Penelope Featherington: the royal story

Night

Once Penelope had found the dinning room once more, she found Brimsley by the door waiting for the queen. When he realised she had entered, he turned towards her.
"Hello miss, I see you found the dinning room pretty quickly her majesty is on her way.Now her majesty sits at the head of the table, I recommend sitting to the right side of her." At this he pulls a chair to the right of the head of the table and moves away. Penelope thanks him and sits down waiting for her majesty to appear. After five minutes pass, she hears the sounds of footsteps on the way to the dinning room. She stands up as Charlotte walks into the room.
"Penelope, I'm glad you found your way here pretty quickly. How are you liking it  here so far."
"So far has been great. I just want to say thank you again your majesty."
"Your welcome but I don't want to hear anything more thank yous and please call me Charlotte."
"Are u sure your majesty."
"Of course I am, if I wasn't I wouldn't say anything."
After that they seem to settle and dinner is brought out. They eat in comfortable silence and once everything had disappeared back into the kitchens, Charlotte rose from her chair and turned to Penelope.
"My dear it's time I retire for bed, you might want to do the same. We have a busy day ahead of us. We have the fitting for your wardrobe and than tea with Lady Danbury."
"Of course goodnight your majesty uh I mean Charlotte." With one final smile they depart the dinning room heading towards their chambers.

Once Penelope had arrived at what was now her bedroom she felt this unease fall over her like something was going to go wrong. She tried to shake the feeling but it lingered feeling like a hundred tiny needles pricking at skin. When Anne came in to help her into her night clothes, the feeling disappeared but not completely, settling under her skin and once in awhile starting back up again. After she had washed her face and combed her curls out, she turned to face Anne who had a blush pink nightgown in her hand. It had delicate lace at the top and bottom so it's like your wearing a gown fit for a princess but it's also fit to sleep in. When dressed she faced the bed and nearly groaned, she was so tired and just wanted to sleep but the massive pillows was in the way. Turing to Anne she asked
"Anne do I have to keep all these pillows on my bed or can I take some off?"
"Of course you can take some pillows off miss, it's your room after all. How many pillows do you want remaining."
"I was thinking about two on each side so that in case I roll over the same amount of pillows are there."
"Brilliant idea miss." Walking over to the bed, Anne takes six pillows leaving the remaining four on each side of the bed. Penelope got in the bed after the pillows had been removed and settled in.
"Is there anything else you require miss"
"No Anne thank you. You can call me Penelope by the way."
"But miss that would be inappropriate."
"Fine than a compromise can you call me miss Penelope than."
"If that is what you wish miss Penelope. Is that all."
"Yes Anne goodnight."
"Goodnight miss Penelope." With a bow she exits the door shutting it behind her quietly. Penelope is left alone in her new room and the feeling from before returns ten fold. She can't help but feel like something is going to happen like she will wake up the next morning and be back in the featherington house and it was all a dream and she was still trapped in the nightmare. Whilst she sat there and thought about how this might all be a dream she didn't realise she was falling asleep. Thirty seconds later she was asleep.

When Penelope opened her eyes, she was sat in the featherington drawing room on the couch and across from her was her mother and two sisters. By the door stood Colin and he was looking at her with disgust. She didn't know how she got here but she didn't like it one bit.
"You are a disgrace to the featherington line. You can't even get yourself a dance at a ball never mind a husband. Your dresses barley fit you because your so fat. Your hair is disgusting and don't even get me started on your complexion. No wonder you can't get a dance or a husband when you look like this I'm disgusted to be your mother. Your sisters are so much prettier than you and will get a husband and you will be left alone forever." This isn't what was scaring her, She had heard this everyday of her life so this wasn't anything new but seeing Colin in the Corner sent chills done her spine. When her mother finally stopped talking Colin walked towards her, a scrowl on his usually handsome face. He looked at her with disgust. His pretty green eyes that used to sparkle and lit up when he saw her was dark and full of anger and it was directed at her.
"Why would you think that I would love you. Who could love an ugly, worthless, brainless girl like you. I hate you and everything you stand for. I was never your friend and my mother always forced me to dance with you at balls. I always hated it and now your gone, I don't have to do it ever again. I can show my love for Prudence." Prudence walked over and he wrapped his arms around her and leaned in, kissing her on lips passionately. Penelope felt her heart being ripped out of her chest and couldn't help but collapse on the ground, tears streaming down her face at the sight. This confirmed what she always knew about Colin but the fact he is in love with her sister was new. He never shown love or even friendship towards prudence but than again he showed it to her and she got it wrong. Colin and prudence stopped kissing and walked towards her with cruel smiles in their faces and when Penelope looked up Colin held a knife in his hand and lifted above her head. Penelope woke up screaming before the knife touched her.

Brimsley was stood outside her majesty's chambers like he did every night before going to bed. He was stood there once more thinking about Reynolds. His perfect gelled back blonde hair, his navy blue jacket or the way he smiled. He missed him so but but sadly he was always by the kings side just as he was the queens. It meant they hardly saw each other but when they did it felt like they were back in their 20s, young and carefree, sneaking around and trying not to be caught. Dancing in gardens secretly at their majesty's balls and being in love. His thoughts of Reynolds was pushed to the back of his mind when he heard a scream from down the hall. He was about to go see what the commotion was when the door to the queen's chambers opened and the queen walked out, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
"What was that scream." She demanded. Brimsley was about to answer when the scream emitted again. Charlotte seemed to realise it came from Penelope's room she ran towards it. She burst in the room to see a sweaty Penelope twisting and turning in her bed screaming. She rushed over, her motherly instinct kicking in never once thinking about adequate. When she reached the bed, she shook Penelope's shoulder to get her wake up and gently shouted her name. After a few minutes Penelope shot up in bed, her hair sticking to her forehead and tears in her eyes. When she saw Charlotte sat on the bed next to her she launched herself into her arms, Charlotte just managing to catch her and hold her as her body shook with the force of her sobs.
"Penelope dear do you wish to tell me what happened to make you have such a reaction to your dream." She felt Penelope stiffen before shaking her head no.
"Ok than" continuing to hold her she managed to get the both back in bed. Laying next to each other with Penelope laying her head on her chest, she turned to brimsley and dismissed him. He bowed before softly closing the door behind him and walking towards his chambers. Charlotte waited for Penelope's breath to even out as she slowly fell asleep again and fell asleep herself a few minutes later.