died in a wreck a couple months ago, and the King has been dead for quite some time. I have accepted the strangeness of this whole thing, and Lily is one of my lady-in-waitings, and Sabrina, Evelyn, and Grace are back in Norway with Mother and Father.

The End

A princess story- Part 9

   On the carriage ride, I spoke to Lily. "What do you think about this whole thing? I'm dreadfully perplexed."
   "I'm sure that Lady Aquilla is your sister. I mean, it only makes sense!" Lily replied.
   "Hmm, I suppose we'll find out when my parents get here for the wedding. About the wedding. I don't know if I like Prince Edward or not, but I guess my opinion doesn't really matter in this situation," I mused.
   "Yeah, sure. What is your sister's name?" Lily asked, quite off topic.
   "I have 3 sisters, one died at birth, and she was Evelyn. There is Grace, who is Evelyn's twin and there was my twin, Sabrina," I said, dreamily.
   "Evelyn? I know a maid named Evelyn, she doesn't look exactly like you, but very similar and she's from Norway," Lily gasped.
   "Wow, this is getting stranger by the minute! Can you have Evelyn meet me in my room tonight?" I asked.
   "Sure, Elise, I will try," Lily jumped out of the carriage as it rolled to a stop.

   Sophie the housekeeper came running out of the kitchen and ran over to the carriage. "Your Highness, Prince Edward wishes to speak with you about something. He is waiting for you in the throne room," she explained.
   "I see, Sophie. I am on my way over now," I hurried out of the carriage and into the castle. I sped down the castle hallways until I reached the throne room. I knocked, was told to enter, and I walked in, curtsied in front of the prince, and asked, "Yes, Your Highness?"
   "Elise, your parents are coming, as they have been for over two weeks, and said they met a messenger with a message from you earlier today. They say that they will arrive in less than a day," Prince Edward explained.
   "Oh! Thank you so much for telling me, I did send a message to them," I curtsied again.
   "Elise, please don't curtsy, I do hate it awfully," Prince Edward smiled.
   "Oh, I do apologize," I returned the smile.
   "You may go, now," said the prince.
   "Goodbye, Edward," I turned and left the throne room.
   "Goodbye," Edward laughed.

   Later that day, I told Lily to bring Evelyn to me, to see if we truly resembled each other.
   "Your Highness," Evelyn curtsied, and I gasped.
   "Evelyn, you look exactly like my sister Grace!" I referred to my younger sister, who was 12.
   "The name does sound familiar, as if my father had spoken of her," Evelyn smiled.
   "Princess Elise, your parents are here," Sophie knocked on my door.
   "I'm coming!" I told Sophie. To Evelyn I said, "Do come with me. I would appreciate it!"
   "Princess Elise, Lady Aquilla has come, and is waiting for you," Lily told me from outside the door.

A princess story- Part 8

   "Why, yes of course that's the Norwegian king, I thought I told you that last week," Lord Patrick explained.
   How is this possible? My father looks exactly like Lady Aquilla's "father"? This is strange. "Lord Patrick, is it true that this looks like Lady Aquilla's 'father'?" I asked hesitantly.
   "Yes, I know it is strange, but it is true, nonetheless," Lord Patrick mumbled.
   "Princess Elise, is it possible that your father and mine are related? Maybe even brothers?" Lady Aquilla questioned.
   "Lady Aquilla, I believe you are my twin. How could our fathers be brothers if you are my sister?" I asked in reply.
   "I don't know. But I don't really HATE Norway, just I don't like it that much, I mean, Germany in itself doesn't exactly like Norway," Lady Aquilla sighed, quite quietly.
 
   After chatting for a long while, Lord Patrick cleared his throat, and said, "I think I hear the dinner bell. What do you say we go have luncheon?"
   "That's sounds wonderful? May Lily eat with us? I know she is but a servant, but she is a wonderful friend," I questioned.
   "That's fine, sometimes Aquilla's servant, Bethany, eats with us," Lord Patrick replied.
 
   Soon after we finished eating, the carriage driver came up and asked, "Your Highness, a messenger from the palace came. You are to return to the castle, as you are needed. May we depart?"
   "Oh, yes of course, excuse me Lady Aquilla and Lord Patrick. Come along Lily," I fumbled my words. What was going on? Who needed me? This situation was puzzling.

   I ran out to the carriage, dragging Lily behind me. The carriage driver set the carriage into motion, and we sped off towards the castle.

A princess story- Part 7

   After I finished a letter to my parents, Lady Aquilla woke up. "Who are you?" she asked of me.
   "I am Princess Elise of Norway, at your service," I did a mock bow, as a joke.
   "I see," Lady Aquilla sighed, without a hint of a smile.
   "What's wrong, my dear?" Lord Patrick questioned.
   "I hate Norway. They ruined my life!" Lady Aquilla shrieked.
   "Wha-a-at?" I gasped.
   "My father said that the Norwegian king tried to kidnap me, and then we had to go into hiding! I'm a noble, and I shouldn't be forced to hide! We had to live in a shack for the time I was 1, to my 12 birthday!" Lady Aquilla whined.
   "Forgive her, she's not normally like this. I think it's the fact that you look exactly like her," Lord Patrick leaned over and whispered in my ear.
   "Lady Aquilla, my father did not try to kidnap you! Your "father", who was an impostor, kidnapped you and had to hide because of it. I had a identical twin, but she was kidnapped by a man from Germany!" I explained, rather dramatically.
   "Do you have a painting of the Norwegian king?" Aquilla asked.
   "Yes, it so happens that I do," Lord Patrick smiled, before I could say anything.
   "Where?" Lady Aquilla frowned.
   "Myron, please bring the painting in my room, above the fireplace," Lord Patrick called the butler.
 
   When Myron returned, he handed the framed painting to Lord Patrick. "That's the Norwegian king? I always thought that was my father!" Aquilla shrieked.

A princess story- Part 6

   "Lady Aquilla, a visitor for you," the butler spoke as he opened the doors to the dining hall.
   "Myron, tell them I'll be with them in a moment. I have to freshen up a bit. Show them to the parlor, please," Lady Aquilla's voice floated out of the dining hall.
   "Yes, Lady Aquilla," Myron turned towards his left and beckoned to Lily and I. "Come along, Your Highness," he said.
   "I'm following you, butler," I growled. I was used to having my way and getting what I wanted when I wanted it.
   "Elise, it's not Myron's fault that Lady Aquilla has to freshen up. You heard her," Lily whispered in my ear.
 
   After Lily and I sat in the parlor for ten minutes, Lady Aquilla appeared. She screamed, fainted, and Lord Patrick came running, asking, "Is there a burglar?" over and over.
   I flopped on the floor next to Lady Aquilla, wondering if we truly looked just alike. I thought, "Maybe I can fool Lord Patrick! I fooled the butler!"
   Lord Patrick came in the door and screamed like a girl. "Aquilla! Which one is the impostor?" he gasped.
   "Neither one is an impostor, you, you, you monster!" Lily shrieked.
   Lady Aquilla sat up, screamed again, and fainted another time. I laughed, saying, "Lord Patrick, I'm Princess Elise from Norway, and I'm pleased to meet you. Apparently your wife and I are twin sisters."
   Lord Patrick looked at me, gasped, and said, "That could be possible. You see, Aquilla came from Germany, and her "father", my distant cousin, said that her birth certificate burned up in a fire that destroyed his home, and I had never heard anything about a fire. I didn't believe him then, and now I'm almost positive that he kidnapped Aquilla to marry me when I grew up. Our marriage was arranged by him and my father, neither of who were exactly honest."
   "Can I have a piece of paper and some ink?" I asked.
   "Why of course! Did you want a pen too?" Patrick laughed.
   "Yes, please," I snickered.

A princess story- Part 5

   Twenty minutes later, I had eaten breakfast and was on the way to Lord Patrick's estate. I had asked for Lily to come with me, as she was a good friend. I wanted her to be with me if Lady Aquilla and I were truly sisters.

   As we drove up to the carriage entrance, Lily spoke. "Elise, are you and Lady Aquilla sisters?" she asked.
   "I don't know, but it is possible. I might have a twin sister, and she might be Aquilla. But there are many variables in this situation," I explained to my dear friend.
   "What do you mean, you 'might have a twin sister'? Wouldn't you know if you had a sister?" Lily questioned, not understanding.
   "Well, not in this case. You see, if I did have a twin sister, she was kidnapped before the age of one, so I never knew her," I tried to explain.
    "Oh," Lily said as the carriage stopped. Lily helped me out of the carriage, and we went to knock on the front door of the estate. The butler opened the door, and gasped.
   "Lady Aquilla, aren't you in the dining room?" the butler questioned.
   "I'm not Lady Aquilla. I'm Princess Elise of Norway. I would like to speak with Lady Aquilla, though," I clearly pronounced.
   "Come in, Your Highness," the butler bowed, clearly embarrassed about the confusion.
   As the butler led us down the hallway towards the dining room, Lily whispered to me, "Elise, if Lady Aquilla was kidnapped before she was one, would she remember having a sister?"
   "No, I didn't think of that! Uh-oh, this is not good," I gasped.

   "Whoa! There's snow everywhere! I've got to get outside!" Julia jumped towards the window just after she woke up.
 
   "Wake up, Tina, wake up!" Julia ran into her older sister's bedroom.
   "It's too early to get up. It's Christmas break, Julia!" Tina didn't even open her eyes.
   "Tina, there's snow!" Julia cried. Tina's eyes flew open. "Snow!?" she exclaimed.
   "SNOW!" Julia shook Tina's shoulders.
   "Oh, my!" Tina launched herself out of the bed.

   "I'm going to get outside before you do!" Julia rushed down the stairs as fast as she dared.
   "Oh, no you aren't!" Tina raced down the hall to the mud room.

   In the end, Tina and Julia reached the snow at the same time. They threw themselves in to the snow backwards, and started making snow angels.
   "Mine's bigger!" Tina laughed.
   "Mine's neater!" Julia countered.

   Ten minutes later, the window for the girls' brother's bedroom opened. "Bombs away!"  Teddy started chucking snowballs made from the snow on the ledge outside his window.
   "Run, Tina!" Julia headed for her treehouse.
   "Safe at last," Tina said when she climbed into the treehouse out back.

THE END