Fairy Tale Treasure (Book Two: The Road to Ever After)

Chapter One

Once-upon-a Time's white castle shimmered in the radiant morning sun. The combined crests of Once-upon-a Time and Delight rippled on the flags atop the palace. Bluebirds chased one another around the towers, riding the breeze with ease and laughter. Every plant in the gardens was bursting with beautiful life. There were only a few puffy clouds in the sky and all of those were formed in the shape of circus animals. The grass was green and the a-Time River a see-through blue.

Everything was as sweet and serene as it should be in a kingdom of Fairy Tale.

"Oh, that girl!" Queen Adeline raced out onto her balcony, huffing and puffing with a pink glow of fury. "Really, Gillroy, sometimes I do not know what to do with her!"

The blonde queen was as lovely and fragile as she had been twenty-two years before, when her royal reputation was in danger and Lady Jacqueline, the evil enchantress, plotted to defeat all the happy lands upon the map. That seemed so long ago now. Queen Adeline and King Gillroy ruled their united kingdoms for two decades and loved one another deeper with each passing year. With slightly dazzled eyes, they could look back on the past and consider all those times as gumdrops and cherries.

Well, almost...there was one source of exasperation which often reared its ugly head as it did on this day.

Queen Adeline threw her head back and growled. "She somehow forgets that we are doing all this for her future happiness. Did we teach her to be so selfish and headstrong?"

King Gillroy smirked at his wife's venting from where he leaned at the open, walk-through windows. There were a few silver strands in his straw-colored head of hair from similar scenes of stress. His easy nature was not disturbed, but figuring out ways of calming Adeline's nerves caused him a few restless days and nights. This was especially true when Adeline's anxiety was aggravated over their two children. Thankfully, Gillroy learned long ago how to ease his wife's mind on their offspring's account.

King Gillroy let his arms fall away from his chest and smoothly swaggered to his bride's side. Ever so gently he placed his rough, masculine palm over her dainty hand and fingers. He smiled and said,

"Personally, I blame Prewitt for any bad personality traits in our children."

Queen Adeline rolled her baby blue eyes, "Naturally you would point the accusing finger at our Prime Minister."

Gillroy simply nodded. The fact could not be refuted. Prewitt had always been hoity-toity. Their little angels must have learned selfishness from their united kingdoms' top minister.

Adeline exhaled an amused sigh. There it was again, Gill humoring her back to sanity. She squeezed his hand to repeat the common theme: she would be lost without him. And, continually to his surprise, Gillroy still felt the same sparkling glow when her eyes and smile demonstrated that devotion.

"I shouldn't let her irk me so," Adeline admitted, laying her head on her husband's shoulder. "But I feel like our daughter is completely beyond my comprehension. All this planning so she can have the ideal marriage proposal by the Sea of Diamonds will be for naught if we can't locate her. All the carriages are waiting, stuffed to bursting, except we are missing the principle player. I'm sure Prince Daniel has never given Eudora and Darrik such trouble."

Gillroy kissed his queen's forehead. "Don't worry, darling. I think I know where to find her."

Queen Adeline raised one, slim eyebrow. "Finding her is only half of the challenge, Gill. Convincing our stubborn, little princess to hasten back is another matter entirely."