Cinderella vs. Happily Ever After

Chapter 29

             “Dunno,” Isaac said, scratching the back of his head. “You know, I think she expected us to fail and get turned into rocks ourselves.”

            “We should sprinkle the water on the stones,” Miette said, voice still tight with anger. “It would be the simplest way I believe.”

            Valerie and Isaac looked at each other then shrugged. Isaac took a dipperful of water and dumped it on the nearest stone. Almost immediately the black rock began shooting upwards, the form expanding outwards until a man heavily dressed in plate armour, if Val was thinking of the right word, stood there.

            He bowed low to them and said “My thanks, kind sir, gentle ladies. My blade is yours.”

            Isaac eyed him up and down, his face appraising. He turned, got another dipperful of water and flung it around himself. Instantly, men in armour or bright clothes or dark leathers began sprouting up. He looked down at the water and grinned. “I need to bottle some of this up to bring with me.”

            She rolled her eyes. “It’s not going to cause a man forest to pop up anywhere but here idiot, now do try to stay on task.”

            “Just because you’re ready to settle down doesn’t mean I am,” he said, pouting as he filled the dipper again.

            Miette back up until she stood beside Valerie, eyeing the new men with suspicion. Given the way that half of them were looking at her, Val didn’t blame her. She supposed after however long they’d been forced to spend as a rock, any girl was going to look good right about now. “I don’t you pants were a good idea.”

            The lady sniffed, her disdain evident, as she pressed herself against Valerie. “I am still a lady. And they are looking at you as well.”

            “Yes but there are fewer of them. Most get scared off by the sword.”

            It took Isaac nearly an hour to disenchant all of the men. Valerie offered to take over but he said he would be damned if he going to let her see the new crop first.

            When the last of the men had been freed, Valerie climbed up onto the narrow rock ledge that surrounded the stream and held her arms up for silence s she’d seen Brendis do. She got it, the loud buzz of conversation halting. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she called “Hello.”

            Half the men saluted. The other half stared. “Right,” she cried. “My name is Valerie Ash but I’m better known as Lady Ruby. With me are Sir Isaac of Roosterreach and Lady Miette Lacclair. We have a job for you.”

            “Are you betrothed?” One man shouted back.

            Miette took a step forward, her nose in the air. “Yes, both myself and Lady Ruby have fiancés waiting for us.”

            “Pity,” another one called.

            Val rolled her eyes. “Look, we need your help. The palace-”

            Isaac interrupted with “The Armithian palace.”

            She glared down at him. “Will you let me speak?”

            He grinned. “I’m not stopping you.”

            “Ass,” she muttered before shouting “Yes, the Armithian palace has fallen. One of the godmothers has gone crazy, gathered an army and taken over the palace. We need your help getting it back. Any questions?”

            “Are there any ladies in the palace?” One of the crowd yelled.

            “Yes. Lots of ladies who’ve been trapped in there. There will also be a lot of young women who’s fiancés and husbands have died, leaving them alone and lonely,” Isaac replied. He ignored Valerie glare but whispered “It’s not entirely untrue. I’m sure some are. And if it helps motivate them, who cares?”

            “I care,” she whispered back before shouting, “So will you join us?”

            In a unison that Valerie would have thought possible for a crowd this side, they all roared their agreement. She nodded, smiling, then held her arms up again. They quieted immediately. “I’m sorry but we won’t be able to go with you. You’re going to need to get to Merritty, go to the eastern woods and find the camp of recruits’ near there. It’s only a day’s march or so from the city. Are you all okay with this?”

            One of the men stepped forward as speaker, bowing low to her. “Yes, my lady. We will go swiftly and join your allies.”

            She smiled at him. “Thank you. Just be careful. I want you all alive at the end of this.”

            He bowed again then turned to face the crowd and began shouting orders. Watching the others jump to obey, she wondered who he was that he assumed authority so quickly and easily. She’d thought the lot of them of them would send half the day bickering before heading out but they were gone within minutes, all taking the time to bow at the exit to the valley.

            Isaac sighed. “Val, sweetie. Please stop sending the pretty men away before I have a chance to pick one out.”

            She snorted. “You can do that at the recruits’ camp. For now, we need to keep going. A hundred more soldiers is wonderful but they’re not enough. We need to find more help.”

            “So we continue our wander. Oh joy,” he said sarcastically though his grin was wide and bright as he followed her out of the valley.