Cinderella vs. Prince Charming

Chapter 4

“Cinderella? You are a Cinderella?” Amorrt shouted before whipping around to face Darren. “You said your princess was a Snow White!”

            Leaning forward despite the swords’ edges pressed against his chest, Darren cried, “Why did you not stay hidden?”

            Valerie glared at him, hands on hips. “Do you really think I’m that heartless? That I’d just stand by and watch you or anyone for that matter, die when it’s me they’re looking for?”

            “You idiotic woman! A prince’s job is to protect his princess, no matter the cost.”

            “I don’t need your damn protection! And in case you hadn’t realized it yet, your protection isn’t worth shit!”

            “Well if you had come out when I told you, we would not be in this mess now! You had to be stubborn.”

            “Stubborn? I’m stubborn? You’re the one who wouldn’t leave even when I told you point blank I wasn’t interested! I’m not some stupid damsel in distress in need of a big strong man to come save me.”

            “That is because you barely qualify as a woman!”

            “That is enough!” Amorrt roared before Val had a chance to reply. “You, Cinderella or Ashputtel or whomever, you are coming with me.”

            “She is a Cinderella! She is of no use to you Amorrt. She has no kingdom of her own!”

            “Oh but she is. You see Darren, you are going to abdicate in favour of her. She will marry me, making me king.”

            Darren looked sick at the thought while Valerie turned her glare back to Amorrt. “What makes you think there is a snowball’s hope in hell that I’d marry you?”

            “You will do as you are told if you know what is good for you princess,” he hissed back at her.

            “What’s good for me is not getting involved with either of you idiots. Now why don’t you just leave?”

            Amorrt closed the distance between them in a few steps and grabbed her arm in a painful hold. “You will do as you are told or you will die,” he said, blue-grey eyes boring into hers.

            Val looked at him, then down at the hand gripping her arm, then back up at him. She smiled even as her leg swung forward, catching Amorrt between the legs with violent force. He dropped to the ground with a moan, curling into a ball. Valerie picked up his sword then kicked his arms out to each side. One foot on each of his hands, she stood over him, sword tip resting on his throat as she held the blade with both hands. “I don’t like threats. Now you lot,” she called to Amorrt’s men. “Let them go or he loses his upstairs brain. Not that anyone would notice the difference.”

            The men hesitated, two of them hefting their weapons and looking at her. “Now!” Valerie shouted. The guards jerked and obeyed. With the guards out of the way, the other guests began shoving each other in their hurry to get out the doors to freedom.

            The prince’s blond flunky raced to Darren’s side as the other man ordered, “Drop your weapons and lie face down. I want your hands flat out where I can see them.”

            “You trollop! You doxy!” Amorrt spat up at Valerie, face still white.

            “You started it.”