Author's Not Quite Apology, Actually It's More Like A Life-threatening…uh...threat: If you read, review. If you don't read, you are missing the precious jewels of wisdom I am offering you people. I also may not consider your need to exist when I take over this world. Wuhahahaha!

Anyway, based on 'The Twelve Dancing Princesses.' I blame my parents for allowing me to read the very, very dark fairy tales when I was a wee child.

Happily Ever After

"Locked in a room, your Highness? Tell me, how do they get out?"

The King sighed and leaned towards me. "That is what I want to ask you, my boy. How do they get out?"

I shrugged. I had only just arrived here; I wondered if the King was going mad for having forgotten so quickly. "No idea, your Highness." His eyes glittered, there was a slight smile on his lips.

"Would you be able to find out?"

Ah, so this is why he let me sit at his table and eat his food. This is why I was given warm clothing and a roof over my head. There was a price for everything; no one did anything out of the sheer kindness of their hearts anymore. "That depends, sir," I was no fool, to be a King's servant or charity case wouldn't content me forever, "what's my prize if I do?"

"The hand of any of my daughters you like. The kingdom in the event of my death; all the power you desire." He toyed with his glass. "Since my hospitality is not enough for you."

"I appreciate your kindness very much, my lord. But if I were no use to you, would you still treat me as kind?" I asked.

He smiled. "Of course not."

An honest man, very rare to find in a ruler these days. "So, how do you know your daughters are actually leaving?"

"The soles of their shoes are worn. The servants find them, worn practically to nothing. I buy them new shoes, all the time. It never fails. Quite frankly, I'm sick of wasting money on shoes for my lovely daughters; but they are my children and I must provide for them until they are married." He took a sip of his wine. "So, are you interested?"

A whole kingdom in the palm of my hands if all I did was find out where his darling girls were sneaking off to? Oh, yes, I was interested indeed. "I'll do it." I said.

"Good. However, there's one … slight … catch.."

"Catch?"

"Mmmm." He nodded and sipped his wine again. A servant hurried to refill his cup; he pushed him away. "A catch. See, I don't have forever to wait for their whereabouts in the middle of the night. I'll give you three nights to tell me where they are. If you succeed, you know your prize. If you don't however, it's your death."

"Death, sir?"

He nodded. "Death."

"My lord, if you don't mind me asking… well, don't you think death is a little bit harsh?"

He looked genuinely puzzled. He leaned back into his chair and stared at me like I was some bumbling idiot. "Harsh? Good heavens, no. My daughters deserve the best. What if the servants where to find them vanished one morning? What if they should never return from their moonlit rendezvous? No, death is suitable." He turned his head away. "But, I can understand cowardice…"

"Cowardice, sir? Did I say I would find where they go and how they leave? Do you have little faith?" I would have this kingdom. How dare he call me a coward? "I accept this mission. All I ask is you leave their door open, so I may see."

"As you wish." The King replied and took his leave.

His daughters were very quiet. It must be a pity to be kept locked in one room with so many bodies to occupy it. I felt sorry for them; when I ruled this kingdom I would let them wander free. I was already making palace renovations in my head, when I began to drift off to sleep. The bustling of skirts woke me up; the princesses were awake.

"Are you sure he's asleep?" one asked.

"Of course. They always sleep. He drank the wine didn't he?" another scoffed. But I hadn't drunk the wine; an old beggar woman warned me before my arrival. I would rule this kingdom, yes. I would be the only pursuer to live. Death would not come to me.

"I feel strange, Elanor, like we're being watched."

"Fools! Have we gotten caught yet? Honestly."

It was time for the invisibility cloak the old woman gave me. Ah, yes, she, my guardian angel, had helped me well. The King thought he had everything under control, but I was clever. I slipped the cloak on, being very careful not to draw attention to myself. It was very dark, they wouldn't notice I was no longer near the door. The eldest daughter (I knew she was the eldest because she was not as pretty as the other girls. The woman had told me each girl was more beautiful than the other. It must be hard being the firstborn.) tapped her bed, which then proceeded to sink into the floor. It was a strange thing to see; and had I not seen it with my own eyes, I might not have believed it at all.

One by one, the princesses lowered themselves through the passage. I followed them into the dark pit, wondering where this underground passage would lead us. What I saw next baffled me. It was an entirely different world down here. The tunnel led to a beautiful pathway surrounded by trees; whose leaves were a shimmering silver. I couldn't believe my eyes, silver leaves. This was remarkable, I must have one for myself. Without a second thought I broke off  a branch as a souvenir; it cracked rather loudly, causing the youngest to look behind her suspiciously. For two minutes her eyes scanned the area behind her; once satisfied, she went after her sisters again.

The further down the path we went, the trees began to change. Soon, the leaves were gold and after they were diamonds. The path ended after the diamond trees and led straight to a lake. Here twelve boats waited. In all but one boat sat a prince waiting for his princess; I can't say what exactly frightened me about this. The princes beckoned for their princesses and each girl, but the youngest, went to them. The youngest climbed into her boat. Alone. Well, alone by physical means. I had climbed into the boat with her.

We traveled across the lake for some time; everyone eerily quiet. The princesses gazed at their princes lovingly, wickedly and the princes just stared at them emotionless. When we finally came to the other side of the lake, there stood a castle of great beauty and light. Music began to play, but I couldn't see the musicians anywhere. The princes and princesses began to dance. And they danced, and they danced and they danced. It seemed like the dancing would never end, until the phantom musicians stopped playing their music and the princesses took their leave.  Silence fell upon us again as we rowed across the lake. Through the enchanted path we went once again, and through the tunnels, I was first in line this time.

I took my position back by the door and pretended to sleep. The sounds of skirts and shoes falling to the floor comforted me a little. I feel asleep with a smile on my lips. I followed them again the next night, down my beloved pathway of silver, gold, and diamonds. We crossed the lake and the princesses did their nightly dancing in front of the glowing palace. This night, however, the youngest didn't join in the dancing. Instead, she walked towards me and stopped an arm's length away. I was not unsettled by this, for I could not be seen. Then she changed everything. "Are you pleased by what you see, young sir?" she asked.

I was startled and glanced all which ways about me; surely she was speaking to someone else. No one was behind me and when I turned to her, she was looking directly at me. "How can you see me?" I whispered.

"I know much." She answered, watching her sisters dance.

"Are you angry I followed you?" I asked. "I meant no harm."

"No, I am not and no, you did not. It was all meant to happen." She never took her eyes off her sisters.

Talking to her was beginning to scare me, so I asked, "Where is your prince?"

"You are here."

I laughed. "I'm flattered…"

"Don't be," she interrupted, "it has nothing to do with flattery. It is simply meant to be. You will be my prince and we will dance forever in this underground kingdom."

I wondered if she was mad, but then I finally saw. The princesses beautiful silk gowns were torn and tattered; each pale as a ghost if they had skin left. Some, decaying. The princes looked the same, expressionless and covered in blood. These corpses continued to dance as I stared on in horror. How could the King not know? What would he do when he learned of this horror? The princess beside me was smiling now. Her flesh a deep blue and purple, handprints were around her neck. I screamed. I screamed and screamed and screamed, jumping into a boat and rowing away from them. Through my beautiful tainted path I ran, into the dark tunnel and to the King's chambers.

"My lord!" I cried. "My lord! Your daughters… I know… I know…" I had to stop for my breath. How was I to break this terrible news to the King? Would he think me mad?

The King stirred. "Yes, go on." He urged me a bit impatiently.

"Your daughters, lord. Your daughters go through a passage underneath the bed. It's a tunnel that leads to this path of enchanted trees with leaves of silver, gold and diamonds. Here, sir, " Out of my pockets I pulled the silver, gold, and diamond leaves. "Here is proof."

The King fingered the leaves gingerly. "Go on." He commanded.

"Then there's a lake where men wait for them in boats to carry them to the other side. There's a castle there, a huge, glowing castle; and they dance. They dance all night. Then they come home."

"Very good, my boy. Very well done, indeed." He said. He put the leaves onto the table and folded his hands in his lap. "Is there anything else? You seem a bit… shaken."

I paused. He would probably think me mad; but we would go into their rooms and he would see for himself his daughters were dead. It was almost dawn now, the first few rays of sunlight were peaking over the horizon. It was dawn, nothing could hurt me. Nothing could hurt me. "My lord, were you not aware your daughters were dead?"

The King remained silent, his face held no prediction of my fate. He stared at me for a very long time before bursting into laughter. "Of course I was aware, my boy. That is why I found it so strange their shoes were always worn." He smiled. "And so you've found the information I needed. Very well done, lad. Now, what is it you get? A daughter and my kingdom. Ah, yes."

Did he not hear me right? Was he mad? "My lord, " I repeated, "your daughters are dead. How can I marry one?"

The King still smiled, it began to unnerve me. "I am aware, lad. They all died quite long ago. Naughty girls, always leaving the house and traipsing about with the men. It was the men that killed them, you know. Those 'princes' ….oh, how it  must pain them to live the same night over and over again against their will. All of those murderers screamed and begged for their lives while I took away their life; much like my daughters did I suppose. Much like my daughters did." He disappeared into the other room for a bit. In that time I contemplated making a run for it, but he spoke again. "I can't believe my daughters would still want them, even after death. Can you believe it? But whatever they want, they get. I'm a good father that way. Come here, lad, time to give you what you won."

Reluctantly, I went into his other chambers. He stood with his back towards me, gazing at the sunrise. "Such a pity, my children will never see the light of day anymore. I have to give them all I can in death." He whispered. "Come, kneel in front of me." I obeyed, I could see no way out of it. "I'm sorry it had to turn out this way, my boy. You were an innocent man, but my daughter has taken a great liking to you. I promise to make this as less painful as possible."

He wrapped silk around my throat and tugged. I flailed and kicked, but it only made his grip tighter. The sun was shining bright now and soon, it began to fade. As the golden rays grew dimmer in my eyes, I finally understood. I had won. Tonight, I would have my wife and my kingdom. In death I would live happily ever after.