Waking Up A Princess

Chapter Twelve

        The play lasted nearly two hours as it was a full-length play with two acts. The children did a wonderful job acting out iconic scenes from scenes from classic fairy tales. Several lines and moments had been changed to add  comedy to the play and each actor smiled when they heard the audience laugh along with them. Ailey's favorite part had been when the mermaid princess managed to get the prince's fish hook through her delicate tail fin. The two had struggled to get it out and wound up entangled in the nearly invisible thin string. 

        A small little girl with a flowing blonde wig gave her final lines before the curtain dropped and everyone in the theater rose to their feet. The clapping rang through the air as the child actors came out for the bows and disappeared behind the curtain. "Did you enjoy yourself, Princess?" Michael leaned in to ask in order to be heard over the resounding claps.

        Ailey couldn't help but feel as if he was only using the noise as an excuse to be close to her. Michael's father, Lord Henry, had been careful to keep the two of them together both in the car and in the theater. Michael had warned her of his father's plans but she hadn't realized he was going to be so obvious in his attempts. "Ailey," she lightly corrected him with a half smile. "And yes. I really liked it. What did you think about it?"

        Michael smiled and allowed Ailey to leave their seats first. "I enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed the mermaid scenes," he confessed. Ailey noticed the blush that colored his cheeks but she didn't comment on it. She had a feeling his father wouldn't appreciate his son blushing in front of the princess he meant for him to marry. 

        The three of them were nearly out of the theater when Ailey felt a small tug at the back of her dress. Lord Henry didn't notice Ailey pause as he continued towards the awaiting car. Michael only noticed after several steps. Ailey turned to find two little girls with wide eyes standing before her.

        "You're the princess," one of them gasped. The other's mouth was slightly open and she didn't seem to be able to speak. 

        Careful in her heals, Ailey knelt down before the two of them and smiled. "I am," she agreed. There had been several pictures of her on the news of the few times she had left the castle and the night she agreed to be the princess. She felt as if the entire country knew who she was. It was a disorienting feeling, truth be told. "What are your names?" 

        "Kayla," the talkative brunette smiled. "And this is my best friend in the whole world. Her name is Katie," she giggled when her friend never offered her name. It was obvious which of the two were the most outspoken. 

        "Katie and Kayla," Ailey repeated. "Two beautiful names." Ailey glanced up to see a woman with a curious smile on her face just behind the two girls. Judging by her features, she was Kayla's mother.

        "Kayla followed Ailey's gaze to her mother and smiled. "Mommy! Look who it is. It's the princess! it's really her," she beamed as if she had discovered a secret all her own. "Can we take a picture, Mom?"

        The woman carefully took a few steps to her daughter. It was obvious she was unsure of how to behave in front of Ailey. "Kayla, honey, we don't want to bother her. I'm sure she's busy," she told her daughter s she looked between Michael and Ailey.

        "It's alright," Ailey promised with a smile. "I would love to take a picture with two lovely girls. If they don't mind to take a picture with me that is." Both girls nodded and Kayla's mom snapped a picture with her phone of the three of them. Kayla thanked the princess for the picture before running to her mother excitedly babbling about having met her. Katie, the blonde little girl, threw her arms around AIley's neck before turning the color of a tomato and running off to join her friend.