by Aya Ling
Since Liam asked me about the articles I wrote, Edward insisted that in order for me to play my role more convincingly, I must be filled in on the knowledge gap, which includes everything an Athelian princess must know. While I know some events that transpired earlier, thanks to countless re-reads of The Ugly Stepsister, I’ve no idea about many other details, such as the history of Athelia or the customs of receiving guests.
“When is my father’s birthday?” Edward asks one evening. After dinner, he summoned Amelie and told her to relay to all servants that he wished to retire early with me and would have no need for any services. I wonder what the servants would say if they could see me now.
“Um . . .” I think frantically about what he had told me earlier. “Some date in December—the 7th? Or is it the 17th?”
“The 27th,” he says, rubbing a hand on his forehead. “And it’s in January, not December. When did the historic battle with Moryn occur? The one over the dispute of the string of islands along our western coast?”
“Um . . .”
“Where is the soup spoon’s position during a five-course meal?”
“Next to the soup bowl?”
“Next to the salad fork.”
I groan and hold up my hands. “I surrender. I’ll never learn how to be a princess.”
“Nonsense. It is only a matter of time before you can memorize the details. Besides, if you have trouble remembering, you can always give me a hint. It is not like you are taking an exam.”
“But I can’t behave like a princess.” I plop on a couch and blow out my cheeks. “I can’t act all regal and aristocratic—something you can pull off without trying.”
“That is less of a problem than you may expect. It is well known at court that you have difficulty carrying yourself as a conventional princess. Very few nobles have not heard of your performance during your presentation.”
It takes a few seconds before I realize what he is talking about. “Did I really fall on my butt in front of your mother?”
“There is no need to be alarmed, Kat. Although you may make mistakes, she genuinely loves you. As do I.”
“I thought you promised no flirting when we’re alone.” I keep my eyes focused on my hands.
“I wasn’t. I was merely stating a fact.”
I wonder how he manages to keep a straight face while saying that. “I don’t know what I ever saw in you,” I grumble. Which only causes him to look amused.
“A great deal, love. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have married me.”
I roll my eyes. Who would have thought that this guy, who rarely cracks a smile when the servants talk to him, would turn out to be a huge flirt? “Next question.”
Edward continues to drill me with royal princess stuff until I start to yawn. My “jet lag” symptoms are much better by now, but I still need at least nine hours of sleep, plus a half-hour nap.
“We’ll continue tomorrow,” Edward says. He writes something in his pocket book and sets it carefully on the mantelpiece of the fireplace. “I have arranged for us to go picnicking in the forest, so we’ll have plenty of time alone.”
“Are . . . are you going to sleep there again?” I blurt. Having peeked into the changing room, it seems awfully small and stuffy for Edward. My conscience suffers when I imagine him lying in there, tossing and turning, or even sneezing. After all, this is his house.
He raises an eyebrow, but he doesn’t speak, like he’s anticipating what I might say.
“Let me switch places with you. I’m shorter than you, so I’ll be able to fit in—”
“Absolutely not.” His voice is curt, leaving no room for argument. “Either I sleep in the adjoining room or share the bed with you. Your choice.”
Yeah, right. If I sleep with him, I doubt it can be just, you know, sleeping. In fact, I doubt any sleeping would be going on.
I stalk to the bed and pull up the blankets until only my hair spills on the pillow. He sighs, so faintly that I wonder if my ears are deceiving me. A moment later, the door of the changing room swings shut.
Guilt assaults me, even though I tell myself I have nothing to be guilty for. At the same time, I find myself wishing that I didn’t have to treat him so unfeelingly. Especially if what he said was true—how can I blame him for wanting me to stay? But staying here is simply out of question. By now, Mom and Paige would have known that I’ve disappeared. They’d definitely be frantic with worry. My picture is probably somewhere in the news, and Jason might be questioned, since it is at his place that I went missing.
I’ve got to get home.
I roll over to the other side and contemplate my chances. What can I do when there’s no cellphone or internet? I guess I can only wait until I get back to the palace, but I’m not optimistic. I remember that array of guards, like a solid wall, marching in our procession. And even now in Enrilth, there are at least a dozen servants—housekeeper, stewards, maids, stable hands—to wait on us. There will only be more people when we return.
“Girlie, open your eyes. It’s time to wake up.”
9
A peculiar voice that sounds neither male nor female is speaking into my ear.
“Wake up!” Someone pulls my blankets down, and I feel a sharp tug on my ear.
“Ow!” I open my eyes and receive a huge shock. Hovering before my eyes is an unnatural being with an ugly squashed face and pointed ears. His skin is a hideous mottled green, and his eyes, huge and yellow and bulbous, take up nearly half his face. He has his arms crossed, and he looks down at me with annoyance.
What?
“Took me ages to finally find you,” the creature grumbles. “Who would have known that Eddie would have taken you this far?”
“Who are you?” I sit up, fully awake. “Actually, what are you?” I pinch my arm, but nothing happens. I am still awake, in the dark room with only moonlight streaming in through the curtains.
The creature peers at me, his large yellow eyes blinking. “You really have lost your memory. Too bad we haven’t enough magic to restore it.” With a resigned air, he snaps his fingers, and poof! A book appears in midair. On the cover is a red-haired girl in a gorgeous dress.
The Ugly Stepsister.
“How did you get my book?” I rub my eyes, but both book and goblin are still there. You’d think that waking up in a strange world is bizarre enough, but apparently, this craziness knows no end.
“Wrong. This is our book, not yours. It’s the property of Barthelius, our king.”
I don’t understand. He seems to read my thoughts, for he clicks his fingers again and the book flips open. There is a small whirring noise as the book flips itself to the last page, where the prince and the ugly stepsister get married.
“That’s you,” the goblin says. “Yes, don’t look at me like I’m mad. That girl standing on the altar is you. Didn’t you find yourself married when you re-entered Athelia?”
What Edward had told me that night comes roaring back to me now. I came into this world because I ripped a book. Can it be . . .? No, it’s impossible, but with a goblin bouncing in the air and my book flipping its pages on its own, nothing seems impossible at the moment.
“Katherine Wilson,” the goblin says. “We must get you back to the human world. You shouldn’t be here.”
I can’t believe my ears. All this time, I’ve been waiting to find a chance to get back, and this goblin that can perform magic is offering to help me? “You know my real name,” I say slowly. “You know that I don’t belong here!” Then something clicks in my head. “You are the goblin that Edward was asking me about. You’re the one responsible for bringing me into Athelia when I was in high school! You’re . . . you’re . . .”
“Krev. The one and only.”
There is no mention of a goblin in The Ugly Stepsister. Nevertheless, his name sounds familiar.
“Now, girlie, listen up. You’ve already made a mess of Athelia’s history, so in order not to let you wreak any more havoc, we need to get you back.”
“You can help me get home? Right now?”
“Remember how you came into this world?”
The book, still floating in the air, gives me an idea. “Before I came to this world . . . the book appeared in Jason’s room, and I was drawn to it.” I look up, hope soaring in my chest. “So, you can get me back by traveling through this book?”
“It was powerful magic that brought you here.” He blows out his cheeks and shakes his head. “Don’t know if the spell Barthelius gave me will work, but let’s give it a try.”
Krev tells me to leave the bed and stand by the window. My heart pounding with excitement, I do what he tells me. But then I remember Edward, who is still sleeping in the changing room. “Wait,” I say, and reach for a pen and paper. No matter what, I owe him an explanation before I go. Quickly, I scribble a message that I will be going home.
“Girlie!” Krev bellows. “Make haste. The spell won’t last long!”
He starts to chant some incomprehensible words, and the book begins to glow. A current surrounds me, a magnetic force pulls me toward the book, and my feet leave the ground.
There’s a thud in the room, but I don’t look back. I’m finally going back to Portland. No more of this bizarre princess roleplaying. A twinge of guilt and sorrow pricks me when I think of Edward.
Goodbye. I’m sorry that I’m leaving you without saying goodbye to you in person, but I’m just an ordinary girl from the States. Whatever past we had will have to remain in the past. Find another bride. There must be plenty of girls eager to replace me.
A sturdy arm encircles my waist, pulling me back to the ground. I struggle and twist as hard as I can, but Edward’s grip is like a bar of iron around me.
“Let me go!” I snarl. “Get your hands off me!”
He loosens his hold, but his arms remain around me. Horrified, I watch the book shrivel up into a tiny cloud the size of my palm. I leap up and make a wild grab at it, but it vanishes.
“Wait!” I sob. “Don’t abandon me! Krev, where are you? I need you to take me back home!”
The goblin reappears where the book has disappeared, a flash of regret on his face.
“Sorry, girlie,” Krev says, “You’ll have to wait till next time.”
“What do you mean, next time? Can’t you cast your spell again?”
“Borg’s magic is too strong for my spell to work. I have to go back to the king and figure out how we can bring you back another time. Don’t panic, okay? We’ll get you out of here soon enough.”
“But I have to get home . . .”
He doesn’t listen to me. The goblin just gives me a wave and disappears in a puff of smoke.
I can’t let him leave like that. I open the window and rush out in my bare feet. There’s nothing outside, only the moon and stars against the huge black canopy of night sky.
I can’t freaking believe it. I was so close to leaving this place! And Krev didn’t even tell me when he’ll come back. Frustrated, I feel like throwing myself off the balcony, but there’s no energy left in my body. I sink down against the balustrade, unable to keep the tears from flowing.
Edward crouches in front of me.
“Kat?” He tries to wipe my tears away with his thumb. “Kat, calm down. Tell me what happened.”
I shove him away and give him the nastiest glare I can manage. “Stay away from me,” I hiss. “If you didn’t just interfere, I would have been able to go home! You’ve ruined my chance to get back to my own world!”
His eyes widen for a second and his lips move, but no sound comes out.
“We’d better go inside,” he suddenly says. “You will catch cold in that nightgown, and besides, there are servants sleeping in the house. We cannot let them overhear us.”
He grabs my arm and drags me indoors, shutting the door firmly behind us.
“Forgive me,” he says, lighting one of the lamps. “When I saw you levitating, I assumed your life was in danger. There was no way to know otherwise.”
“Didn’t you see the goblin?”
He shakes his head. “Nothing—all I saw was you rising into the air. I had to pull you back. On my life, I can never let any harm come to you. I had no idea that you were trying to leave me and return to your world.”
I don’t care how hot he is. I don’t care that he’s in love with me. All I know is that he stepped in and prevented my returning home. “Go away.”
But my words fall on deaf ears. Edward simply folds his arms and sits on an armchair. “Not before you explain how you rose from the ground. Seldom have I believed that magic exists, but when it comes to you . . .” he rubs a hand over his forehead. “Was it Krev who came to take you away to America?”
“Back to America,” I correct him.
Alarm flashes in his face. “Did he offer any explanation why he sent you back to me? And why is he coming to take you away, when you’ve only been here for a few days? What’s going on?”
I simply wrap my arms around my torso and look away. I’m still frustrated and mad—I was SO CLOSE to getting home.
“Kat.” Edward strides toward me. Ignoring my attempt to back away, he clamps both hands on my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. “I understand that you are disappointed, but answer me this—do you believe me now? Can you deny that we have met previously?”
Reluctantly, I meet his gaze. Those eyes—hazelnut flecked with gold—cause a sharp jolt in my mind. As much as I want to say no, I have to admit that his face is familiar, though I still have no idea how and when we were acquainted.
I nod.
He sighs, obviously relieved, and releases his hold. “I realize you are anxious to go home. No matter what you feel for me, your attachment to your family remains your first priority. That was why I had to let you leave the first time. But now” —he takes my hands— “circumstances are different. Your mother found another suitor. Your sister will be attending school far away. Couldn’t you consider a life with me?”
The intensity in his tone and gaze startles me. “But I already . . .”
“I understand that you also have a suitor in your world.” He presses a kiss on the back of my hand before I can stop him. “Promise me that you will do your best to regain your memory. If you do remember our past and still wish to leave, then I shall not stand in your way. But you must promise me—even if the goblin shows up—you won’t leave with him until you remember.”
I swallow. How could I make such a promise when I’ve just narrowly missed my chance to go home?
“Say yes.” He pins me with his intense gaze. “You owe me a second chance, Kat.”
If Krev does appear and I still haven’t regained my memory, it’s going to be tough to refuse leaving with him. And I desperately want to go back. Besides, Krev stated that I shouldn’t be in Athelia. Even if I tell Krev I cannot leave, what’s to prevent the goblin from forcefully transporting me back to America? I was powerless when the book brought me to Athelia.
Reluctantly, I nod.
He closes his arms around me. I'm too tired to struggle, but I am as rigid as a block of wood. “I know you must hate me now,” he says, his lips moving over my hair. “But I do not regret what I did. I simply cannot let you go when your impression of me is that of a stranger.”
10
It is time to return to the palace. Nervous and tense, I continue practicing on the train. In the capital, there will be a lot more servants and guards, plus his parents, relatives, and members of the aristocracy. Moreover, as it’s early summer, we are approaching the height of the Season, which means more parties, outings, balls, etc. Basically, events that I wish I could get myself out of. Katriona was a gauche young lady, but it had to be easier when everyone’s attention was on Bianca, the movie-star glamorous sister. Now that I'm princess, it’ll be difficult not to draw attention.
Once we get off the train, a camera goes off. Several reporters are gathered around the p
latform. Geez. This new celebrity status is really annoying. Edward puts his arm around my shoulders and whisks me toward a carriage with the skill of a celebrity’s bodyguard.
I grasp the folds of my gown and take a deep breath. Frankly, I am not sure if I can pull off this princess role—my head is still bursting from all the cramming I had to do. At the same time, I am kind of curious. You know, when I was a kid, like many girls, I imagined myself like one of the princesses in those storybooks. Mom dressed me up in a pink tulle skirt for Halloween when I was four. She kept a picture frame on the table until I got embarrassed about seeing it, especially when Paige also had her own princess picture taken. She looks so much better than I do in pink.
I never expected that my childhood playacting could be realized like The Princess Diaries, except I’m married to a prince.
The carriage stops at a stupendously huge courtyard. Edward takes my hand and squeezes my fingers. He doesn’t say anything, but the warm pressure implies that he will stand by me, no matter what happens. Feeling slightly more reassured, I mimic his posture—straight back, raised chin, steady gaze—and try to walk as steadily as I can in my huge gown.
The palace is a maze of winding stairs, marble corridors, arched galleries, and ornate rooms. I try very hard not to gawk when we enter through the main entrance. The gates are huge, just like a movie’s, and require at least four people to pull them open. A grand staircase inlaid with gold and carpeted in crimson takes my breath away. Servants either bow or curtsy to us when we pass. Hopefully, my face doesn’t give too much away. It’s not easy pretending that I’ve lived in this palace for months.
Then, for what seems like hours, we stop outside a cream-gold door. Edward signals to Bertram, who produces a set of jingling brass keys.
“Is this our room?” I ask.
“Our rooms, in fact,” he says, unlocking the door. “Welcome home, darling.”
I put a hand over my mouth to stifle my gasp. In front of me is a beautiful sitting room that wouldn’t look out of place at the Ritz. It’s a suite, actually, and as Edward guides me through the rooms, I truly feel privileged.
