Welcome to the second to last chapter of Kuki Enchanted. We are nearing the end of our extremely long journey together. And I can't believe we made it this far! You are all truly wonderful reviewers and I have loved every single one of your reviews.

On the other hand, I am so excited, my mom works with a guy whose friends with Derrick Rose and I'm getting his autograph! My dad got autograph sneakers! Ekk! I'm so excited.

Don't expect an update tomorrow, my blood results come in tomorrow so I'm probably gonna be at the hospital for a good couple of hours. Though I'll make sure to tell you guys if something happens that prohibits me from updating.

Words: 9,339

Disclaimer: I don't own Codename: Kids Next Door or Kuki Enchanted. I am planning to save my money so that I can buy the Harry Potter rights from Miss. Joanne Kathleen Rowling, though I doubt I would be able to buy them. A girl can dream, can't she?

Previously on: Kuki Enchanted:

I curtsied. He bowed. When we both straightened, I found I had grown closer to his height.

"What is your name, Lady?" He smiled politely.

I found my voice with difficulty, making sure to speak a few octaves higher than my normal voice. "Catherine."

We were silent.

"Do you live here in Frell, Lady Catherine?"

"In Bast, Your Highness." I replied, naming a town near the Elves' Forest.

He looked past me, ready to move on. "I hope you enjoy the ball and your stay in Frell."

I could not let him go that easy. "Abensa ohudo. Isseni imi essete urebu amouffa." I spoke with a heavy Kyrrian accent.

"You speak Ayorthaian!" His attention was captured.

"Not well. I have an uncle who was born there. He is a singer. His voice can charm wood."

Wally's smile was genuine now. "I miss their songs. I was glad to leave, but now I miss everything."

I hummed a stanza of Abba's favorite song, a sad one, about a farmer whose family is starving. Wally joined me, singing softly. Near us, heads turned. I saw Elizabeth frown with her smile still frozen in place.

When we finished, he bowed again. "Would you favour me with a dance?"

Over all the others, I was his choice! I curtsied, and he took my hand.

Our hands knew each other. Wally looked at me, startled. "Have we met before, Lady?"

"I have never left Bast, but I have longed to see Frell my whole life."

He nodded.

The clock struck eleven.

The dance was a gavotte, too spirited for talk. Rapid movement was a relief in the midst of so much feeling. We flew through the hall, perfectly in step. Wally smiled at me. I smiled back, happy.

We separated. I twined arms with a succession of momentary partners – dukes, earls, knights, squires – and back to Wally. A final whirl, and the dance ended.

"I love a gavotte," I said, touching to make sure my mask was still properly in place. "The rush, the sweep, the whoosh!" What nonsense was I talking?

"It's the same with stair rails, the same feeling," he said. "Do you like to slide?" His voice was eager.

Stair rails! Did he suspect me? I forced a sigh. "No, Majesty. I am terrified of heights."

"Oh." His polite tone had returned.

"Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Like to slide down stair rails?"

"Oh, yes. I used to." He used to? I hope that didn't have anything to do with me.

"I wish I could enjoy it. This fear of heights is an affliction."

He nodded, a show of sympathy but not much interest. I was losing him.

"Especially," I added, "as I have grown taller."

He stared. Then he laughed in surprised delight. I was a fool for behaving so much like myself. The clock struck the half hour.

Wally started. "Half after eleven! I've neglected my guests." He became the courteous host again. "Refreshments are in the next room, if you care to partake of them." He waved at an archway. Then, "I'll look for you later."

He hoped to see me again! Catherine, that is, not Kuki.

I hurried out of the hall. Outside, the sleet had stopped. The cabbage coach glistened in a line of black carriages. I climbed in, wondering where Jack was, probably still with Eva. Five minutes later her arrived, his face flushed and his outfit disheveled.

"You need better role models." I told him as he mounted the coach, waving me off with his hand.

When we arrived at home, Jack handed me out, remounted, and flicked his whip. The horses started off.

In the morning Ace told me about his share of the ball, bidding me to sit on a low stool while the family ate their breakfast.

"She danced with me," Ace said, his teeth stained purple from a blueberry muffin. "And only good manners prevented her from spending the rest of the evening at my side."

I vowed not to approach Wally during the second ball. It was too dangerous.

The evening was clear, but Henrietta provided the coach anyway. My tiara and pendant were pink roses. My gown was a silvery blue with a pale purple petticoat.

As I was arriving earlier than the night before, I had to be cleverer about entering the castle. I could not go through the main doors, as I would be announced to the room, so I went with Jack to where the carriages were parked and slipped in through a servant's entrance. All of them were busy attending to carriages and horses or running food and drink inside the main hall.

Tonight there was no receiving line. I searched for a seat where I would have a clear view of the dance and where others would have a poor view of me. I found one in a recess partially blocked by a giant fern in a stone pot.

I slipped inside the ballroom, ducking behind a crowd of young ladies when I spotted Sir Montgomery and Ace sitting nearby. I weaved through the many courtiers and knights, and made my way to the same place I had seen Wally the night before. I could make out where he was greeting guests, quite far away, the King and Queen sitting on their thrones and watching over him.

I scrutinized Wally's dancing partners, although I knew I had no right to resent a rival. He danced three times with the yellow-haired wench who had made him laugh the night before. She wore no mask and was lovely. I could not leave him to her.

The clock struck the half hour. Soon it would be eleven. I checked my mask, then left my hiding place and stood with the others who observed the dance.

Wally saw me. Over the shoulder of his partner, he mouthed, "Wait for me."

I grew roots. An earthquake could not have moved me. The clock struck a quarter before eleven. It struck eleven. If it had struck the end of the world, I would have stayed as I was.

The final figure ended, and he came to me.

"Will you dance with me?" he asked. "I have been looking for you all night."

Did I have time? I accepted his arm, and we stepped into the dance, a slow sarabande.

"I was here all the while. I watched you." I told him.

"What did you see?"

"An excellent host who had little real enjoyment in the ball." Except when he danced with the blond beauty.

"Was it so apparent?"

"It was so to me."

He changed the subject. "Will you be here tomorrow? My father has asked me to perform an Ayorthaian song."

"When will you sing?" Before midnight, please.

"Sometime late." He grinned. "If I'm lucky, many of my guests will have gone. They need not all hear their future ruler disgrace himself."

"There will be no disgrace, not if you were taught in Ayortha. What will you sing?"

"A homecoming song." He sang the song in my ear.

The dance ended, and he stopped. "There's more. I want you to hear it. Will you?"

I resolved to stay late the next night. I would manage to reach home without Henrietta's gifts, even if I had to swim. "I'll be delighted to, but I must leave now tonight. I'm expected by twelve." How close to midnight was it now? He would think it odd if my jewelry had suddenly started to vanish!

"Oh. I had hoped . . . I'm sorry. I mustn't . . ." He bowed.

I curtsied. "Till tomorrow, Majesty."

"One last thing." He caught my hand. "Please call me Wally."

I rode home, calling myself a dolt but rejoicing nonetheless. In my room, I opened my magic book to see if it would show me anything about the ball or Wally's thoughts. There was nothing. The next morning I tried again and found an entry in his journal from the night before.

How dare he! That fright-Ace-rushed at me the instant Catherine left. "Some wenches will stoop to anything to intrigue a man," he said. "I should be devastated if I had to wear a mask in order to be interesting."

He warned me the mask might conceal anything: a deformity, advancing age, the face of a known bandit. "If I were sovereign," He said, "I would order her to remove her mask."

I wanted to reply, "If you were sovereign, every Kyrrian would wish you'd don one."

Certainly I have wondered why Catherine hides her face, but it may be the custom in Bast. If she is a bandit, she is courageous to come to court. More likely she is disfigured. Maybe she has a scar, or one eyelid droops, or her nose is mottled purple.

I don't care. I'm pleased to have found a friend at these balls, where I expected to find only tedium.

Does Kuki, I paused, looking at my name that had been so furiously crossed out, that if it were not for my magic book, I would not be able to read, Catherine want more than friendship? Why did I write that name?

Did she come to these balls, as every other maiden did, hoping to wed a prince? (no matter what I am like, so long as I am a prince.)

I confess: I do wish to see her face.

I turned the page and found a note from Sydney to Wally.

You owe me, Wallabee. If it were not for my quick thinking you would have been forced to dance with that blonde for more than was necessary. By the way, brother dear, I highly approve of Catherine, she seems to be the only one that has made you smile since the incident.

So that is what Sydney called it, huh? My letter that I was married to some rich man who near the cusp of death. I just hoped to regain Sydney's trust in the future if I were to ever rid myself of this curse.

In the afternoon, I slipped out of the manor to the greenhouse near the menagerie. There I picked daisies and wove the flowers into a garland to replace Henrietta's tiara. If I was to stay at the ball after midnight, I could not wear Henrietta's jewels.

My gown for the last ball was my favourite: white, with a low neckline edged in lace. The skirt parted in front to reveal a petticoat with three lace flounces. In back, my skirt was tied with a large bow that flowed into the graceful sweep of my train.

I faced myself in the mirror and began to set the garland in my hair, but Kami stopped me.

"Here's something better, love." She handed me two packages wrapped in tissue paper. "Open them."

They were a tiara of woven silver leaves and a silver chain on which hung an aster made of amethyst.

"Oh, Kami!" I exclaimed, looking at the beautiful jewel in awe.

"I bought them at the market. They won't disappear at midnight." She placed the tiara on my hair and fastened the chain around my neck. "You make them beautiful, sweet."

I looked in the mirror. Kami's selections added something that Henrietta's creations had not – just right for my gown and just right for me.

Wally was waiting for me at the palace entrance. When the carriage drove up, he dashed to help me out before Jack could step down. The clock struck half after eight. The beginning of the last ball. Jack gave me a wink before running into the castle. He had spent the last week tailoring his own suit so that he could join the proceedings without looking like a coach driver.

"You look splendid, as always" he said, bowing.

I was touched by his gallantry, since he believed me disfigured.

"Thank you. And I see you've abandoned the official Kyrrian colors for the night."

"Yes, well, I thought I'd surprise people. What do you think?" he asked with a grin, smoothing a hand down his lapel.

"I think it a very unfair suit," I told him impishly, but bit my lip when his eyes darkened. I scolded myself internally. I was far too much myself around him.

"Wally? Are you well?" I asked tentatively, touching my hand to his elbow.

"Yes. I am sorry. Catherine," he said suddenly, looking back at me, "why is it that you wear a mask?"

"Well, it is a masquerade," I tittered nervously.

"Yes, I know. But it is custom to take the mask off at some point in the night. I wish I could see your face."

He brought a hand up and skimmed the lower edge of my mask with his fingers. I shivered as he brushed the skin of my cheek and shied away.

"I have no wish to remove my mask," I told him anxiously. "Please do not order me to."

He looked startled, drawing his hand away. "No, no…I would not do such a thing. I was much too forward. Forgive me."

"I forgive you," I obeyed his command immediately, "I mean…it is no matter."

"Good," he said, regaining his cheer, "I like you well enough with the mask on, anyway."

As we went inside he said, "Your carriage is an unusual color."

"Not in Bast." If he knew much about Bast, I was in for trouble – unless green coaches were common there.

He took my arm. "May I visit you there?"

"Bast would be very honoured." I replied.

"And you?"

"I would be honoured too."

"If I'm going to visit your family, you should meet mine."

"I'll be delighted, someday."

"Now is a good time. They're nearby; you're nearby."

"Now? King Xavier?"

He chuckled. "That's who my father is."

"But . . ."

"He's kind to everyone except ogres. You need not worry."

The king rose when we entered. I curtsied, blushing for my rudeness in wearing a mask before him. When I rose, he was beaming at Wally. Queen Cassandra was smiling too.

I had seen them many times, but never so close. The queen had a wide face, perfect for broad smiles. An honest face. Wally resembled his father, but softened a bit. The king's face was severe in repose, although merry now.

"Mother, Father, may I introduce Lady Catherine, my new friend and acquaintance from Bast, where the carriages are green."

"Lady Catherine." King Xavier took my hand. He had the roundest, deepest voice I had ever heard. "Welcome to Frell."

"Most welcome." Queen Cassandra embraced me. "I've waited long to meet the maiden my son loves."

"I don't love her, Mother. That is, I like her, certainly."

Over the queen's shoulder, I saw Wally looking silly with embarrassment.

Queen Cassandra held me away from her and searched my face. "I can not tell through the mask, but you remind me of a lad I had once admired. He had the most playful spirit I ever knew." She added so only I could hear, "If you are anything like him, then Wally has chosen well."

She released me, and I stepped away, dazed. I was certain she had meant Father. From what Aunt Morgan told me, Queen Cassandra was friends with her and her siblings.

"Lady Catherine is proof I have not been polite and distant to everyone," Wally said.

"Excellent proof," King Xavier answered. "Bring along more proof and we will be convinced." He frowned at my mask.

"We should return to my guests," Wally said hastily.

As we left, I heard Queen Cassandra say, "I don't remember any green coaches in Bast."

Back in the hall, we encountered Sydney who was once again dancing with Harvey.

"Hello, Sydney." Wally said, standing next to his sister.

"Hello, Wally." Sydney said as the song ended, "Is this Catherine?" She asked me.

"Yes, Lady Catherine of Bast." Wally said, and he turned to Harvey, "And you must be Sir Harvard of McKenzie, yes?" He asked.

"Yes, but please, call me Harvey." Harvey amended, his eyes locked with mine and a look of recognition crossed his face, he raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"Only if you call me Wally." Wally replied and the two boys gave a short laugh.

Before more words could be exchanged, Elizabeth and Ace had come over, Ace asking Sydney to dance and Elizabeth asking Wally.

They had both, reluctantly, agreed. Harvey gave me a smile, "Well, Lady Catherine, would you like to dance?" he asked, extending his hand to me.

"I would be honoured." I replied, taking his hand as he twirled me.

Slowly, but unnoticeably, Harvey led the dance closer to a corner, when there was no one around, he whispered, "I know it's you, Kuki."

I stopped in mid twirl, "How?" I asked him, completely shocked that he saw through my façade.

"Your eyes, Kuki." Harvey said with a roll of his. "They are a rare shade of amethyst; I am surprised that Wally had not noticed sooner." He said, twirling me. I had to agree with him on that, I wish I had thought of that sooner.

"But I never understood why you left." Harvey said, "When Abba woke up and found that you were gone, with no note, no goodbye, she went mad, her and Rachel both."

I sighed, what could I possibly say to him? Ace had ordered me not to tell anyone what had happened. Father had forbidden me of telling about my curse.

"It's complicated." I decided to say, and in truth, it was.

"I heard that your Mother had found a husband for you." Harvey said.

"That she did." I replied, "But he was not rich enough for her." I told him.

Harvey nodded in understanding.

"We should make our way back to the guests, I am sure Wally and Sydney will be searching for us soon." Harvey nodded in agreement and we made our way back to where we were prior.

Just as we arrived, Wally arrived and asked for another dance, to which I gladly accepted

When we had finished, Wally asked me to save a dance for him later. "Just now, I had better be polite and distant some more."

I did not want him to go. Every instant of our final evening was too precious to lose even one. But, I nodded, and he left me. I watched the dance and turned down partners.

"Mistress . . ." Ace stood before me, simpering. "I've wanted to catch you alone, my dear. I am Lord Jaceon, son of Montgomery Uno."

Catherine had no reason to hate Ace. "I'm happy to meet another person from Frell."

"Wallabee says you live in Bast."

No one called him Wallabee.

He proceeded to pump me about my family and circumstances, pressing me until I said, "I had not thought it was the custom here to interrogate visitors."

"I apologize, but one has to be so careful when one is connected to royalty. You see, Wallabee and I have an understanding and have become close friends. For you see, I am secretly engaged to his sister."

Had he gone mad, to speak of such a falsehood?

"To protect her, as well as my new family, I must ask you to remove your mask. I must see what lies beneath."

Thank heavens he had asked and not ordered. "You may ask, but I shall not oblige. Good evening, Lord Jaceon." I turned and began to walk away.

"Catherine, there you are!"

Wally was back. "Now dance with me," he said. "Your prince commands you to. I want to spend the rest of the ball with you." He bowed to Ace, standing a few feet away. "Excuse us."

I curtsied, reveling in him fury.

"They are all asking about you," he said, pulling me close as the dance required. "'Who is this mysterious stranger?' they say, 'The maiden who wears a mask.'"

"Why . . ." He stopped himself and changed subjects, speaking of court affairs.

I wondered how many more dances we would have. The clock chimed half after nine. In a few hours, Catherine would be gone forever. I would never be so close to Wally again.

Despite a fierce struggle, I began to cry. He might not have seen because of the mask, but a tear coursed down my cheek.

"Catherine, I am so sorry!" There was so much remorse in his voice that I was startled.

"Why? What were you saying? I am the one to apologize. I was not listening. I was thinking how sad I will be to leave Frell." I laughed a little. "No more balls every night."

"But you can come back, can't you?"

"I suppose. However, it will not be the same. You can never go back to a moment when you were happy."

"That's true." The dance ended. "Would you like to go outside? Every time the musicians start up, I am reminded of all the maidens with whom I should be dancing."

Outdoors, we strolled through the castle gardens while I kept listening for chimes. How much time had passed? How much was left?

Wally spoke of Frell, asking whether I had visited this sight or that, and describing each one for me. I must have answered him reasonably, when I had to. However, if called upon to repeat what I said or what he said, I could not. Most of my mind and all of my heart were set on the sound of his voice, the warmth of his arm in mine, the rhythm of our steps together, the fresh scent of the night air. And on the wish that each minute would last a year. I cried again, but in the dark, he did not see. And the clock moved relentlessly on: ten, half after, eleven, half after.

"That's enough," he said finally. "I can face them now."

Inside we danced again. "Soon it will be time for me to sing. After that, I'll either be surrounded by worshiping music lovers or be shunned by all."

"Surrounded," I said. "And I would never shun you."

"I wonder. You may shun me if you know the truth." He took a breath and was suddenly quite formal. "I apologize if I unintentionally raised your expectations, but I have resolved never to marry."

So the balls had not been his idea. I stifled a triumphant laugh. "You didn't mislead me. I have only been saving stories for home. I will tell them, 'The prince said thus-and-so to me, and I said thus-and-so back to him. And, Mother, I made him laugh. I made our prince laugh. And Father, he danced with me – one night with almost no one except me.' 'What did he wear?' my sister, Lily, will want to know. 'Did he have his sword with him always?' Father will ask. 'What did the entrance way look like?" my brother, Ted, would inquire, for he has a love for architecture. 'What were the pillars like? Were they Corinthian? Ionic? Or were they Doric?' he'd ask more of those questions before I would be succumbed to hit him over the head with a very heavy book." Wally laughed at that.

Wally tightened his hold on my waist. "Marriage is supposed to be forever, but friendship can be forever too. Will you . . ." He stopped midsentence, eyes growing inquisitive.

I felt something at the back of my head. Ace, dancing nearby with Claudia Cainteoir, Eva's cousin, snatched off my mask. I let go of Wally and covered my face with my hands, but not quickly enough.

"KUKI!" Ace shrieked.

Wally gasped. "Kuki?"

I broke away from him and began to run as the clock struck midnight. Wally would have caught me in a moment, but Ace must have held him somehow.

"JACK!" I shouted as I ran towards him, he was dancing with Eva in the corner.

"Kuki?" Jack said, breaking away from Eva.

"What's wrong?" he asked as I shouted a quick 'Sorry' to Eva over my shoulder and pulled him through the crowd.

"Ace unmasked me. Wally saw. We got to go!" I shouted and we ran faster.

Outside, a huge cabbage stood uselessly in the line of carriages. I continued to flee. A white rat skittered across my path. Somewhere I lost one of my slippers. I ran on, listening for pursuers.

At home, maybe Kami would know what to do. Or I'd hide in the cellar, in the stable – somewhere. How could I have gone to the balls? To put Wally and Kyrria in such danger!

"Kami!" I shouted as soon as I reached the manor. Loretta stared at me and Jack as we ran into the house. I ran straight into the kitchen while Jack ran to his rooms, his brothers on his tail.

"Kuki?" Kami asked, as I came running into the kitchen. "What happened? Why are you home so early?" She asked.

"Wally's coming here," I told her, pushing past her to the fireplace, "or he's here already." I stared into the dying flames. "He-he saw me. He knows I'm Kuki…that Catherine is me," I rambled as I started to cry again. "A-Ace. He pulled my mask off when I was dancing with Wally, and Wally saw me and stared and I-" I choked back a sob.

"I've endangered Wally again, and Kyrria! What can I do?"

"Pack your things," Kami said as soon as I finished.

"Where shall I go?" I asked her. I did not want to travel by myself again. And I didn't want to leave her behind, either.

"I'll come with you. We will find work as cooks. Hurry."

"Can't you pack for us by magic?" She had done it before. It was just small magic.

"Nothing is small magic in a moment like this. Go!"

Faeries! I raced to my room and began to throw things into my carpetbag. I had little; it would be the work of a minute. I heard the door open downstairs. There were voices. We would never manage to leave without being spotted. I tore off my ball gown and donned my tattered servant's wear, rubbing the sooty skirt across my face. Over my hair, I tied a ragged length of linen.

Loretta appeared at my door. "It is the prince! He wants to see everyone."

I did not move.

She giggled nervously. "He won't eat us, at least I hope not. Come on, Kuki." She grabbed my hand and shot me a comforting smile. I felt myself calm down a little. I could do this

I followed her, my heart drumming loud enough to drown out all thought.

Wally stood in the hall with his knights and our entire household. In the midst of all that was more important, I hated him to see me covered in rags and cinders. Next to Sir Ethan I could see Aunt Morgan, looking over his shoulder, scanning the room with her emerald eyes, she was taller than him so it was not that hard of a feat. Rachel was grasping to Nigel's hand, while the other one was holding on to Abba's. Abba was standing next to Hoagie, her eyes glancing along the lines of servants, I quickly ducked my head, knowing if she saw me, she would know right away that it was me.

I stationed myself behind the tallest manservant, but Wally and the knights walked among us. Straining for a new disguise of servant and simpleton, I sucked on my fist and stared about vacantly.

"Hello," Wally called. He was not smiling, and his tone was polite but strained. "I apologize for disturbing you all this evening. I am looking for a young women by the name of Kuki. She has black hair and amethyst eyes. Has anyone seen her?"

I could feel the gazes of several people nearby flit over to me, but apparently everyone had received instructions not to say a word. I looked up a little, past Wally. Sir Montgomery looked murderous, Nigel confused, and Ace looked chastised, his head lowered meekly. Rachel and Abba was searching the crowd with hopeful, shining eyes.

"You see, Your Highness," Sir Montgomery bellowed in his grating nasal voice, "I am afraid you are quite mistaken. There is no one named Kuki living under this roof. Is that not correct, Jaceon?"

"Yes," Ace mumbled, "Kuki doesn't live here anymore."

Wally raised an eyebrow at the two, and made a motion with his hand, and his knights filtered out to the line of servants. I tried to make myself as small as possible.

Sir Hoagie found me. "Here's a maid," he said. "Come, lass." He took my hand and pulled me to Wally.

"Kuki! Kuki? Why are you dressed so?" Wally asked me.

"Your Majesty, I am . . ." I was about to deny my name, but Ace spoke for me.

"That is only Cinders, the scullery maid," he said. "Sire, would you care for a refreshment now that you are here?"

"She's a scullery maid?" Wally asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"A scullery maid. Of no account. But our cook, Kami, has cakes fit for a prince." He pestered on.

The door was not far. Sir Hoagie still held my hand. I pulled, but could not break away.

"Lass," Wally said to me. "I would not dream to hurt you, no matter what." He cupped his hand under my chin and tilted my face up to his. I wanted to catch his hand and kiss it.

As soon as we touched, I knew he recognized me. He brought my slipper out from his cloak. "It belonged to Kuki, and will fit her alone, whether she is a scullery maid or a duchess." He looked right into my eyes, his ocean green eyes sparkling with something I did not know. Relief? Hope? Confusion most likely.

A chair was brought. I wished for normal-sized feet. Not the small feet that came with having faerie blood.

"That's my slipper," Elizabeth said. "It's been missing for years." I did not know when she had appeared. Having had shared a room with her, I knew her feet were at least twice my size.

"Your feet are too big," Nigel blurted out, receiving a glare from the girl and an audible chuckled from Rachel and Abba.

"Try it," Wally told Elizabeth.

"I lost it because it kept falling off." She sat and removed her own slipper. I caught the familiar smell of her feet. She could not wedge her toes in.

"Eva, you are younger than me," Elizabeth said. "So your feet are more likely smaller than mine are. Probably." I saw Eva's face pale, and noticed a slight look go to the direction of Jack. Her sister kept staring her down, so with no choice, she walked over and sat on the stool, slipping her foot in.

They were smaller that her sisters, but still bigger than mine.

Eva took off the shoe happily and handed it to Wally once more. "It belongs to Kuki, and so only Kuki will be able to wear it."

And then he knelt at my feet, sending a murmur through the surrounding crowd. Sir Montgomery stuttered unintelligibly at the sight of the crown prince, in his magnificent and luxurious finery, kneeling before a dirty servant, but Wally had resumed ignoring him. I shut my eyes and turned my head to the side as Wally looked up. I could not bear look at him.

His fingers rested against my ankle. "May I?" he asked, looking up at me.

I said nothing, but he lifted up my foot, sliding the ratty slipper I was wearing off and tossing it to the side. He took the beautiful glass shoe and slid it onto my foot. My hands flew to cover my face and my shoulders shook with sobs as Wally stood up again. I heard Rachel and Abba exclaim my name softly in unison.

His face was close to mine. He must have seen my terror. "You need not be Kuki if you do not want to be," he said softly.

He was so good.

"I am not," I said. However, in spite of myself, tears streamed down my cheeks.

I saw hope spread across his face. "That letter was rubbish. A trick." He glared at Ace, and then turned to me, his look probing.

"I am not Kuki." I said again, worrying my lower lip.

"Yes, you are," Wally said urgently, "you're…you are my Kooks, and you are here, and you have been here all along, and I thought I would be so angry if I ever saw you again, but all I want to do is hold you and never let you go, and I do not understand anything right now, though I am sure you can explain it all to me. But none of that matters because I have found you, and it is truly you, and I have…I have fallen in love with you all over while you wore a mask and pretended to be a stranger."

My eyes flew open at this and I finally looked at him. His beautiful ocean blue eyes were brimming with tears, and the corner of his lovely smile quivered with emotion as he held my hands over his heart. "You don't," I protested, "you d-don't love me. You can't!"

"I can, I must, and I do." He knelt before me again. "Kuki, I love you. I always have, and I always will. You have ensnared my soul and I never want it to be set free…" My heart ached at the sight of him on his bended knee, professing his love as though dozens of people were not watching us and hearing every word of it. "I have never seen a sight more breath-taking than you right now, covered in soot and wearing rags, but here, here and within my reach, and I never want to live another way again. I don't want to live another day without you. If you let me, I would spend forever holding you to my heart and doing everything and anything I could to make you feel happy and loved. Marry me," he said simply, eyes imploring, "marry me, Kuki."

I continued to weep, flowing tears fell down my face. But my hand found its way into his.

I clapped my hand over my mouth to stop the "yes." I couldn't. I couldn't obey him, not now, not when I wanted to more than anything. Never in my life had I wanted to follow and order so intensely that it caused me emotional pain on top of the physical symptoms of my curse.

The physical symptoms hit me as my mouth strained against my shaking hand. I doubled over as the nausea rolled in my stomach and all my joints seared with pain.

"Kuki? What is it?" Wally asked, wrapping a strong arm around me to steady me.

"Do not marry him, Kuki," Ace commanded.

I withdrew my hand. "I can't," I said. Perhaps Ace would save us.

"Ace, don't be such a fool," Sir Montgomery snapped at his son. "Do you not want to be the stepbrother to the queen and make her give you whatever you want?" He smiled at me. "His Highness is kind enough to want to marry you, Kuki, my sweet."

It had begun. The curse would make Ace and Sir Montgomery as grand as they wanted to be, and it would provide endless wealth for the Uno family. And Mother would be very pleased. Having the prince as a son in law. She would be able to use that to her advantage. People would by her goods more, just because she was the mother in law to the King of Frell.

Wally was looking at me with such gladness, and how I loved him so. I was the cause of his joy and I would ultimately be the cause of his destruction: a secret delivered to his enemies, a letter written in my own hand, a covert signal given by me, poison in his glass, a dagger in his ribs, a fall from a parapet.

"Marry me, Kuki," he said again, the order a whisper now. "Say you will marry me."

Anyone else could have said no or yes. This was not a royal command. Wally probably had no idea he had given an order.

But I had to obey-wanted to obey – hated to harm him – wanted to marry him. I would destroy my love and my land. They were in danger, and no one could rescue them. We were all doomed, all cursed.

Wally was too precious to hurt, too precious to lose, too precious to betray, too precious to marry, too precious to kill, too precious to obey. (hehe, that rhymed!)

Words rose in me, filled my mouth, pushed against my lips. Yes, I'll marry you. Yes, I love you. Yes! Yes! Yes!

I swallowed, forcing them down, but they tore at my throat. A strangled noise erupted from me, but not words, not consent.

He put a hand on my shoulder. I must have frightened him, but I could not see his face; my vision had turned inward where the battle raged. I heard Henrietta's voice, "My gift to Kuki is obedience. She will always be obedient." I saw Kami telling me to eat my birthday cake. I saw ZaNNdy leering at me and heard him. "No need to be persuasive with this one. It'd cook itself if we told it to." I saw Nigel following me around like a lost puppy, Sir Montgomery standing over me while I scrubbed the courtyard, Ace's fat finger wearing Father's ring.

I had eaten the cake, drunk the Tonic, given up the ring, slaved for my stepfather, let Nigel annoy me to no ends. They had gotten all they wanted of me, but they were not going to get Wally. Never. Never.

Be obedient. Marry him. Say yes. Say yes. Say yes.

The tears streaming from my eyes were acid, burning my cheeks. My mouth filled with liquid, bile and blood from biting my tongue, salty and corrosive and sweet.

In spite of myself my mouth opened. Consent had won. Obedience had won.

But I clamped my hand over my mouth. My yes was stillborn.

I remembered Wally at Father's funeral, waiting for me while I wept, grieving for Father too. I heard his promise at the menagerie. "And soon I shall catch a centaur and give it to you." I saw him binding ZaNNdy's ankles. I saw him, his buttonless doublet flapping, bow to Mother after we had flown down the stair rails. I saw the ball and King Xavier beaming at his son, the hope and future of Kyrria.

Say yes and be happy. Say yes and live. Obey. Marry him.

I began to rock in my chair. Forward, the words were about to come. Back, I reeled them in. Faster and faster. The legs of the chair thudded on the tiles and pounded in my ears. Marry him. I won't. Marry him. I won't.

Then I lost sense of all of it. I went on rocking and crying, but my thought burrowed within, concentrated in a point deep in my chest, where there was room for only one truth: I must save Wally. For a moment I rested inside myself, safe, secure, certain, gaining strength. In that moment I found a power beyond any I'd had before, a will and a determination I would never have needed if not for Henrietta, a fortitude I hadn't been able to find for a lesser cause. And I found my voice.

"No," I shouted.

"I will not marry you. I won't do it. No one can force me!" I swallowed and wiped my mouth on my filthy sleeve. I leaped up, ready to defy anyone.

"Who would force you?" Wally sounded shocked.

My symptoms were gone, draining away immediately, and I was filled with a warm, soothing sensation, tingling in my fingers and toes. I gasped out a laugh.

"I-" Wally started, but I cut him off.

"No! Do you hear me, Wally? No, I will not marry you! No, I will not marry him," I yelled at Sir Montgomery and Ace. "I refuse to marry you," I spoke to Wally again, "and you cannot make me! No one can!" My head spun, delirious and giddy and whirling drunk with this sudden freedom, this sudden power.

"I would never make you, Kuki, I-"

"You can't tell me what to do," I crowed, "no one can tell me what to do! Rachel!" I called at her – my friend! She was my friend once more! – "Tell me to do something."

She stared at me with wide eyes. "I…come here and give me a hug." She said, opening her arms up to me.

"No! No, I will not do that; I will stay right here on the floor." Rachel's eyes bugged out.

"Abba!" I yelled, running over to Abba, "Command me to do something!"

"Kick Ace where the sun don't shine." She said, grinning.

"Though that is very tempting, I will not." I said, giving her a hug, and then Rachel.

"Aunt Morgan!" I shouted, running over to her! "Tell me to do something!" I said, still giddy with excitement.

Morgan raised an eyebrow, clearly knowing something was definitely wrong with me. "Climb to the top of the willow tree with me so we can throw acorns at people." She said.

"As much as I would love to, I won't!"

"Kuki, what is going on?" Wally asked. "Will you marry me or not?" He asked and I bounded over to him.

" I will not, I will not marry you. They can't make me, no one can make me. I will not marry you." I smiled with such happiness.

Nigel said, "She will marry you. You told her to. She has to listen." He said, eye brows raised. "She always does what she supposed to do, right Ace?" Nigel asked. I rolled my eyes at him as Rachel gave him a strange look.

"I will not! Stop ordering me to!" I was still shouting, invigorated. I wanted to march, waving banners. Wally would not die because of me. Wally would live. Live and prosper.

"She does not have to marry me," he said.

"Hush, Nigel," Ace said angrily. "Kuki, go to your room. His Majesty can have no further need of you."

Wally said, "I have great need of her."

"Hush, Ace!" I said, intoxicated with my success. "I don't want to go to my room. Everyone must know I shall not marry the prince." I ran to the door to our street, opened it, and called out into the night, "I shall not marry the prince." I turned back into the hall and ran to Wally and threw my arms about his neck. "I shall not marry you." I kissed his cheek. He was safe from me.

He turned my head and kissed me on the mouth. The kiss swept through me, and I clung to him, trembling.

From behind me, Ace shrilled, "Go to your room this instant. I command you."

I ignored him, but Wally pulled away.

"Why won't you marry me? Why not, if you love me?"

"I am cursed. You would not be safe if I were to be your wife." What was I saying? I had not told anyone about the curse since I was eight. Father had forbidden it. Had someone told me to?

No one had. Then why . . .

My thoughts would not settle.

I was not going to marry Wally, that was certain. He looked so handsome, smiling from our kiss, then frowning in confusion, a smudge of my soot on his nose. I wiped it off. Saving him made him more mine than ever.

Could my refusal mean the spell was broken? Could it? I took stock of myself. I did feel different: larger, fuller, more complete, no longer divided against myself – compulsion to comply against wish to refuse. Larger, but lighter, much lighter – a burden shed. A massive burden.

I had defied Ace's command as well as Wally's. And Ace had sent me to my room, but I was still here. I had told my secret, but I felt no dizziness, no pain.

"You're free. The curse is over, love." Kami was at my side, hugging me. "You rescued yourself when you rescued the prince. I'm that proud and glad, sweet, I could shout."

I had been able to break the curse myself. I had had to have reason enough, love enough to do it, to find the will and the strength. My safety from the ogres had not been enough; Zinnia's rescue had not been enough, especially not with guards about; my slavery to Sir Montgomery had not been enough. Kyrria was enough. Wally was enough.

Now it was over. Ended forever. I was made anew. Kuki. Just Kuki. Not Kuki, the slave. Not a scullery maid. Not Catherine. Not Kukihana. Kuki. Myself unto myself. One. Me.

I tore off the rag that covered my hair. Then I curtsied to Wally.

"Kuki, please, what is happening? I don't understand," Wally said, confused and clearly hurt, as he reached towards me. I clasped his hand with both of mine.

"No, Wally, don't you see? I refuse to marry you. It's the most beautiful thing I have ever heard," I exclaimed, pulling him close. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, pressing my forehead to his and closing my eyes to stop new tears.

"I refuse to marry you," I whispered, "which is exactly why I will."

"You will…?" Wally moved his hands to rest tentatively on my hips, his voice rough and deep but completely bewildered.

"I will marry you," I told him softly, opening my eyes to look right into his as he drew back a little in surprise, a smile playing on his lips.

"When you asked for my hand a few minutes ago, I was still too young to marry." I looked up at him and saw a smile start. "I'm older now, so much older that not only can I marry, but I can beg you to marry me." I knelt and took his hand.

He did not let me kneel before him. He pulled me up and kissed me again. I took that to signify his consent.

When we pulled apart I spoke, "I love you so." I could not think of the words, the poetry, the adulations he deserved. "I love you. I want to be with you forever. I want to marry you."

He grinned at me as tears spilled over his lashes.

"I promise I will explain everything," I told him, "but first, there is one matter to which I must attend."

I stood up, pulling him up with me, but then let go of his hands and strode over to Ace, who continued to stare at me in amazement. I glared up at him for a moment with disdain, but then took hold of his hand and ripped off the ring on his middle finger.

Father's ring. I gazed at it for a moment before I slid it on to its rightful place. "You will never tell me what to do again," I told him calmly, sparing a glance for Sir Montgomery.

I could be apart from my love no longer. I returned to Wally, thoughts of Ace and Sir Montgomery vanishing from my mind.

"Wally, I must tell you everything," I declared, throwing my arms around his neck and holding him close, melting into his embrace, "You deserve to know and understand it all, from the very beginning."

He ran his hands up and down my back. "I don't care about that right now," he said lowly, "there's only one thing I care about at this moment."

He kept one hand pressed against my lower back while the other snaked up to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing against my skin lightly, wiping away the last of my tears. My hands fisted in the material of the back of his jacket as my breathing swallowed. He looked at me for a moment, tender and loving, his eyes asking silent permission. I leaned forward, and he met me halfway.

It was just the two of us – Wally and I – when our lips met, soft, gentle. He surrounded and engulfed me, swirled all around me and inside my head as I felt his mouth move against mine, felt his strong hand against my back, urging me forward so that our bodies pressed flush against one another. I gasped a little when my chest pressed against his, and he took the opportunity to capture my bottom lip between his and then sucked gently.

I swayed a little as he pulled away, my eyes fluttering open and meeting his. He wrapped both arms around my waist and I slid my hands up to cup his face as we laughed breathlessly.

"Kiss me again," he murmured, leaning in close once more.

"No," I replied, and then smiled and pressed my lips to his.

OKAY PEOPLES! My teeth hurt from all that fluff, I fear I might have cavities! I can officially say, with no strings attached whatsoever, that we're going to the chapel and we're, going to get married! It makes me sad that next chapter is going to be the last chapter of the story! You have no idea what your reviews have done for me! I am simply in love with you all!

But, my good sister, You'veGotAFriendInMe, Emma, is writing a story about Wally's diary entries, and I am writing a story from Wally's POV as well as missing scenes from the story, so make sure you tell me what scenes you want me to add.

So with everything now almost said and done, please review this chapter.

Don't feed the trolls,

LatinMagicWriter is on fire