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Post by Callie on Jun 21, 2007 15:09:07 GMT -4
Getting out of the house had been remarkably easy.
While everybody thought she was happy in her room colouring as usual, Callie had gone exploring.
Mummy had been busy with her important teaching.... at least Callie thought that's what she did, she wasn't sure, sometimes people went to her complaining of headaches, and she wasn't sure what that had to do with teaching.
Daddy had been busy in his lab, and there'd been nobody else around, so the nine year old had made a break for it.
She didn't get to go out very often, and Mister Fuzzy had very much wanted to see the grounds of the large castle complex, so they'd gone for a walk. As long as they stayed within the castle walls nobody would get mad at them, right?
They'd stopped worrying as soon as they saw the maze.
"I don't think it's that way at all." Callie told Mr Fuzzy adamantly, "Look at that little flower on the hedge, we've already been that way."
Yes, getting out of the house had been remarkably easy.
Getting out of this maze...not so much.
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Post by Kitty Pryde on Jun 21, 2007 15:44:07 GMT -4
In one of the maze’s dead ends, Katherine sat cross-legged in the grass, the skirts of her pale yellow dress spread out about her and her small book of poetry open in her lap. It was her secret place. While most people who ventured through the maze tried to avoid the dead ends, Katherine actually sought them out. Here she was away from prying eyes and the belittling comments of her sisters. She could let go of the proper image she tried to uphold and just be herself.
Whoever that was.
Closing the book, she reached a hand up to rub her brow against the impending headache before pausing to strain her ears. Were those voices she heard? Listening closely she quickly confirmed that it was a single voice and that it was getting closer. Quickly pulling her slippers back on, she jumped up and frantically brushed the grass from her skirt. As the voice reached her.
The excuse she had quickly died on her tongue as her eyes actually fell downward onto the little girl. Katherine recognised her instantly from her many visits to Miss Frost.
“Why hello, Clarissa,” she said sweetly, giving the young girl a curtsey. “What brings you out here?”
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Post by Callie on Jun 21, 2007 15:49:48 GMT -4
Callie was so intently arguing with Mister Fuzzy that she hadn't even realised there was somebody else there until she spoke.
She blinked up at the older girl, suddenly realising who it was, she gave an awkward curtsy herself.
She wasn't exactly sure how she was supposed to address the princess, so she tried them all out "Hello Miss Princess Katherine, your highness." she said all in one breath "I got lost..." she admitted sheepishly, flashing an intentionally cute smile.
Cuteness helped, especially if she wasn't supposed to be here, just in case...
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Post by Kitty Pryde on Jun 21, 2007 20:44:39 GMT -4
Katherine smiled brightly when Clarissa dropped into a curtsy herself, albeit a much less practised one than the princess had performed. There was only really one way to describe the child, and that was simply adorable.
“That’s alright. Can I tell you a secret?” she said, leaning down and placing her hands on her knees to bring her closer to the little girl’s eye level. “I get lost in here all the time,” she whispered. “And please, just call me Katherine.”
It was true, she often got lost, but for her it was intentional.
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Post by Callie on Jun 21, 2007 21:13:22 GMT -4
Callie smiled shyly, she wasn't really used to being around people who weren't her parents, or when her parents weren't there, but Katherine was very nice, just like a princess should be of course. Callie knew, she read about it in books.
She paused for a moment, as if listening to something, then nodded enthusiastically.
"Mister fuzzy says you're very pretty, pr..um..Katherine." she smiled brightly at the older girl.
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Post by Kitty Pryde on Jun 21, 2007 21:32:47 GMT -4
A look of confusion settled over Katherine’s features for a moment before giving way to an almost wistful smile. An imaginary friend. Oh, to be so young and imaginative again… but what for? Wasn’t she already living out every little girl’s dream? She was a princess! She lived in an amazing castle surrounded by the most beautiful landscape! Sometimes she felt so ungrateful for even doubting her happiness for a second.
“Well, please thank Mister Fuzzy for me. That was very kind of him to say,” she replied, unconsciously straitening up and picking a blade of grass from her skirt.
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Post by Callie on Jun 21, 2007 21:40:47 GMT -4
Callie brightened up considerably when she heard that - not only was Princess Katherine nice, she wasn't mad at her about Mister Fuzzy - and grown ups usually gave her disapproving looks or just ignored her when she mentioned him.
"What's it like being a princess?" She asked, eyes wide with curiosity.
Katherine had officially enamoured herself to Callie forever now, and the small girl was fascinated by her. She was so elegant and beautiful, all the princesses were, but the two older ones scared Callie a little, Katherine was just as lovely as she looked.
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Post by Kitty Pryde on Jun 22, 2007 21:18:50 GMT -4
Such a simple question, but one not so simple to answer. Katherine couldn’t really remember not being a princess, so she was certain she would appreciate it much more if she had the comparison.
“Well… why don’t sit down and I’ll tell you all about it?” she said, brightly. Now that the threat had passed, she reclaimed her position in the soft grass. Picking up the book she had dropped she set it in her lap so she wouldn’t forget it.
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Post by Callie on Jun 22, 2007 21:23:18 GMT -4
Callie eagerly plonked herself cross-legged down on the grass next to Katherine, looking up expectantly at the princess.
She noticed the book the other girl picked up and looked at it curiously for a moment, she liked books, she liked books a lot....
But the prospect of being told about real life princesses was just too great to ignore, so she looked back up at Katherine with wide eyes, waiting.
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Post by Kitty Pryde on Jun 23, 2007 12:37:21 GMT -4
The child was so excited and awed that Katherine couldn’t tell her the truth: that more often than not her life was just plain boring. She wouldn’t lie, she would just… embellish a little.
“It’s like everything you’ve ever read in storybooks,” she began, leaning toward Clarissa and lowering her voice as if sharing a great secret. “I have wardrobes full of dresses and jewels, servants to cater to my every whim, and a room larger than my old house!”
Now where had that come from? Closing her eyes for a moment to try to blink away the increasing pain in her head, she held her smile before opening them again. “Now is there anything in particular you want to know? I’ll try my best to answer.”
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Post by Callie on Jun 24, 2007 12:34:30 GMT -4
Callie listened intently, thrilled that the books really were right - because they wouldn't be very good books if they were all lies now, would they?
She bit her lip, trying to think of a very clever question she could ask the princess that would make her seem grown up and important.... but she couldn't think of anything. So she settled for an age-old classic.
"Do you have a handsome prince?" She asked curiously.
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Post by Kitty Pryde on Jun 24, 2007 13:22:20 GMT -4
Katherine’s eyes grew quite wide at Clarissa’s question. She should have guessed that a little girl who read fairytales would ask about a prince. There was always a prince in the stories.
But not in Katherine’s story.
There was someone, though. Someone who had caught her fancy. But it was wrong.
Why does it have to be wrong?
Her head was pounding. Someone so beautiful. No, it was disgusting.
Why is it disgusting?
Her head was throbbing.
“N-no. No prince,” she stuttered, rubbing a firm hand across her brow as if to push the headache away. “But I’m young yet. I’m sure father will find someone suitable for me. Maybe at the next ball we throw?”
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Post by Callie on Jun 24, 2007 13:56:10 GMT -4
If Callie noticed anything wrong, she didn't mention it.
She nodded enthusiastically "Uh-huh," she agreed "Balls are good places for princes, that's what the books say."
And, as they'd already clarified, the books seemed to have got it quite right.
"Oh, or towers and things, but you don't really have any bad people who'd lock you in towers, so I guess the ball is the way to go." She grinned
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Post by Kitty Pryde on Jun 24, 2007 14:03:51 GMT -4
Katherine had to laugh at the little girl’s enthusiasm, though what did it say about a princess whose most enjoyable conversation in days was with a nine year old? She would rather not thing about it.
“True, but sadly, no dragons either,” she replied. Dragons were always the villains in the stories, but Katherine had always found them beautiful and fascinating. Much more so than unicorns. “Oh, the balls here are wonderful! There is always a live band and the most delicious food! And everyone is dressed so spectacularly, and they’re all so happy!”
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Post by Callie on Jun 24, 2007 17:28:01 GMT -4
"Wow really?" Callie asked excitedly "Mummy and daddy have been to balls at the castle before, but I always have to stay home." she confided to Katherine in a mournful tone "But they said when I'm older I can come too! I bet you look super pretty at balls!"
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