Happily Never After

by Sonya M Black

  Ella stared at Madcap in wonder, her mind racing over what he was saying. She turned away from him, looking at her hands wrapped around the reins of her horse. He had given her a great deal to think about.

  20 – THE HEART OF THE MATTER

  Evangeline stared out her window, watching the three love-struck Princes as they wrestled each other for the prime position underneath the glassy enclosure. They had been attempting to read her poetry and sing her love songs from below. It had quickly devolved to the three Princes throwing juvenile insults at each other as well as dung from the freshly composted gardens. It had been quite amusing since Prince Charmaine joined her, sitting just out of sight. He threw in commentary on each sonnet and ballad until it was all she could do to keep from laughing hysterically.

  “Please tell me they will be done soon,” Evangeline implored, her fingers tracing random patterns on the window sill. “I don’t think I can take this very much longer.”

  Charmaine chuckled. “But my fair Lady, do you not enjoy the dulcet bray from yonder Prince? What about the fine sonnets comparing your beauty to the moon as well as a glorious round of cheese?” He waggled his eyebrows at her.

  She giggled, then sighed and laid her cheek against the cool glass. “I suppose I could just go down there and kiss each one and see if it lifts this stupid curse.”

  Charmaine was silent for a long moment. “Do you want to kiss them?”

  “No.” Evangeline rolled her eyes. “Not really. What I do want is for this curse to be lifted even if it means tying myself down to a man.”

  “You make it sound like a chore,” he replied, sounding a bit sullen as he traced the fine carvings on the windowsill.

  Evangeline faced him, drawing her brows together in puzzlement. “I suppose if I met the right man, it wouldn’t be a chore. But right now I really am not looking for romance. I just want to live my life. It’s why I forced my father into not arranging a marriage for me. I want to be in control of who I fall in love with.”

  “Ah,” Charmaine answered quietly, drawing the single syllable out. “You do know that your heart decides who you fall in love with. You really don’t have control of it.”

  Over the last few days, Evangeline had spent many hours with Prince Charmaine as he had tried to entertain her and help keep the other three Princes at bay. In all of that time, Evangeline had never seen him serious about anything. His sense of humor kept her sane even as the other three men were driving her out of her mind. She watched him now as he avoided looking at her. He glowered at the three men who were wrestling in flower beds, manure and dirt ground into their faces and hair. She turned back to the window and watched as guardsmen raced into the garden to separate the three royals before they could do anymore damage.

  “Have you ever been in love?” Charmaine asked quietly, startling her.

  “Umm.…” She paused, trying to figure out where the question was leading. “I don’t think so.”

  He grunted. “I wonder.…” he mused, staring out the window and then at her.

  “What?” she queried, waiting patiently for him to frame his thoughts.

  Instead he stood up, holding out a hand for her. She furrowed her brow, bewildered by his behavior. She took his hand cautiously and he pulled her to her feet. He cleared his throat. She narrowed her eyes, as he moved closer to her.

  “What are you doing Charmaine?” she breathed, feeling her heart beat a little faster as the puzzle pieces began to fit themselves together.

  He placed a finger gently on her lips to silence her as he stared into her eyes. She was struck by how blue his were, like perfect gemstones. He traced a thumb down her cheek before he pulled her closer, cupping her face in his hand. Her breath hitched; she wasn’t sure if it was from fear or anticipation. Then his lips touched hers and all thought ceased. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he drew her in. Magic surrounded them in shimmering light as he deepened the kiss, and tiny pinpricks of glowing dust fell like spring rain as the curse broke. A few breaths later, they broke apart, staring at each other in wonder.

  “How? When?” Evangeline asked in astonishment.

  He chuckled and kissed her forehead. “Rose is very clever. It took me a little while to put her clues together.”

  “I don’t understand.” She shook her head, mystified by the turn of events.

  “When I first arrived, she told me she needed my help with your misfired spell problem.” His eyes twinkled merrily. “I should have known then what she meant.”

  “I still don’t understand.” She shook her head stubbornly.

  “True love’s kiss.” He smiled at her as he took one of her hands and brought it up to his lips. “I think I’ve fallen in love with you, Evangeline.”

  Her eyes widened in surprise; her heart beat a little faster and her stomach flip-flopped as his words registered. “What did you say?” she whispered.

  “I love you,” he stated again, his lips quirking into a little smile.

  A grin spread across her face as understanding flooded her brain. All the little moments spent trying to escape the other three Princes had driven her to spend time with him. His sense of humor and ready smile had eased the frustration of her predicament and made her look forward to time spent in his company. Her heart fluttered as she realized that her feelings had quietly changed from friendship to something more.

  “I love you too,” she whispered as she leaned her head on his shoulder. “How did that happen?”

  He laughed. “I think it was somewhere between you punching Prince Ellander and the horrid sonnet about the moon and cheese.”

  Evangeline giggled at the memories. “I think your right.”

  21 – WRITING A NEW ENDING

  Ella stared at the stone resting in her palm, willing it to move. Her concentration fizzled as Amaliea approached and sat gracefully on the log next to her. The men sat across from them on the other side of the fire, discussing where Madcap might find more ogres. Ella ignored them and she turned her attention to Amaliea. Evening had fallen, bringing with it the soft song of crickets and frogs. A warm breeze blew the smell of pine into the clearing where they camped as it made the trees dance slowly, their limbs creaking and whispering in the dim fire light.

  “Shall we continue with your lessons?” Amaliea asked, raising an eyebrow and cocking her head to the side.

  Ella sighed as she put the rock back in her pocket. She missed Evangeline and her sense of adventure. Jarret continued her fencing lessons every evening when they stopped traveling. However, Ella missed the lively wit Evangeline had brought with her. She turned to face Amaliea, dreading the dry lessons on how to behave. Amaliea had a knack for pointing out all of Ella’s deficiencies and making her feel small. Luckily she could count on Madcap to intervene shortly after the lesson started. He took great pleasure in riling Amaliea up. The more Ella thought about it, the less she wanted to learn what it took to be a Lady.

  Amaliea smoothed her skirts, sitting tall and straight-backed as if she were on a throne instead of a log in the middle of the forest, her feet crossed at her ankles. The fire crackled merrily in the background, popping tiny red sparks that floated in the air like glowing dandelion seeds.

  “First of all you need to learn to sit properly.” Amaliea waved her hand at Ella. “Every time I see you, you are slouched down. You must learn to sit straight and tall.”

  Ella looked down at herself. She sat in the dirt with her back leaning against the log, her legs crossed in front of her. Amaliea had begged her to wear a dress from the moment they had left the castle, but Ella had ignored the request in favor of breeches, which were easier to ride in and much more comfortable. She compared the differences between herself and Amaliea, from the fine silk gown to the perfectly done hair. Ella looked like a plain traveler more at ease on the road than in a castle whereas Amaliea looked as if she belonged in a palace instead of sitting beside a fire in the middle of the forest. Ella looked down at her hands, tracing the fading calluses.


  “Why are you helping me?” she asked quietly.

  “You want to be a Lady. It is a noble goal. After hearing your story, I felt that I could offer you the benefit of my experience,” Amaliea stated, folding her hands in her lap.

  Ella turned back to the fire, staring into the dancing flames. “What if I have changed my mind? What if I don’t really want to be a Lady?” She heard the conversation on the other side of the fire stop as Jarret and Madcap overheard her questions.

  “Why would you not want to be a Lady?” Amaliea asked her tone outraged.

  Ella glanced at her, noting how properly Amaliea sat. “Because I can never be like you or even like Evangeline. I can only be me, and I am not a Lady.” She stood and dusted off her clothes, and walked past the men into the darkened woods. She leaned against a tree and stared up at the moon and stars that filled the heavens with twinkling diamonds glittering against the deep-black velvet of the night sky. The moon, nearly full, bathed the land in soft light, casting deep shadows in the trees. The scent of wood smoke drifted through the air from the campfire.

  “Do you really not want to be a Lady?” Jarret asked softly from behind her. He stepped up next to her, looking up at the moon.

  Ella wrapped her arms around herself, trying to sort out her feelings. “I do, and I don’t.” She leaned her head back against the tree and closed her eyes. “Everything Madcap has told me has made me think about what I really want. I understand that you want me to know how to behave like a Lady. But why? I am never going to be a Lady so why does it matter?”

  “What do you really want?” Jarret moved to stand in front of her.

  “This.” She gestured out to the woods. “I want this. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life wearing silk dresses and corsets and being careful about how I sit or stand. I don’t want to worry if I’ll say the wrong thing or trip over my skirts. I don’t want to be locked in a castle, my only escape planned so far in advance that it takes all the excitement out of it. I want to be able to sit in the dirt next to a campfire without feeling like I’m doing something wrong.” She paused for a moment, realizing that she finally understood what Madcap meant about being a Lady. She smiled. “I just want to be me.”

  Jarret chuckled, turning back to look at the night sky. “I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out.”

  Ella looked at him in confusion. “What do you mean?”

  “Do you remember when I first asked you what you would write for your own happily ever after?” He leaned back against the tree, his shoulder touching hers.

  “Yes,” she murmured, thinking back to that fateful morning in the study. “What about it?”

  “It was my father’s idea to make you into a Lady. You wanted adventure, to see the world and live life.” He nudged her gently with his elbow. “This whole time you’ve gone along with the lessons about becoming a Lady without complaining or even stopping to think if that was what you really wanted. Why?”

  Ella glanced at him in surprise. “I guess I thought it was what you and Alastair wanted me to do so I could get my happily ever after.”

  Jarret smiled gently at her, “But Ella, it’s your happily ever after. Not mine, not Alastair’s. Yours. You decide how to write it.”

  She thought about it for a minute, weighing everything that had happened. “So I don’t have to try and be a Lady?”

  He shook his head. “Not if you don’t want to.”

  Ella smiled back at him. “I suppose I should learn some of it just in case.”

  He laughed. “Manners are good to know.”

  “Will you still teach me to fence?” Ella asked wistfully.

  “Of course.” He gave an elaborate bow. “And I will teach you to dance too.”

  She grinned. “That will be fun.”

  “Now, why don’t we go back and let Amaliea know she can relax–?” Jarret offered her his arm, cocking an eyebrow at her.

  “I don’t think she knows how,” Ella whispered conspiratorially.

  Jarret threw his head back and laughed, startling a few sleeping birds out of a nearby tree. His eyes danced merrily in the moonlight as he led her back toward the campfire. “I think you’re right,” he whispered back as they spied the Lady in question sitting prissily on the log. “Although she may just win the award for best-dressed in the woods.” Ella stifled a giggle as she let him guide her back to the fire.

  22 – A FULL MOON AND PIXIES

  The rest of the journey to Pixie Falls was uneventful. The travelers rested at inns when they could and camped in the woods when there were no inns available. Ella enjoyed every moment of the adventure, reveling in the freedom from her stepmother. The thought occurred to her that she should have left years ago. She had stayed at first because she was too young to be on her own, then she had stayed because she was afraid of the unknown. She was no longer afraid, and she relished the idea that she could do anything she wanted with her life.

  Amaliea had been offended at first when Ella had told her that she did not want to be a Lady, but that had quickly changed as they talked about why and what Ella really did want. Amaliea finally agreed to teach her the finer points of poise and comportment without forcing her to follow every rule and stricture. Jarret continued to spar with her when they stopped for the evening, teaching Ella how to defend herself. Ella continued to practice with the stone Madcap gave her, realizing that the exercise was less about learning magic and more about learning to control her thoughts and feelings.

  They arrived at the base of the falls in the early afternoon on the day of the full moon. Ella heard the falls long before she saw them. The deep roar of rushing water filled the woods, drowning out the quieter sounds of birds, squirrels, and insects. Her eyes opened wide in amazement when she rode out of the woods and into the clearing around the majestic cascade. Her gaze traveled up; she was surprised by the height of the cliff over which the water tumbled. A deep pool sat beneath the turbulent flow, crystal-clear and glistening in the bright afternoon sun. The water traveled sedately from the pool and became a narrow stream, heading toward the ocean many miles away.

  Corlain set up camp in the woods nearby, far enough away so the spray from the waterfall would not soak them and their belongings. Ella wandered around the edge of the pool, taking in the beauty and tranquility of the place. She found a large boulder and sat down with her back to it, digging her fingers into the sandy shore. She pulled the little, white stone out of her pocket and began the exercise Madcap had taught her, emptying her mind and focusing on the stone. The peaceful nature of the place lent itself to the endeavor, and the warm gentle touch of the sun calmed her.

  “Aha!” Madcap exclaimed, startling her from her meditative state. She felt the stone bounce into her palm. She opened her eyes in surprise, and stared at the little stone, her mouth dropping open as she realized what had happened. “You little minx! You did it!” Madcap danced a jig in front of her. “And in record time too. I knew it.” He plopped down in front of her.

  “How?” she spluttered. “I don’t even know what I did.”

  Madcap giggled. “You emptied your mind and focused on the stone. I knew you had it in you.”

  Ella laughed. “Now what?”

  “Now what? Now what?” He chortled. “Now you can do anything.”

  Ella looked at the stone in her hand. “What’s the next lesson?” she pushed.

  “Well….” He wiggled his bushy eyebrows at her. “For that you will have to find a master of magic to teach you.”

  “Aren’t you a master of magic?” she asked, giggling at his expression.

  “Of course I am,” he grumped. “Who told you I wasn’t? And – ” he held up a finger and waggled it back and forth – “I never said I would be your teacher.”

  Ella stared at him plaintively. “Will you be?”

  “Will I be what?” He sniffed, waiting for her explanation.

  “Will you please be my teacher?” she asked, fiddling with the stone as she
watched him.

  He reached across, took her hand, and gently squeezed it. “I am sorry, dear one. Unfortunately I already have a task I must complete and while I know you would gladly travel the world in search of ogres with me, I think your destiny lies in a different direction.” He gave a pointed glance at Jarret who was busy helping Corlain set up camp.

  Ella stared at him in confusion. “What do you mean?”

  Madcap sighed. “Oh my dear, you have so much to learn.” He reached over and tapped her cheek softly with his brown hand. “While I think you would make a fine wizard, I believe you will be happier elsewhere. You are just beginning to understand that life is about the path you choose to take, not the path others choose for you.” He cupped her cheek tenderly, pulling her forehead down to place a gentle kiss on it. “If ever I had a daughter, I think she would be like you.”

  Ella’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “Now, none of that,” Madcap admonished. He stood slowly and offered her a small bow. “Keep practicing with the stone. One day you will find that you can do many more things than just make it dance in the air.” He did a little jig, causing her to giggle as he wandered back toward the camp.

  Ella looked out across the water, her thoughts running as fast as the water that plummeted over the edge of the cliff in front of her. Her mind raced down every imaginable path, mapping out all of the ways her life could go. There were so many possibilities that it overwhelmed her to think about them. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back against the boulder and let her imagination turn over how each scenario played out. A gentle shaking brought her back to her senses.