Chapter Nine
Goldilocks
That gang of troublemakers were nearby, I just knew it as the coach rumbled on. What could happen now?
"None shall pass!" A knight on a horse galloped in front of the coach, waving a sword.
"Sir Kay?" I gasped as the bears backed away.
"Fee, fi, foe, fond!" A huge figure marched in front of me. "I smell the blood of a dumb blonde!"
Dumb blonde? "Excuse me?" I craned my neck to look into his enormous nostrils.
"Don't stereotype, Blunderbore," Sir Kay clopped in front of him. "I'm sure Goldilocks just had a clear idea that didn't work."
"And besides," I stepped out of the coach, "I'm brunette for today."
Sir Kay's horse reared up with a whinny when it saw my wart-covered green face.
"I'm glad you've gotten comeuppance for your idiocy," Sir Kay patted his steed down.
"I know, I've been the butt of a witch practical joke," I clawed my hand. "Do you have anything else to say?"
His voice lowered and sharpened behind his helmet. "Did you let a teenage girl into the factory?"
"Yes," I stuck my hand in my black tangles, "But she broke in! And I was desperate for a magic-user to brew me the Happily-Ever-After Potion, she was an apprentice, so—I thought nothing bad could happen! How do you all even know about it, anyway?" My ugly face couldn't have told them that much.
"Because last night, near the factory, the Prince returned." Sir Kay's glare was audible through his helmet.
"What?" Everything halted for a moment. The Prince returned? But how? Did that witch find out where he was and decided to break a curse for once?
"The Fairy Godmother should've just killed him!" Sir Kay donned a falsetto. I could just imagine him batting his eyes under his helmet. "Oh, I have to do nice things all the time! I advertise the Prince so much, I can't even murder him! I'll just make him sleep forever, because surely he won't attract any attention being locked in a very high, very protected tower and having eternal youth!" He dropped his falsetto. "She should've learned a thing or two from Koschei the Deathless! He murdered Prince Siegfried and continued his reign of terror!"
"Until Prince Ivan showed up and avenged his past life," I burst his bubble. "The Fairy Godmother had to send Bennett to eternal sleep so his soul would never go against her." Though sometimes I wondered what he was like up and about.
"Then, seventeen years ago," Sir Kay put a gauntlet on his hip, "A common girl was born with magic and the heart of a princess. A girl named Ophelia. Tell me, was she the one who broke into your factory?"
"Yes," my head dropped.
"How did she awaken Bennett while being in your factory?"
"I'm-I'm not sure," I raised a hand to my rat's nest. "She tricked me into drinking a Witch Potion, stole a jar of prince hair, and a beautiful necklace that Bennett had wanted to give his true love." I paused. "Perhaps the necklace did it. But she'd have to have teleported Bennett from the tower to the factory, and the Fairy Godmother had spells forbidding teleportation from the tower!" If she didn't move Bennett from the tower, how did his spirit return? I really had to find Ophelia now. "I was looking for her before you showed up," I climbed back into the coach. "Want to join me?"
"Where are we going?" Blunderbore bent down.
"All around the woods," I held an arm out of the coach. "She can't have traveled into the city; that's not what witches do."
"But she's not a normal witch," he raised a large hand. "Her parents were regular peasants."
"She's grown up as a normal witch," I countered. "She's got the pointy hat and everything."
"Sometimes nature overwhelms nurture," Sir Kay shook his helmeted head. "Especially around potential destiny."
"But our efforts aren't in vain, are they?" My shoulders tensed.
"Of course not!" He waved a gauntleted hand. "We overpower her!"
Then, there came a loud crack and a rustling crunch.
"Mamma mia!" A voice called from the bushes beyond. "Felicia, why did you pour all that maple syrup on your dronkey's waffles? You have gotten him on a deforesting sugar high!"
I knew those troublemakers were close. Then, an idea ignited in me. "Everyone!" I hissed. "I think I know how we can find out why the Prince returned."
"What's your plan?" Blunderbore's eyes narrowed.
"Blunderbore," I stretched my neck up to him, "You're a hungry giant attacking this coach, and I'm a princess."
"And what's my job?" Sir Kay leaned forward.
"You're going to pretend to try to fight Blunderbore, but you can't defeat him alone, and you're calling for help. If this all works, Prince Bennett will come right over to us."
"That sounds like a plan," he trotted off. "Are you ready, Blunderbore?" He drew his sword.
"Okey-dokey!" Blunderbore saluted. "Aaargh!" He lunged at the coach. "Fee, fi, fo, fum! I am a great, scary giant who wants to eat a princess!"
"Help me! Help me!" I screamed as Blunderbore rattled the coach. All this noise would definitely attract Prince Bennett.
"There is no one coming to rescue you!" Blunderbore gave a low, hollow laugh.
"Not quite, you monster!" Sir Kay galloped forward.
"More lunch!" Blunderbore's large hand seized him around the waist and pulled him off his horse.
"Oh no!" He threw up his arms. "We need more help! If only there was someone greater than me who could fight off this giant!"
Then, the ghostly blue figure of a comely young man soared through the trees. His eyes were unfamiliar, but I recognized the hair swept about his head, the soft structure of his face. Prince Bennett? Why was he transparent? Had the Fairy Godmother's potion failed to keep him alive after those ogres killed her?
Prince Bennett floated over to Blunderbore, sharp eyes raised. He took a deep breath and took a firm stance. Then one cry came out of his mouth. "Boo!"
Blunderbore's head yanked right over to him, eyes wide. He dropped Sir Kay back on his saddle with a clang. "YEEEAAAAA!" He hightailed it, charging off into the distance.
"Yes!" Sir Kay charged after him. "Get out of here, you scurvy monster! Leave the noble lady alone!"
"Are you all right?" Prince Bennett flew over to the carriage and stopped at the sight of me.
"Yes," I nodded.
"I'm glad my first attempt at being a spook was successful," Prince Bennett shrugged with a humble smile.
Oh God, why was he even cuter with his eyes open? "And this," I raised one of my gnarled green hands, "Is because of a spell a wicked witch put on me."
He stared over my hands and my carriage. "She's not around my age, is she? Named Ophelia?"
Cold porridge. Were we too late? "Have you met her?" My voice tightened.
"I'm her ghost," he raised a hand. "She told me of her little 'prank' on you."
Well, now I was screwed. But if he thought he was dead, this might come in handy. "Look, Prince Bennett," I leaned forward.
"You know who I am?" His spectral eyes widened.
"Your tragic death at the hands of that hunter has been told all over royal history," I waved a hand.
"Really?" Blue rose to his cheeks. "I'll have to ask people about it." Then, his face sharpened. "But you worked for the Fairy Godmother, didn't you? The one who sent the Huntsman to murder me. Was this whole giant attack a trick?"
"We didn't think you'd show up to help us like this, Prince Bennett," I said quickly but honestly. "This run-in wasn't intended at all!"
"If you leave my companions alone, they won't harm you further," his face stayed firm. "I'll make sure of that. Goodbye." He flew off.
"Blunderbore, calm yourself!" Sir Kay trotted back over. "That was part of the plan!" He grumbled under his breath. "I should have known Bennett the ghost was the Prince the moment I saw him in that diner. Goldilocks," his unseen eyes shuttled over to me, "Do you know why Prince Bennett looks like that now? He hasn't died, has he?"
"No," I shook my head as an old memory with the Fairy Godmother rose in me. "I think he's something called—an astral projection."
"A what?" Sir Kay cocked his head.
"An astral projection," I repeated at a slower pace. At least I was the smart one now. "A spirit separated from a living body by magic. Ophelia summoned Bennett by mistake; she thinks he's an ordinary ghost."
"So, is the…non-ghost Prince Bennett out of his tower?" Sir Kay raised his epaulets.
"No, he's still asleep up there, thank God," my puffed sleeves dropped, "But if his soul and those troublemakers find the tower, he'll be up and about again. The Fairy Godmother's dream will be completely unraveled."
"Really?" Sir Kay pulled back. "But what about all those dark creatures who are banding together?" He raised a gauntleted hand. "Shouldn't they be our real concern? Witches and ogres shouldn't be allowed to run free in the towns and villages."
"Anyone can be bad," I shook my head with a smile. "Don't you know that well from where you started? And I've been breaking, entering, stealing, and sabotaging since I was a little girl."
"Fine point there," he poked one of my puffed sleeves.
"And being good isn't that easy," I added with a wave of my hand. "When a kindly, sweet person like Bennett comes along, he attracts attention. People aren't used to such goodness, but they seek more of it—they can never get enough." Why couldn't they prefer what they had?
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