A/N: This story once existed on this site and I took it down. Well it's back! However, this time with heavy revisions again (There have been character name changes as well as chapter additions and new material. With the face lift this story has received I'd strongly recommend checking out each chapter even if you've already had a look a this story as much has been added - including an entirely new first chapter!). I hope you enjoy this new and improved version. I appreciate you taking the time to read it and I would appreciate any feedback you might have. Thanks again!

King Charming
Chapter 1

Once upon a time there was a handsome king who lived in a grand castle in the heart of a fair and just land where he ruled with a kind and patient way. Despite an adventurous past the king had settled into his ascribe role with grace. He had everything he could ever want save one, a wife to share his kingdom with. Love had not befallen the young ruler and rather than follow his heart he had been driven to seek out a bride with his head. Little did he know his heart would lead him; it would lead him to another adventure and to a woman with a wild spirit and the will to be queen. But love is never that simple…

The clopping of horse hooves and the creaking of wooden carriage wheels resounded through the long drive that lead to the White castle. The fat driver sat atop a golden carriage that was pulled by two pristine bay horses. His nose in the air showed his pride as he didn't give the majestic fountain a second glance.

He pulled the carriage to a halt just at the front step. He dismounted the seat with the same arrogance that he'd ridden up with. He gave Wendell's greeting guards a shove off as he went directly to the door of the gaudy golden coat. He paused for inflection and then pulled it open.

A tiny lace gloved hand appeared and took his offered one. From in the coat appeared a beautiful girl on the brink of womanhood. Her dark thick curls fell in perfect spirals around her rosy cheeked face as she issued a sly glance at the welcoming committee from the 4th Kingdom.

"My princess." The man said to her, "May I be the first to welcome you to the 4th Kingdom."

"Yez." She snapped shortly in a heavy French tone. "Jean Paul, have my thingz zent to ze room. Where iz Wendell?" She snorted. Self important, gluttonous and aware of her beauty Princess Maria was invited to the kingdom by the king himself. This gave her an even more inflated ego than she might have had otherwise. It was no secret to her the purpose of her visit. King Wendell was looking for a wife. It was, however, unknown to her that she was not the first who had been issued the same kindly invitation.

"He's asked that we greet you Princess Marie." One of Wendell's dignitaries stepped up and offered his arm. "Please allow me."

The princess gracefully exchanged hands without the bat of an eye and disappeared behind the enormous doors. Several of Wendell's staff remained behind to help with Marie's things for the tenure of her stay.

"May I?" An oafish and lumbering man stepped forward and offered to take one of Marie's large suitcases. "I'm Gus, one of Wendell's royal guardsmen and Gate Watcher."

The man who had brought Marie along scoffed at the offer and went on taking the luggage down himself. Hardly put off by the man's ill manners Gus went to drawing down one of the pieces of luggage himself. "You are from the 5th Kingdom or the 8th? I forget which agreed to send royalty." Gus said politely to make conversation. He didn't realize the weight of his words or that it was possible they could be taken offensively. His word choice was a further illustration of why his station was that of guard and not diplomat.

Central Park was often a busy arena being one of the few places where forest like greenery could be enjoyed in the monuments of stone and mortar. Despite the honking horns, noisy streets, and general buzz of the city the small park allowed for a remote sanctuary.

The park was busier than normal as a small event was being assembled in the afternoon. Spring was dawning, fresh and new, and with that the annual costumed event for Mardi Gras was underway in Central Park.

"This is unbelievable." A short heavy girl tugged at the dress that was hanging from her. She looked very uncomfortable in it and that made everything about her look awkward. Occasionally she would trip on the front of it dancing under her feet. The rented costume was that of a sixteenth century peasant; her feet were already killing her and the continual fabric threatening her stability when walking made her very grumpy. "I feel like I'm wearing a potato sack. And why in the hell do you get the pretty dress and I'm stuck in this itchy thing?"

"You do whine a lot Michelle. But I imagine you knew that already." A smile worked its way onto the face of the slightly taller girl at her side. She wore a blue satin dress that was much more elegantly than her friend's frumpy gown. "It's a costume party – have fun. And I don't suppose I have to remind you that these costumes were in fact your idea." She arched an eyebrow high on her forehead at the squat girl next to her.

"Yeah, well they looked better on the mannequins." She groaned.

"Well I wouldn't have picked it…" Amy arched an eyebrow. Her attention was drawn rather hastily away as a rather large dog went running past at full tilt. The ownerless leash was dragging along in its wake. Amy spun quickly to see a woman in the distance dressed in a costume that looked like a mermaid. The bottom part kept her legs pinned together and unable to run, but it was obvious that she was frantic pointing and hollering after the dog.

She hesitated only a moment before tapping Michelle. "Come on." She said hoisting her skirts up and darting after the pooch.

"Amy!" Michelle barked reaching out to her friend. "Wait!" She too started after the dog but the previously troublesome dress promptly found its way under her feet and she tumbled forward skidding to a halt on her hands and knees just off the path in the dirt. "WAIT!"

Amy was much too far ahead to hear Michelle's pleas. It never occurred to her that Michelle wasn't right behind her. She sprinted off in the direction of the dog knowing full well how painful it could be to loose one's pet. She caught a glimpse of the leash handle as it vanished around the side of a tree. A smile befell her as she picked up her pace again and bolted after the dog. However, the second she stepped around the tree, running at a full clip, she smacked into a wavy patch of forest that acted more like a vortex sucking her in.

"Amy! Amy? AMELIA?" Michelle, after recovering from her fall, tried to catch her friend but she was already out of sight.