From there it was all torture. Sheer torture.
Cinderella felt like a bug under a large magnifier. Not just by Stepmama. She caught several covert glances from Prince, which only flooded her cheeks with an uncomfortable warmth. He could not know who she was, could he? Non, non. Impossible.
There were also worried perusals from Essie.
"It was the strangest thing, it flew out of the air like….like magic," Pricilla demurred with a soft laugh, reveling in the sudden attention.
Cinderella listened to Pricilla's less-than-animated version of the afternoon's wind; however, the smug glance Pricilla shot Essie was not at all nice. Pricilla clearly laid blame of the wind on Essie's unfortunate affliction. Cinderella pressed her lips together, irritated with Pricilla's self-satisfied complacency.
The wrath of Athena. Well, it took time for some things to change.
"I'm sorry, dear?" Queen Thomasine inquired.
Oh, no. She'd said it aloud? There was no hiding the fire in her cheeks with everyone's eyes bearing down on her.
"Who's Athena?" Essie asked quickly, plainly grateful for Cinderella's untimely words. Pricilla, on the other end of the spectrum, gnashed her teeth.
"The Greek goddess of wisdom, Lady Esmeralda," the queen told her. The awkward moment passed. "You'll find her pond on the most southern area of the gardens. Another of my preferences."
"One of Zeus's favorite daughters," Cinderella squeaked.
"Ah, certainment. The embodiment of strategy and justice." Prince intervened. It drew the attention away from Essie, and for that Cinderella thanked the heavens. She let out a slow breath and gave him a shy smile of thanks.
Pricilla shook her head, light blond curls brushing her cheek. It gave off a decided feminine delicacy any man in his right mind would be hard-pressed to resist. A slight smile touched Pricilla's lips making her appear, quite…irritatingly so…beautiful. Cinderella stifled a groan. She didn't want Pricilla to be beautiful, too. She would never stand a chance against the both of her stepsisters.
But Pricilla marched on, recounting how the air shimmered with sparkles. The full sharpness of her wit sunk Cinderella. The more Pricilla talked, the lower Cinderella fell. Fortunately, nothing was said regarding their uncontrollable, unladylike giggles that had them sounding like a gaggle of geese. Small mercy, that, under Stepmama's fierce perusal.
The king bellowed. "And you, Son? How did you and Arnald spend your day?" His voice startled Cinderella in its blast. The library was just not large enough for a sound such as his. Apparently, he knew only one volume.
From the corner of her eye, both Essie and Pricilla were struggling to contain sudden grins. Surely they would not burst into another fit of giggles now.