by Liz Dejesus
“Whoa.”
“I know it’s a lot to ask of one so young, but Terrance and my son think highly of you. Ferdinand believes you can help. Especially after what they saw you do in the forest. You defeated a powerful witch and a vindictive ghost.”
Bianca lifted her gaze and was met with the queen’s blue eyes. “I’ll do what I can. I have to ask… Do you know where your slipper might be at this moment?”
“Based on the information I have received, the slipper was stolen by hundreds of snakes and toads. The guards were killed, and the protective spells did nothing to help. We always assumed that it would be a person that would try to steal the glass slipper. We never thought of placing protective spells against animals.”
“Wait, snakes and toads?” Bianca asked.
“Yes.”
Bianca ran her fingers through her hair and paced around the room.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Queen Felicia frowned as she followed Bianca with questioning eyes.
“I, umm, I had a dream with snakes and toads last night.”
“That is troubling.”
“Did Terrance know that this is what you wanted me to do?”
It took several heartbeats for the queen to reply. Bianca wanted to believe that Terrance would never knowingly put her in danger.
“He has no idea why I wanted speak to you, so he is innocent in that regard. But I must admit that I was very interested in meeting you once I found out that you defeated Lenore.” Felicia’s eyes hardened as she mentioned the witch’s name. “That horrible woman, she is guilty of many terrible crimes. You have done us a great service by ridding our land of her, and for that, we are all eternally grateful. If I didn’t trust my son, I would ask for proof, but I believe that you have done all the amazing things he claims.”
“Trust me. Lenore is not coming back…ever.” Bianca shuddered as she remembered Lenore’s screams as she locked her inside Queen Mirabel’s little hand mirror. “I dunno. I promised my mom I’d go back home at the first sign of trouble,” Bianca said.
“But you’re not in trouble. I’m simply asking you to find my missing shoe.”
Bianca arched her eyebrow. She knew better than to believe that load of crap.
“Listen, Your Majesty, I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but I must speak candidly right now if you don’t mind.”
“Proceed.”
Bianca drew a circle around her face and said, “People see me and assume that I’m stupid. Which, I can promise you, I’m not. So how about you tell me what’s really going on?”
Queen Felicia narrowed her eyes at Bianca and let out a huff of air through her nostrils. “I was hoping you weren’t as clever as I thought you were. My apologies. Based on the information we have gathered, we believe that Elda has stolen the glass slipper.”
“Elda?”
“Fanny’s sister,” she explained.
“I still don’t understand.” Bianca frowned.
“I apologize. I forget that you are not from here. Are you familiar with the story Diamonds and Toads?”
“Is that the story about the girl that goes to the well and ends up with diamonds and flowers coming out of her mouth?”
“That is correct. Do you remember what happened to her older sister?”
“Yeah, she was mean and spiteful and ended up having toads and vipers come out of her mouth.” Bianca tried not to gag at the thought of something like that happening to her.
“Fanny is the younger sister, and Elda is the eldest.”
“Where can I find them?”
“Fanny lives among the fairies. Poor girl, she couldn’t handle people following her everywhere, hoping to catch some of her precious jewels every time she spoke. She had no peace. As for Elda? No one knows her whereabouts. She was presumed dead, but it seems that she has survived after all these years—with snakes and toads still crawling out of her filthy mouth.”
Ewww.
Bianca could already hear her mother’s voice warning her against doing any favors for the queen. Stay out of trouble. Come home. Promise me you’ll come home at the first sign of trouble.
“Am I allowed to think about it before I give you an answer?”
Queen Felicia gave her a tightlipped smile, which led Bianca to believe that she didn’t like what she’d just said.
“Please, don’t think too long. This is a situation that needs to be remedied immediately.”
“I understand.”
“Farewell, Bianca.”
“Farewell, Your Majesty.”
Bianca curtsied and walked out of the throne room. She closed the door behind her and took a deep breath. Claire and Ming stood by the door, waiting.
“Are you all right?” Claire asked.
“I’m not sure,” Bianca replied. It wasn’t far from the truth.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked.
“I don’t know, maybe.” Bianca shook her head. “I need to find Terrance. He’ll understand.”
Claire nodded. “He is still in the library with the prince.”
“Thank you.” Bianca walked away from Claire and headed to the library, with Ming following closely beside her.
“So what happened?” Ming asked.
“She asked for my help. Someone stole Cinderella’s glass slipper,” Bianca explained.
“Are you sure? Because you have the slipper in the museum.”
“Yeah, we have one of the slippers. The queen had the other one hidden among the fairies.”
“Seriously?” Ming asked.
Bianca told her everything the queen said to her in the throne room.
“Wow. That is twenty different kinds of crazy, B. What are you gonna do?”
“I dunno. Haven’t made up my mind yet.”
“Your mom made you promise to stay out of trouble. This is the opposite. This is diving head first into trouble.”
Bianca groaned. Ming was right.
“I know. I know. But I was thinking, what if I helped just a little while we’re here? I mean, what if whoever stole the slipper from the castle tries to go after my parents while they’re at the museum to get the other one?”
“Your mom can take care of herself.”
“Yeah, I know, but it didn’t stop Lenore from turning my dad into a bear and taking him to Everafter for ten years. What if the same thing happens? I don’t think my mom and I can handle another decade without him.”
“Sounds to me like you’ve already made up your mind,” Ming said.
Bianca sighed. “Let me talk to Terrance and Prince Ferdinand. See what they have to say. Then I’ll decide.”
“Okey dokey.”
It took them a few tries to find the elusive library, but eventually they opened the right door to find Prince Ferdinand sitting at a massive desk. His hands were buried in his thick blond hair, like he was ready to pull it out. He muttered underneath his breath as he read the passages in a dusty old book. He heard the loud creak of the door and looked up. As soon as he set eyes on Ming, the prince brightened up.
“Finally! Some reprieve from this tyrant,” Ferdinand shouted as Bianca and Ming walked in. It seemed that he was searching for any excuse to take a break.
Terrance frowned at his friend and slammed the book shut.
“Rough morning?” Bianca asked.
Terrance opened his mouth, but Ferdinand spoke instead.
“The worst,” Prince Ferdinand replied. “So many questions. So much information to remember,” he complained.
“It can’t be that bad,” Ming said.
Prince Ferdinand sighed and showed her a stack of papers a foot high that he needed to memorize by the end of the week.
“Yikes,” Ming muttered.
“I have no idea what that word means, but yes, yikes,” he replied, testing out the new word.
Terrance took a deep breath and shook his head in dismay.
“Have you spoken to my mother?” Ferdinand asked.
Bianca nodded.
“How did you know?”
“I overheard her speaking to Lady Claire early this morning.”
“What did the queen want?” Terrance asked.
“She wants me to find Cinderella’s glass slipper,” she whispered.
“The glass slippers?” Terrance asked.
This was proof enough that he really had no idea what the queen had wanted with Bianca.
“The one that is missing. She said that one of them was stolen from its hiding place. The guards were killed by whoever took it,” she explained. “Fortunately, I know for sure the one in our museum is well guarded.”
“Then we must find the stolen slipper. We shall go on another whirlwind adventure,” Ferdinand announced.
“We?” Bianca asked.
“Of course. You weren’t expecting to go alone, were you?”
“I don’t know…” Bianca muttered.
“We’re going,” the prince said as he slammed his fist against his desk.
“Oh boy,” Ming said.
“You’re not doing this alone,” Prince Ferdinand argued. “We’re going and that settles it,” he said between gritted teeth. He stormed out of the library and slammed the door so hard that several books fell off the shelves.
“I’m going after him. See if I can get him to calm down,” Ming said. She left the library and chased after the prince.
Bianca sighed and turned to her boyfriend.
“Suggestions? Comments? Snide remarks?”
Terrance sighed and put the stack of papers and books back where they belonged.
“There’s no use arguing with him. Besides, I think it will be quite all right. I believe he needs this,” he replied.
“What if he gets hurt? You know how he has a bit of wanderlust, and—”
“Like someone else I know.”
Bianca rolled her eyes, remembering those same words coming from Terrance’s mouth about her. “Besides,” she said, ignoring him, “I haven’t told the queen whether or not I’m going to help her with this.”
“You already know what you’re going to say.”
“Do I?”
“Yes.”
Bianca groaned. “I’m supposed to stay out of trouble, remember?”
“Trouble has a way of finding you, whether you’re home or in Everafter.”
“Are you saying I’m a troublemaker?”
“I’m saying that magic will find you, no matter where you are.”
Terrance held her in his arms. He drew in his breath and then kissed her on the forehead. Bianca sighed. How was she ever going to win an argument, when all he had to do was hold her tight?
“Unfair,” she whispered.
“I know,” he said.
“Fine, you can both come. I’ll tell the queen that I’ll accept her mission, if that’s what we’re going to call it. Whatever this is.” She let out a long, drawn out sigh.
I hope I’m doing the right thing.
Seven
“No, no, no! Absolutely not!” Queen Felicia shouted.
“Mother, please, think of the experience and knowledge I could gain from this,” Ferdinand pleaded.
“You are to stay here and continue with your studies. I let you run off last time, and I will have no more dalliances.”
“And look at the extraordinary adventure I had,” he countered.
“You are the heir to the throne. Do you have any idea how important you are to the kingdom? What if something happens to you? Harold, help me here.”
King Harold hid the smirk on his face with his left hand and gave the fakest scowl Bianca had ever seen. “Listen to your mother,” he muttered.
“There. See? Your father agrees with me,” the queen said.
“Mother, please. Bianca, Ming, and Terrance will be with me.”
“I said no, Ferdinand. And that is final,” Queen Felicia said.
“Fine!” Prince Ferdinand stormed out of the throne room.
Bianca and Ming curtsied, Terrance bowed, and they quickly ran after Ferdinand.
“She said I couldn’t go,” Ferdinand huffed.
“I know. We were just in there with you.” Ming sighed. “That sucks.”
“I have no idea what that word means, but yes, I believe this situation calls for that exact word. Sucks. I like it,” the prince said.
“You’ve never let anyone stop you from doing what you want,” Terrance said.
“I know, but I really don’t want to disobey Mother,” Ferdinand replied.
“Very well. I suppose I’ll have to have all the fun this time around. I’ll fight vicious dragons and rescue Ming and Bianca from some evil witch. I’ll be sure to keep all of the details in my journals. Perhaps the minstrels will sing about me this time around,” Terrance teased.
What are you doing? Bianca screamed in her head. She gave Terrance a wide-eyed look, as if that alone were enough to share her thoughts with him telepathically.
“You will not. That is preposterous,” the prince sputtered. He regained his composure and finally said, “I’m going with you.”
Terrance chuckled.
“What are you doing? Queen Felicia and King Harold said he couldn’t go. She’ll be furious if she finds out,” Bianca whispered.
“Trust me. Everything will be all right.” He winked.
Bianca kept her opinion to herself. She had a feeling there was more that Terrance wasn’t telling her, but she had been with him long enough to trust his judgment.
“We’re going to our rooms and get our things,” she said.
“All right.”
“Where do we meet?” Bianca asked.
Terrance thought for a moment and then said, “Near the stables. We’ll need horses.”
“Ugh. Horses? You know I’m not very good with horses,” Ming complained.
“Would you rather walk?” Bianca countered.
“No.” Ming pouted.
“Don’t worry. I’ll get you a nice horse. One that won’t kick you off its back,” Ferdinand said.
“Thanks,” Ming said with a warm smile.
“I’ll see you in a little while,” Bianca said to Terrance, who in turn gave her a playful wink and walked away.
Once they were alone in the stables, Bianca did several cartwheels. She loved the feel of her soft blue jeans against her skin. Soft cotton. Underwear that didn’t pinch her skin or make her feel like she was walking underwater. She could breathe again; that was the most important thing.
Ming sat on a stack of hay and inspected her nails while Terrance and Ferdinand argued over which horses would be better suited for them.
“God, it’s so good to be back in my old clothes again,” Bianca said.
“A corset can’t be that bad,” Ferdinand said.
“Spoken like a man that’s never worn one,” Ming replied.
“Of course I’ve never worn a corset. What a ridiculous idea,” Ferdinand replied.
Terrance saddled the brown horse he wanted for Bianca.
“You can’t be seriously considering letting her ride that horse. Apollo is far too wild. Give her Snowdrop. He’s much better for traveling,” Ferdinand argued.
“Snowdrop will not survive the journey; we have no idea the amount of traveling we have to do. He’ll get spooked over the smallest thing, and he could drop her. Apollo is energetic, that is true, but he’s much more suitable for long-distance journeys.”
After several more minutes arguing, they settled on letting Bianca ride Apollo, a brown stallion. Bianca wasn’t going to argue with them. They knew more about horses than she did. All she wanted was to not fall off the beast and break her neck. Ming got a gray and white spotted horse named Chance. Prince Ferdinand promised her at least a dozen times that it was quite tame and she would be safe riding it. Terrance chose his favorite black horse, Shadow, and the prince chose a white stallion named Phantom.
“Anyway, where do we go first?” Bianca asked. As her mom went through great lengths to make sure that the protective wards around the
museum were up to date, she was sure it would be better to go after the slipper that was here in Everafter. Still, she worried about her family. The last thing they needed was another vindictive witch wanting to exact revenge upon them.
“Mother believes that Elda took the slipper,” Ferdinand said. The prince was quiet for a few moments. “The only one who will know where Elda can be found is her sister Fanny.”
“All right. Where is she?” Bianca asked.
“With Queen Titania…in the Fairy Realm,” Ferdinand said grimly.
“Oh yeah, Queen Felicia mentioned she might be there. But the way you just said that makes me think that this is a bad thing.”
“It is. Fairies are notorious tricksters,” Terrance said. “Contrary to popular belief, fairies aren’t all about love and kindness. They are creatures of nature. Wild. Carefree and interested only in instant gratification.”
“Huh. That’s funny. You would think that since they’re immortal, patience would be the one thing they’d be excellent at,” Bianca said.
“Well, they’re not. Be careful what you say, what you do, even what you hear. You can’t trust your own senses in the Fairy Realm. Everything is an illusion.”
“Everything?”
“Everything.”
Bianca nodded. “Careful. Gotcha. But we just need to talk to Fanny. It can’t be that complicated.”
“It’s not that simple, Bianca. We need to request permission from the queen to ask anything of her guests. She can demand anything from us, and trust me, the last thing you want is to owe a fairy a favor.”
Bianca shook her head. “Your Highness, you’ve been reading books on fairies, politics, and history, right?”
“Correct.”
“Then try to remember something useful that’ll help us,” Bianca said as she mounted her horse.
“That can take a while.”
“Looks like that’s the exact amount of time we have until we get there. So start thinking, Your Highness.”
As soon as they were on the road, Ming started singing “Rawhide.” They had recently watched The Blues Brothers and had fallen in love with the troublesome duo. So much so that Ming had downloaded the soundtrack on both their iPods. Ming did her best to sing as low as possible.
