The Rules of Ever After (7 page)

“Well, you know my brother Andrew will be king in Sylvania,” Daniel leaned back against the stack of mattresses. “Unless some­thing happens to him, there isn’t a lot for me to do. I didn’t much care for the life of sitting around he had planned for me, so I set out into the kingdoms in search of a purpose of my own. Also I have a little problem with—”

“Excuse me, sire,” James interrupted the prince. “Someone’s coming.”

Phillip turned to the doorway just as Cauchemar swept into the room, her burgundy gown flaring out behind her as she took quick, broad steps. Katerina followed, head demurely dropped and hands folded in front of her waist. A few paces behind, King Henry huffed and puffed as he tried to keep up with his wife’s eager pace.

“Oh, good!” Cauchemar said, not noticing the men standing in the room. “Someone came ahead and lit the torches.” With a sweep of her arm, she gestured toward the room and the bed. “So this, Katerina, is where you will be sleeping tonight. As you can see the bed is… Phillip?” She stopped abruptly, causing Katerina and King Henry to bump into her from behind. “Careful, you clods! Phillip, love, what are you doing in here? You know no one is supposed to be in this chamber on the night before the test. Who are these men and what are you up to?”

“I just came in to light the torches and make sure everything was ready for Katerina,” Phillip said as he stepped closer to Daniel. “I found him in the bed.”

Daniel stepped forward and bowed to Cauchemar and the king. “King Henry. Queen Cauchemar. I am Prince Daniel of Sylvania. You will have to forgive my arriving unannounced. I had hoped to present myself formally to you this morning, but your young prince here has kept me distracted.”

“Yes,” Cauchemar sneered, “he can be quite the distraction. But what are you doing here in this room?”

“Oh, I simply came in here thinking this large bed might be a good spot to sleep,” Daniel replied, pointing his thumb over his shoulder toward the testing bed.

“You what?” Cauchemar raised her voice slightly. “No one is supposed to sleep in the bed unless they are here for the test!”

“Then we’re fine,” Daniel said with a chuckle. “I didn’t break your rules because I didn’t sleep a bit. You’d think a bed that large and soft would be the perfect way to fall into sleep, but not for me.”

Phillip’s eyes grew wide as he looked over at the other prince; the seed of a plan was taking root in his mind. “Did you say you didn’t sleep?”

“Not a wink.”

Cauchemar stormed over to Daniel and grabbed him by the collar of his doublet. “You need to learn not to wander into places where you don’t belong.”

Phillip watched as Daniel tried to pull himself away from her grasp and shot a befuddled look at James. James put one hand on the hilt of his sword. Phillip held his breath until Daniel tugged himself free from Cauchemar’s hands and waved James off. Phillip was impressed with the lack of fear Daniel showed.
This might actually work.

“Cauchemar!” King Henry chastised as he stepped to Phillip’s side. “My sweet, take your hands off that boy! He is a member of the royal family of Sylvania. His departed father and I were great friends and his mother is a vision of beauty. I will not have it whispered about the kingdoms that we do not know how to be good hosts to other royals. It’s been hard enough to convince the other kingdoms to send their daughters here, what with princesses failing this test left and right. We don’t need to be known for offending princes too.”

“Daniel?” Phillip asked, a small grin growing on his face. His heart began to beat faster as the seed of the plan sprouted. “Did you say you spent the night in
that
bed and did not sleep?”

“No, I did not sleep,” Daniel said to Phillip. Turning back to King Henry, he said, “I’m sorry if I have caused a problem. I’m sure this young lady can still sleep here.”

Cauchemar turned to the door and began to scream into the hallway, “Someone get me some clean sheets for this bed!” Turning back to the room, she walked over to Katerina and stroked her arm. “Don’t you worry, my pet. You will still stay in this room tonight, and the test will proceed as planned.”

“It’s fine if I need to stay somewhere else,” Katerina said with a look of relief on her face. “Daniel was here first. He should have the room.”

Phillip shifted his gaze between Katerina and Daniel as he became surer of what he should do next. “Not a wink?” Phillip asked Daniel and his grin widened into a full smile.

“I told you, not at all,” Daniel replied, with an exasperated look. “Why do you keep asking me that?”

As Phillip began to answer, a commotion in the hallway drew the attention of the group.

“Out of my way. I need to see Kitty!”

“That sounded like Peter,” Katerina said, as she craned her neck around Cauchemar’s body to see into the hallway.

“Kitty?” Peter burst into the testing chamber, his sides heaving. As he slid to a stop on the stone floor, a few leaves that clung to his simple tunic fluttered down, and he wiped a streak of mud from his cheek. “I ran the whole way from the tower! I’m so glad I found you! Phillip, I cannot let this charade go on anymore! Your life is in danger!”

“Peter?” Phillip cried out, as he rushed to his friend and pulled him into a hug. “Oh, Peter! It is so good to see you! I didn’t think I would ever— Wait!” Phillip pushed Peter back and looked at him in confusion. “Did you call her Kitty? How do you know—?”

“Phillip,” Peter replied, “it is good to see you, too, but that isn’t important right now. I have to tell you about—”

“Young man, you were banished from this kingdom!” Cauchemar yelled; the veins in her forehead distended in anger. “Guards! Come seize this lying little traitor and throw him off the castle walls! We will not have you in here filling the prince’s head with your silly stories!”

“Cauchemar, let the boy speak,” King Henry said and crossed the room to Peter’s side. “Peter what is this you are going on about?”

“I heard it all. Outside the tower in the woods.” Peter paused as he gasped for breath. Pointing at Cauchemar, he continued, “She plans to have Phillip marry Katerina.”

“Of course, if Princess Katerina passes the test, Phillip will marry her,” King Henry replied. “But I don’t understand what you are trying to say. What are you talking about—a tower in the woods?”

“The tower in the woods where this woman has kept Katerina locked away.” Peter grabbed Phillip’s shoulders and looked implor­ingly into his eyes. “Please believe me. I overheard her telling Katerina her plans.” Peter turned to King Henry and continued, “She wants to take over your kingdom and needs to get you both out of the way to do so. She’s been training Katerina to pass whatever this test is, and has coached her how to pretend to be a princess.”

Phillip looked over to see Katerina drop her head in shame and step behind Cauchemar. Cauchemar rolled her eyes at Phillip and shook her head. Though he was shocked by Peter’s words, Phillip remained calm as he glanced at Daniel and James standing by the testing bed and considered his plan.

Peter continued, “Do you understand me? Why aren’t you upset? She intends to have you both murdered at the marriage hunt. She has enchanted the bow used at the hunt to make sure it will miss the stag and hit you, King Henry, and enchanted the stag to gore Prince Phillip. She banished me, but she is the murderous traitor!”

“Cauchemar?” King Henry roared. “Is this true?”

Cauchemar cackled. “Peter, your stories keep getting worse and worse. This is just downright ridiculous. Enchanted stags? Enchanted bows? This is almost as ridiculous as your vicious lie that I murdered Queen Marie. I was too kind in having you banished. I should’ve had you hanged. Someone call the guards to dispose of this babbling idiot!”

“Phillip, listen to me,” Peter pleaded. “I’m not making this up. You cannot marry Katerina. You can’t let this evil woman ruin your life and your kingdom.”

“Peter,” Phillip said, displaying his widest grin, “calm down.”

“Calm down? I just told you this woman wants to kill you!”

“And Father and I will deal with that. But right now I have a different matter to attend to. You don’t need to worry about marriage hurting my kingdom. I’m not marrying Katerina.” Phillip patted Peter on the shoulder before turning and strolling back toward his father and the testing bed.

“When she passes the test you will,” Cauchemar said from behind him. “I’ve had quite enough of this nonsense. Now someone haul off this lying boy and get me some clean—”

“No,” Phillip interrupted her. “I have to follow the rules. Some­one else has already passed your test, so I cannot marry Katerina. I’m going to marry someone else.”

“You’re what? Who?” King Henry asked.

“The one who didn’t sleep in that bed.” Pointing across the room at the other prince, Phillip said with a smile, “Prince Daniel.” Phillip crossed his arms and leaned back against the stack of mattresses.

“What?” Daniel turned to Phillip with a look of shock.

“Silly boy!” Cauchemar said with a laugh. “You cannot marry another prince!”

“You heard what Daniel said. He didn’t sleep.” Phillip pushed himself away from the bed and crossed to drape his arm on Daniel’s shoulders. “He passed the test. Those are the rules.
Your
rules. And as you always say, we have to follow the rules.”

“Phillip,” Daniel said, “I’m confused.”

“
The rules
,” Cauchemar growled, irritation growing in her voice, “are that you will marry a princess, you little pest. This,” she gestured toward Daniel, “is not a princess.”

“Well, I don’t like that rule,” Phillip sniffed. “So when I am king I will just have to change it.” Though he tried to keep his face as calm and confident as he could, Phillip was sure everyone could hear his heart pounding. He glanced at the others, seeking a reaction, but they all stood with their mouths agape.

Cauchemar broke the silence. “When you are king? Ha!” She threw her head back and cackled. “You could never be a king. You don’t have the nerve it takes to rule a kingdom!”

“Maybe I do. Maybe I don’t,” Phillip said with a shrug. He looked over to see his father staring at him. Was he going too far? Glancing over to see Daniel’s face, he felt a sudden surge of courage bubble up from his chest. “But now that I have someone who passed the test, we can find out. Maybe Daniel will be the one with the nerve, and we can rule together.”

“Phillip,” Daniel asked, “what test did I take? Me marry you? Can someone explain—”

“This is absurd!” Cauchemar scoffed, her face growing red.

“What is absurd,” Phillip said, as he stalked over and poked his finger into Cauchemar’s chest, “is that we have let you run this kingdom!” Phillip pushed against her chest as he spat out his words, his determination growing with each push. “I think it’s time I changed a few things around here.”

“You will kindly take your hand off—”

“Daniel,” Phillip called over his shoulder “do you like art and music?”

The other prince stared at him. “Um…Yes?”

“Well, I think you and I should bring some of it back,” Phillip said and dropped his hand. “Take things back to the way they were when my mother was here.” Squaring his shoulders, he leaned into Cauchemar’s face. “That includes making this a castle without you in it!”

“Your mother!” Cauchemar suddenly screamed as she shoved Phillip back toward Daniel and the bed. “I did this kingdom a favor by ridding it of your mother, and it would be better off without you!”

Phillip gasped as flames grew around Cauchemar’s neck and shoulders, in time with her growing anger. Feeling his newfound courage evaporate, he cowered from the heat of her rage. He could hear the others gasp and back away, as the flames sent long shadows across the floor. Phillip’s knees trembled. He backed into someone. Air softly brushed his ear as Daniel whispered, “Steady, now.”

Cauchemar flung her arms above her head. “Your little storyteller friend was right. I did intend to kill you and rule this kingdom as my own!” Her eyes flashed as she whipped her head in Phillip’s direction and yelled, “And I would’ve ruled it the way it should be ruled!” Grabbing Katerina’s arm, she yanked the girl to her side. “This halfwit could rule this kingdom better than you!”

“Auntie, calm down! You are hurting me!” Katerina pleaded. She tugged her arm from the other woman’s grasp. Phillip could smell singed hair as the flames dancing around Cauchemar’s head licked at Katerina’s face. He could feel Daniel, James and his father step forward behind him, but felt himself frozen.

“Cauchemar! Unhand that girl!” King Henry yelled and stepped between Phillip and the raging woman.

“You want to change all the rules when you are king? Well, you cannot be king until this one is dead!” Cauchemar screamed as she pointed at King Henry. “We shall see about that!” Flinging her arm toward the king, Cauchemar shot a wave of brilliant blue light across the room at the old man. King Henry lifted his arm in fright; his jaw dropped open. As the light hit him, he toppled to the floor, his arm frozen in front of him and his face seized in fear.

Phillip’s breath caught in his throat as he looked down at where his father had fallen at his feet. The king did not move; his eyes stared blankly. “You killed my father!” Phillip screamed. He dropped to the ground and grabbed his father’s frozen body.

“Not exactly,” Cauchemar howled. “He isn’t really dead and he isn’t really alive. If he can’t die, you can’t take his place. So you will never sit your incompetent ass on his throne! Try changing the rules now!”

“Father!” Phillip wrapped his arms around his father’s shoulders and lifted him slightly. He could hear the other men bustling around him toward the raging woman. He shook his father a bit. Tears rolled down his cheek as he searched for any sign of life in his father’s face.

“James!” Daniel cried out. He ran toward Cauchemar and pulled his sword from its sheath. “Attack her now!”

“Kitty! Get Kitty!” Peter cried out, as he and James charged at the women.

As Daniel reached out to grab the girl, Cauchemar snatched her to her chest and screamed. “You will never have me—or her!” A cloud of dark burgundy smoke billowed around the pair. Daniel’s fingers grasped empty air.