The Gathering Ball
I opened my eyes to hear someone calling my name “Alli come down here, quick!” in a hurry, I jumped out of bed a ran down the stairs. “It's about time you came down”, said Mother. “It's past lunch!”
“What is it?” I asked, completely ignoring Mother “Look! Our soulmate's letters came in!” Lucy shoved her letter into my hands with an excited look on her face, “Read it, read it!” she exclaimed. I opened the letter and scanned through it. It was saying everything this guy had, his name was Jonah, he has tons of carriages, servants, land, and if you couldn't tell already he was rich. “Wow, good for you Lucy,” I said with a fake smile on my face. I was jealous that Lucy got such a lucky man. We lived in a small village cottage in a town in Almery, the king and queen here are very nice, as I have seen them in parades and heard what they do. My dream is to be a part of one of the special activities they do on Christmas Eve, giving out toys to the little kids at the orphanage. “Um, Alli?” I heard Lucy say, I blinked my eyes and turned toward her “Yeah?”, she giggled “Are you daydreaming?”
“Uh, no,” I said, snatching my letter from her hand trotting up the stairs. “Hey!, aren't you going to share who your soulmate is?” I stopped and shook my head “Nope, you just gotta wait until the ball!” I said continuing up. I heard Lucy yelling up the stairs, “But it's not for another four days!”
“Oh well,” I yelled back.
I got to my room and sat on my bed staring at the letter, so many thoughts ran through my head. “What if he's a bad man? What if he's mean? What if he lives on the streets? Some more thoughts started filling in. But what if he's romantic? What if he's a gentleman? What if he's the most handsome guy in the world? I felt a bolt of excitement, I reached for the letter and tore it open. It read “To my beloved. I can't wait to see you at the Gathering Ball, will you accompany me on a dance and walk through the garden with me? We will talk the night away. Until then My princess. signed P.E.”
“Wow,” I thought, laying back on my bed, looking up at the ceiling. “His handwriting is so romantic” I sighed. “He called me his beloved, and princess” My heart was beating a hundred miles an hour, I felt my face start to turn as red as a rose.“Oh!” I exclaimed sitting upright on my bed “I should practice my dancing!” I hopped out of bed, grabbed a broom, and started humming a waltz that will be played at the ball. “One two three, one two three, one two three,” I thought in my head looking down at my feet and seeing if I was doing it right. I heard the creak from the wooden boards of someone walking outside my door. Could it be him? Did he come to my house? “Alli, are you in there”? I heard Mother say, my dreams came crashing down, “Yes Mother, I'm in here”
“May I come in”
“Uh, wait a second” I rushed to put the broom back in my closet where I got it “Alli” I froze “What are you doing with the broom? Are you practicing your dancing for the ball?” I turned around to see Mother standing in the doorway with my door open. “Oh, You silly girl” she giggled “But” she paused “I do come with bad news, you won't be able to attend the ball”
“What! How come!”
“You have too much work to do around the house, and you have to catch up on studying for school. you will eventually meet him but I need you right now” I slowly sat on my bed heartbroken by what she said, I couldn't get a word out. “I'm sorry honey” she started walking out “Wait, what about Lucy? does she still get to go?” Mother turned around “Lucy is all done with her chores and she caught up on school, and doesn't have bad grades”
“But mother”
“No buts Alli, I need you here. Besides you are too young to have a soulmate yet, your only 17” she shut the door. I was devastated by what she just said, tears were streaming down my face. I spent the rest of the day up in my room staring at the ceiling, the sun went down and the crickets started chirping, then the frogs. I woke up sideways on my bed, my stomach growling at me because I didn't eat dinner yesterday. Ever since Mother told me I wasn't able to go, I haven't been hungry. I kept reading the letter over and over, thinking about who he could be “Oh how I wish I could see him” I thought. I heard a knock at the door “Alli, you awake, school starts in 10 minutes” I heard Lucy say “Oh no, school!” I exclaimed “Thank you Lucy I forgot! I'll be down soon!” I jumped out of bed and quickly threw on a dress and headed downstairs. I rushed to the door grabbing an umbrella and quickly slipped on my shoes. “Don't forget your lunch, Alli!” Lucy called as I ran out the door into the pouring rain, I ran back “Thank you!”
“Oh, and don't forget your hat ribbon!” Lucy called again, I ran back again. “Have a good day Alli!” Lucy yelled as I ran down the muddy street. I was about halfway to school when I heard someone call “Excuse me, Miss!, Excuse me!” I saw two horses trot past me and then a young man on the carriage “Excuse me miss” he said again “Why are you running in the rain?” he asked loudly through the wind and rain. “I'm late!” I exclaimed running and holding my hat. “Where are you going?” he asked “What!” I yelled “I said! Where are you going!” he yelled again. It was really hard to hear what he was saying because of the wind and rain, but I managed to make out what he was saying. “I'm going to the Almery Highschool,” I yelled “Would you like a ride!” he exclaimed “Um, I don't know,” I said slowing down to catch my breath “I'm not allowed to ride with strangers”
“Woah” He stopped the carriage and said “well my name is Edward, and you are”
“Im…uh… Sorry Im out of breath, I'm Alli” I said bending over, trying to catch my breath “Well would you like a ride, Alli?”
“My mother wouldn't like it if I took a ride from a stranger”
“We are going to the same place, and looking at the time” Edward looked at his watch “We are both now ten minutes late”
“Oh no! I guess, Thank you” I said getting on the carriage. Edward made a Clicking sound with his mouth and the horses began trotting. It was so wet and windy out it made everything so cold, It was worse since I was soaking wet. “Here,” Edward said taking off his jacket and putting it over my shoulders “This should keep you warm”
“Arent you supposed to be driving?”
“Well yes, but I thought you would like my jacket since you were shivering”
“Well thank you, now keep your eyes on the road,” I told him. I meet his eyes when I said that for a split second. They were the most unique eyes I have ever seen, they were a mix of light blue and dark brown. I studied him while he was driving, side-eyeing his face, shoulders, arms, hands, and back to his face, “Do you have something you want to ask me, Miss Alli?” Edward asked. I froze and looked quickly the other way “No” I replied, slowly side-eyeing him again. I could see he had a little smirk on his face “Are you sure?” he said turning his head toward me, we meet eye contact when I said “Yup” But quickly looked away. We finally got to the school “Thank you” I said jumping off the carriage and running into school “Wait! Miss Alli!, Will you need a ride back home?” Edward yelled “No, but thank you!” I replied running into the school. I waited until my next class started, I didn't want to get in trouble for walking late into class.
After we were done with the lesson, the teacher dismissed us for lunch. “Oh no! I must have left my lunch on Edwards's carriage” I walked through the halls out the door to where the carriages are, I found Edwards, but my lunch wasn't there! I walked back inside starved because I didn't eat supper last night, breakfast because I was late, and now lunch. All the food in the cafeteria smelt so good it felt like my stomach was eating away at my insides. “Ahem, Miss Alli I believe you left something on my carriage this morning” I turned around fast to see Edward holding my lunch bag. “Oh thank you, thank you thank you!” I said running to Edward, I threw my arms around him and squeezed. He let out an “mph,” I looked up at him with a huge smile, and when I did he was already looking down at me with a big smile, I stared into his eyes until we quickly let go of each other. “Well um, thank you,” I said turning away from him trying to contain my smile. “Miss Alli” Edward called, I turned to face him “Yes?”
“Would you like a ride back home?”
“Well, I'm not allowed to ride with strangers, but, I will make an exception this time” I smiled at him and started walking again. “Thank you again for the ride Edward,” I said getting off the carriage “Your welcome Miss Alli,” he said with a smile, “Oh, you can just call me Alli”
“Ok, Alli,” he said as he smiled and rode off. “Lucy! You won't just believe what happened today!”
“Woah sounds like you had a good day today, what happened”
“Well I meet this handsome young man named Edward,” I told Lucy the story of how we met and how I hugged him, and how romantic it was. “that's great Alli but what about your soulmate, he might not be him”
“Yes I know but what if that is him because of his initial!”
“Well you never showed me the letter, I dont know”
“Well it was signed P.E.”
“Well his name doesn't start with a P”
“Yeah, but it ends in an E”
“Then why would the first letter on his name be the last initial”
“I dont know, never mind Lucy”
“Oh Alli, I-”
“Never mind,” I said running upstairs, I got to my room shut the door behind me and plopped on my bed, I felt something crinkle under me when I landed. “The letter!” I reached underneath me and pulled out the letter, “No!” I said out loud ” It's all crinkled now!” I opened it up and read it to myself again “To my beloved. I can't wait to see you at the Gathering Ball, will you accompany me on a dance and walk through the garden with me? We will talk the night away. Until then My princess. signed P.E.”
“I do wonder who he is, could he be Edward? Or is he someone else? “Uhh, love life is so hard!” I exclaimed “I just wanna know who it is!
When I got to school the next morning I couldn't find Edward anywhere, but there was a new student, I couldn't lie he was fairly goodlooking. “Ok, class, time to say the pledge,” the teacher said, after we said the pledge the teacher introduced the new student. “Class, this is Parker Elliot he will be attending class with us from now on, ok Parker you can take your seat next to that girl over there” the teacher pointed at me, I felt a bolt of excitement, I just knew that was him. “Hi Parker,” I said, trying to spark up a conversation “Oh uh, hi” he replied with a little smile “so parker, where did you move from?”
“Oh uh, I moved from England, what about you? Oh uh sorry, I mean have you always lived here?”
“Haha, yes I have, Oh, Hey Parker, if you need anyone to eat with during lunch, you can always eat with me”
“Oh, uh thank you”
“Your welcome,” I said with a big smile. I found myself looking at him a lot during class, I just know he was the one. Lunch came around and I saw Parker eating by himself “Hey Parker,” I said “Oh hi Alli” he replied “Oh my! He remembers my name!” I thought “So, how's your lunch parker?”
“It's ok, yours”
“It's good”
“Hey I was wondering if you were going to the Gathering Ball in two days?”
“Oh, you mean where you meet the girl you wrote the letter to?”
“Yeah that one, are you going?”
“yeah, I am, What about you?”
“Well my mom said I couldn't go, but I'm going to sneak out”
“Won't you get into trouble?”
“Well maybe, but it's worth it if you accompany me on a dance and walk through the garden, hah, get it,” I said with a smirk on my face
“Uh, not really but sure”
“Oh, well you will probably remember it at the ball”
“Uh, sure” parker replied with a confused look on his face “well I better get going I said, I have to get to my next class”
“Me too” said parker, we said our goodbyes and split ways in the hallway. School ended and I wanted to find Parker, I saw him walking with another girl “Hey Parker” he didn't look my way “Parker” I called again, this time he looked at me. “Hey, where are you going? are you not going to walk me home today?” I asked running up to him
“Uh, no sorry Alli. I'm taking Lauren home today”
“Oh well ok, bye,” I said walking off. “Why is he walking with her?” I thought, I looked back to see Lauren and Parker walking and laughing together, that sight made me jealous. I turned around and started walking home slowly, still thinking about what happened. I stopped at the entrance of our path back home, I stood there and watched for a while looking at the flowers blooming in our yard, a pair of birds flying together in the blue sky, and a pair of little squirrels playing in the big oak tree we had in front of our cottage. I looked left and right hoping Parker or at least Edward would be running to take me by the hand, for I could be in a pair. But no one showed up, not even a carriage on the street. I walked slowly down the dusty dirt path to our cottage and walked inside. “Alli! There you are, we have been waiting for you!” Lucy said with an excited but worried tone “The postman came and dropped something off for you!”
“Huh. ok,” I replied, still sad no one walked me home or came to me. “It's upstairs on your bed,” Lucy said with a big smile on her face “Thank you,” I said dragging my feet up the stairs. I opened the door to my room and looked at my bed to see what the postman dropped off, my eyes widened at the sight of a hanger and plastic wrap “Could it be?” I asked myself walking toward the bed. I slowly undid the plastic wrap that was around the cloth and stepped back to see a beautiful light blue dress. I was speechless at the sight of it, I could never afford something like this. The dress was thick and flowy, with beautiful pink flowers and white vines all along the top looking as if they were growing down the dress. I slowly glided my fingers through the silk part of the dress, then felt the flowers between my thumb and pointer finger. “Is that why Parker didn't want to walk home with me today?” I thought. “Wow,” Lucy said astonished by the sight of it “Look at that dress”
“Isn't it beautiful Lucy!
“It's gorgeous! You're going to stand out in the crowd”
“Oh no Lucy, where is mom?”
“She at work today, remember she works Thursday and Fri-” I cut in “Has she seen the dress?”
“No, it just came in around 12 O’clock”
“Oh good, whatever you do don't tell her about the dress. She can't know!”
“How come?”
“She told me I can't go to the ball, so if she sees this dress she might return it,” I told her in a worried voice. Lucy stood there with a surprised look on her face “How come you can't go? Did you get in trouble?” she asked, “no I just have bad grades in school, so I can't go”. I looked down at the dress again and felt a surge of emotion strike me, anger, sadness, and frustration “Oh well I'm really sorry Alli, truly I am”
“Its ok”
“Girls! I'm home!” Mother called from downstairs, Lucy and I quickly met eye contact and hurried to find a place to hide the dress. “Coming Mother” we both called running downstairs to meet her. “I have a surprise for you too!” Mother said moving her hands out from behind her back “Peppermint sticks!” we both said in harmony, I took the right one and Lucy took the left. “Mmm, thank you Mother! It tastes wonderful” I said with the mint stick in my mouth. Mother walked to the kitchen counter and started unloading a basket full of goodies “I was able to come home early today, so I decided to stop by the grocer and get some things. Could you girls help me unload?” Mother asked. We both helped unload and put away the things she had bought.
Later that night we had a very tasty supper with the things Mother got, we had lots of leftovers to have for tomorrow. After we were done clearing the table Lucy and I went upstairs to wash up for bed. The last day at school for the week flew by, I was so excited to spend time with Parker since we didn't have school tomorrow. I told Mother we would be down by the river if she needed me. “Hey stop splashing!” Parker exclaimed, “You can't make me!” I giggled and ran down the river “Come back, Alli!” Parker said chasing after me, I turned around and he was right behind me. Splash, he ran right into me “Alli are you ok” He asked looking down at me with a worried face “I will be when you get off of me” I laughed when I said that, and so did he. I stared into his eyes when we giggled, it felt like he was the one. He was so nice and kind, exactly what I was hoping for. Then Lauren had to ruin the moment “Parker!” she called, Parker quickly got up, helped me up, then ran to Lauren.
I stood there watching, Parker run up the hill to Lauren, then my heart broke, he kissed her. I watched as Parker took Lauren by the hand and started running the other way with her. He didn't even wave goodbye to me “Hey!” I yelled, “Wait for me!” but it was too late, they were already where out of sight. I sat on a rock by the river for some time while I tried to hold in my tears, my eyes got so heavy I couldn't hold them in any more, my eyes started to gush out tears. “Hello down there” I heard someone say, I looked up to see who it was “Edward!” I cried, “Alli? Are you alright?” Edward called running down the hill “No” I muffled “What did you say?” Edward said he sat on a rock next to me. “Sorry Alli, are you ok,” he asked, I looked at him with tears streaming down my face “Oh my! What happened?” he asked with sympathy in his voice “The guy I loved in school doesn't love me! he left me for another girl,” I said crying louder “oh my Alli, I'm very sorry,” Edward said putting his hand over mine, “well, maybe there is someone else out there for you, maybe you already meet him”
“Who is that?” I asked, he replied with a smile and said “You will find out tomorrow”. Edward got up, reached out his hand to help me up, and walked me home. “Tomorrow is the ball,” I said pacing back and forth in the kitchen, I was thinking of a way to get out but not let my Mother know. What should I do? How can I get out? How can I get a ride? Then the thought came to me “Edward!” I ran outside hoping to catch up to him, it's been about five minutes since he walked me home. I ran until I was out of breath “Edward! I called “Edward!” still no one answered. I layed myself underneath a big oak tree, resting my back on it hoping Edward would come back to me. “Are you ok honey?” someone said as I opened my eyes “Oh my, your majesty” I quickly got up and bowed, “no need to bow, are you alright? I saw you laying against the tree, you looked very sad”
“Oh, Im ok your majesty but thank you”
“Where do you live” the queen said in a soft voice “Not too far from here, I think. I was looking for a young man named Edward” Someone from the carriage cut in “mmhm, mother may I speak with you for a second please”
“Oh hold on Ed-” the voice cut in again but more sturn “Please!”
“Alright, alright” then she turned to me “Im sorry honey, I will be right back”
“Ok” I replied as she was walking toward the carriage “what is it Ed-”
“Mother, please hurry!” the voice in the carriage cut in, I saw the queen poke her head through the curtains of the carriage then looked back at me and held up her pointer finger to signal one second, then she got inside the carriage. “Is that the prince? I wonder what he wanted?” I thought. The queen came out shortly after and began where we left off “I saw Edward come this way but then he turned around and headed the direction you came”
“Really? Oh, thank you, your majesty! How far along do you think he is?”
“Hmm, not far”
“Ok! Thank you again!” I said running off. “Wait, would you like a ride” I heard the queen say “Oh, I would love to! Thank you!” I came back and she told me to sit by the driver so I could hop off faster if I saw him. “Here we are your majesty” the driver called, we stopped at my house, I hopped down and asked the queen as she was coming out of the carriage, “How did you know where my house was?”
“Oh, well” she paused to think what she was going to say “I know where everyone lives in the town of Allmery” She looked behind me “Is that the man you were looking for” I turned around to see Edward walking up to me. “Alli! Oh my, your Majesty,” he said and bowed, I ran up to him and gave him a big hug. He looked down at me and then at the queen and smiled. I turned around to the queen and thanked her for all her help, then turned to Edward and asked if I could have a ride to the ball. “Edward,” I said, “Could you do me a favor?”
“Of course” he replied “Could you take me to the ball? I don’t have a ride there”
“You walked all the way that way just to ask me that?” he giggled “I don't think I'll be able to, but I'm pretty sure the queen would love to help out” He looked up at the queen while he said that, the queen nodded “I would love to! What time would you like to be picked up, and ill send my coach to get you”
“Thank you!” I told her the time and where to pick me up at. Edward smiled and thanked the queen as well. “Shall I walk you home?” Asked Edward “Please” I replied and held on to Edwards's arm, The queen's carriage drove off past my house while Edward walked me to the front door, “Thank you,” I said walking in “Anything for you princess,” he said watching me go into the house.
It was the day of the ball, I was so excited to see who my soulmate was going to be, I picked up the letter and read it again “To my beloved. I can't wait to see you at the Gathering Ball, will you accompany me on a dance and walk through the garden with me? We will talk the night away. Until then My princess. signed P.E.”
I studied it until my mother called me to help her do some chores before she left. It was getting late and I knew the Ball was very soon, I had to hurry and get the rest of my chores done before the carriage came, thankfully Mother was still out running errands and Lucy already left for the ball. I ran up to my room to slip on the dress that came in the mail for me and quickly curled my hair to style it. I looked in the mirror, standing there, taking in how beautiful I was in that dress. I heard the carriage bell to signal that the carriage was here, I ran downstairs and put on mothers fancy shoes, and headed out. We got to the castle and it was beautiful “Thank you,” I said to the coach “your welcome princess” he replied, I looked back at him confused, he smiled, nodded, and rode off. “Well that was weird,” I thought walking into the palace. A roar of voices came through the door as the doormen were opening it. “woah, it's so big, and, so many people,” I thought, I spun around looking at the high ceiling and the chandeliers. “Alli is that you?” I heard a familiar voice say “Parker, hi”
“Woah, you look beautiful!” he said, my face started to get really red at that statement “Oh, well thank you” I replied. The trumpets sounded and someone spoke “I welcome you, the King and Queen of Allmary” There was a wave of clapping all around me, it sounded like a heavy rainstorm “Joining them” the voice said again as the claps settled down “The Prince of Allmery” then the storm of clapping started up again, I was to far away I couldn't see their faces clearly, and the crowd was blocking my view. The king started speaking “Tonight, ladies will meet the men who wrote them a letter. They will have their first dance among the crowd, and come together as one. If all the ladies could come forth and stand on this line with their letter in their hand and their eyes closed. The men who you wrote you the letter shall stand facing you. And when the trumpets start playing ladies shall open their eyes and dance with their soulmate”. All the ladies did exactly that, I walked up to the line, closed my eyes, and waited for the trumpets to sound.
I heard lots of ruffling and then it became quiet. The trumpets went off and I quickly opened my eyes with a big smile, but that smile started to fade. No one was in front of me, I felt heartbroken “Was he not able to come, like me?” I looked around to see girls hugging and kissing their man, a single tear came down my cheek as I looked away, “all the ladies who didn't have a man step forward” I heard the king say, I looked up at the podium where they where standing and the prince was facing backward. “One lucky lady who didn't have a man today, actually did” I heard him say, hy heart started racing. Then I heard “Alli!” It was my mother's voice, I felt a bolt of fear run through me. Everyone was quiet, and I could feel eyes on me and her. “What do you think you're doing young lady, you didn't even get picked to dance! I told you you're not allowed to come your to young, and where did you get that dress? Never mind we are leaving right now” My mother grabbed me by the arm and started pulling me I was so embarrassed.
“Stop!” I heard the king say. My mother turned around and bowed “I'm so sorry my king, my daughter was not supposed to come tonight” I looked at my mother, then the king, then Edward. “Wait Edward!” my eyes widened “Please Mrs. Jefferson” I heard Edward say “She was going to dance with me, tonight. And I gave her the dress, I asked my butler to mail it. Please let her stay” Edward walked up to us and put his hand on my shoulder. My heart was beating so fast, “Edward was the prince? Prince Edward? That's why the letter was signed P.E.”. I heard Edward say please again, the room was dead silent. My mother let go of my arm and Edward nodded to say thank you, “May I have this dance” Edward asked, I turned to him and met his eyes. I couldn't say anything I was speechless, all I could do is smile. Then he took my hand, held it high, and walked over to the middle of the room. The music started playing, Violins, violas, cellos, trumpets, and more. It filled the room with beautiful music as Edward placed his arm around me and took my hand, I placed my hand on his shoulder and we started gliding the dance floor.
Everyone was watching us for a few seconds before they started joining in. I saw Lucy and Joseph start dancing next to us, then Parker and Lauren, and lots of other friends from school. I looked into Edwards's eyes, following his lead, we slowed down and then stopped dancing. Everyone was still dancing but us, It was like a dream. I studied Edwards's eyes, then looked at his lips, and back to his eyes. We started swaying back and forth while he was staring down at me, the music came to a close when Edward leaned in. We meet lips, it tasted like strawberries, he took his hand and held my face, I just melted in his arms. We looked at each other again and started dancing the night away. I learned a lot about him that night as we took a stroll through the garden, I figured out that he was the one in the carriage yesterday. He didn't want me to see him, so he asked his mother if they could pretend they saw Edward walking back to my house. I knew it was really weird when he called me princess that day.
“The End” I closed the book and looked out to the kids “Eww That's disgusting, why did she have to describe the kiss,” one of them said, “I think that was adorable!” another remarked “I wish that was me,” the littlest one said. The king and Queen started to laugh “We have a surprise for all of you!” The Queen said, “Presents!” all the kids got up and ran toward Edward who just walked through the door, carrying all the gifts stacked up high on each other, “settle down now, we don't want the presents too” The queen stopped mid-sentence as we heard a bang. Edward dropped all the presents. We all laughed and watched the kids scatter around Edward to find their presents on the floor.
