Cinderella and The Shape Shifting Mice

Chapter Sixteen

Ella

Georgie led me around the marketplace for hours, telling me all about the ball I had already went to. Sam, his bodyguard, joined us after an hour like Georgie had instructed, following silently behind us. I asked him questions to avoid the topic of the girl that had run away, but as soon as we sat down at a table with our lunch, he asked me.

  "Hey Ella, have you heard anything about that girl that ran away from the ball?"

I gave him a fake surprise look. "No, I haven't heard a thing. What was she like? Maybe I've seen her or something." I was praying silently in my head that he would remain somewhat oblivious.

  "Well, she was blonde and blue-eyed, and was wearing a blue dress that looked amazing on her. It reminded me of a dress my mom wore once in a picture with my dad..." he trailed off, looking out to the park.

I blushed at his compliment, trying to hid my cheeks with my hair. "Really?" I looked up and Sam was giving me a funny look.

  "Yeah, weird right? Anyways, when I asked her to dance her hands just... felt like they belonged in mine, you know? I kind of wish the music could have played forever and our feet would have never gotten tired." Georgie smiled into the distance and I had to pinch my lips together to keep from smiling. He really thought that? Shit, Sam was looking at me again.

  "So we went into the gardens and into the maze, and we ran all the way to the center before we stopped and we sat on the edge of the fountain. And we talked and she just seemed like someone I'd really like to get to know better."

  I looked at him wide-eyed and I blurted, "Like marriage?" He looked up quickly at me. "I mean, not to imply anything. It's just, I've heard rumors you were looking to marry."

He sighed and I glanced briefly again at Sam who's eyes had now narrowed, staring daggers at me. I squirmed a little in my seat, avoiding his eye contact. "Yeah, my dad wants me to. Says its not right for a man to take the throne without a wife. It's not against the law, it's just heavily frowned upon." He looked up and laughed. "I'm sorry, I'm boring you."

I smiled. "No, no, I think it's fascinating. Politics have always... Intrigued me." I looked over his shoulder for a moment and then my stomach dropped and I stood quickly, almost knocking over my chair. "I'm so sorry your highness I need to go." I pushed my chair back in and grabbed my trash. "I'll see you later, I hope you find that girl." I turned and walked briskly away from him, towards a somewhat hidden path that would lead me back around the car shop where I could grab my bike and ride home.

  "Ella, wait!" Georgie called after me but I was already gone. I couldn't let Mary and my step-sisters see me with him.

The Prince

I watched her run away in fascination; even after I called out to her she didn't stop, hadn't even turned around. How strangely familiar.

  "Sam, I think I have a problem with blondes running away from me."

Sam laughed and then gave me a serious look. "Sir I think I found-"

  "Why your highness!" I whipped around a woman I somewhat recognized followed by two ladies I could never forget walked quickly up to me. "What a coincidence seeing you here!"

  "Uh, yes, hello." I stood up straighter and looked around. "I'm sorry, I must be-"

  "Your highness have you any luck in finding your missing girl?" The older lady asked me. I  believe her name was Tremaine, but I couldn't be positive.

  "Uh no, we're still looking." I gave her a weary look. "Why have you heard or seen anything?"

She smiled. "Why I think I have."

I gestured to the seat in front of me and proceeded to sit back down. "Please, do tell."

  "Well, I heard from some friends that a girl in a blue ball gown had been spotted at one of the local bars to call a cab. I can't remember which one though..." She told me, a look of concentration on her face as she tried to remember, but that was enough for me.

  "Thank you so much madame. If I find anything I will be sure to send you my gratitude." I stood quickly, gave a small bow and walked quickly away from the table. Even though that woman and her daughters gave me a very bad vibe, I couldn't not take her information. I so desperately wanted to find E again, I would do anything and follow any little lead. Spending the day with Ella had been wonderful until her abrupt departure, but I had a different girl to chase.

  "Sam I think we might actually find her. Tell the guards to go into every bar and ask everyone that works there if they saw E." I beamed as we drove back to the palace.

He nodded. "Yes sir I think she might be closer than you might think."

When we arrived back at the palace our head go security, Jacob, greeted me. He was a very large, imposing man who had served many years in the guard, starting near the end of my grandfathers term. He held wisdom beyond my years and I couldn't imagine a better suited man for the position. "Sir we have good news and bad news."

  "Alright, what's the good news." I asked, making my way to the office I held in the palace adjacent to my fathers.

"The good news is we found a blonde girl meeting your description."

I stopped walking and looked at him, confused. "So what's the bad news?"

  "There's almost fifty of them."

I groaned and started walking, faster this time. Finding this girl was turning into more impossible of a task than I had previously thought. How was she staying so well hidden, and why? Did she not want to see me again? Had that night at the ball meant nothing to her? I thought the night had been wonderful, and I thought it had been received well on both ends. What had made her run away from me?

  "Well we have to do something to narrow it down." I mumbled, opening up my office door where my father's head assistant sat waiting. He cleaned off his spectacle and smiled.

  "Ah, hello there Georgie. I heard the news about all the girls!"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "It's Prince George to you, and yes. Fifty of them apparently."

He gave a smile and placed his hands on my desk as I sat down. Sam and Jacob moved silently into the room and stood waiting.

  "I think I have a grand solution for you my friend. And it will not only help you, but generate some revenue for the kingdom and give us some excellent publicity."

I suppressed a groan as I gestured to the chair across from me. He sat back down quickly and leaned forward excitedly. "What if we staged a kind of competition here at the palace? Completely harmless, we just invite the 50 girls to come and you get to spend some time with them and slowly knock out the ones you know aren't her. Then when you have the final three we host a charity ball and you announce your bride!"

  I openly gaped at him, my mouth hanging wide open. Was he serious? He wanted me to house 50 ladies here, and narrow it down to three, and pick one to marry? What if the one I picked wasn't E, wasn't the girl I had danced with and chased through the garden maze? There were so many risks and problems with this idea.

  "I'm sorry but you're going to have to explain this much further if you want me to actually agree." I answered, leaning back in my chair with my arms crossed over my chest. But as he began to explain his plan in further detail, my arms relaxed and I found myself jotting diem notes. Maybe this really could work...