Imagines and One-Shots (Book Two)

Chasing After You (Michael Clifford) - Part 5

"You had to choose the one with the curfew," the Captain said jokingly before hurrying to get his horse, making Michael smile widely as both men hopped on their horses and raced after your carriage.

Your POV

Your head snapped over to look out the back window of the carriage, groaning when you saw the royal guard coming after you.

"Why can't he just let it go?" you asked no one in particular.

"Would you let him go that easily?" Luke countered, a knowing smirk on his face. You responded by putting your hand on his cheek, pushing him as he laughed.

Just as the horses raced around the corner, you felt the carriage go over what you originally thought to be a large bump in the road until you looked around and noticed the skeleton of the vehicle was getting smaller. You didn't even have time to mutter out the 'uh-oh' you were thinking when the horses started shrinking as well.

Before you knew it, the horses and driver and carriage and your dress were gone and you and Luke were tumbling along the road with the mice and lizard and what remained of the pumpkin. You didn't have time to recuperate, however, because you heard the sounds of horses barreling toward the direction your carriage had turned.

You immediately grabbed Luke's hand, pulling him toward the bushes and diving into them to hide. You watched the horses gallop over the pumpkin pieces – not even realizing they were there – and waited until they were long gone before coming back out.

"Well," Luke started, brushing the dirt off of his clothes, "That was enough excitement for one night; I think I'm going to go home."

"Thanks, Lu," you grinned, pressing a kiss to his cheek, "I wouldn't have gotten out in time if it weren't for you."

"Yes," he nodded, "And I will be contacting you about your repayment very soon." You laughed loudly, nudging him once again.

"Goodnight, Lu," you rolled your eyes.

"Night, Princess," he teased, sloppily kissing your cheek in return before you both went your separate ways. You looked at the ground, unable to believe the events of that night actually happened to you, when you noticed something sparkling out of the corner of your eye.

You gasped quietly when you looked over and realized it was your glass shoe, hurrying to pick it up before anything happened to it. You brushed it off gently with what remained of the pink dress you'd made, and then noticed all the mice and the lizard scurrying around, obviously having been frightened by the stampede of horses that had just passed.

"Well," you sighed, "I guess we should get home." You leaned down, lowering your forearm close to the ground. "Everybody on," you instructed, "Unless you want to walk home yourselves, of course." The animals instantly jumped onto your arm, climbing up your dress until they were spread out amongst both your shoulders as you stood back upright and walked the rest of the way home.

~

Michael's POV

20 minutes had passed before the royal guard returned – and much to Michael's dismay, it wasn't the news he was hoping for.

"We're sorry, Your Highness," the Captain said solemnly, "We couldn't find her anywhere."

"What do you mean you couldn't find her? She was in a giant golden carriage!" he exclaimed, standing up from his throne.

"I know, Your Majesty, but once we turned a corner, it was as if she just...disappeared..."

"A girl doesn't just vanish into thin air, Captain," Michael insisted.

"Not unless she really doesn't want to be found."

"Why wouldn't she want to be found?" he sighed, plopping back down in his seat, "We were having such a nice time and then she just... She just left..."

"Maybe she snuck out to come to the ball," the Captain shrugged, hoping to offer some sort of consolation to the Prince, "And she had to return home before her parents noticed."

"Why wouldn't she tell me then? Why would she just run away?"

"Perhaps she didn't want you to try and convince her to stay any longer?" he suggested.

"Well, I still have this-" He looked at the shoe still in his hands. "-and I am going to find who it belongs to," Michael stated firmly, standing again, "Even if I have to visit every household in this kingdom myself."

And that was exactly what he did.

~

inspiration: Cinderella (2015)