Prince Charming's Diary part 9

Prince Charming's Diary

Prince John

Day 20

I did not have time to go see Ella yesterday, but I did write her a note and send her an invitation to the ball. But, I could not send them. The post would not get them to her until after the ball, so I simply carried them around in my pocket and wished I could see her. I shudder to imagine what Joseph would say on the subject. He has no right to make fun of me, though. He got married himself, so he likes a girl. Next time he opens his big mouth, I will throw that back at him.

I am pleased that all the pirate decorations are gone. Father is too. He confided that he has never been so happy to see something taken down. I know he has been having a lot of real problems with the pirates. I made a vow, that once this final ball is over, I will help him more. I do not think I shall be afraid to fight pirates. It will most likely be a lot easier then battling my tutors. I look forward to the end of these horrible balls. But I am certain nothing else terrible can happen between then and now.

I have just made an interesting discovery, I was wrong about nothing terrible happening. Guess what! I am allergic to peacocks! Even as I write, my eyes are watering and my nose feels ticklish. I will sneeze in a second. Elaine's father lent us five peacocks. Usually, I like him, but at the moment, I want to throttle him. Eleanor's father, gave us huge bouquets of real peacock feathers. They are old, dry, dusty and even worse then the alive peacocks. I wish I could ram them down his throat. Jaden's son toddled after the peacocks and pulled out their tail feathers. The fat birds immediately turned around and began pecking the boy. He screamed. Jerome meanwhile fell over, because he was laughing so hard. Our cousin Kane, kicked him.

“The poor infant is suffering!” he said.

“That will most certainly teach him not to grab what is not his.” Jerome shrieked and doubled over again. I shudder to imagine what the small child's grandfather would say. I have a feeling he will be more upset about his birds then about his grandson getting violently pecked. To make matters worse, neither Kane nor Jerome attempted to rescue the brat. So I waded through the peacocks and grabbed the child. It was about then that I discovered that I was allergic to peacocks. The most annoying part about it was that I would be wearing a peacock feather cloak and their were a lot of peacock feathers on my hat.

The ballroom was draped in Peacock blue and dark greens. There were stuffed peacocks and feathers everywhere. I was constantly sneezing. My eyes were growing red and my face felt swollen. But the only person who had the kindness to ask if I was sick was Lady Cinderella. Ella Marie would have asked if she had been there, I know. I told Cinderella that I was allergic to peacocks.

“Should I take these out?” she asked as she tugged at the silly feathers in her hair.

“No!” I said with a week grin, “I am covered in them.” But she did end up taking them out, and I took off my hat and cloak. Then we played chess in the back garden, where there were no peacocks. I spent the whole time trying to figure out who to tell her that I did not want to marry her. I was afraid she would believe I led her to believe that I would marry her. Life is so awkward. Some people could say it is all peacocks and balls. But if that is so, then I say, it is all sneezes and sore feet.

Day 21

Exactly the same as on the other two nights, the clock struck midnight and Lady Cinderella took off. This time she had to go through the ballroom to escape. I followed her in and bumped into mother.

“You are not letting her get away again!” she yelped. I sneezed. Mother was very peacocky, “If you chose that princess, then at least find out where she lives!” she gave me a push. I ran after Cinderella feeling stupid. I had forgotten to tell mother that she was not a princess. When I got out of the palace, Cinderella was running down the steps.

“Wait!” I called. She tripped, one of her slippers fell off. She hesitated, then a green scaly footman picked her up and stuffed her in what looked like a giant golden pumpkin. “What?” I gulped. A feathery man with a beak slapped the rumps of four mouse tailed big eared horses, with his reins. I simply stared. Were my allergies giving me hallucinations? Then Kane, Joseph and Master Won came plowing out of the palace.

“Do not let her get away!” Master Won instructed me, as the pumpkin carriage rattled off. Obediently I started down the steps. “No! It is a ruse to get you out of the palace!” Master Won shouted. I wished he would make up his mind. Kane ran down the steps and picked up the shoe.

“She left you a glass shoe!” he chortled, “How uncomfortable this thing must be. No wonder you two did not dance today! HAHA!” he brought the shoe to me. I took it and shuddered, imagining dancing in those ankle breakers.

Master Won led the pursuit. I thought it was foolish, but he insisted on taking ten armed men and riding after the silly carriage and its mistress. But I would not have minded being introduced to the strange footmen and driver of the pumpkin carriage. But meanwhile, I had to go back inside and sneeze for the rest of the night. You would think that they would at least have let me join the pursuit. I feel offended.

Day 22

Master Won and the armed men finally came back to the palace today. I have a strong suspicion that they had spent all day yesterday drinking in a tavern. Some of them seemed just a little tipsy. Their story was that they fallowed the carriage, when suddenly it bounced up into the air, shattered and vanished.

“Excellent!” I said, “Now if you will excuse me, I am going to see a very dear friend of mine!”

“And get lost in the woods again?” Mother snapped, “I will not have it!” Mother wanted me to get married, yet she would not let me go and visit the girl I loved! I spent the rest of the day going over pirate files with father. He was engaging an attack against them. I wished I had volunteered to help him sooner. He seemed genuinely happy that I was willing to assist him now. Somehow I doubted that any of my brothers had ever volunteered before.

To Be Continued

 John's Peacock theme costume.

Elise's peacock theme costume.

I know it's bad that I don't have Cinderella's drawing, but I didn't feel like finishing the drawings. Hopefully I'll have them done by the time I put out the next part.

~E