Ugly: A Faerie Tale Retold

Chapter Nine: The Enchantment

An explosion went off in my mind. I just danced with the prince. The prince just talked to me. The prince just carried me to a sofa. The prince is looking at me. Oh, mercy.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." He scratched his nose, his eyes meeting mine through my veil. "I just—didn't want people to know who I am. It's easier to meet someone that way. As soon as they know I'm the prince, nothing else matters to them—not what I act like, or what I talk like, or what I look like. I could be rude to them, and they'd still want to marry me because I'm the prince. You can't imagine how hard that is. And it's almost impossible to judge character when everyone's trying to impress you."

My mouth hung open.

"You seemed so comfortable before, I hope I haven't scared you away now." He rubbed his eyes.

The only thing I could think to say was, "I seemed comfortable before?"

"Well, more comfortable than most people. Most girls try to flirt and spend all their breath boasting about how talented they are."

"But I have nothing to boast about. Except Ella. Otherwise, I might've boasted. Please, don't think I'm better than anyone else." I squeezed my hands together.

"It's too late for that. I already think you're better than anyone else."

I almost started crying on the spot out of fear and wonder, but somehow I managed to hold myself together. "If you're the prince..." I took a deep breath to make sure my voice stayed steady. "If you're the prince, will you please dance with Ella? I so want you to fall in love with her." But somehow, I wanted him to fall in love with her a little less now. I didn't want his eyes to leave me.

"But I don't want to dance with Ella. I want to take a walk in the garden with you. Will you come with me?" He stood. "If you're feeling all right."

Guilt washed over me. What about Ella? She deserved to take a walk with the prince. Besides, if he saw me...

"I'll only go if you ask Ella to come with you. Then I'll follow behind."

He frowned. "But I don't want to walk with Ella."

"Then I won't go."

He ran his hands through his hair, his eyebrows drawing together. "Fine. I'll ask Ella. But you have to come with me."

He stretched out his hand toward me, and I sighed. When I took his hand, the back of my neck tingled with excitement.

We wove our way through the crowd, him leading, and me almost shrinking into the ground at the thought that the prince wanted to spend time with me, not Ella.

"Mademoiselle Ella? Ella?"

It wasn't hard to find her. She looked toward us and pulled her partner to a stop, laughing. "Look, Charles, it's my sister!"

"Are you having a good time, Ella?"

"A wonderful time, thanks to you! Are you having a good time?" She grabbed my other hand. "I see you've found a suitor!"

I laughed nervously. "No, no, I—"

At the same time, the prince said, "Yes."

I shivered. "Ella, this is Prince Jean-Francois, and he would like you to walk in the garden with him."

"With us," said the prince. "With your sister and me."

Her smile grew brighter. "The prince is your suitor? How wonderful!"

"No," I said.

"Yes," said the prince. I glared at him, and he shrugged.

"I'll walk with you, if Charles can come. May he?" She touched her partner's arm.