by Amy Sumida
Chapter One
My father had always told me that I was special, but I had no illusions to my position in life. I knew that most fathers said such things to their children; it was the way of parents. But my father had been speaking the truth. I just didn't understand it until years after he died.
My mother had disappeared when I was a little girl; just left one day and never returned. My father gave me some fanciful tale about her being a fairy, and how she had begun to wither in our world. She had to go home, but she left me with him, to ease his heartache.
Then another woman eased him in ways that I couldn't. Father remarried. My stepmother moved into our home with her three daughters: Hazel, Kaylee, and Ava. They were mean to me when father wasn't around, but I ignored them for him. Then he died, and my life changed drastically.
I became a servant to them; moved out of my spacious bedroom to sleep in the kitchen. I was given rags to wear and hard labor to perform. My hatred festered in my heart, but I tried to hold onto hope. Someday, I would find the strength to leave my home and begin again.
But the world outside was harsh and scary for a young woman, especially in our little kingdom. The land was ruled by lascivious monarchs who had taught their three sons to be just as hedonistic and lecherous as they were. They held erotic parties where young girls were brought in to entertain their guests, and these girls were not always there willingly. It was unsafe to roam the streets after dark. You'd be seen as a “woman of the night” and taken into custody to serve the King and Queen.
So, I hid in the kitchens and slept on the hearth. My stepsisters teased me about the ash on my cheeks and the unkempt state of my hair, but I ignored them and forged on.
Then an invitation arrived.
The King and Queen had decided that it was time for their sons to choose wives. They were holding a grand ball and inviting all the nobles of the land to attend. My father had been a duke, and so his surviving wife was invited to bring her daughters to be presented to the royal princes.
I made a face as I listened to them preen about being princesses. May they be so unlucky as to catch the eye of one of those princes. I would happily stay in the kitchen and keep my honor intact.
But I was special.
Chapter Two
“What has happened here?” A woman shrieked in the garden.
I went running outside before she could wake my stepmother. There would be hell to pay if the Duchess's beauty sleep were interrupted. Yes, that requires an eye roll.
“Shh!” I waved to the woman. “You'll wake them.”
“Wake who?” She started to get angry and then froze, staring at me in shock.
She was a lovely woman, with a pile of golden curls atop her head and a lithe body swathed in gossamer silk. Her skin was pale as milk and just as perfect. Her eyes were the color of the sea on a sunny day, also perfect. But they suddenly looked sad.
“Madelyn?”
“Yes,” I said. “Do I know you?”
“Do you not recall my face?” She asked. “Has it been so long?”
I stared harder and sorted through my memories until a hazy image surfaced.
“Mother?”
“Maddie!” She rushed forward and hugged me tightly. “Sweet child, I've missed you.”
“I thought you were dead,” I mumbled as she pulled back to look me over. “Or in Venice.”
“And I thought you were being cared for,” she snapped. “I see that we were both wrong. Where is your father? I must speak to him immediately.”
“He's dead,” I said hollowly. “He remarried, and after he passed away, his wife took charge of the manor. She has treated me horribly.”
“Oh, Maddie,” her face fell. “I'm so sorry, my darling.”
“Where have you been, Mother?”
“Didn't your father tell you?”
“He said that you were a fairy,” I huffed. “That you were withering, so you went back to Fairyland.”
“Tir na nOg,” she corrected me, “but close enough.”
“Pardon?” I gaped at her.
“Sweetheart,” she purred. “I am a fairy.” She pulled a golden wand out of the air and brandished it about. “And you are half fairy.”
“Half fairy?”
“Yes.”
“Well, fuck,” I huffed.
Her eyes went wide.
“All of this time and I've just allowed them to mistreat me, thinking that I had no recourse,” I growled. “When I'm actually a fairy. Can I make magic?”
“I don't know.” She frowned. “Perhaps small spells.”
“Let me go and tell that bitch that she can stick her broomstick up her ass.” I headed back into the house with my mother trailing after me. “Then I'm getting the hell out of here!”
“What's this?” My mother's voice stopped me on the first stair.
I turned to see the invitation in her hands.
“Oh, that.” I grimaced. “The King and Queen are holding a ball so that their pervy sons can choose wives.”
“Princes?” Her brow lifted.
“Yeah, my stepsisters are beside themselves with glee, thinking that they're going to be chosen.” I snorted. “Too bad they're ugly and evil.”
“We shall snag you one of these princes,” my mother declared.
“Mom, no,” I huffed. “I don't want one of them.”
“All right, then we shall get you all three.” She nodded. “Yes, that will be perfect vengeance upon these harlots who have treated you so poorly. Though, you will have to put up with them for a few days longer, sweetheart.” She scanned the invitation. “Ha! Make that a day longer. The Ball is tonight! After the princes have chosen you to be their bride, you can tell the bitch to stick her broomstick... where was it now?”
“Up her ass.”
“Yes, up her ass!”
“I don't want to go to the Pervert's Ball,” I growled. “You're not listening to me. Those men are libertines! They are debauched, vulgar louts who fuck anything that will spread its legs for them. I do not want to marry any, much less all, of those princes.”
“My darling girl”–my mother smirked–“men are what you make of them. Trust me; these princes will be eating out of your hands in no time.”
“Gross!”
Chapter Three
My mother refused to listen to me. Instead, she flitted off to the palace to do some recon–her words. She told me to stay put and pretend that everything was normal. Since she was my only chance to learn about my magical potential and get myself out of my current predicament, I did as she bid. Which meant that I had to dress, adorn, and primp my stepsisters and their mother so that they could attend the Ball.
When their carriage finally pulled away from the manor, I gave a deep sigh, and trudged into the kitchen. I was going to curl up beside the fire and–
“Madelyn!” My mother appeared in the kitchen beside me.
“God-damn it!” I shouted. “Don't do that; you nearly gave me a heart attack.”
“Your heart is far too strong for that.” She waved away my concern. “I have seen these libertines and find them to be quite handsome and intelligent. I think you shall too.”
“Oh, yes,” I agreed. “They're very good-looking men. I don't argue that at all. But I still don't want to be fucked and cast aside, like every other woman they've touched.”
“No man will cast aside my daughter!”
“Sure, Mom, okay.” I rolled my eyes.
“They won't, Madelyn,” she insisted. “I shall enchant you. If they seduce you tonight, they will only bind themselves more securely to you.” She waved her wand about in a worrisome manner over my head. “They will become so obsessed with you that they will know no peace until they stand before you once more. And every time they leave your presence, they will return to their suffering, until they have wed you.”
Golden sparkles fell around me, and I batted them away.
“No! I don't want to marry those bastards!” I stamped my
foot. “I just want to leave this kinky kingdom and go somewhere safe. Can't you take me back to Tir-eggnog with you?”
“Tir na nOg,” she said patiently.
“Yes, there.”
“No, darling, I cannot,” she said sadly. “Only full fairies can enter the world of the Fey. It's why I left you with your father all those years ago. Now, I must do as much as I can for you in the time I can stand to remain here. I will see you safe and crowned, ruling over these foul women who dared to mistreat you. That is the best I can do for you, Maddie, and I will do it.”
I sighed deeply. “Fine, Mother, do your worst, your best, whatever. But I warn you; these men are not going to marry me. Just look at me. They'll laugh me out of the ballroom.”
“Oh, sweetheart”–she chuckled–“I'm not sending you to the Ball looking like that.”
My mother started to wave her wand again, and terror shot through my body.
Chapter Four
“I can't believe I'm going to a sex ball in a pumpkin,” I muttered to myself.
My elaborate carriage– which my mother had made from a pumpkin–coasted down the road, led by four, white horses which started the night out as mice. My footman had been a frog, and the coachman a rabbit. Mother made do with what she had available, or so she said. She also transformed my rags into the most exquisite ball gown I'd ever seen; dripping with sparkling diamonds. My hair had been curled and set with more shiny stones, and my face adorned with a radiant glow. At the last minute, she remembered my shoes.
There was nothing left to transform, so she pulled her own shoes off her feet and handed them over. They were a perfect fit, but they were glass. Glass! I asked her if she was mad. Who walked around in glass shoes? One false step and your feet would be sliced to ribbons. But she insisted.
So, there I was, primped and ready for the perverts. I watched the shimmering castle come into view, my heart racing at the thought of what waited for me inside it. Maybe they wouldn't notice me. Maybe I could attend the Ball and leave a free woman, and then my mother would have to concede defeat and find another way to take care of me.
The carriage stopped before the massive set of stone stairs that led into the castle. Right; I'll need to navigate those carefully–glass and stone don't pair well. I got out of the carriage with the help of the frog–I mean footman–and then was escorted up the stairs by a castle guard. The carriage pulled away and parked beside the other carriages as I walked into the castle.
There were people everywhere, but they were all dressed. I breathed a sigh of relief, wondering if all the tales of lewdness had been false. Maybe I was mistaken, and the princes were nice men who were looking for a good woman to marry.
I walked into the ballroom as Prince Ashton strode out of a room behind the thrones. He was escorting a woman who was still tying the ribbons of her dress. As soon as she was at the edge of the dance floor, Ashton started scanning the room for a new victim... er, partner.
“If one of Their Highnesses approaches you for a dance,” the footman at the door said to me with a lifted chin, “follow him into the audition room and perform for him as best you can.” He looked me over and then did a double take. “My lady,” he added. Then he lifted a hand to catch Prince Ashton's attention.
The Prince saw us and his eyes widened. He started moving through the dancers with expert speed. I rolled my eyes. Here we go. I didn't know what the footman had meant by “dance” and “perform,” but I knew I wasn't about to do either of those things. The Prince could just...
It was the first time I had been close enough to see the color of Prince Ashton's eyes. They were a pale gray, like storm clouds, and they were set intensely upon my face. His blond hair was swept back into a club, the pale skin of his throat was just beginning to flush, and his breathing was going ragged.
“My lady,” he whispered–a velvet sound, “I am overcome. Please, tell me your name.”
Oh hell no, I wasn't giving this guy my name. So, I went with my mother's name instead.
“Lily,” I whispered.
“Lily of?”
“The valley,” I said with a smirk.
“And she has a sense of humor,” he said with amazement. “Dear God, this night may not be such a sham, after all.”
I looked him over. He was a virile man, no doubt about that. Muscles strained his jacket, and the width of his shoulders was impressive. But I had gotten over my initial awe and was starting to feel nervous. I hadn't wanted to attract any attention, especially not his.
“Will you dance for me?” He asked me as he escorted me down to the dance floor.
“Dance with you, you mean?”
“No, for me,” he asserted as he continued to walk us past the swirling couples to the dais at the other end of the room. “Did you not receive the instructions? We're auditioning women to be our wives.”
“Auditioning?” I lifted a brow.
“You will retain your maidenhood,” he assured me. “But I need to be certain that I marry an exceptional woman. I require you to dance for me, in any way that you like, but I recommend using every womanly wile you have.” He gave me a wink.
“I think not.” I extricated my hand from his and started walking away.
“Pardon me?” He chased after me. “You're at our Ball, so I assume that you know our court etiquette. Are you seriously surprised by my request?”
“I am not from here,” I said airily. “And I won't perform for you.”
“Fuck,” he cursed under his breath. “All right, just come in the back with me and we can... talk?” He said the word like he wasn't sure it would accomplish anything.
“You want to talk with me?” I asked with a chuckle.
“Yes, actually,” he huffed. “I do. Will you join me?”
“All right, Your Highness.” I took his hand. “Lead me to a room we can converse in.”
Prince Ashton smiled brilliantly and escorted me past his beaming parents, who looked me over as they might a new horse. The Queen nodded her approval, and the King leered. I swallowed past my dry throat and went with the prince into the room he had exited just minutes before.
It was not vacant.
His brothers were sharing the audition room with him, though they each had a separate area to themselves. Prince Weston, with his ebony hair and bright emerald eyes, was to the left, arms spread over the back of the couch he sat on as he watched a naked woman wiggle. He did not look impressed. To the right was Prince Braxton with an equally naked girl dancing before his couch. He was laying on his side, his head propped by a fist. The girl dancing for him happened to be one of my stepsisters, and I nearly turned around and left when I saw her.
“Pay no attention to them,” Ashton led me to his couch, set between the others, and helped me sit.
His brothers looked over at us in surprise, and then they got a good look at me. Each man sat forward and then stood.
“Get out,” Braxton said to my stepsister, Ava.
“What? But, Your Highness, I've just begun,” she protested.
“Leave now,” Braxton growled.
Ava started to cry as she hastily pulled on her clothing.
“You too,” Prince Weston said to his dancer. “Off with you.”
The women protested more, but the princes were too intent on me. I was a little shocked when they descended upon us. I knew that I was pretty, but this amount of attention was ridiculous. Something shimmered over my feet, and I looked down at the glass slippers. Damn her; my Mom had bewitched my footwear!
“Who is this?” Weston asked as he sat on my open side.
“Her name is Lily and she's mine!” Ashton declared. “I found her first. Besides, she won't dance. She only wants to talk.”
“Won't dance?” Braxton lifted a mahogany brow and set his cerulean stare on me. “Why not?”
“I'm a lady, you are supposed to woo me,” I said haughtily. “The only kind of dancing I do is the proper sort.”
The men gaped at me, then at e
ach other, and then burst out laughing.
“Well, if you find that humorous, I'll just be going as well, shall I?” I stood.
“Don't be so hasty,” Braxton stepped forward to block my path. “If you want to be wooed, you shall be.”
He took my hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing it lingeringly.
“I don't believe I've ever seen such beauty,” Weston purred as he eased up behind me.
I tried to edge away, but Ashton caught me.
“Easy now, kitten.” He set his hands to my waist. “No one will do anything that you don't want.”
“Really?” I asked. “Because it doesn't seem that way. Do you three only know how to fuck?”
They gaped at me again.
“Because, Your Highnesses,” I growled, “there's a big difference between fucking and falling in love.”
“Now, she's talking about love,” Braxton declared as if I was the most unusual woman they'd ever met.
“I won't marry a man I don't love,” I threw the words down like a gauntlet.
“Fuck me,” Weston whispered. “I find myself at a loss. What shall we do, Brothers?”
“May the best man win,” Ashton snarled.
“Or perhaps all of the best men,” Braxton mused. “Why divide our forces when we're so much stronger together?”
“Like when you were sixteen.” Weston smiled.
“And we shared that girl. What was her name?” Ashton asked.
“Bess,” Braxton answered. “It's hard to forget our first foursome.”
“You're a bunch of fools,” I snapped. “You're wasting your lives on lust when you could be finding a woman to treasure.”
“Give us ten minutes to work our lust on you,” Braxton purred, “and I'll bet that you forget all about love.”
“Impossible,” I huffed.
“Ten minutes,” Ashton whispered in my ear. “Are you afraid that you might like it?”
“No, I'm afraid that you might hurt yourself.”
“Oh, my,” Weston sighed. “I believe that's a challenge accepted.”