Edward was smiling at her with gentlemanly indulgence. "Envious?" he said with a smile. "I'm very surprised at you, my lady. I'd never thought you jealous of anyone." He gave her a charming smile. "Ella is a nice girl, I suppose in a way like a cousin," he said, which was the only way he could think to described Ella. He didn't think anything of the comment, but of course cousins were known to end up being the wives of royalty. Avril looked at her friend like she was crazy. "You think I could?" she said, leading Ella away like she feared someone would hear them. "How would I get out? I mean, it's not like I can blend in with the hunting party, can I?" It was clear from her face that the idea scared but thrilled her. She'd never left the palace without an escourt before, but the idea of being a normal person, she couldn't even imagine. "I'd also need some distraction for my parents," she said, seeming to talk to herself for a moment. "Oh, Ella, do you think we could?" The Queen loved her daughter, and loved Ella the same, but she treated Avril sometimes like she was a piece of glass. It wasn't surprising really, since Avril was a princess, and therefore more likely to be a target for something bad, but also the Queen had only a limited parental aspect in Ella's life. Would she have been the same with Ella, had she been her full guardian? It was hard to tell. "Ella, if I could, just for a little time....."

Theresa laughed in response. It was a charming, pretty sound, one that had been perfected over the course of a lifetime and she executed it brilliantly. "Well, now of course I'd never. I grew up. But back then I was a child and I couldn't help but feel like an outsider looking in. Not so much anymore, though."

Her eyes met his and her mouth stretched into a smile. "Listen to me, just talking about myself. I haven't asked about you. Will you be participating in tomorrow's hunt, Prince Edward? I would assume that you are a fine hunter?"

Ella took Avril's hand and gripped it. She felt a childlike excitement, a mischievous and forbidden feeling she'd not felt in years. How long had it been since she'd conspired with Avril? Plotted to steal some extra sweets from the kitchen or explore a room that was off limits? She had forgotten how fun it was. Bending the rules a little. Of course they had never conspired to do something so big and so against the rules before.

"If we're careful and clever about it, I think we could do it." Ella paused for a moment, thinking it over. "I'm sure if we both asked your mother would allow you to visit me in my father's home. For tea or lunch or anything. Everyone will be at the hunt anyway, so why not? And then we could just...slip out through the back garden. Just for an hour, at least. And we don't have to go that far from my home. You can wear a disguise of some kind, like a hood to cover your face. And I could show you some of my favorite shops and it would be so nice to get a change of scenery..."

She stopped and looked at Avril. "We don't have to try if you don't want to. I just...thought it might be exciting."

Edward gave a dazzling smile.
"I love to hunt," he said, giving her a short spin and then leading her on, his feet nimble and elegant, his tone full of enjoyment. "It will be my party who rides out."
Edward always liked to attend any hunt, and enjoyed the sport more than almost anything else. Stephen had never attended one, for he was a bleeding heart and uninterested.
"Will you be riding in the party?" he asked her, for whilst women were not always part of the actual sport, they sometimes did ride among the men for the thrill.

Avril pulled a face at her.
"Of course we're going to try," she said with great determination. "I'm not sure about asking mother to go to your house, but we're going to try it."
There was a child-like spark in Avril's eyes, like a great surprise was to be had. For her, this adventure was just that. She might not even get as far as the gates, but the idea of being normal, out there for a minute, like everyone else.
"You'll have to help me with my outfit," she beamed. "And how to wear my hair. Will I be recognized? I hope not. I only pray she doesn't insist Kelin come with me."
Kelin was the General of the Imperial Guard, and her father's personal body guard. When a family member, other than Edward, left the palace, Kelin normally made one of the party. He was a Twilight elf, which meant he would be able to spot mischief a mile off. She thought he was a little scary, but Stephen had always liked him and Avril had grown to realize he wasn't that scary, though she would have hated to be on his bad side.
"We'll go and see mother," Avril said. "The ball is close to it's end now."
It was true. There was still some dancing, but there was also announcements for carriages and bowing to the King and Queen before departures.
"You'd better do the asking," said Avril to her friend as they walked closer, lowering her voice. "It would seem off coming from me."

Theresa laughed a little as she was spun and led around the floor. She was just as nimble and graceful as Edward and kept pace with him with ease. "I was considering it," she answered with a smile. "I've joined my father's hunting parties several times. It's quite an experience, don't you think? The thrill of the chase?"

The gleam in Avril's eyes must have matched her own, and Ella's grin was a little bit wicked. The smile of someone who knew they were breaking the rules but didn't have a care in the world about it. Clutching Avril's hand in excitement and nodded her head. "Of course I'll help you with your clothes and hair. I have some simpler things that will fit you, and an extra hood for you to wear. That should help in case there's someone in the village who will recognize you.

Her friend mentioned that she hoped her mother would not insist General Kelin of the Guard accompany her out of the palace. Ella nodded in agreement. Having an elf nearby would make it all but impossible to sneak away. She wanted to believe her godmother wouldn't insist on it, but Avril was her daughter. Mothers could be overly protective sometimes. At least that's what Ella had observed anyway.

A moment passed and Avril was tugging her to her feet and leading her across the room to where her parents were seated. Ella tured her head to glance around at the ball, or what was left of it anyway. Many of the guests were leaving, and she knew they didn't have long until her own father found her so they could go home. Ella squeezed Avril's arm as they approached her mother. "Wish me luck," she breathed.

Ell'a smile widened as she paused in front of her godmother. She nodded to her, and the king, with respect before speaking. "Godmother, Your Majesty," she greeted both of them before looking at Cassandra. "I was wondering if, since neither Avril or I are attending the hunt tomorrow, if she could spend the day with me at my home?"

Edward gave his partmer another smile as she talked of the hunt.
"There is so much happening in such a short amount of time, and once you chose your prey...."
Edward had a room filled with his tropheys, a room which was where he and his friends gathered after for drinks and talk. They often continued late into the night.
"Well, I must not keep you," he said as the music drew to a close, taking his final steps and ending with a bow.
There were other ladies who would not get a dance now the party was over, but Edward had done his best to dance with as many as he could. He escourted her from the floor and kissed her hand. Though there was no more dancing to be had, there was talk, and Edward chattered and entertained those still keen to hear, with stories of the hunt and such.

Over at her throne, the Queen looked surprised at the request.
"My dear one," she said, looking rather surprised at Ella, "why can you not come here? There will be plenty of space and all that you can desire. Surely your father would not want you both there, causing a merry nuisance."
Avril felt her stomach tighten and hid her hands behind her back so her parents wouldn't see her clenching them in concern.
"I really wish you would call me Aunty Cassy or such like," added the Queen. "Godmother sounds so..... old."
"Father," Avril said in a low voice, stepping close to her father and saying it too quitely to be overheard, "surely it would be impolite to refuse such an invitation. After all, Lady Ella might think refusing might be an insult, since I've never visited her in all our aquaintance."
Avril knew it was a little underhanded and her father wouldn't normally have been convinced by such words, but as the Queen favoured the girl highly, it made some sense to demonstrate trust.
"My Queen," the King said softly, as Avril retrated a couple of steps, "there can be no harm in our daughter visiting the home of your godchild. The Baron will keep her safe, I've no doubt."
The Queen looked surprised at his words.
"My love," she said, her voice all sweetness. "Surely...."
"We will provide a good guard also," the King said. "And I am sure Lady Ella would love to play host, just once. She so often is a guest of ours that she might enjoy having the roles reversed, just once."
The Queen could say nothing. It was hard to tell, but Avril felt somewhat sure that the reason her mother had wanted them to stay in the palace was for her own company.
"I have already extended Lady Ella an invitation to come to tea in 5 days," she said quickly, to appease her mother.
"Very well," her mother said with good grace. "We will arrange a carriage and a guard to bring Avril to your home, my darling."

Ella hoped she didn't appear nervous, that their intent to break so many rules did not show on her face. That she looked as casual as she always had when making a request of her godmother. She hid her nervously clenched fists within the skirt of her red gown and her brown eyes pleaded innocently. She was just a girl who wanted to spend a day with her friend, and nothing else.

Cassandra seemed hesitant. "I don't think my father will be bothered. He would be more than happy to welcome Princess Avril to our home, in fact it would be his honor. I'm sure the household staff would be honored by her presence, as well." She smiled, biting her lip hopefully. Cassandra lamented that Ella called Godmother, and it was true that Ella was rather formal in public gatherings such as a ball. But at other times Ella had called the Queen by affectionate and less formal names. Aunt Cass in particular was her favorite.

She hadn't noticed Avril speaking with her father until the King addressed the Queen. Ella glanced over to meet Avril's eyes and she discreetly crossed her fingers. It took a bit of coaxing from Avril and her father, but at the promise of a guard and Ella visiting for tea in a few days Cassandra relented. Ella looked at Avril excitedly for a moment before moving to Cassandra. She wrapped her arms around her godmother and higged her tightly. "Thank you so much, Aunt Cass. This truly means a lot to me."

"Ella!" Lord Thomas called gently, and she pulled back from hher hug a little to see her father standing slightly behind Avril, waiting for her.

"Just a moment, Father? Please?" At his daughter's smile Thomas returned it and nodded. Ella turned to smile at Cassandra again. "Thank you, again. I'll see you soon for tea." She kissed her godmother's cheek lightly, and then nodded respectfully and gratefully to the King. "Thank you, Your Grace." Then she said goodbye to Avril. Ella hugged her friend, and whispered, "See you tomorrow, before nodding to all three members of the royal family again and joining her father.

Thomas swept a cloak over his daughters shoulder before taking her arm. "Beautiful ball, as always."

"It was," Ella said agreeably, though she was thinking about the next day's adventures. "I'm looking forward to the next one."

"I saw you dancing with Prince Edward," Thomas commented, and looked over at Ella. "I must say the two of you made a quite a fine couple. You danced so gracefully with him...it was almost as though he was meant to be your partner."

Ella smiled at though and laughed a little. "Oh, Father, you don't believe all that. Edward and I just...have known each other for so long, that's all it was."

The Queen had never been able to say no to her god child, which was why Avril had convinced Ella to ask and not done so herself. The Queen might have tried to persuade, or come up with an alternative, but she was most likely to agree.

Her talking to her father was just that little push.

The Queen certainly didn’t look so concerned when her god-daughter called her Aunt Cass, like she’d forgotten, for the moment, all of her concerns.

“Thank you for coming, my darling,” the Queen said, accepting the kiss with grace and giving her a smile. “Tea in 3 days.”

Tea was always a quiet thing, just the two of them, sometimes Avril too, in the Queen’s personal garden. It was away from everyone else, only an occasional servant around.

Avril beamed at her friend, though was sure to keep her back to her mother so no hint of their plan should be heard of.

The ball was over, and soon all the guests were gone, leaving the hall still apart from the servants to clean.

---------------

Early in the morning, horse saddled and all the needed equipment passed around, the hunting party set off. It was always an enjoyed affair, children laughing and watching as Edward led the party through the kingdom’s streets and into the forest beyond. They were always gone many hours and would always drink largely after, either in a toast to their luck, or commiseration to their misfortune. It was a time when the market would already be open and much of the kingdom would be awake, making their daily bread.

No one noticed the younger Prince leave the palace in the commotion, and he was not dressed anywhere like he should be. He wore the garb of a palace guard, and was in the company of another guard. They marched from the palace and to the barracks.

Avril was dressed by her maid servant, eager to be out of the outfit and gone, but showing an elegant patience as she allowed herself to be laced into the corset, all the layers applied which would go beneath her clothing, before finally being allowed to place on the dress.

Her mother and father were awaiting her, where they had breakfast. Stephen had not answered his door when she knocked and his door was locked. She hadn’t seen him the previous night either, which made her apprehensive. He must be in there, but wanting to be alone.

It took some time for Avril to be allowed to leave. A coach and retinue took time, and eventually Avril persuaded the Queen, with her father’s help, that the less fuss made was the best. If people knew the Princess was in a house, there was more danger. 2 guards, a plain sort of coach and Avril dressed as she was (elegant but not overly royal) would make it more likely that a lady and not a Princess had called.

“If the guards dress as footmen, all the better,” she tried to convince her, but her mother insisted on the uniforms, so her father reached the compromise that they ride within the carriage and discreetly entered.
Finally, the journey began, with 2 experienced members of the guard within the carriage as it rode Ella’s home. Avril wanted to peek out, but her crown would give her away and then all her gentle prodding would have been wasted.

On arrival, the footman knocked upon the door before opening the door. The guards insisted Avril remained seated until their hostess opened the door, where she could enter quickly, along with them.