Chapter Eighteen

The royal princesses Ella and Anastasia were downstairs in the entertainment room, snacking on some of the fine candies leftover from the last party.
"Is something bothering you?" asked Ella, leaning forward with some concern.
Anastasia picked at the candies until she found one she liked, then stuck it in her mouth. "My mother -- she's just --"
"Do you have a problem with your mother?"
"We've had several problems with our mother." Ella could see that Anastasia was sobbing even through her eye mask. "She doesn't 'get' us, you know?"
Ella nodded. "Hey, at least your mother didn't make you sleep in a storage closet and work as a maid like my stepmother did."
"She did that?"
"Yes," Ella said sadly.
"If I told you something, promise not to tell anyone."
Ella nodded again.
"I've started construction on the family crypt."
Her eyes widening, Ella dropped her hands in the candy bowl. "Is that what you were drawing?"
Anastasia didn't say anything, but she shook her head yes. "I got partial funding from the historical society. Since mother cut off access to our money, I have to figure out how to get the rest, though."



Later that morning, Queen Catarina confronted Anastasia about the construction project across the street. "How are you paying for this, Anastasia?" Queen Catarina demanded. "Answer me!"
"You know, mother, if you hadn't frozen our accounts, then I wouldn't have had to go elsewhere to finance it."
"Tell me how you're paying for this!"
"Is it any of your concern? It's not your project, so --"
"I am your mother, Anastasia! And I am the queen. I deserve to know everything that is happening in this household."



"It's none of your business, mother, really. I don't care anymore what you think. I'm going to finish my project, and you're not going to say another word about it."