Prince Charming

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

     It’s been nearly three years since George turned 18, the year he was supposed to be married off to some airheaded girl and live happily ever after with a crown on his gigantic head filled with nothing inside. Unfortunately, that day had yet to come and here I was, stuck at another ball in the Avalon Castle again where Father’s hopes for finding George a wife were slimmer than a string. We’ve been having balls several times a month and it’s starting to bore me. I see the same people at the balls almost every time, mainly girls. Miranda always puts up the same decorations because Mother finally decided that it doesn’t really matter. Everybody would be too busy finding George a woman to even care about our decor.

     Usually, balls are supposed to be fun. The ceiling would glitter with a giant, crystal chandelier handcrafted by the mountain dwarves. Father would bring unique performers, such as the elven fire dancers or the Woodlanders who would jump various obstacles and tricks like a circus act. There would be a small quartet in the corner or a bunch of kids dancing in circles I would play with. Not anymore. Balls in Avalon have become a wife hunt, thanks to my stupid brother. George insists that he could have married the first girl he kissed with when we all began this (sadly, it only lasted seven minutes, as he found another girl.). Father wouldn’t allow it. He wanted George to find his true love. I laugh at that. The most horrible troll in the kingdom had a better chance than him. Yep, very charming.

     Midnight was slowly approaching, and my eyes were growing heavier each minute. I was beyond exhausted and all I did was sip cranberry juice the whole night. This was too routine to me, the whole wife hunt while I stood obediently in the background. I said my good nights to my parents, Miranda, Johann, and all the 500 girls who attended for I-don’t-know-how-many times. All that was left was George. Walking down the hallway, I heard George’s voice and followed that direction.

“Hey, George, I just came to-Whoa!” I shrieked in shock at the sight of George kissing Scarlett, Lord Damien’s fiancee. I left before they could notice me.

     Lord Damien’s fiancee? Was Scarlett not the sixteenth girl he kissed tonight? Actually, I'm more surprised that I can keep track now. Girls are like food. Charming. And stupid. His standards and morals were at its low with girls. But I guess I’ve got to thank him for it or I’d probably end up just like him. But I wasn’t. He wanted to rule all of Avalon with riches and every woman he wanted. I wanted to have the girl of my dreams as my wife, settle down with a few kids, and live off of an ocean. I’ve had my taste of royalty (Though, a gigantic mansion would be very nice.). That had been the only thing I’ve taken for granted while living here. A big house was a definite. It was also good if I plan to have a lot of children.

     As I laid in my bed, I began to wonder about myself. Would I ever get out of this castle? Was I bound to stay a wallflower if George became king? More importantly, would I ever find a girl? The more I realized girls liked George better, the shyer I became around them. I’ve somehow forced myself to avoid them at all cost, even though I was able to talk to them easily in my youth. Hopefully, I would not be doomed like my brother, endlessly going through every single girl in the kingdom with no avail. I did not want to be a bachelor as an old, crinkly man with wooden teeth. My 18th birthday wasn’t that far away, and I was expected to find a girl. Mother assured me there was nothing wrong, that love takes time.

“When you find that girl, she must be able to make you happy,” Mother said to me once. “It’s why you and George are different. A girl makes you happy. Girls make him happy.” I couldn’t help but smile at my mother’s small jokes.

     My conscience with girls was fading. I haven’t liked any for nearly three years. I’ve rarely talked to them, knowing they all want George. True, there have been girls who liked me for me, except I couldn’t return their feelings. I feel guilty for it. Those girls were genuine. I kept telling myself to love one of them. I eventually gave up. There was no girl in Avalon I could love.