Title: Prince Charming
Warnings: ...a kiss? and slight old-fashioned language
Summary: The story of Ellen and Prince Charming.
Length: ~1,600 words
Notes: First person point of view, present tense. Genre is fantasy, historical fiction, and romance. (Yes, all three.)
Prince Charming
Catherine and Melissa are going to have dinner with Prince Charming today and I am trapped in my bed with a cold. I cannot think of a worse time to get ill than this. I have been looking forward to seeing Prince Charming again ever since we made this date nearly a month ago.
I should not have stayed up so late these past few nights rehearsing what I was going to say to him. That was stupid. Catherine told me to “be myself,” but I was so certain that Prince Charming would prefer it if I had witty conversation openers instead of just stumbling about. I composed various topics in my head. The first thing I was going to say to him would have been, “My, Prince Charming, you look dashing in that suit!” Assuming he was wearing a suit, of course. Then I could have transitioned to discussing clothing, which, while not the most entertaining of topics, at least gives one a lot to talk about.
I realize this makes it sound like Prince Charming and I have nothing to talk about normally. That is not true. I have been lucky enough to converse with him on several occasions, and we have plenty to talk about. When I met him just last month (when we arranged this dinner date that I am now unable to attend), we talked for hours about various things – the state of the kingdom, the newest up-and-coming composer, and our pet cats. We had such a good time that we decided to meet up again, and give him the chance to meet my family. Of course, we have all met him before at various political events, but no one besides me has really had a chance to really get to know him.
To put it plainly, I spent these last few times thinking of things to say in the off chance that I froze and had nothing to say to him in front of my family. And because of that, I got myself ill, and now I cannot be there to see him. Curse my insecurities!
I am not deathly ill or anything. My temperature is high and my nose is running, and as such Mother said I was not up for company tonight. That stung, but it is the truth. I would not want Prince Charming to see my like this.
You see, the thing is – Prince Charming is, well, very charming. Extremely charming. He is also the handsomest man I have ever seen. He could quite literally have any girl that he wishes. However, he chose to talk to me, to have dinner with me.
Too bad he will end up having dinner with Mother and my sisters while I lie in bed and curse my foolishness.
With a sigh, I pick up a needle and thread. At least I can do something productive while I am bound to my bed. I have been working on a scarf for Prince Charming. It is black and blue (to match his eyes) and made of the finest silk. I had planned to give it to him this eve, but circumstances kept me from finishing it on time. However, now I have nothing but time. I resume work on the scarf and try not to think about Prince Charming. This proves near impossible, so I end up working on the scarf and thinking about him.
There are worse things to think about.
It is later in the night when Catherine and Melissa creep through the door of my room, giggling and whispering among themselves. I finished the scarf an hour ago and had been resting my eyes. When I hear them come in, I lift myself up on my elbows to get a glimpse of them. They are wearing their night-clothes – it is later than I expected.
“What are you doing here?” I whisper, my voice hoarse from my coughing fit a while ago. “You should be sleeping!”
“We cannot sleep,” Melissa explains. “We needed to talk to you about Prince Charming!”
“Oh, yes,” I sigh, struggling to sit up properly. I both do and do not want to know how the dinner went, but I should have known that I would not be able to avoid finding out. “How was he?”
“He was perfect,” sighs Melissa gustily. I suspect she is just as enamored with him as I am.
“Yea, he was humorous, and charming, and clever,” says Catherine in a more solemn tone. “Yet he had one quirk.”
She falls silent, clearly trying to create drama. I wait a bit and then give in, asking, “What was his quirk?”
Catherine turns to gaze directly at me. “He could not stop asking about you,” she says. “All through dinner, he spoke of you and inquired about your health and expressed his disappointment that you could not join us.”
Melissa looks a bit miffed at this reminder, but I am too happy worry over it. He asked after me! He missed me! This is much better than I could have imagined. Maybe it was better to stay in bed when he came, because now he is all the more eager to meet me.
“Did he say if he would be back?” I inquire, trying to sound casual. I can tell by Catherine’s smirk that I did not succeed.
“He thanked us for the dinner… said it was very delicious… and then mentioned that he might impose on our hospitality again in the very near future… I would not be surprised if he were to come back on the morrow.” Catherine raises her eyebrows mischievously. “It sounded as if he could hardly bear the wait for you to get better!”
I smile. I remember Prince Charming’s smile the day I saw him (over a month ago now). It had stuck me as the most beautiful smile ever. I had not known that I had made an equally powerful impression, but I must have. He wants to see me again, and soon! If that is not incentive to get well soon, I do not know what is.
The next day I am already feeling much better. After a day of resting in bed and regaining my strength, I feel prepared to face anything. Hopefully, “anything” will be Prince Charming coming to see me.
My first instinct is to reject this notion as preposterous, but Catherine had said it sounded like he really liked me. Even Melissa agreed, though I could tell she would much rather be the object of his affections.
I do not blame her.
I am sitting at my desk placing a bow on the scarf (perhaps overdoing it, but I am trying not to overthink things after I literally made myself ill doing it recently). Presently the maid Julia appears at my door. “Miss Ellen, Prince Charming is here to see you,” she says. “He is waiting in the drawing-room.”
I sit up straighter. “Tell him I will be right there,” I say. Julia nods and exits swiftly.
My heart is beating rapidly. He is here! I feel as if I am being courted. I have never been courted before. It is a good feeling, but a nervous one. I scoop up the scarf and walk out, trying not to sniffle or trip. He must know that I was ill recently, but I do not want to remind him. I checked my reflection in Mother’s hand-mirror this morn and I did not look sick.
I walk the few steps to the drawing-room and he is there, as tall and handsome as ever. He is wearing a suit made of the finest-tailored cotton, and before I can stop myself I blurt, “My, Prince Charming, you look dashing in that suit!”
Of all the times to revert to my conversation topics! Nonetheless, he simply bestows a puzzled smile upon me. “Thank you, milady,” he says. “And please, call me Edward.”
I feel my cheeks begin to flush, so I look demurely at the floor. “Then you must call me Ellen,” I say.
“Very well, Ellen.” The way he says my name sends tingles up my spine. “Are you feeling well? I was sorry to hear that you were abed when I came to dine.”
“Yes, I was ill, but I am feeling much better now, thank you,” I respond. “I was sorry to miss you as well.”
We stand in silence for a moment until I remember my gift. “Here, I made this scarf for you,” I say, shoving it rather gracelessly into his hands.
Prince Charming – nay, Edward – looks at it and runs it through his fingers. I try not to fidget. “I thought the blue would go well with your eyes,” I explain.
Edward nods. “This is beautiful,” he says. “And that was very thoughtful of you, Ellen. Thank you.” He proceeds to wrap it around his neck while giving me a delightful and delighted smile.
Silence falls between us again. Perhaps I was not as stupid as I thought I was, making up all my conversation topics. Too bad I cannot remember any of them right now.
“Would you like some tea?” I ask, remembering my manners as a hostess. Edward shakes his head.
“Ah, no thank you. What I would really like is your hand, so I can pull you in and kiss you.”
I look at him in surprise. He grins cheekily at me. My immediate answer is “Of course!” but I feel that I must put up some sort of resistance to maintain my girlhood.
“I am still a little sick,” I protest.
Edward only smiles. “I do not mind,” he says. “To kiss you, I would brave much more.” And then he pulls me in for a kiss.
It strikes me that conversation topics may not be entirely necessary now.
THE END! J
This is a fun story and playful at that. The use of older style language and the topic itself make it so. I think you did a nice job keeping this engaging and true to character. I would not change a thing!
ReplyDeleteFun little story with a very nice ending. Made me laugh! I like the way you really captured the essence and thoughts of Ellen. May have been good to do the same with the prince so we could get a better handle on him but part of the fun was not being sure what he thought of her - the same way she wasn't sure until she saw him again!
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