“Anthony! You did not.”
“I did.” He smiled at her look of astonishment. “The dress size I could estimate, the shoes, no. It was much harder to know what size your feet were, so I had several made and you can choose the pair that fit you the best.”
“They are all so perfect!” she exclaimed as he helped her inside and then thumped the top of the coach to signal the driver to go. They sat side by side. “I cannot believe the rows of slippers sitting on the other bench. I have never seen so many shoes outside of a shop.”
“Come, you, let us try them on and see which one will work the best.”
“Is there anything you do not think of? Here I was secretly worried my boots would be seen and you save the day by bringing the prettiest slippers a girl has ever worn.
He slipped her boots off, her toes wiggling in her stockings, as he tried first one shoe on and then another until he found a pair to fit. “Your feet are so small.”
“Oh, I am glad these are the ones that worked. I think they are by far my favorite of the lot.” She brought the shoe forward examining the beads and lace clustered around the outside. “Is the heel made of glass?”
“Crystal, actually. It is much stronger than glass.”
“Oh, Anthony! Thank you. Thank you so very much.”
He leaned over and kissed that happy mouth. “You are very welcome.”
“You have made me look like a princess.”
“’Tis funny,” he tilted his head and kissed her sweet mouth again, “I would have been certain you looked like a queen.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
ELLA CLUTCHED HIS ARM as they made their way up the grand staircase leading to the ballroom, her crystal shoes delicately tap-tapping on the ground as she walked. She halted, just before they went in, and he paused with her.
“Are you well?” he asked, his hazel gaze searching her features.
Taking a deep breath, she answered, “Just—just a little scared.”
“My Ella?” He grinned. “My Ella scared? The girl who came at me in the dead of the night with the meat cleaver?”
Blushing, she looked away.
“Ella, you look beautiful. You will do fine.”
She met his stare. “If I walk in there with you—on your arm, as I am—”
“People will know I am in love,” he finished for her.
“Are you certain that is well with you?”
“What? That my guests know I am in love with you?” Chuckling, he shook his head. “When will you learn, there is nothing about you I am ashamed of? It is you I worry for now. If you prefer, I will walk away and allow you to enter all on your own. For then you will not have to face the gossip and stares.”
She took another deep breath to steady her nerves. There was nothing he did not think of. How she loved him. She had always loved him; she just did not realize it. “I will enter with you.”
He let out a surprised gasp of air. “Thank you, my dear. You do not know what this means to me.”
“I will most likely make a fool of myself the moment I step in the room, but as long as you are aware of that, then let us do so.”
As they walked through the doors, the herald announced loudly:
“His Royal Majesty Anthony Jonathon Algernon, the third.”
She clung to his arm, her heart failing her for a moment when she realized she was entering with the king. All eyes flew their way.
The herald continued, “And Miss Eleanoria Woodston, daughter of the late Lord Dashlund.”
Gasps could be heard amidst the whole glittering party as Ella and Anthony made their way into the large, lavishly decorated ballroom. At least twenty shimmering chandeliers hung about them lighting the beautifully gleaming wooden floor, and three times as many wall sconces held hundreds of candles bathing the entire room in a warm glow. To the left, upon a raised platform, a rather large orchestra sat waiting for their cue. There were multiple refreshment tables set up as well as benches and chairs lining the circumference of the area. Hundreds of people were dressed to the hilt in colorful gowns and fancy evening wear. Their perfumes and the castle floral arrangements faintly complemented the air, completing the ambiance of elegance as they walked to the center of the room. All eyes were upon them.
Ella clutched his arm tighter as he pulled her around to face him. “Now? We must dance now?”
“I am the king,” he whispered in her ear. “The ball could not begin without me.”
“Then what have they been doing this whole time?”
“Boring introductions and musical recitals. Trust me, I saved you from the worst.” He clutched her waist with his hand and slipped her fan over her wrist with his other, so he could hold her gloved hand. “Are we ready to begin?”
“No. Anthony, I cannot.” Her knees began to shake. “Everyone is watching us.” She had no idea where her stepmother was—she could not make out anyone in this sea of people, it was all so terrifying.
“I would love to kiss you in front of them all right now.”
He would not dare. She raised a brow. “And I would thump you if you did.”
“Which is of course why I am behaving myself.” He chuckled and nodded his head at the music conductor to begin the song.
A slow, melodious rhythm began to play.
“Are you ready?”
“Please do not ask such a question again.”
“I will take that as a yes.”
She glanced up. His steady gaze sparkled in the candlelight and she smiled. He was so incredibly dear and wonderful and handsome. He was her Anthony. And truthfully, there was nowhere else she would rather be than on this dance floor, in his arms, with his eyes shining down upon her.
“Just look at me. Look right into my eyes, and I will do all the rest.” He grinned and then tugged lightly against her waist as he took his first step forward.
She did not break eye contact—she could not break eye contact, he held her quite captivated as they began to dip and sway and spin and glide across the floor in the king’s waltz. The waltz he had saved just for her.
It was the most perfect night that ever was.
Much later as they were wandering by the punch bowl to partake of some refreshments, they came across Jillian. Her stare was so intent upon Lacey and the duke she did not notice they were there. Ella tapped Anthony’s arm to make him aware of the intensity coming off of Jillian. She stepped back a few paces and whispered, “Do you see how she watches her?”
“Yes,” he whispered back, his gaze taking in the couple who were laughing and heading out upon the dance floor. He smiled for a moment—grateful to see his cousin so happy. “I think he likes her! Look, do you see the way the duke cannot take his eyes off of her?”
Ella grinned. “Oh, she will be so happy! I do hope it works out for them.”
Just then, Jillian groaned loudly and set her cup of punch forcefully upon the table. She began to march directly to the dance floor.
“We must stop her!” Ella hissed. “She will do something terrible to Lacey—to the whole room if we do not.”
“Shh…” He held a hand out. “Just wait. I have informed Zedekiah to keep Lacey as far from her sister as possible.”
“You did?”
“Yes. And from what I can tell he has succeeded doing just that the whole evening.”
“Have I told you yet how simply marvelous you are?”
“Marvelous? I do not think you have mentioned that one before, but I like it.”
She giggled. “You would.”
“Ah-ha!” He folded his arms as Lord Gavenston bowed his head to Jillian before swirling Lacey completely out of her way and into the center of the ballroom surrounded by many other couples. “Just as I said he would do.”
Jillian stomped her foot, it was done so slightly that had you been watching her, you would have had no idea she had done so, then she turned on her heel and headed back toward the punch. Her face was a gloomy mask that apparently she did not try to hide. When
her eyes met Ella’s, she balked and glanced toward Anthony and then back at Ella before walking toward another part of the room altogether.
“I do not think your stepsister Jillian is enjoying herself overly much,” he commented, as he unfolded his arms and held his elbow out.
She easily slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. “You know, I do believe you are correct, my dear.” Their eyes met and they exchanged an adorable grin for all the onlookers to behold—and many onlookers were doing just that, watching them.
“Come, let us forget about your stepsister and leave this place.” He pulled her out the garden doors that were situated nearby, and down the outside steps.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked.
“Somewhere special.”
“Anthony! What will your mother say?” She had met her briefly in the course of the evening and loved her instantly. It was obvious to see where he had got his happy, playful mannerisms from.
“Her? She will mostly like say it is about time.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
ELLA LAUGHED AS HE tugged upon her hand. She followed him all the way around the main castle walls to a series of outbuildings. “Really, Anthony, we are very far from the ball. Should we not go back?”
“And miss your surprise? Never! Now stop worrying and allow me to surprise you.”
“With your special spot?”
“Yes, it is very special to me,” he said as he took her through the back entrance of a building. She could smell the strong odor of animals and hay. “Anthony, were in the world are we?”
“Hush. And look.” They came around the bend and he pointed to a stall right in front of them.
Sunshine! She gasped. Tears instantly sprang to her eyes. “You found her! You found my Sunshine!” The horse nudged against the stall and whickered her approval. She wanted to rush forward and hold her and love her, but Ella’s stubborn feet would not budge an inch. In fact, when she tried to step, her knees buckled as the great sobs of surprise and gratitude overwhelmed her.
Anthony caught her just before her gown puddled onto the dirty floor.
Ella tossed her arms around him and cried into his shoulder. “I love you,” she whispered. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”
“Shh…I know you do. I know you do, my dear. And I promise you will never be without your Sunshine again.” He then turned and brought her up to the beautiful horse.
“Where did you find her?” she asked as she unlatched the stall and stepped inside.
“It took me several weeks, but my men were able to locate her a couple of kingdoms over. She has gone through two owners since you, but all reports have been that she was treated fairly.
“I am so glad. I have been so worried.” Squeezing Sunshine’s neck, she pressed her lips to her mane and whispered, “I have missed you. I have so missed you. We will go riding tomorrow, I promise. And then every single day afterward.” The horse whinnied and snorted as Ella’s tears rolled down her sweet friend’s neck. How she wished she could have jumped on her that moment and rode away from the world, but then she remembered her crystal shoes and the ball gown and held her tight. “Please do not ever think I will leave you again. How frightened you must have been to assume I did not want you anymore. Oh, Sunshine, I have missed you so very much.” She stood there for several minutes, holding and murmuring to the horse before she pulled back and looked at Anthony. “Thank you.” Great tears continued to fall as she said, “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
He opened his arms wide and she stepped out of the stall and fell into them, snuggling right into his broad chest.
“I do not know what price you paid to get my horse back, but I shall be in your debt forevermore. I do not know what I would do without you.”
“Then let us never part, my Ella,” he whispered. “Let today be the beginning of thousands of tomorrows.” He slowly detached himself from her and knelt down upon the dirty floor, in all his kingly finery, in the most special place in all the castle. Taking her hands in his, he said, “Eleanoria Rose Woodston, I know I am a meddling, nosy, prying mess of a king—but I need you, my dear, I need you to live, to breathe, to laugh again. I have brought you your Sunshine, but you have brought mine. You are my personal ray of sunshine. And I would be honored if you would look past all of my faults and consider being my queen.”
She burst into tears again and nodded. “Yes. As long as it is you I am with, then yes, I will be your queen.”
He stood up then and kissed her quite thoroughly and for several minutes, in the middle of the stables next to their Sunshine.
***
IT WAS SOME TIME later when the king brought his fiancé back into the ball, both of them a bit worse for wear with their kissing and hugging of the horse in the barn. But the smiles upon their faces were worth all of the shocked looks that came their way. He walked right up to the platform and announced rather grandly, “I am the happiest man alive, as I proclaim quite excitedly that Eleanoria Woodston, daughter of the late Lord Dashlund, has agreed to be my bride.”
A great screech could be heard throughout the whole ballroom. Everyone turned and gasped as Jillian made her way up to the platform, her eyes taking on a crazy frantic sheen. The guards quickly intervened and took her from the room as the rest of the guests applauded.
“Well,” said the queen as she made her way over to the happy couple and kissed them both upon their cheeks, “It would seem as though all of your family did not wish you well.” She smiled then and stood between them, wrapping her arms around each of their waists. “I, however, am very happy for you. You two will do wonderfully together. I can tell you were simply meant for each other.” She smiled as the assembly clapped on. Then she turned and whispered, “For who else would come back into a ball smelling of horse?”
Ella gasped in horror as Anthony threw his head back and laughed.
Anthony and Eleanoria were married in a grand service precisely four weeks later. The queen abdicated her crown to Ella within minutes of the wedding and the celebrations continued well into the next day.
The months that followed were not happy ones for Lady Dashlund and Jillian. It was decreed by the king and queen of the land that they were to live in their home, but not in their fine rooms—they were to live in the attics, like they had done with Ella.
She was more generous than they were, as she did not make them live as servants and they could have nicer furniture in their rooms. But, as housekeepers of the queen’s country estate, they were to manage and oversee the whole, but never truly live as if they owned it again.
When Anthony’s mother learned it was Jillian behind the disastrous mishaps Lacey had caused, she brought Jillian up to the castle once a week for a year to tend the garden and earn back the cost of all she had ruined. As was decreed, had it been an accident, it may have been overlooked, but because it was done in spite—punishment was given.
Jillian eventually married a farmer. She was pretty enough in her simple wedding gown, holding the hand of her new husband, though her beauty soon began to fade once the first of her children arrived.
Lacey and the duke finally married as well. After the ball, when he could see her without the catastrophes caused by her jealous sister, he soon began to enjoy her very much. Once it was revealed they both loved chess as much as the other—and not just love it, but were equally matched in the game—it was soon decided a wedding would be imminent. For who could not resist being married to the perfect opponent for life?
Ella and Anthony had four sons, all just as tall and handsome as their father, and caring and loving as their mother, and as sharp witted as their grandmother. And they had a beautiful spitfire daughter, who could outride all the boys on any horse she chose. The royal children were truly the joy of the kingdom.
Anthony never could outride Ella, though he tried several times to best her, she was simply the superior horseman—or horsewoman. The king soon stepped fully into the legacy his father had left him
and eventually went on to rule greater than his good father had—though, Anthony would never have believed it if you had told him so. Ella eventually got used to the gowns and dancing and events and all that was expected of her. She found that inner strength and became a remarkable queen.
Together they ruled the kingdom in happiness with many failures and laughter along the way. For this is the tale of how a young lost prince and a neglected girl learned to overcome all their doubts and fears to become the greatest king and queen of their kingdom.
THE END
HANSEL AND GRETEL
CHAPTER ONE
THE CHILD’S CRIES WERE loud and strong—strong enough to be heard through the torrential rain and roaring wind. It had been one of the worst summer storms the region had in years—just simply breathtakingly horrid. The farmer hunched down within his thin saturated coat and wrapped his useless soaking scarf tighter around his head and mouth. Though it was rain and not snow, it was a fierce, biting rain. A rain that was not forgiving or kind.
It brutally pelted his face and hands, stinging them with every slash of the drops as they flew through the air to bite into his covered flesh. The clouds had come so quickly and forcefully that though it was just past four, you would have believed it to be nigh on midnight. So dark and cold it was.
The farmer heard the shriek again, and turned in the direction, skirting the old forest.
“Hello?” he shouted into the sleeting rain. “Hello?”
The answering cries were louder this time and the farmer knew he was very close to the child. In fact, it was most likely tucked within the rock crevice. Attempting to climb a large boulder next to him, he slipped and banged his knee. No doubt there would be a hefty bruise in the morning. Mumbling a curse under his breath, the man attempted again to scale the sheer rock and this time managed to grip well enough to haul his wet body up and on its ledge. Peering over the other side, he flinched as a great strike of lightning lit up the sky—its jagged lines spearing every which way.