Ella

"Don't forget to press those clothes, Ella dear."

"Yes, mother."

"And put out some food for the cats."

"Of course, mother."

"Oh, one more thing. Could you go to the market and buy some potatoes? Your father is coming home tonight and I want us to have a nice meal ready for him when he does."

"As soon as I'm done everything else, mother."

Ella picked up the bundle of clothes to be pressed and walked out of the room into the hallway. The manor wasn't large as such things go, but she had to admit that the taste of the architects was impeccable. The place had a majestic yet homey feel to it, and it wasn't as imposing as many of the other dwellings nearbv. While many of hte other places nearby had the usual statues of lions and dragons, her father's home had dolphins and birds. As much as Tiffany might insist that the house wasn't big enough for someone of her father's rank and status, Ella rather liked the place. It had style and class.

"Someday, I'd like to see a real dolphin," she mused to herself. Not that such a thing was likely to ever happen. A young lady like herself wasn't suited to traveling alone to Cebrelle, the nearest port city, and none of her suitors, few as they were, were the adventurous types. For as long as she could remember she had wanted to travel, but she would have to marry first and the men with such inclinations had higher aspirations for themselves than an adopted daughter. Instead they courted Tiffany, who had no such desires and who would frankly probably go insane after two days without her accustomed comforts. But she was the more desirable for a wife among those who wanted to make names for themselves.

Briefly, Ella entertained the notion of doing something to Tiffany's party dress while pressing it, but she quickly stamped that notion out. As appealing as the idea was, such an action would gain her nothing but trouble and in the end wouldn't be worth the effort.