Cinderella vs. Happily Ever After

Chapter 25

           Morning saw them waving goodbye to their new friends. The unconscious man, Valerie never learned his name, woke up and after breakfast they saddled the horses. Despite Bonar’s protests, Valeire had insisted they take all the money and jewellery they found on the bandits. They had everything they needed whereas Bonar’s group was going to have to pay for everything including what they were forced to leave behind in the broken carriage. On the plus side, they were all able to change clothes, including Miette who was grateful to be out of the same dress she’d worn during the invasion.

Despite Valerie’s suggestion, Miette still chose another dress. This one far more practical but she refused the pants and shirt, saying she was still a lady. That was the only smile, brief and small that it was, that Val saw on Marisie’s face. She only heard the other woman speak once, to whisper thank you, before ducking back behind Bonar. She’d shaken her head and that and hoped that the girl decided to grow a backbone one day.

Watching them leave, Valerie relaxed. They were all very sweet people but they were also all very dependent. It would have slowed them down far too much to bring them somewhere safer, even though she’d wanted to. But she remember Enax’s advice and instead waved them on.

“Well that was exciting,” Isaac remarked once they were out of sight. “Did either of you get the cute one’s name? The awake one. The other one was too old and too hairy for my taste.”

Val sighed. “I did. But I wasn’t going to tell you until we were away from them. The poor boy has been through enough without you making fun of him.”

Isaac’s grin was wide as his eyes sparkled with mischief. “Ooh! That means it’s good. What was it?”

“Bonar,” she said. A second later Isaac as howling with laughter, making Valerie chuckle. Miette just watched them, forehead creased with confusion. “I know, I know. When he first said it it was all I could do not to laugh. And of course I thought of you immediately so you see, I couldn’t tell you.”

Still laughing he replied, “Oh Val, sweetie, it’s probably for the best you didn’t tell me. I don’t think I’d have been able to resist. Then I’d have had to tell him what it means to us, then…well, depending on his reaction, we might have needed to find some private bushes.”

“You’re awful,” she said, hands on hips though her lips twitched as she fought down a smile. “And when this is all over, you’re to find a nice man and settle down. You haven’t been serious about anyone since third year.”

Isaac chuckled. “And limit myself to one man? Perish the thought. I’ve only hit the merest tip of the pretty boys here. I intend to sift through all of them before settling down.”

“Horrible man.”

“What does his name mean?” Miette asked, frowning slightly. “I have thought but I can not find what would be amusing about it.”

Val went pink and Isaac grinned. Before she could stop him, Isaac sauntered over to Miette and cupped his hands over her ears. A few seconds of later and he separated himself from her, grin even wider while Miette’s face had red bloom over it.

“Never ask Isaac to explain things. He always does, even if he knows you don’t want to know,” Valerie said. “I learned that the hard way early on.”

“Come on now, knowing what a blumpkin is isn’t that bad.”

She glared. “No, but a Strawberry Shortcake? Did you really need to tell me that one?”

He spread his arms wide as his smile turned mocking. “You asked.”

She muttered something and they continued in silence. A much more comfortable silence for the most part, though Valerie’s crimson cheeks didn’t fade quickly. They started talking an hour later, or rather she and Isaac took it upon themselves to sing the most ridiculous songs they could think of, often making Miette laugh.

Val’s singing was anything but quiet. “Suzy grew a moustache, a moustache, a moustache. Suzy grew a moustache and Polly grew a beard.”

Isaac joined in. “Suzy looked peculiar, peculiar, peculiar. Suzy looked peculiar and Polly looked weird.”

They rounded a bend in the road, arms around one another and calling, “Suzy got the garden shears, garden shears, garden shears. Suzy got the garden shears and Polly got a bomb.”

The last note died on their lips as they came face to face with a square of ten men, all with weapons pointed straight at them. A light breeze brought the scent of wood smoke and baking bread to them. Just beyond the soldiers, they could see the dark wood of the back walls of two houses, edging the road.

“Halt! State your names and your purpose for being here,” the one in the lead called, the only difference between him and the others being that he was wearing a feathered hat.

Isaac giggled. “He just said halt. I didn’t think that was a real thing. It’s a pity he didn’t say who goes there too. That would have made it perfect.”

Valerie kicked him. “Hush, they have weapons and they don’t look like they’ll find you amusing.”

“In the name of King Brendis, I order you to stop whispering!” the leader said, flourishing his sword over his head.

That got her attention. “Who are you?”

“You have not answered our questions!”

Valerie took two steps forward and met his eyes, a tiny spark of anger dancing around her pupils. “You just spoke like you’re part of the Armithian army. And since I know that can’t be true or you’d be joining the rest of the army to get rid of the invaders, I’m going to ask you again. Who are you?”

“We’re the milita,” one of the men at the back called, earning him a glare from the feather wearing man.

Isaac’s crow of glee left them staring until Valerie slowly raised her head, her eyes burning into theirs. Her low hiss of “Militia” caused all of their faces to lose some colour but this was only briefly for their leader.

He made the mistake of stepping forward to challenge her.