The Marriage Promise
by bugger424 (© bugger424, 2002)

Chapter Six :: A Homecoming and a Prophecy

After hours of riding, the carriage finally came to a stop. “Here we are, my dear,” Bowen said in a sinister way. “Our home.”

Ella just looked at him blankly. “You mean, this “secret estate” is barely a day’s journey from the palace? That’s not that secret, with or without fairy magic.”

Sir Bowen just kept smiling. “It did seem like a scant few hours, did it not? In reality, we were traveling for five days. The fairy magic extends to the length of the journey. To confuse the random traveler, you understand. Now get out.”

Ella obeyed, wanting to just hit him and run. But that wouldn’t do. She wouldn’t get very far before he’d catch up. She’d have to wait for the most opportune time to make her escape.

The carriage had stopped in front of a seemingly empty field. Ella asked, “So, if no one else can get in here, how do you manage?”

Bowen didn’t answer, to involved with his task. He was walking around with his head bowed, seemingly searching for something in the grass. Finally he stopped. “Ah hah! Here it is!” he exclaimed triumphantly. “It” was a tiny silver ring lying haphazardly in the grass. He looked up. “I haven’t been here in a while. I forgot the exact location.” Bowen pulled the little ring.

A black door appeared in the middle of the field. Bowen looked at Ella, who watched with mild interest. “Enter.”

She did so. In the empty field, there was no a castle, looming dangerously over the figures. It was black, with endless towers and turrets, black flags waving ominously in the wind.

Bowen looked evilly joyous. “Welcome home, Ella.”



Char searched the last room at Sir Bowen’s manor in Torlia personally. It was empty of life. Bowen had not taken Ella here. Why would he? It was the most painfully obvious choice. They must be someplace far away, someplace hard to find. It didn’t matter. He’d continue his search.

Char gathered all the knights outside. He was about to tell them to get ready to leave right away to search elsewhere, when he heard a small voice.

“,fwthchor evtoogh brzzay eerth ymmadboech evtoogh brazzaY!”

Char turned around, and a smile briefly lit his face. “!zulpH” he exclaimed. Then he saw the other figure. “And zhatapH! What brings you here?”

zhatapH bowed her head. “We heard Ella’s kidnapping. We wished to help.”

Char nodded. “Thank you. But, how could you help?” Then he remembered that the gnome could see the future. “Did you see something? Do you know where Ella is?”

“Yes and no,” the gnome replied in Kyrrian. “I did see something, but sadly, not where Ella is. I saw you. You on your quest. You will not find Ella until you have searched everywhere; Gnome Caverns, Fairyland, the elves’ forest, the giants’ farms, Ayorthia- each of these places holds a piece of the key to Ella. Once you have done so, you will be able to find her. I’m sorry I don’t know more.”

With that, zulpH and zhatapH left, leaving Char to mull over her strange prophecy.

Chapter Seven :: Visits from old friends

Ella looked around her room-or, more accurately, her prison. Located on the fifth floor of the castle, it was extremely dark. There was only one window to let light through, looking out into the field. A canopy bed was situated adjacent to the window, covered in black fabric. There was a desk in one corner of the room, a chamber pot in the other. There were heavy bolts on the door-the outside of the door.

Before Sir Bowen had left, he had issued one command- don’t leave.

Even though Ella had been freed from her curse, escape seemed improbable. The window was too far up to jump, unless she was in a suicidal mood. The door wouldn’t budge, no matter how much strength she invested into pushing it. If only she could get Mandy. Mandy was a fairy. Opening a door, surely, wouldn’t hurt anyone…

Wait! That’s it! Why didn’t she think of it before? Too distracted from the kidnapping and all. Ella called softly, to avoid being heard, “Lucinda, come to my aid!”

She then waited expectantly for the air shimmer that would precede Lucinda’s arrival. But it never came. Instead, a very far away, soft voice, said, “Ella? Is that you?”

Ella looked around. “Lucinda? Lucinda, where are you? I need you to send a message to Mandy!”

“Child, I can’t come to you. Something is keeping me away. Where are you?”

“I was kidnapped by Sir Bowen. It’s a long story. Anyway, he took me to this secret invisible castle protected by fairy magic…”

“Oh, dear. Only dark fairy magic would make such a spell. That must be what’s keeping me out. Do you know where it is?”

Only that it’s about a five-day journey from the palace. Just, get Mandy and Char. They’ll help you. Bowen still thinks I have the curse, so I may be able to escape yet. But- please, just let them know I’m all right.”

Of course, my dear. I must go now. Good luck!” Lucinda’s voice faded away.

So. That enhanced her chances slightly. Still, Ella had to rely on her wits if she had any hope of escaping this.



Char reined in his horse at the entrance to the inn. He’d been here before. When he stepped inside, the dark haired girl’s face lit up when she realized whom the caller was.

“Char!”

“Areida.”

She looked at him questioningly. “What is the matter?”

Char told her the whole story, from Sir Peter’s visit to the palace, to Ella’s kidnapping, to the gnome’s prophecy.

Areida listened to the tale silently, her worry evident in her face. When Char finished, she sat there for a moment before saying, “So, you believe I hold a clue to finding Ella?”

“I only know I will find a clue everywhere I go. You are the only Ayorthian who knew her. Do you think you would know anything, anything at all that would lead to her?”

A faraway look entered Areida’s eyes for a moment. “I can’t believe this happened to Ella. Ella was so strong at finishing school. Nothing could touch her. Not bullies, not mean mistresses. She gave as much grief as she got, and more. No one could defeat her.” The faraway look left her eyes. “And I don’t believe Sir Bowen will either. If anyone can prevail, it’s Ella. But I’m sorry, I don’t have another clue for you.”

Char sighed and stood up. Areida did the same. “Thank you anyway, Areida. I hope I can visit you again soon, under better circumstances and with Ella.” He mounted his horse and left. Areida watched as he rode into the distance. She thought over her conversation with the prince, reaffirming her words in her mind; “If anyone can prevail, it’s Ella.”

Chapter Eight :: Preparations and More Visits

“Ella! Ella! Wake up, my dear!”

Ella was pulled from an uneasy sleep by a voice- Sir Bowen’s voice. Uggh. How she hated that voice. She opened her eyes to see Bowen’s narrow, mirthless face leering at her.

“Ah, you are so wonderful at following orders. I love that in a woman. Now, get up. We have some preparations to take care of.”

Ella wanted nothing more than to punch him right then. However, she was supposedly still under the curse, so she had to play nice for the time being. She got up.

“Follow me.”

Grimacing at his back, Ella followed. They walked down endless flights of stairs into a cavernous ballroom. It was decorated purely in white, with large picture windows positioned between huge pillars. In various corners, people were busily handling various items, from food to clothing to musical instruments.

Sir Bowen smiled his slithery smile. “Come. It’s time to begin wedding preparations.”



“Kummeck ims powd.” Char greeted.

“Kummeck ims powd.” Slannen returned.

Char had entered the second phase of his journey, and he had yet to find his “clues.” He had to find Ella, but no one seemed to be able to help him. All he could do was follow zhatapH’s instructions and pray they would not lead him astray.

The elves had already received word of Ella’s kidnapping. They remembered her and were eager to help however they could. The chief trader, Slannen, since only he could speak Kyrrian, spoke for them all.

“Ella is truly a wonderful person. She brought us much joy during her short stay. She brought us much pleasure, sharing her fairy book with us. She was also very obviously determined to find someone at that wedding. That determination was inspirational to many of us. I hope you find her. You will find her, I’m certain. Ella, above all others could survive.”

Char sighed. “I have no doubt about that. But do you have any clue as to where she might be? Any inkling at all?”

Slannen turned to the elves that had gathered around him as he talked with Char. He spoke swiftly in Elfian. Then he turned back to Char. “I apologize, your highness, but we do not. But please, when you find her, and we are certain that you will, come back for a visit. Perhaps we may be able to have a lighter conversation.”

Char nodded. “Thank you, anyway. It’s nice to know others, too, have faith in Ella.” He mounted his horse and rode off. Two places down, and not a single clue to Ella. Where would he go next? Perhaps the giants’ farms? Yes, that was the closest area to his current position. Char gently nudged his horse and they were off.

Then Char was hit in the head from behind. Char had only time to look up, see an ogre, and marvel at the irony that this was exactly what happened to his wife before he lost consciousness.

Chapter Nine :: Ogre Interlude

Char woke up with a bad headache and a fuzzy mind. What had happened to him? Oh, that’s right; ogres had come right after he left the elves’ forest. It was almost funny, that he shared the same fate as Ella almost two years later. But he didn’t feel much like laughing.

“Oh, good the food is awake,” a gruff voice laughed. Char saw a group of ogres off to his left, staring at him intently. He took a deep, shaky breath. He would need strength for this.

One ogre came over and spoke to him kindly, in Kyrrian. “Hello there, your excellency. My name is miSnaH. My friends and I wished to speak to you. We were, after all, the ones who kept you safe from those fierce elves last night.”

Char could feel the kind and deadly words working their magic over him. No! He couldn’t let them win! He had to fight!

He could still hear miSnaH talking. “Do not worry. We will not harm you. We just wished to meet the legendary Prince Charmont in person, perhaps talk, over breakfast maybe…”

The other ogres laughed at the joke. Char felt himself giving into the magic. Ogres were nice; they wouldn’t harm him. Why, they could bring Ella back to him! All they had to do was talk…

No, he wouldn’t give in! He had to stay strong, for Ella! Ella. Ella could charm these ogres easily. She would have them following her around like puppy dogs by now. But he couldn’t speak Orgese well. He had never been able to before. But now his life depended on it. He pictured Ella working her charms, keeping the image in his head. He drew another breath, drawing strength from his mental picture.

“You don’t want to eat me.”

The ogre looked down at him in surprise. “Why your highness, of course I don’t. Whatever would give you that idea?”

Char kept drawing strength from Ella. “You aren’t hungry. You have no room left in your stomach for me. You have just feasted on a traveling caravan of humans. If you go to sleep, you will become hungry again. I can go out and find an even more wonderful feast for you.”

It was working! They were falling asleep! Char started humming a fairy lullaby to ease them into slumber. Soon, the last ogre had closed its eyes.

He had done it! He had saved himself! And it was all because of Ella. Even when she wasn’t near him, Ella gave him strength. He had to find her.

Silently, Char once again mounted his horse which was, miraculously, still alive. They were off to Uaxee’s farm.

Chapter Ten :: A Plan Forms

“I hate this, I hate this, I hate this!”

The phrase was running through Ella’s mind all through the “wedding preparations.” To bad there would not be a wedding. She had obeyed all orders so far, in case a chance to escape presented itself. So far, though, nothing. If the time for this wedding actually came, Ella would sacrifice her secret if it meant she did not have to marry this- for lack of a better word- man. If Ella were to get out of this, she would have to think of something, and fast.

Right now, though, thought was hard. She was standing on a stool, arms out, being fitted for her “wedding gown.” The gown in question was a hideously capacious gown with more lace flounces than one could count. The effect was one similar to a wedding cake, only instead of tiny figurines at the top, there was Ella’s head. It was the most revolting thing Ella had ever seen. While she had to try it on, people came up to her and asked her for her color preference for napkins, whether she wanted chilled quail eggs or if she preferred a different kind of appetizer.

In the middle of this all stood Sir Bowen, looking his part, the evil groom about to force a poor girl into a horrible marriage.

Too bad he wouldn’t get Ella.

She looked out the huge picture window to the open field beyond. If only she could get out there. Preferably with a horse. She could out run them all and be safe. If only… If only…

A plan was beginning to form.

“Sir Bowen?” Ella queried.

“Yes, my dear?”

Ella groaned inwardly at the pet name. “Where will this wedding be taking place?”

“So you’ve finally grown fond of me, have you?”

“Oh, no, of course not. I still detest you. Let’s just say, I’ve bowed to the inevitable.”

“Of course. The wedding will be wherever you want it to be, dear.”

“Well, I was just thinking. I’ve always wanted to get married outside, near nature. I have always loved nature. Would it be possible if we could do that?”

“If I didn’t know any better, I would think you were planning an escape, Ella dearest.”

“Do you think I would?”

“Of course you would. You seem to be a conniving little wench. However, I shall grant your request. But you are not to run away.”

Ella bowed her head and tried to look defeated. However, she was smiling inside. Escape had finally shown itself.



“Oh my! It’s the prince! The prince is paying us a visit!” Uaxee looked positively atwitter with excitement. She bowed so low her head nearly touched the ground.

Char was not particularly in the mood for this. He had nothing against giants, but occasionally, they just got too-too cheerful. It was extremely trying.

For the umpteenth time, Char told Ella’s tale. The sad words, combined with the woebegone expression on Char’s face, soon had the giant in tears.

“That poor girl! I remember her! She was coming to surprise her father! Oh, she was extremely nice! And polite! Today’s youth are not as nice to giants! But not that Ella! She knew how to respect others! Oh, I hope she found her father here…”

Char couldn’t take too many more exclamation points. So he cut Uaxee off. “Thank you. Ella is indeed very kind. Now, I know you did not talk to her for very long. But- do you have any idea where she could be? I was instructed to go here- as well as other places- for answers.”

Uaxee shook her head vehemently. “Oh, no, I’m sorry, your highness. I have no idea. But, surely such a nice girl will come back to you! I am sure of it! Don’t worry, sir. Everything will turn out all right!”

Char smiled wanly and thanked her. Another place, another failure. At this rate, Ella would be lost to him forever.