by Aron Lewes
“No, I don't. Not really.” Cinda smiled weakly. “You know, when I first met you, I was fleeing my stepmother's cottage, heading to the Winter Palace... and then you captured me. Now I'm fleeing the Winter Palace, heading to my stepmother's cottage, and you're the one who's taking me home. Isn't that funny?”
“Yeah. Kind of.”
“If Sharman ever returns to the Winter Palace, I suppose I could try to get in contact with him. Do you have any idea where he might be?”
Fenix shook his head. “No. None.”
“I don't know if I want to marry him anymore, though. To be honest, I...” Cinderella never completed her thought. She had already confessed her feelings for Fenix, but there was nothing she could do to move their relationship forward. As long as he was cursed, it was useless to talk about how much she cared for him.
When Rank returned, he was driving one of King Orun's royal carriages. As he brought the equipage to a halt, he tipped his tatty top hat to Cinda and Fenix.
“How do you like my new set of wheels?” Rank asked. “Fancy, innit? I borrowed it from the king... although, I guess I can't call it borrowing if I don't plan to return it, eh?”
“You stole a carriage?” gasped Cinda, who could feel her eyes expanding at the news. “How did you pull off a thing like that?”
“It was easy. I'm dressed like a guard, so I guess they didn't question it.” Rank thrust a thumb over his shoulder. “Climb in the back with Terra, and we can be on our way.”
Cinda ran to the carriage door, flung it open, and dove into her stepsister's arms. “Terra!” she cried. “I'm so glad you're safe. I just want this whole thing to be over!”
“I know,” agreed a sighing Terra. “Me too.”
“I thought my life would end happily ever after when Sharman asked me to marry him. I thought I would never have another awful day for the rest of my life.” Cinda's cheek collapsed on her stepsister's shoulder. “God, I was so wrong. Ever since then, there have been nothing but dragons and witches and spoiled little princes and... I'm just so tired!”
“Me too,” Terra agreed again. “Are you really going back to Mellanor, though? My mother was so awful to you.”
“I...” Cinderella's response was delayed by Fenix, who sent a smile in her direction as he climbed into the carriage. Fenix's smile, as adorable as it was, nearly broke her heart. “I don't really have another choice, do I?”
* * *
“So, according to Emperor Regus' driver, it should take another six hours to reach the Winter Palace,” Prince Sharman informed his traveling companion, who looked a bit melancholic as she peered through the carriage window. “Donnabella? Did you hear me?”
“Yes!” she exclaimed. “I didn't realize you required a response!”
Sharman's eyebrows jumped at her reaction. “I didn't require one... but most polite conversations usually include one, do they not?”
Donnabella briefly turned away from the window, just long enough to share the sneer on her nose. “You're very snarky today, Your Highness,” she grumbled.
“And you seem very dreary today,” he fired back at her. “What's wrong, Donnabella?”
“I suppose I... I don't know what's going to happen when we return,” she explained. “The last time we were at the Winter Palace, you tossed me in your dungeon.”
“And do you really think I would toss you in a dungeon now? After everything we've been through?” Sharman's blue eyes rolled at her remark. “The last time we were at the Winter Palace, you also turned me into a frog. Would you do that again? I believe... and correct me if I'm wrong... that we've moved past the phase of being enemies?”
Donnabella didn't reply. She simply shrugged. She didn't understand why she was so moody. Her melancholy made little sense.
Sharman continued, “I know I've said this before, but I consider you a friend.”
“Hmph.” Donnabella scoffed at the sentiment. “You might not arrest me, but when we get back to the Winter Palace, I'm sure you'll ignore me. You'll forget all about Donnabella.”
His eyebrows snapped together. “I will not!”
“Yes, you will.”
“And how can you claim to know me better than I know myself? We haven't been traveling together that long.” As he spoke, Sharman inched closer to her. “There's actually no way I could forget about you, Donnabella. You're someone I've come to care about a great deal. In fact, I was wondering if you might—”
“Rank?” Donnabella shrilled the name, interrupting the prince's proposition. “Is Rank driving that carriage over there... or am I imagining it?”
“I'm afraid I have no recollection of a Rank,” Sharman said. “Is he someone I'm supposed to know?”
“He's one of my magic students!” Donnabella stuck her head through the window and called to their driver. “Stop the carriage! I need to speak to that man over there!”
As soon as the camels halted, Donnabella dashed from the vehicle and approached the passing carriage.
“Rank!” the witch cried. “Stop your carriage at once! I need to speak to you!”
“Oi? What's this? Donnabella?” Rank removed his hat and gave his head a thoroughly perplexed scratch. He pulled back on the reins with a click of his tongue, encouraging his horses to halt. “What are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?”
“What are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?” Donnabella retorted. “Honestly, of all the faces I expected to see today, yours was one of the last.”
When Sharman alighted from the carriage and stood at Donnabella's side, Rank squealed, “Princey? What is he doing here?”
The royal carriage's door popped open, and Cinda, Fenix and Terra joined the conversation. “Sharman?” Cinderella exclaimed. “What happened? Why are you in a... a camel carriage?” When she made eye contact with one of the humped animals, it showed her its teeth.
Sharman was quick to pin the blame on his scowling traveling companion. “It's Donnabella's fault! She miscast a spell and warped us to the middle of a desert. When she tried to take us back, she couldn't! Since then, we've been trying to get back to the Winter Palace. We almost died in the desert, Cinderella! It was horrid.”
His summary made the witch hitch a shoulder. “Almost died? That's a bit of an exaggeration. Oh well.”
“Wait...” As she spoke, Cinderella's eyes darted back and forth between the witch and the prince. “If you haven't been in the Winter Palace for awhile, you have no idea what's going on... do you?”
“What?” Sharman raised a perfect eyebrow. “What's happening in the palace?”
Cinderella exchanged glances with Fenix. They were silently challenging each other to reveal the truth. Finally, it was Cinderella who shared the unfortunate news. “It, uh... it's...” She paused to take a breath. “It's been taken over by Prince Gideon in your absence, Sharman. I'm truly sorry.”
“And it gets worse, mate,” Rank chimed in. “Some of your soldiers have actually sworn allegiance to him. Quite a lot of them, in fact. To be fair, though, he didn't really leave them much of a choice.”
Sharman's jaw tightened as his mind absorbed the news. “My soldiers... swore allegiance to Gideon?”
“Not just Gideon.” As he spoke, Rank unwrapped a peppermint stick. “They swore allegiance to that blob of a king as well.”
“So... Gideon wasn't lying when he said he would attack me for insulting him?” Sharman's fingers plowed through his hair in frustration. “Unbelievable! I thought it was an empty threat. Who wages war over a few unkind words?”
“That bloke, apparently,” Rank replied. When he offered Sharman a piece of his peppermint stick, the prince looked baffled.
“What should I do?” Sharman paced between the carriages as he deliberated. When one of the camels tried to lick his hair, he quickly shuffled away. “What can I do? Do I go to my father? Do I raise an army? How on earth am I supposed to raise an army when I don't even have a penny to my name? I--”
Donnabella cleared h
er throat and stepped in front of the pacing prince. “Pardon me, Your Highness... but you have me.”
“I have you?” Sharman raised an eyebrow. “I can't just send you into the palace all by yourself and ask you to reclaim it for me!”
“And why not? I'm willing to do it.” Donnabella gave him a sly smile. “Trust me, Sharman, I'm all you'll need. My magic is at full strength again. I can feel the power surging through me, pulsing up my body. I've known it since last night when I... warped myself home.”
“You what? You warped?” The prince's hands flew to his hips. “You mean... you used that interantis dispacia spell?”
“Uh... yes. You're not quite using the correct words, though. I--”
“If you can warp, why are we riding in the camel carriage?” When Sharman glared at one of the camels, he swore he saw it smiling at him. “It's taken us hours to get this far!”
“I... didn't want our time together to end too quickly. I...” Before she revealed too much, Donnabella quickly changed the subject. “Anyway, the important thing is... my magic is at full capacity, and I could easily take back the palace for you. Easily.”
All of a sudden, Gloriosa popped out of Rank's pocket and waved her arm. “Excuse me!” the one-inch witch exclaimed. “Pardon me... but might I make a suggestion?”
Cinderella's eyes bulged at the sight of her shrunken fairy godmother. “Gloriosa?” she gasped.
“Yes! Hello, dear. How have you been?” The little witched smiled at her.
Cinda launched into a necessary interrogation. “How long have you been with Rank?”
“Ever since we parted ways.”
“Why are you with Rank?”
“Because he has yet to make his wish, dear.”
“Why did you not tell me you were with him?” Cinda whined the question. “I've been so worried about you!”
“I'm sorry. Truly. I suppose... I didn't want you to know how much I enjoyed the young mage's company. I like being with him.” When Gloriosa smiled up at Rank, the mint-loving mage winked at her. “Anyway, as I was saying, I have a recommendation. Rank should go with Donnabella. I have no idea why the wicked witch is now chummy with the prince, but... if she's going to the palace, we don't have to send her alone.”
“He might be useful,” Donnabella agreed. “As would Fenix. If the boys want to help, they're welcome to join me. Honestly, though...” The witch smiled at Sharman. “I really could handle it on my own.”
* * *
“It's a warm day,” complained one of the soldiers who was guarding the Winter Palace's front gate. “A real warm day.”
“Aye,” the second guard agreed.
“My head's sweatin' under this helmet,” the first guard continued. “I've got sweat drippin' down me bum crack.”
“Maaaate,” the second guard whined. “I didn't need to know that, you know.”
“I know. S'truth, though.” He tried to reach under his helmet to scratch his head, but his fingers were too fat. “There's lots of birds out today,” he observed.
“Aye.”
“The lake's got more swans than usual.”
“Aye.”
“And that's an odd bird.” He pointed at the sky, where a massive orange bird was circling above them. “A real odd bird. Do you think he's watchin' us? He looks like he is.”
“Nah. You're imaginin' things,” his fellow guard disagreed. “You're always imaginin' things. It's--”
Before he could finish, the orange bird swooped down, capturing one of the soldiers in its hooked beak. At the same time, Donnabella charged forward and blew open the palace's front gate with her magic. As the second guard drew his sword, the witch nonchalantly waved her arm and sent him flying into the nearby lake.
“Well done.” Rank tapped his wand against his chin as he commended his teacher. “I haven't even lifted a finger yet, and we're already inside.”
Donnabella ignored her student and turned to Sharman. “Stay close to me, Your Highness. Don't wander too far,” she calmly advised him as they entered the Winter Palace's silver foyer. They barely stepped inside before two knights rushed forward, drawing their swords. When Donnabella wiggled a finger, their swords were wrenched from their fingers and their bodies flew up and stuck to the ceiling. “Let's proceed, shall we?”
As Donnabella, Rank and Sharman made their way down the hall, Fenix flew ahead of them, screeching. He grabbed an incoming guard in his beak and tossed him aside like a child flinging a toy.
When she spotted another guard at the hallway's end, Donnabella sent him flying toward her. As she constricted his throat with her magic, she calmly asked, “Where is Prince Gideon?”
“He... aaak... I can't... breathe!” the strangled guard hissed.
Donnabella relented, but she kept him suspended in midair. “Tell me!” she demanded. “Where is Prince Gideon?”
“He's in Prince Sharman's room!” croaked the dangling guard. “He claimed the prince's bedchamber for himself. He—”
Donnabella had all the information she needed. She tossed the guard aside and continued forward.
“Guards!” An advancing knight cried for backup. “The palace is under attack! We need more guards to assemble on--”
With a whirl of her finger, Donnabella flipped the knight upside down and sent him crashing into a wall. As the unconscious knight dropped, eight more guards appeared, and they were advancing from multiple directions. Donnabella raised her arm and sent three of them flying backward. At the same time, Rank twirled his wand, and a torrent erupted from the tip. A tidal wave of water surged down the hallway, knocking all five soldiers off their feet, carrying them down the hall and out of sight.
“We're getting close to my room,” Sharman reported. “It's at the end of the hall.”
“I know where your room is, Sharman. I was in your bedchamber when I turned you into a frog... remember?” Donnabella reminded him. “Now, before we rush in there... we need to go over my plan.”
* * *
“Harder, please!” Gideon commanded Scarlet, who was on her knees, massaging the prince's feet. “You have to rub them harder, woman! If you touch them lightly, it tickles too much!”
Scarlet's eyes rolled as she squeezed and kneaded the young prince's feet.
“And you!” he commanded his second attendant, which happened to be Princess Rose. “You need to be more gentle! You're hurting my hair! Comb it carefully, please.”
Rose scowled at the brush in her hand. She was tempted to knock him on the head with it.
“I'm sorry if I sound dissatisfied, ladies. In truth, you really do make me happy!” Gideon told them as he leaned back in his chair. When he heard shouting in the hall, he sat back up. “Wait... do you hear something? Is there commotion?”
“Maybe.” Rose hitched a shoulder. “Maybe there's an assassin coming to murder you? Oh, I hope, I hope.”
Ignoring her remark, Gideon shouted, “Guards! Guards, come speak to me at once! Bruno, where are you?”
Gideon's favorite bodyguard dashed into the room and subserviently bowed his head. “Yes, Your Highness?”
“What's going on out there? I heard commotion!” Gideon exclaimed. “Is there someone in the castle?”
“Uh... yes, Your Highness. There appears to be an invader,” Bruno said. “I need to escort you to safety. Follow me.”
Gideon, who implicitly trusted his favorite new bodyguard, was on his feet in an instant. As soon as he stepped into the hall, Bruno morphed into a much smaller man, and a sword appeared at Gideon's neck. The boy prince's eyes crawled along the length of the blade before they landed on Prince Sharman's face.
“Prince Sharman!” Gideon shrieked. “How did you... why are you... aaaah!”
Sharman lightly pressed his sword's tip against Gideon's throat. “You thought you could take my palace while I was away, eh? You thought it would be easy? Well, you were mistaken.” He shoved Gideon to Rank, who used magic to bind the whimpering prince's wrists.
“B
ut... you were my guard!” Gideon whined to Rank. “You swore to be loyal to me! Was it a lie?”
“Obviously,” Rank replied. He twirled his wand, tightening the ropes around Gideon's wrists. “Sorry, little prince.”
“But are you really sorry?” Sharman asked.
Rank responded with such a vigorous shake of his head, his hat went a bit crooked. “No. Not really.”
Princess Rose suddenly burst from Gideon's room and threw her arms around her brother's broad shoulders. “Oh, Sharman!” she cried. “Oh, brother, it's been awful! Gideon murdered Tye, and then he made me do all sorts of awful things like brush his hair and trim his nails and feed him! All I do is sulk and cry!”
“I'm sorry to hear that, Rose.” Sharman slid an arm around Rose's shoulders. “You must have been through quite a lot.”
“I have! You have no idea! My heart's broken, I had to slave away, and now I--” Rose's voice trailed off when she saw Elliot and Scarlet reuniting with a kiss. “Hey!”
When the kiss ended and Elliot glanced up, his eyebrow was raised. “Yes?”
“I'm your soulmate!” Rose sharply reminded him. “You would kiss another woman in front of your soulmate? How dare you! You're such a cad!”
“You were never my soulmate, Rose,” Elliot coldly corrected her. “You never cared about me. Not even a little bit. Don't pretend you did.”
With that, Elliot leaned down to kiss his paramour a second time.
Seventeen
Prince Sharman had barely returned to the Winter Palace before a stout knight wandered over with an unfortunate report. “Uh, Your Highness? I, uh... I have... news.”
Sharman's nostrils flared as he studied the guard. More than likely, it was one of the guards who temporary shifted loyalties to Prince Gideon. “What is it?”
“There's a, uh... a problem in Westerwood, sir. A rather large problem.” The guard's thumbs twiddled as he forced the words out. “There's a Northern Black Drake in the city.”
