The Rules of Ever After (22 page)

“Oh, Kitty,” Peter groaned, as he curled up into a ball on the stone slab bed.

“Now,” Cauchemar said, as the flames died down, “I expect your best behavior at the wedding. One step out of line and—” Cauchemar flung her hands out in front of her and sent small bolts of lightning shooting through the cells and stinging the skin of each occupant. They all screamed, and the smell of burnt skin and hair filled the room. “Let’s just say… that was me holding back.”

Daniel pulled Phillip closer and yelled at Cauchemar, “You expect us to stand by silently while you marry Katerina off to some troll and then kill us all?”

“Well,” she said with an icy grin, “I expect your silence during the wedding. But when we get to the killing part, I fully expect you to scream.” She stood with her hands on her hips and shook her head. “Now you should all rest. We have a big night ahead of us! The guards will bring you up for the ceremony soon.” Cauchemar strode toward the stairs leading out of the dungeon. As she stepped onto the first step, she stopped and snapped her fingers over her head. Instantly all of the torches and lamps burning in the dungeon were snuffed out.

Daniel slid down the bars onto the cold stone floor. Phillip flopped down beside him and lifted his arm to blindly drape it around the other prince’s shoulders. Pulling Phillip snug to his chest, he nestled his nose into his hair and breathed deep. Over the angry thumping of blood in his ears he could barely hear the other prisoners shuffle around the cells in the darkness. He tried his best to see Phillip’s face, to offer a look of reassurance, but could only feel the warmth of the other man’s skin against his cheek. Daniel leaned his head back against the bars and fought the tears of fear and anger that were stinging at his eyes.

“Daddy?” Gwen called out into the darkness.

“Be brave, little girl. We shall fight,” King Edward called back to her.

“Kitty!” Peter yelled at the top of his lungs.

“Daniel?” Phillip whispered.

“Yes?” Daniel whispered back.

“What’s going to happen?”

Daniel closed his eyes and let a few tears slide down his cheek. With his eyes closed, he wished he could return to sleep and the dream world he had been in before waking to this new nightmare. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself, wanting to sound as strong for Phillip as he possibly could. “We’re going to get out of here, and you are going to kiss me to sleep every night.”

Daniel sat listening to Phillip’s shivering breath and the moaning of the others in the cell. His mind raced with thoughts of how to escape and how to protect Phillip, but nothing made sense to him. He heard Phillip take a deep breath and say with a tremor, “I know my kiss already told you, but, Daniel, I love you.”

Daniel let the words linger in his ear; a bit of the earlier dream returned. The words calmed the pounding of his heart and gave him the strength to swallow down the last of his fear. He was unsure of how to escape, what the next day might bring, or how he could possibly protect Phillip and his friends, but he would try. He pulled Phillip closer into his arms and said the one thing he was sure of, “I love you, too.”

P
hillip’s stomach rolled again and he tasted vomit
at the back of his throat as he looked up at the creature sitting on the throne. He wasn’t sure what he had expected a troll who had lived underground for thousands of years to look like, but no imagining could have prepared him for the sight before him. A decrepit lump of greenish flesh lolled across the throne with ropey strings of drool dripping from its gaping, wheezing mouth. The gold and ruby crown of the Canteran royal family sat askew on the small patches of greasy gray hair that sprouted from its head. Occasionally, its rheumy left eye would open and skitter about in the socket to take in the room. As it shifted on the throne, the jewel-encrusted sword on its waist would clatter against the wooden throne and break the silence. Above Thrigor’s head hung the tattered remains of the Canteran banner, a red field emblazoned with an ebony pickaxe.

To the left of the throne, James and King Edward stood with their heads bowed, staring at the ground; two of the troll king’s magical guards stood behind them with spears pointed at their backs. On the other side of the throne, Gwen and Dinah stood holding bunches of wildflowers in their hands as guards held spears to their backs as well. Beside the throne, Katerina stood holding a small bouquet of wildflowers. Her head drooped as well, and tears fell from her cheeks to the bodice of her lacy white gown. A veil made from the yellowed lace curtains that Cauchemar had snatched from the windows in the queen’s chambers hung limply down her back.

“Poor Katerina,” Phillip whispered to Daniel at his side. “How can Cauchemar marry her to that… thing.”

“At least she gets to live,” Daniel whispered back. “Why make us watch this? Why not kill us all immediately?”

“Same reason she hasn’t bound us,” Peter said as he leaned between to the two princes from behind. “She is confident in her magic and Thrigor’s guards. Also, her heart is filled with the venom of an Obenland spider.”

“Silence!” Cauchemar yelled as she swept from the back of the throne room to stand beside the troll’s throne. She took Katerina’s right hand and laid it on top of the troll’s hand. His long fingernails skittered against the arm of the throne in reaction to her touch. Cauchemar cut her eyes at Phillip and Daniel and pointed her finger at them. “There will be no more interruptions. It is time to begin the wedding. Normally, an event like this would begin with music, but today—” The sound of horns blowing in the distance echoed around the empty hall and interrupted her speech. “What was that?”

“You aren’t the only one who can plan.” Phillip sneered at his stepmother. “That’s all the armies of the other kingdoms. Before we came here, I sent the birthday fairies to carry messages to each king or queen to tell them what was going on. They have gathered their armies around the wall and are prepared to attack. You should surrender now.”

“Wall will stand,” the troll king gurgled from its throne. “Wall strong magic. Usurpers killed. Throne taken back. Twenty years wall stood. Wall will stand until I fall.”

“Then maybe it’s time you fall,” James said as he spun around and shoved the guard behind him onto the ground. As the other guards stumbled toward him, he jumped onto the throne to straddle the troll king’s body. He pulled the sword from the troll’s waist and raised it high above his head. “This is for my mother,” he said, as he brought the sword down and buried it to the hilt in the troll’s chest.

The creature bellowed and writhed beneath James, grasping at the knight’s thighs with its long dirty claws. As it thrashed about, the crown tumbled from its head and rolled across the stone floor, coming to rest at Katerina’s feet. A bubble of blood formed at Thrigor’s lips as the last breath wheezed from his body. Suddenly, the guards disappeared in a puff of yellowish smoke; the spears they had been holding fell with a loud rattle. Phillip covered his ears as the deafening sound of the glass wall shattering into millions of pieces pierced the room and vibrated against his skin. Phillip watched as the troll king’s body withered and shriveled, until it disappeared completely.

Katerina stooped to pick up the crown and placed it on her head. “Ruby, Ruby, red and dear, whisper your secrets in my ear.” She blinked rapidly as the knowledge within it passed into her mind. Looking at James, she called out to the knight, “Ewan? Is that you?”

As James turned to look at his sister, Cauchemar stepped between the siblings and screamed, “No! What have you done?” Lash­ing her arms out, she sent flashes of blue light skittering toward the pair. Each was struck in a blinding flash and frozen where they stood.

“Kitty!” Peter pushed his way between Phillip and Daniel and rushed toward the throne. Cauchemar turned with flames dancing about her head and flung another bolt at the boy, freezing him in mid-step. Turning to the other royals gathered around the throne, she began flinging bolts of lightning at each as she screamed in rage. After each was frozen in place, she turned to face Phillip and Daniel, her shoulders rising and falling as she gasped angry breaths. “You!” she wailed as she stepped from the dais down to the throne room floor. “This is all your fault.”

“Surrender, Cauchemar,” Daniel said as she inched closer to the two princes. “The armies of Clarameer are at your gate. You’ll never escape alive.”

“That may be, but I will take you out first. If I can’t have my throne then this spineless dolt will not have one either!”

“You cannot kill me,” Phillip said and puffed out his chest.

Cauchemar paused and stared at the young man. “And just how will you stop me. I have magic! True magic. And only magic can fight magic.”

Phillip stared at the woman as the flames around her head died down, until his eyes widened as an idea occurred to him. Looking at Daniel, he reached out his hand to the other prince and smiled. “A friend of mine once spoke some horribly clichéd words, but I see now that they are true.” Taking Daniel’s hand in his, he pulled the prince closer to his side. “Love is stronger than magic.”

“Absurd,” Cauchemar said with a snort.

“Daniel,” Phillip said, as he turned to the other prince and dropped to one knee, “marry me?”

“What?” Daniel asked as he looked down at Phillip. “Phillip, this is not the time for—”

“Oh, please,” Cauchemar scoffed.

“Will you marry me?” Phillip asked again.

“I don’t understand what you’re—”

“Just answer me now!”

“Yes,” Daniel said with a chuckle, “of course I will marry you.”

“You will stand with me?” Phillip asked.

“Forever,” Daniel said with a gentle smile.

“I’ve had quite enough of this,” Cauchemar huffed as she pulled her arms back and prepared to fling a spell at the two princes. As she brought her arm down, seven loud popping noises split the silent air of the room as the seven birthday fairies materialized between Phillip and his stepmother.

“Oh, Philly!” Mitta exclaimed, as she and Fria hovered to Phillip and Daniel’s side. Pulling Phillip up from his kneeling position, she squealed, “I’m so happy for you, my little dumpling! We’re here for your engagement blessings!”

The two fairies embraced the boys and kissed their cheeks, leav­ing small pink and blue lip prints where the kisses landed. Just as Mitta pulled her face away from Phillip’s, a bolt of burgundy lightning crackled between their heads.

Jerking her head toward the source of the spell, Mitta exclaimed, “Dagnabbit! Why you ornery old jackass! How dare you try to hurt my little Philly on one of the happiest days of his life! He just got engaged! Have you no respect for love?”

Whipping her wand from its loop on her waist, Mitta blew a forceful puff of air through the silver ring on its tip. A small pink bubble formed and then popped loose and raced across the room toward Cauchemar. As it bobbled along, it grew larger and larger until it met Cauchemar’s outstretched arms and engulfed the sorceress within its shiny pink surface.

Phillip stood with his mouth open as he watched Cauche­mar beat her fists on the sides of the bubble and open her mouth in a scream that remained trapped with her inside the bubble.

“Some people,” Mitta said with a roll of her eyes, as she turned to Fria, “they just can’t leave a sweet moment alone.”

Phillip walked slowly toward the bubble and watched Cauche­mar as she scurried around with a look of terror. As he approached the shimmering surface of the bubble, small rainbows reflected off it and danced about his face. His stepmother stopped scrambling and looked at him, her face drawn downward in defeat.

He took a deep breath and said, “Don’t worry, Cauchemar. Once you have reversed the spells on my friends and my father, I intend to show you the mercy you refused to show anyone else.”

“Phillip,” Mitta said from behind him, “be careful, doll. My bubbles are rather fragile.”

“You talk about plans and power. About who deserves what. Talking. Talking. Talking. But most of all,” he continued, “you kept talking about the rules. How things should be and how they shouldn’t. What the rules allow. What they don’t allow.” Phillip ran his finger slowly down the surface of the bubble. “But in all that talk, you forgot the most important rule of all. Your happiness shouldn’t deny another’s happiness. Don’t ever try to deny a person their happily ever after.”

As the last word left his mouth, he punctuated the sentence by stabbing his finger into the shimmering surface. The bubble burst with a gush of air that made Phillip’s hair flutter back from his face and his eyes water and close against the wind. When he opened them again, there was nothing in front of him but empty air.

“What did I do?” he asked, as he turned to Mitta with a look of shock. “Where did she go?”

“Can’t really say?” Mitta said with a shrug.

“Really?” Daniel said from beside the other fairies. “Is this another silly rule?”

“No,” Mitta said with a sheepish grin, “I threw that bubble on a reflex without my glasses on. I have no idea what spells I attached to it. So I really
can’t
say where she went.”

“Oh no!” Phillip wailed as he rushed up to the fairy’s side. “But I needed her to reverse the spells on my friends and my father. Mitta, you have to remember where you sent her! You have to bring her back! She has to—”

“Phillip, darling,” Daniel said as he grabbed Phillip’s shoulder and turned him to face the throne, “look.”

Phillip’s friends were moving again and smiling at him. One by one, they stepped down to the floor of the grand hall and rushed to Phillip and Daniel.

“Phillip! You did it!” Gwen threw her arms around his neck. “Honestly!”

“I can’t believe she is really, finally gone!” Peter crowed, as he slapped his hand on Phillip’s back. “Good work, sire!”

Phillip stood silently staring at his gathered friends, unsure of what had just happened. He looked around at their faces and could see the joy in their expressions. He knew they were expecting him to say something, but he had no words for the relief he felt as the weight of his troubles and the toll of the journey lifted from his shoulders. He opened his mouth, but the words his mind scrambled to find just turned into a nervous laugh. Suddenly his knees began to tremble and he felt as though he might drop to the floor where he stood. Phillip stared at his feet to try to steady himself. As his body began to waver, he felt the warmth of Daniel’s fingers snaking into his hand and intertwining with his. Phillip glanced down at their hands, then up into Daniel’s face. The love and admiration dancing in the other prince’s eyes shot through his body like a wave of light and heat, and Phillip felt the strength return to his legs. Daniel squeezed his hand, and Phillip’s mind landed on one word Daniel had said—“forever.”

As Phillip steadied himself, he caught sight of the seven fairies assembled across the room, all looking at him with peaceful smiles. Mitta floated slightly forward from the group and nodded her head at Phillip.
I should thank her
. Suddenly, he was interrupted by the sound of a horn blaring in the distance. The armies gathered at the Canteran borders would arrive soon to find no army to battle and no foe to vanquish. After he had traveled across all of Clarameer’s lands and gathered the kingdoms together, Phillip had been able to conquer the witch with one single poke of his finger.
Was this Mitta’s plan all along?
Phillip watched her bobble on a breeze that floated in from the windows. The fairy patted her bouffant hairdo and winked at him. Phillip threw his head back and laughed.

“Phillip? Sweetheart?” Daniel squeezed his hand again. “Are you okay?”

“Yes!” Phillip said as his laughter ebbed. “I’m just happy! It’s over. It is finally over!”

James and Katerina walked up behind Daniel arm in arm. James tapped Daniel on the shoulder. “Highness,” James said with a nod of his head, “I’d like you to meet my sister.”

“James,” Daniel beamed, “I mean Ewan, you don’t have to call me Highness anymore. You are the king of Cantera now!”

“No,” James said as he turned to Katerina, “The crown rolled to her feet. It picked her, so she is the queen. In a strange way, Cauchemar actually trained her for this. I’m better at adventure.” James glanced over Daniel’s shoulder at Gwen. “I think there is a different adventure ahead of me.”

“Daniel!” Phillip turned to the prince, scooped him into his arms, and spun him around. “Her spells have been broken!” Setting Daniel down, Phillip took his hand and began pulling him toward the door of the room. “My father should be free now! We have to hurry home to see him!”

“Phillip, wait.”

“Come on, Daniel. Let’s go. Home!”

“Wait,” Daniel begged as he dug in his heels and pulled back against Phillip’s hand. “I have to ask you something first.”

“What?” Phillip said and stamped his foot.

“Did you mean what you asked me? Will I marry you?”

“Oh, that?” Phillip said with a grin. “Well, I had to find a way to fight magic with magic. It just occurred to me that the quickest way to get some help would be to get the fairies here.”

“So you just did it to get the fairies here? Or did you mean it?” Daniel asked, as he held Phillip’s hand and looked into his eyes.