Lord of the Rink

Hugo Has Been Found

Roderick and Vincent heard the good news and were getting ready to see the princess. They were so busy getting ready that they didn't know that their stepbrother was getting ready to see her too—and they were unaware that the Hugo she was talking about was their stepbrother.

Pretty soon, Princess Sophina had arrived.

"Good morning," Sophina yawned.

"You sure seem awfully tired, Your Highness," Sir Addams said.

"Don't worry about me, sir," Sophina said. "We must proceed with the fitting."

Sophina didn't really like either of Hugo's stepbrothers, and she really hoped neither of them was Hugo. Roderick tried the skates first, but his foot was far too fat. Vincent tried the skates, but his foot was too long. Sophina was relieved that neither of them was the mysterious ice-dancer, but she was disappointed she never found Hugo.

"Are there any more gentlemen in this household?" Sophina yawned.

"There's nobody else, Your Highness," Sir Addams insisted.

But Sophina wasn't so sure because Sir Addams didn't sound very honest. "Are you sure?" she asked.

Suddenly, Hugo showed up, dressed in better clothes, and called out, "Your Highness, please wait! May I try on the skates?"

Sophina realized that Hugo looked just like the mysterious man she had ice-danced with last night—and she wondered if it was really him.

"Pay no attention to him," Sir Addams scoffed.

"It's only Hugo," added Vincent.

"He's out of his mind," Roderick spat.

But Sophina declared, "My orders were for every gentleman to try on the skates!"

Sophia led Hugo to a chair and removed one of his shoes. She placed one of the skates on his foot, and it fit perfectly. Sir Addams and his sons were horrified to see this.

"Well, you certainly fit the skates, but are you a great ice-dancer?" Sophina asked Hugo.

Sophina and Hugo went out into the rink and started ice-dancing. Sophina could see that Hugo was just as good as her dance partner, and the stepbrothers were horrified to see that Hugo still had his talent. Sophina was so impressed that she had all the proof she needed.

"I have all the proof I need!" Sophina beamed. "This is the Hugo I'm looking for!"

Hugo was thrilled, but his stepbrothers and stepfather were dismayed.

"This can't be!" Vincent glowered.

"There must be some mistake," Roderick added.

"The only mistake ever made around here is forbidding Hugo to ice-dance ever again," Sophina glared. "You should be ashamed of yourselves."

"I must admit, this hurts me more than it hurts you, but you really should've left everything the way it was before Mother died," Hugo told his stepfamily.

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang from the door. "Died? Honey, who told you that?"

Everyone turned to the door, and a beautiful woman was standing there. Hugo and his stepfamily recognized this woman.

"Mom?" Hugo gasped.

"Stepmother?" Roderick and Vincent gaped.

Hugo was so happy to see his mother that he hugged her tightly.

"Sweetie, I'm so sorry," Hugo's mother apologized. "Something was seriously delaying me on my way home five years ago. Didn't your stepfather tell you?"

Hugo was shocked to hear that. He angrily turned to his stepfather and stepbrothers, who looked very nervous.

"Stepfather, you told me Mom died on her way home," Hugo fumed.

"You lied to Hugo?" his mother glared at Sir Addams.

"And treated me like a slave during these years," Hugo told her.

Hugo and his mother were furious that his stepfamily had not only lied to him but treated him like a slave all these years.

"What on earth is going on here now?" Hugo's mother asked.

"I was at the ice-dancing ball last night, and I fled before 12," Hugo explained.

"But then he left his skates behind, and I went all over the kingdom looking for him" Sophina told her.

Hugo's mother could tell that the princess had lost her heart to him, and she was happy for her son.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and Fairy Godfather appeared before everyone's eyes.

"Fairy Godfather," Hugo beamed.

"Yes, and I see the princess has found you," Fairy Godfather smiled. He surrounded Hugo with a sparkly light and turned Hugo's clothes into the same tuxedo he'd worn at the ball.

"Now you're ready to meet your future in-laws," Fairy Godfather smiled.

"Sophina, would it be all right if my mother came along?" Hugo asked.

"Of course," Sophina smiled.

Hugo and his mother joined Sophina in her carriage and took off to the palace.

When the couple got to the palace, the King and Queen were very pleased with their future son-in-law. It wasn't because he looked beautiful or was a great ice-dancer, but it was because Sophina loved him to death.

"Sweetie, he's beautiful," the Queen gushed.

"Very," the King smiled. He handed Hugo a little box and whispered into his ear, "Well, my boy, why don't you go for it?"

Hugo took Sophina's hand and led her to a chair. He knelt down before her and opened the little box. Inside was a three-stone diamond ring. Hugo took Sophina's hand and slipped the ring on her finger. Sophina was so happy that she just screamed and jumped on Hugo.