Disclaimer: All characters belong to Gail Carson Levine the wonderful author of Ella Enchanted and other slightly twisted fairytales.

And now with out further ado…

I Promise

I wake up and instantly adrenaline pumped through my veins. It's happening more and more often. I'm also starting to get morn sickness. Mandy makes me drink awful soup to try to stop it but it doesn't quite work right. When I wake I expect to be in my father's house and feeling sad and alone as I had so often have in my life but, instead I feel happy and excited and realize where I am. It was a huge bedroom with lavish read and beige wall paper with the royal crest on it. The comforter was velvet as are the curtains, and I began to relax. I am with Char and it is the 1 year anniversary of our marriage. I sometimes wake up like this trying to figure out where I am and how I'd received such a wonderful life. After what Lucinda did to me I suppose I deserved all the happiness I got.

I lie back down and Char turns over and places an arm, warm and comforting, around me. With is eyes still closed he smiled.

"What are you so happy about?" I ask.

"I was just thinking of your sister Hattie." He murmurs into my hair.

"What?" I sit up and glare at his beautiful closed eyes.

"Calm down Ella. I was thinking about her as a pig. Gods know she looks like one."

I smile and curl back up in his arms. Then remember something else I have only found out recently. Something he needs to know.

"Umm… Char. I know it's about 4 o'clock in the morning but there's something I have to tell you." I rush trying to get it all out before I come to my sense and suck it back in.

"Well out with it Ella."

"Well let's just say we're going to be a family of 3 in about 9 months." It's his turn to sit up and stare. But to my great relief, and surprise he lifts me up with him and kisses me. It's soft and gentle and his arms twine around my back, and mine into his short soft hair.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? This is the best news of my life!" he whispers onto the top of my head. His warm breath gives me those goose bumps I've longed for every day since I met him.

"I was…. Scared."

"Scared? Why would you be scared? You know you can tell me anything."

"Yes but what if Lucinda comes back and…." He silences me with another kiss.

"I promise on my life that Lucinda won't come back, and she won't do anything to our family. Now please darling go back to sleep!"

I chuckle and rest back down with him, knowing that our amazingly happy life is just starting.