Arriving at a Royal Ball (Ella)

I kept a tight hold on the back of the carriage as we made our way to the castle. The roads were bumpy after the rain and my hands were starting to lose their grip, but I waited until I could see the castle to jump off the back of the carriage and walk the rest of the way. 

My hair was blowing in the wind and my face was losing feeling from the chill. I buried my face down into my chest trying to keep warm when I saw the lights from the castle in the corner of my eye.

I looked up and saw a long line of carriages moving slowly in a trail towards the front steps. The air has an amazing feeling after it rains where the air seems fresher, cleaner, and overall I felt healthier inhaling it. 

Hopping down from the carriage, I took a deep breath and felt all my worries wash away with the fresh air. I knew that walking the rest of the way to the castle would thaw me from the brisk chill while moving, so I welcomed the exercise. 

After a moment of walking, I realized that my hands hurt. Looking down, I noticed that they were still clenched as if I was still holding onto the carriage. I tried to massage them and relax the muscles while walking, but they still ached. 

I got wondering how long I was really holding on for. I have never been to the castle before, so I don't know how far away it is. According to my hands, it took probably an hour or so to reach the outskirts of the castle. 

The walk was still long from where I was, and my thoughts drifted to my mother. 'I wish you could see me now, wearing your dress, heading to a royal ball' then I thought of what she told me 'be brave, be courageous, be strong, and always be grateful.' 

I suppose that I was brave for finding my own way to the castle, however wreckless it may have been. I never would have made it on time if I hadn't seen the carriage just before my stepmother and stepsisters left. Luckily, they were already inside the carriage, so they didn't see me climb onto the back. It took me strength to hold on the whole distance and courage for me to keep walking the extra while to the castle. 

As I kept walking, I would repeat to myself in a whisper "I am brave, I am courageous, I am strong" over and over again. 

I hid two carriages behind my stepmother and stepsisters because I didn't want them to see me walk past as they waited in the line of carriages, or take the chance of them seeing me ascending the steps before them. I would do my best tonight to not even be noticed by them. 

I continued repeating to myself 'I am brave, I am courageous, I am strong' and as soon as I got to the steps of the castle I looked up, took a big breath, smiled, and said "I am grateful."