The Princess Switch

Jean's back!

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                                                                                          Chapter #18

Chapter #18

Above me, Jean was still attempting to pull his charade on me.  He, the villain of this story, was pretending to save me, his victim!  

He was attempting to look convincing, punching his men, slapping them, and slicing them with his sword.  At first I thought that his men were faking their injuries, but then I noticed that some of them were actually bleeding!  How could Jean be so cruel to his men, and also how could they still follow his instructions? 

Soon he was done “knocking out” his men, who being villains not actors, were trying to watch what was happening while pretending to be dead.  I had difficulty not laughing at their antics.  

Jean called up to me.  “Princess Adriana!  Come down!  I have vanquished your enemies!  You are safe now, I promise.”  It sounded like I was watching a dramatic play from one of the theatre groups that had visited our palace asking for patronship.  

In my mind, as I was also thinking about how cute he looked in armor as he flipped his hair out of his beautiful hazel eyes, I was thinking, not safe from you, villainous Jean.  Which also sounded incredibly dramatic, like a villain disguised as a prince charming.  

Petunia was growing tired from carrying me so long, and I was worried for her.  We would need to stop soon; she might drop, killing both her and me.  If I sacrificed myself, she would be safe, and I would hopefully be safe with him for just a while.  

“Petunia, just drop me off on that ledge.  I promise that I will be fine.  I think,” the last part was added under my breath, of course.  I was really concerned about her health, and now we were slowly descending further into the cave.  

However, Petunia had another idea.  “No......” she told me, gasping for breath.  “I can not desert you here!  No sane person would leave you alone with that evil man.”

I was unaware of how she knew Jean, but I decided that now was not the time to ask her.  Then, a million questions flooded my mind.  

Were fairies mind readers?  Or had she known Jean before I had even met him?  Had he been evil then if she had known him before I knew him?  Maybe he had just sugared himself up for me?  Did he do that to deceive me into loving him?  Had this been his plan all along?  Or was he even the true Jean?

I decided I could think about these interesting issues later.  Then, I came up with an idea.  

“Petunia?”  I asked her sweetly, as I knew that even talking to me taxed her. 

“Y-yes?”  She answered, swerving over and almost running us into the wall of the area.  

“I saw before that you carried a knife with you everywhere that you went.  Could I possibly borrow it?”  

Petunia seemed puzzled by this question.  “Why would you want to borrow my knife?”  However, she trusted me and told me where I could find it.  “Fine.  Keep it safe though, it was from my great-aunt.  Reach into the pocket on the side of my leggings, and you will find my knife strapped onto the side of my leg.”

After fumbling around, I was able to unstrap the knife from the wrappings.  I hid it in my mass of skirts, which were currently billowed out around me, which was very inappropriate and unladylike.  

“Now drop me off at the overhanging.” I instructed her, bracing myself for her grievances.  

Petunia looked horrified.  “No!  I already told you that I would never leave you there with him!”  She screamed at me.

“Come on, Petunia,” I coaxed.  “You have to trust me!  Friendships are nothing without respect!”  

At this, she sighed.  “If you get killed, hurt, kidnapped, or if any mortal harm comes to you, Daffodil will kill me.”

However, as she was saying this she was flying slowly towards the overhanging.  Knowing(or at least hoping) that Jean would try to trick me before hurting me to get the reward from my parents, I slipped the knife into my left boot lip.  

I mentally prepared myself.  This was going to be my biggest trial yet.  Suddenly, I tumbled to the ground; I scowled up at Petunia, who was now laughing down at me.  

I motioned her down, rubbing my now forming bruises.  When she leaned down, I pretended to embrace her, while in reality I was whispering instructions in her ear.  She nodded her head; she waved, and then she was gone.  

Then, I realized what was happening as the adrenaline that had been running through me left all of a sudden.  I had just left myself alone with Jean, the possible-more-than-likely killer, who wanted his revenge on me and my family, and he would not stop until he received that revenge.  I decided that if I wanted to live I would have to pretend that I did not what he really wanted to do with me now that he had me.  

“Hello, Jean,” I said, expressing no obvious emotions with my best poker face.  I feared that if I showed any sign of fear, happiness, or anger, he would know my true feelings.  If he knew that I knew that he was evil, I am sure that he would kill me.  

“Nice to see  you too, Princess,” Jean said, also masking his emotions, but much better than I could.  He should play poker professionally.  He would always win with that poker face.  However, I knew him too well to suspect that he was truly kind and was glad to see me.  The way that he said “Princess,” made my skin shudder.  

You could almost tell that calling me princess made me shudder in horror and anger.  To think that I almost loved this man, or that I already did.  His tongue rolled when he said the name in a way that you say  something that thoroughly disgusts you.  I wondered how I could disgust him when he was the killer.  He was the betrayer, kidnapper, and who knows what other vile things that he could have done.  

There you go, another chapter, hope you like it.  Do you like Jean, or do you think he is a terrible person.  There may be some romance in the next chapter, so keep your eyes open, and you may be in for a surprise! 

Love,

Hannah V.H.

Thanks!