So here is the second chapter, which introduces the princesses. I'd like to thank all those people who favorited or put the story on alert.
And a special thanks to those four people who commented. You guys are the super awesome! Alfred approves.
Some Day My Prince Will Come
"In here, my Pet," the wizard crooned, leaning in entirely too close to Alfred's face. He didn't have the strength to lean away. The wizard had led him on a long walk through the forest to a gargantuan black castle, and it had taken the little energy he had to get there.
"Watcha gonna do to me?" he asked, tired and frightened.
"For now? Nothing. I'm merely adding you to the collection." He waved his hand and the great wooden door that was in front of them swung open. It revealed an expansive room that held a wardrobe, five beds, and four young women. They stared at Alfred and the Wizard in horror. "There are clothes for you. Be changed by dinner. I want to look at you while I eat. I am a great appreciator of art."
He pushed Alfred into the room and shut the door behind him.
"Who are you?" One of the girls asked nervously. The four girls clung to each other in fear. Alfred gave them a weak smile, to try and calm them down.
"My name's Alfred," he said gently. "Don't worry, I'll get us out of-"
His legs quivered and he collapsed to the ground. The girls hurried over to him. Two of them bent down and helped him to his feet and then over to one of the beds.
"You've been enchanted," One of the girls said. "I suppose you'll be staying here with us."
"But I'm a hero…" Alfred insisted, trying to sit up.
"It's fine," another girl said, "Our princes will come some day!"
There was a fit of giggles.
"We should introduce ourselves!" the smallest girl said. "My name is Rose."
"I'm Violet," said the tallest girl.
"I'm Bluebell," said a girl with red hair and freckles.
"And I'm Daisy," said the last girl.
"It's nice to meet you," Alfred said quietly. They giggled and sat on the bed beside him.
"We've never had a boy before!" Daisy said, smoothing out her yellow dress.
"How long have you been here?" Alfred asked.
"I've been here for two years now," Violet told him, nervously playing with her long black braid. "All the other girls came after me."
"I was the last before you," Rose piped up.
"He's never done anything to you, has he?" Alfred asked quietly, looking down at the bed instead of looking into their eyes.
"Like what?" asked Bluebell.
"Like, stuff…" he said quietly.
"He makes us dress pretty, and he picks one of us every night to eat dinner with him," Rose said, nodding seriously and making her blond curls bounce.
"He calls us artwork and compliments us, but we're not allowed to speak or eat in front of him," Daisy said quietly, hiding her eyes behind her brown bangs. "He scares me."
"Dammit! If only I were stronger, I could get you girls out of here!" Alfred growled angrily.
"Don't worry, Alfie. Someday our Prince's will come and rescue us," Rose said patting his hand gently. "There'll be one for each of us. Each on a white horse, all dressed in golden armor."
"Each will have a jeweled sword, and they'll slay the evil wizard!" Bluebell said excitedly.
"Then they'll lift us onto their glorious steeds and together we'll ride of into the sunset," Violet told him, sighing wistfully.
"And we'll all live happily ever after…" Daisy added quietly.
"How do you know all this?" Alfred asked, cocking his head slightly.
"Because we wish for it every night on the evening star," Rose told him, "And a wish from the heart is the most powerful of all magic."
"Alfie will wish with us," Bluebell said grinning, "Won't you Alfie?"
"I guess…"
The girls burst into peals of laughter and hugged him. Alfred felt mildly uncomfortable.
"Let him be, girls," Violet said gently, "We need to find him something to wear."
OoOoO
Arthur opened his eyes slowly, rubbing his head as he sat up. He was lying on the cobblestones of some old city, and he could see the thatched roofs of houses rising up on either side of him. There was shouting and the everyday bustle of a busy town going on around him.
Suddenly he realized that some of the shouting was directed at him.
"The road ain't for sleeping, ya damn drunk. If ya don't move quick, I'm gonna run my ox right over ya."
Arthur jumped to his feet and scrambled out of the way, just in time to see a large ox place a heavy hoof where his head had been only a moment ago. The man driving it sneered at him. Arthur flipped him off before hurrying away.
He slowed once he'd put some distance between himself and the ox man. He needed time to think. This world was part of Alfred's old fairytale book, that much he knew. But it had been hundreds of years since he'd read the book last and he couldn't much remember the story. He had a vague memory of it containing more princesses than a Disney theme park, but that wasn't much to go on. Besides even if he could remember the story it wouldn't do him much good. It had been a relatively short and simple tale. Just looking around him he could tell that this world was much more fleshed out.
"Good morrow, fair traveler! Might I ask you a few questions?" Arthur turned to see a prince riding down the stone streets and waving to him. This seemed like a good sign.
"I'll gladly answer what I can, Your Highness," He said bowing graciously. The Prince swung himself off of his horse, and tossed his head, to remove his curly black hair from his eyes.
"Your manners are excellent. Most foreign travelers find themselves uneasy with the etiquette of new kingdoms. Might I ask where you hail from? I have never seen clothes such as yours." He flashed a charming grin. It would have impressed most people, but Arthur felt that Alfred's smile was better.
"It's a long way off, Sir. I wouldn't want to bore you with the details. What was the question you first wanted to ask me, Your Highness?"
A look of concern passed over the young man's blandly handsome face, "Have you heard of any stolen princesses on your journeys?"
"Princesses?"
"Yes. My dearest Princess Violet has been missing for nearly two years now, and I have yet to find her. I have in my acquaintance three other princes in much the same situation. They too have lost their princesses."
"This is a common occurrence, then?" Arthur asked with one large eyebrow raised.
"Yes. Princesses often get kidnapped. They tend to grow out of it when they become Queen's though," The prince said seriously.
"Ah," Arthur replied, "Of course they do."
"It is a great tragedy that you have not heard of them. I was hoping you would have news, and that I could rally the other princes off to battle." The Prince stared dramatically off into the distance.
"Might I possibly trouble you with a question, before we part?" Arthur asked. He found it was always good to be polite with royalty, even the strange fantasy kind.
"Of course, my fair foreign friend. Ask away!"
"I have actually misplaced a person myself…"
"A fair maiden? A princess of your own?" The Prince asked, leaning in enthusiastically.
"Ah, no. Not exactly, no. It's a boy actually. A tall lad. Strong, unmannered, about as far as you can get from a maiden really."
"Oh." The prince was thoroughly put out.
"I don't suppose you've seen any such boys, dressed as strangely as myself?"
The prince shook his head. Arthur sighed.
"This fellow means a lot to you, doesn't he? Is he a brother, perhaps? Or an old comrade in arms?" The prince said kindly.
"I don't even know what he is to me. But the damn loveable dolt is bound to get himself in trouble if he's left alone too long."
"I tell you what," the Prince said kindly, smiling again. "You come with me. I'll introduce you to my fellow princes. We'll form a search party. We'll see if we can't find our Princesses and this lad of yours."
Arthur looked up suddenly. Advancing the story was probably the best option he could take. "I'd gladly join you Prince…"
"Prince Quartz," he said suavely.
"Quartz, right. That's a name. My name is Arthur."
"Excellent! Come Arthur! Follow my steed." The man swung back up onto his horse, and began to trot off down the street with Arthur hurrying after him.
oOoOo
"Alfie! You should wear this!" Rose said, pulling a red tunic and tights out of the wardrobe. Bluebell bumped her out of the way with a hip and waved a very similar navy outfit.
"No, Alfie, you have to wear this one."
"Mine is better!" Rose pouted, putting her hands on her hips and turning to Bluebell.
"I think you'd look good in this," Daisy told him quietly, coming up to him with an all white ensemble. Alfred was perched miserably on the edge of one of the beds. He looked up at Daisy and sighed but said nothing. Violet hurried over and shooed Daisy out of the way.
"Come on girls, let's leave him alone. I'm sure he can pick his own clothes. He doesn't need us hovering over him like a bunch of old mother hens." She went around, plucking the clothing out of the arms of all the other girls, before returning to Alfred and handing him the whole bundle. "You pick out what you want. The four of his will look away while you change."
Alfred smiled at her, deciding that Violet was defiantly his favorite, as she herded all the girls into one corner of the room and had them face the wall. He turned his attention to the pile of clothes, picking at each garment with disgust. When he had eventually forced himself into an outfit, he cleared his throat.
The princesses turned around all at the same time. They giggled and gathered around him. He was wearing the red tunic, white tights, and matching navy shoes and belt. Alfred was fond of the colors, but nevertheless it was the single gayest thing he had worn in his life.
"This is the gayest thing I've ever worn in my life," he said, wrinkling his nose and looking down at his clothes.
"Oh it is! So very bright and gay!" Rose said sighing. Alfred had the distinct feeling that they were not quite communicating with each other.
"You picked a little bit of every outfit," Bluebell laughed, "that's very kind of you."
"Heh," Alfred said nervously. "So when exactly is this dinner dealy any way?"
"He'll send a living suit of armor to get you when the time comes," Violet told him gently, "There's no need to be nervous."
"All you have to do is sit there, and answer his questions. He doesn't like it when you talk without being spoken to."
"And he doesn't like it when you eat his food either," Daisy said.
"But when do I eat?" Alfred asked, suddenly shocked.
"There'll be a little something waiting up here when you return," Violet assured him.
There was a knock on the door and Alfred and the four princesses turned their heads towards it.
"Go on," Bluebell said, "It's for you."
Alfred approached the door slowly, opening it to reveal a suit of armor waiting patiently. He could see through the grill of its helmet, that there was no face inside. He followed in tentatively, throwing a glance over his shoulder.
The girls waved at him quietly, and then suddenly the door slammed shut between them.
oOoOo
Author's note: So this chapter (and the entire fic) are named after the song "Someday my prince will come" from Snow White. Google it.
