Broken Ever Afters

Chapter Eleven

I have never been inside a palace before. The yard is prowling with guards making rounds. We are escorted to the main the door where we are welcomed by a man with black, handlebar moustaches. A glass monocle covers his right eye, pinned to his uniform vest breast pocket.

"Welcome to the palace. I am Duke Harrington. Please follow me this way to the Grand Hall."

The Duke walks inside and we follow quietly. We walk through luxurious hallways with carpeted floors. Walls which overlook the garden have French windows with burgundy red curtains while the other walls have either a mantelpiece or tapestry. Mirrors, chandeliers, sofas and flower vases adorned these wide open spaces.

Taking a turn down one of the hallways, we arrive in the Grand Hall. Ornate, marble columns are distributed equally against the walls. The ceiling is festooned with gold and blue streamers. Maids and manservants clean the French windows and arranging their curtains in an ordered, fashionable manner. Another group of maids wash the polished marble floors while others are weaving tulle to balustrade of the grand staircase.

At the far end of the room, there is a platform with a throne and four elegant seats. The Duke walks over to an old man with thick moustaches and heavy eyebrows standing on the platform, discussing with a chamberlain holding a parchment in his hands.

"Your Majesty," Jacob says as he bows.

I quickly follow his queue and curtsy the best way I can since I'm wearing pants. We stay still for a few moments before the King acknowledges our presence. Duke Harrington moves away and the King steps down from his throne with arms wide open.

"Master Grimm! How lovely to see you here!"

The King walks over to Jacob and places one hand on his neck and the other on the side of his arm. They offer each other an understanding smile before the attention turns to me. I can tell by the baffled look on the King's face he's unaccustomed to see women wear pants. My hair has now grown longer, the ends reaching down to my lower back. I cannot see a speck of the vibrant red colour it once had.

"Who might you be my dear?" he asks.

"This is Lady Hartley," Jacob intervenes before I have a chance to answer for myself. "She came here from a kingdom far, far away. Her traditions aren't different from ours except for some which you would find intriguing."

"I can see it alright!" the King smiles. "Welcome, Lady Hartley. I trust you wouldn't mind following some of our traditions while you stay with us?"

"Not at all, your Majesty."

"Excellent!" the King exclaims, waving over to one of the maids. "I'll have someone escort you to your room while I talk to Master Grimm. I'll also have someone help you prepare for tonight's event. You see, you happened to choose a wonderful day to arrive. My daughter got married and we're throwing a ball for the entire realm."

My first ball in the Enchanted Kingdom. Will they give me one of those lush ball gowns? Maybe a nice tiara as well – but it would be asking too much. I'm giddy with excitement like I'm six years old again. I try my best to contain my thrill. The King is still eyeing my strangely. A maid comes in and curtsies to the King.

"Mia, please escort Lady Hartley to one of the guest rooms. Make sure she has something adequate to wear for tonight's celebrations."

Mia, the maid, nods and curtsies before strutting out of the hall. I curtsy and follow her with long strides, trying to avoid breaking into a run in front of the King. We pass many hallways in the same style of the one I first walked in through. My room is on the first floor and it is exactly how I imagined it to be. A four-poster bed with canopy is on my right and a wardrobe and two chairs are on my left. Two French windows lead to the balcony overlooking the palace gardens.