Chapter 12: Ever After

Kenny came in, holding up the crystal shoe Katie had worn to the ball. He winked at her and she grinned. "Duchess Starina!" Kenny said as he entered the hall. "I am traveling the kingdom to find the maiden who wore this crystal slipper. The maiden at the ball who I want to marry was wearing it before she disappeared. Would you like to give your daughters the opportunity to become my bride?"

      It took all Katie's strength not to laugh at Starina's wide eyes. "YES!" she nearly screamed, seizing the shoe. "Callista! Fayre! Loreen! COME DOWN HERE!" Loud thumps were heard as the three girls made their way downstairs. Callista and Fayre had their hair all messed up and they were dressed in wrinkled robes. They made a failing attempt to look nice when they saw the prince. "Here, Callista, all you have to do is put on your shoe."

      "That's not my – oof!" Starina jammed her elbow into Callista's stomach. The girl took the slipper and sat on a stool, trying to shove her foot into the shoe. But her foot was much too big and so was Fayre's. Loreen's foot was too small.

      "I'm afraid we can't help you," said Starina. "Maybe you should just marry that fine Princess Berangaria."

      "The Princess was discovered to be a girl in disguise." Starina looked sick. "What about this girl?" Kenny led Katie to the stool and ignored Starina's protests. He guided the slipper onto Katie's foot and helped her up. He pulled her into a long, passionate kiss.

      When they finally broke away, Katie laughed and said, "I couldn't have done it without my wicked stepmother!" Starina broke into a hissy fit and started to stomp from the room until the royal guards came in and dragged her away.

      "Her deeds have earned her only, I'd say, fifty or so years in the dungeons." Katie laughed at Kenny's remark and he scooped her up into his arms to take her back to the palace.

      The wedding was a fine affair. Katie forgave Fayre, Loreen, Callista, and Gale and they became her ladies-in-waiting. Starina starved in the dungeons. Katie and Kenny had four children, Jane, Berry, Maggie, and Timmy. They were named for the people Starina killed during her plots, Lady Jane, Princess Berengaria, Margaret, and Timothy.

      Kenny became known as Prince Kenneth the Great, later King Kenneth.

      And Katie became known as Princess Katherine the Beautiful, though she insisted being called Katie, and later became Queen Katherine.

      Kenny and Katie were the best King and Queen the kingdom had ever had.

      And everyone lived happily ever after.

      The End

A/N: It's over! I can't believe it. Sorry the last few chapters were all so short. I hope you all enjoyed this story. Thank you so much for reading! I'm gonna go cry now! (Review!)