By Rochelle L. Sharpe
Ethel Grieves did not do dresses, yet here she was, in a dress. A ballgown, no less. It was midnight blue which paired beautifully with her elbow-length black gloves. She refused to wear pointed high heels like the other ladies, instead sticking with her regular black boots. The left one, a special gift from her father, hid several useful gadgets which often helped her out of tricky situations.
She adjusted her glasses as she scanned the crowd. If it were up to her, she would not be at this ball, but her parents thought it a good opportunity to scope out the palace—something a Grieves had yet to accomplish.
Besides, every eligible maiden was required to attend. The prince was after a bride.
Ethel was safe in that regard. He would never choose her. No one at the ball even noticed her, which was exactly what she wanted. She had a job to do after all, and being near invisible was her specialty.
She moved through the crowd, her boots adding some height to her five-foot frame. She flicked her chestnut braid over her shoulder as she took note of the guards around the room. All entrances were watched, as expected, but not all the guards were doing their job well; a few were distracted by the abundance of pretty faces in the room. She’d easily get around those.
She picked her target and slipped into an alcove to wait for an opportunity to make a move.
A boy already sat there, and she jumped. His eyes, the same deep blue as his ornate coat, went wide; apparently he was just as startled by her. The book he held flopped to the floor as he straightened. He couldn’t be older than her nineteen summers.
“You can see me?” he asked.
What a strange question to ask, she thought.
She was used to not being seen, but a boy as handsome as he was—tall, lean, and with tousled blond hair—would certainly be used to being seen. He resembled and rivaled the prince all the ladies here were drooling over.
“Yes.” She could see him, and he could see her, and that just wouldn’t do.
She started to turn away and he leapt up. “Wait!”
The hint of desperation in his tone made her pause and turn back.
He held up three fingers. “How many fingers am I holding up?”
Ethel blinked. This boy was odd. “Three.”
He gaped as he looked from his fingers and back to her. “You really can see me?”
Ethel wasn’t sure if it was a question or not.
“Are you a princess?” he asked.
Ethel’s lips quirked to the side. “Of sorts.” With her wealthy crime lord father, she was practically a princess of thieves.
He took a cautious step forward. Her eyes came level with his neck, and his Adam’s apple jumped as he gulped. She lifted her gaze to his. His eyes glistened. Was he about to cry?
“You are the first person to see me in two summers.”
“Have you been hiding in this alcove this whole time?”
“A witch cursed me, making me invisible.”
He was out of his mind. She took a step back, flicking the knife out of the tip of her boot just in case.
“Please don’t go.” He held up his hands. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
This made her pause. No one had ever been waiting for her before. “I think you have the wrong girl.”
“The witch said only the girl who can see me can save me.”
Ethel adjusted her glasses. “I don’t think I’m the girl the witch had in mind.” She definitely was not in the saving business.
“Please. All it takes is one kiss.”
She wrinkled her nose. She had never kissed a boy before, never having met one worthy enough for that privilege, and she had no desire to give her first kiss away to this stranger, handsome as he was.
“My parents will pay you handsomely.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Who are your parents?”
“The king and queen.”
So, this was the younger prince. He hadn’t made a public appearance in two summers. Perhaps he wasn’t so out of his mind after all.
“When you say handsomely…”
“Up to a quarter of the gold in the kingdom.”
“And when you say kiss, will a peck do, or…”
His cheeks reddened as he cleared his throat. “I believe it has to be a passionate kiss.”
Ethel bit her lip. Her father would likely string her up himself for not accepting such an offer. It was just a kiss, right? She felt her cheeks heat as he closed the space between them. She quickly pressed her toe down to retract the knife.
“So, will you kiss me?”
Unable to speak, she nodded.
“You must kiss me. I cannot touch you or you will become invisible too.”
Ethel jerked back. “Wait, what do you mean? Permanently invisible?”
“The effects usually wear off after a day.”
“And every time you touch me, I’ll become invisible?”
His brow furrowed as he nodded.
Well, that would be a handy thing indeed. She grabbed his wrist and placed his hand against the bare skin of her upper arm. It tingled with warmth.
“What are you doing?”
She pulled out the pill she had hidden in her glove for this very purpose, crushed it and blew the powder in his face. He collapsed to the floor.
“Sorry, Princey, no kiss for you tonight.” She chained his wrists with the thin, diamanté belt at her waist. He would be the perfect secret weapon.
Now she just had to figure out how to get him home.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I thought it was great. Would like to know more, very intriguing and just enough to make you want to know more, It’s like I have been left hanging and wanting to know what’s going to happen I liked it, would like to read more
Thank you. I’m glad you would read more. Ethel was fun to write.
I loved this! Such a great twist at the end. I didn’t see that coming. ❤️
Thank you! I’m glad you liked the twist!
Good job, Ethel. Stickin’ to your true nature. Loved the ending, Rochelle! An invincibility prince is way better than an invincibility cloak.
Haha, yes, I will take an invincibility prince over a cloak any day! Thank you for reading. I’m glad you liked the ending.
Wait, is this a kissing book?! ” Sorry, Princey, no kiss for you tonight.” No, no, ok, we’re good. Rochelle, this was an awesome twist worthy of the fairy tale genre. Thanks for a fun ride.
Thank you! I had such fun writing that twist!
This was fantastic! Had me laughing xD I’m very intrigued to see what happens when he wakes up.
I’m glad. I was hoping people would find it funny! Thank you for reading.
I loved this! The variation on a Cinderella-type story was so much fun, and you pulled off the end twist super well!
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading.
Ethel, Ethel, Ethel, your coke-bottle glasses make you so short sighted… Why not kiss the prince, get a 1/4 of the kingdom’s gold, pay a witch to curse him again, get a quarter of the remaining gold, you now have 7/16ths of the kingdom’s gold (minus the witch’s fee). Repeat once more, you’ll have 37/64ths of the kingdom’s gold (minus two witch’s fees) Repeat forever Zeno style, you’ll asymptotically possess all the gold in the kingdom!!
Great plan! If anyone can hunt down the witch it would be Ethel!
I couldn’t picture Ethel Grieves in a fairy tale, but you pulled it off and stayed true to her character. This was great!
Thank you! It was certainly fun sending Ethel to a ball.
Oh, this is terrific. Funny, great pacing, great characters, great writing, and a super-great twist. I really enjoyed it.
Oh, this is terrific. Funny, great pacing, great characters, great writing, and a super-great twist. I really enjoyed it.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you to everyone who has read my version of Ethel. I appreciate it! I’m so glad you are enjoying it.
Excellent twist!
Thank you!
Ha! That was fun. Well done!
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
OH. MY. GOODNESS. This story is like a modern-day with a really surprising twist at the end! Hehehe I was so shocked at the ending but honestly can seec that it’s totally on-point for this character. 😄 I want to know what happens next!!
I’m glad you enjoyed it and want to read more. The twist was fun to write! Thanks for reading.