Statuesque: Chapter 2: Of dresses and curses
With a gasp she steps through the darkness. Instead of her city street she is in the middle of a gorgeous forest. Suddenly, she stops looking around noticing the prince watching her again.
"Well that's at least a little better." He says, examining her intently. Looking down at herself she realizes she is wearing a ridiculous gown and what seems like a thousand petticoats.
"What am I wearing?" She says unbelieving. They couldn't have forced her into this dress at home.
"Why clothes fit for a girl. Not a particularly royal girl but apparently the portal knows how to dress people according to their station." He says as if she were being a complete idiot. "Come on, let's go to the castle, my parents, I'm sure, will want to meet you."
"What? Why? Can't I go home now? I want to go home." She says suddenly becoming slightly frightened.
"Why? Well they will want to meet you because you're my fiancé, their future daughter, the kingdoms future queen." He says exasperatedly.
"I don't want to be any of that!" Hailey says quickly becoming hysterical. "I just want to go home."
"Don't you understand? You cant. You freed me, now we get married and the witches curse is foiled. If you go home my country is sure to fall under her evil rule." The desperate hopelessness she had first sensed was slowly creeping back into his voice. Having no other apparent option Hailey lifts up her skirts and follows him out of the forest mumbling complaints about how stupid dresses are.
"Maybe I don't want to marry you." She says stubbornly although still following him.
"Why wouldn't you want to marry me? Every girl in the kingdom and a lot of girls not in the kingdom wants to marry me."
"Well I don't! You are just a cold hearted pig!"
"Do not speak to me that way! I am your superior! Speak with respect! I will not tolerate impudence!" He says, mostly a reaction of surprise. No one had ever insulted him before; they were all to busy falling over themselves to please him. They continue their walk in silence, Hailey mad at being bossed around and the prince surprised at her.
"Why are you cursed?" Hailey suddenly asks.
"While we have many witches the witch that cursed me is the most powerful one in the world. Or at least the most powerful one in my world." He says glancing over Hailey appraisingly again. "When my father wouldn't surrender the throne to her she cursed me to be trapped as a frog until someone could, or would, free me. I am the only heir. She thought I would be a frog forever and when my father died she would take the throne. No one ever expected you."
"Yea, well, anyone could have kissed you." Hailey says shrugging it off.
The prince pauses for a moment as if to think of what to say then finally replies "Yes, but no one else did." Both lost in thought they continue their journey in silence.
Hailey had finally come to the conclusion that maybe the prince wasn't so bad when they reached the outskirts of the city. It was.amazing, in one of those fairly dirty not as good as her city kind of ways.
"Now, you are a mere peasant, remember that. I will try to explain that you do not know our customs but please do not completely embarrass me." The prince says returning to his old ways. "You know you haven't even asked my name." Hailey replies. "Its Hailey just incase you wanted, or needed, to know."
"Yes, well, you can refer to me as 'my prince'. When you earn the right to address me by my name I'll tell you it." He says snottily.
"Pompous jerk!" She says heatedly under her breath although not quite quiet enough. Thinking that maybe he deserved to be turned into a ceramic frog for all of eternity.
"What was that?"
"Oh nothing my prince, nothing at all." She says innocently before following him into the city, towards the castle.
When people they first saw him were amazed. After just a few minutes they was cheering and celebrating all around. He knew almost everyone and the walk to the castle took probably 3 times longer then it would have if they hadn't needed to stop every five steps to be congratulated. The first time Hailey had tried to talk to someone who was thanking her for saving their prince he had nudged her fairly hard in the ribs. She figured she would just smile and nod from then on out. An impromptu feast was started, bakers, butchers, everyone was bringing out food and presents forcing things into their hands. Hailey could tell it wasn't just because he would save them from the witch. For some reason unknown to her, the people loved their prince.
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Second chapter down. I hope you like it, I've tried to develop their characters a little more but they are rather complex so I think it is going to take some time to really get a feel for who they are. If you think the prince (whose name is still undecided but will be by next chp) is hiding something from Hailey.your right!
With a gasp she steps through the darkness. Instead of her city street she is in the middle of a gorgeous forest. Suddenly, she stops looking around noticing the prince watching her again.
"Well that's at least a little better." He says, examining her intently. Looking down at herself she realizes she is wearing a ridiculous gown and what seems like a thousand petticoats.
"What am I wearing?" She says unbelieving. They couldn't have forced her into this dress at home.
"Why clothes fit for a girl. Not a particularly royal girl but apparently the portal knows how to dress people according to their station." He says as if she were being a complete idiot. "Come on, let's go to the castle, my parents, I'm sure, will want to meet you."
"What? Why? Can't I go home now? I want to go home." She says suddenly becoming slightly frightened.
"Why? Well they will want to meet you because you're my fiancé, their future daughter, the kingdoms future queen." He says exasperatedly.
"I don't want to be any of that!" Hailey says quickly becoming hysterical. "I just want to go home."
"Don't you understand? You cant. You freed me, now we get married and the witches curse is foiled. If you go home my country is sure to fall under her evil rule." The desperate hopelessness she had first sensed was slowly creeping back into his voice. Having no other apparent option Hailey lifts up her skirts and follows him out of the forest mumbling complaints about how stupid dresses are.
"Maybe I don't want to marry you." She says stubbornly although still following him.
"Why wouldn't you want to marry me? Every girl in the kingdom and a lot of girls not in the kingdom wants to marry me."
"Well I don't! You are just a cold hearted pig!"
"Do not speak to me that way! I am your superior! Speak with respect! I will not tolerate impudence!" He says, mostly a reaction of surprise. No one had ever insulted him before; they were all to busy falling over themselves to please him. They continue their walk in silence, Hailey mad at being bossed around and the prince surprised at her.
"Why are you cursed?" Hailey suddenly asks.
"While we have many witches the witch that cursed me is the most powerful one in the world. Or at least the most powerful one in my world." He says glancing over Hailey appraisingly again. "When my father wouldn't surrender the throne to her she cursed me to be trapped as a frog until someone could, or would, free me. I am the only heir. She thought I would be a frog forever and when my father died she would take the throne. No one ever expected you."
"Yea, well, anyone could have kissed you." Hailey says shrugging it off.
The prince pauses for a moment as if to think of what to say then finally replies "Yes, but no one else did." Both lost in thought they continue their journey in silence.
Hailey had finally come to the conclusion that maybe the prince wasn't so bad when they reached the outskirts of the city. It was.amazing, in one of those fairly dirty not as good as her city kind of ways.
"Now, you are a mere peasant, remember that. I will try to explain that you do not know our customs but please do not completely embarrass me." The prince says returning to his old ways. "You know you haven't even asked my name." Hailey replies. "Its Hailey just incase you wanted, or needed, to know."
"Yes, well, you can refer to me as 'my prince'. When you earn the right to address me by my name I'll tell you it." He says snottily.
"Pompous jerk!" She says heatedly under her breath although not quite quiet enough. Thinking that maybe he deserved to be turned into a ceramic frog for all of eternity.
"What was that?"
"Oh nothing my prince, nothing at all." She says innocently before following him into the city, towards the castle.
When people they first saw him were amazed. After just a few minutes they was cheering and celebrating all around. He knew almost everyone and the walk to the castle took probably 3 times longer then it would have if they hadn't needed to stop every five steps to be congratulated. The first time Hailey had tried to talk to someone who was thanking her for saving their prince he had nudged her fairly hard in the ribs. She figured she would just smile and nod from then on out. An impromptu feast was started, bakers, butchers, everyone was bringing out food and presents forcing things into their hands. Hailey could tell it wasn't just because he would save them from the witch. For some reason unknown to her, the people loved their prince.
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Second chapter down. I hope you like it, I've tried to develop their characters a little more but they are rather complex so I think it is going to take some time to really get a feel for who they are. If you think the prince (whose name is still undecided but will be by next chp) is hiding something from Hailey.your right!