Princess Linda-Louise the Ungrateful had a huge chip on her shoulder. She was the youngest of three daughters born into a family for whom happy ever after was a desired and in the case of her older sisters achieved outcome.

They had found their happy ever after and Linda-Louise wondered if she had what was required to reach that height. She was in some ways the runt of the litter. Short and as she grew older, rotund and acerbic of wit.

She found her sisters tiresome as they basked in their respective happy ever afters. Her eldest sister SB, the one-time Sleeping Beauty, had been awakened by her Prince Charming and they enjoyed a great life on the coast in a castle their father had given to the Prince for waking his daughter.

Her other sister, the once known Cinderella, now referred to as Cindy was married to the now king and lived in opulent luxury never wanting for a thing.

Linda-Louise, or LL as she was known around the kingdom awoke each morning to this realisation.

It was Tuesday morning, and LL disliked Tuesdays. There was something about the air around her on a Tuesday that set off her mind. She walked down to the village, her shopping basket on her arm, her face in a scowl as the day seemed to have a set against her.

She growled at the stall owners, she spat very unladylike and cursed the blacksmith when she discovered the ring he had been making her was not finished.

As she stormed out of his shop, she bumped into a stranger and not realising who he was let fly with a string of expletives that set the poor man back a step or two.

Knowing she had uttered such obscenity, she hurried away ashamed of having delivered the tirade on a visitor.

In the next street, she was pulled up by the same man. He stood before her and LL kept her head down, refusing to look him in the eye. He introduced himself as Prince Manfred Smotherfdd, from the Kingdom of the Happy Valley. LL had heard of this Prince as her father had dealings with his kingdom and with the Prince.

She coyly looked up and saw into his eyes something she’d never experienced before.

She was both speechless and breathless. The Prince said he was in the village for a few days and would she have lunch with him. LL recalled mumbling something she hoped was a yes and stumbled off with the Prince.

Over lunch she found her tongue much to the relief of the Prince who remarked most women in his presence were tongue-tied.

The afternoon flew by and before LL knew it the evening had arrived.

The Prince said he had dealings with LL’s father and would she be at dinner that night as her father had promised to lay on a welcoming meal for him.

That night after dinner LL had a small glimpse of what happy ever after might be. The Prince took her aside and asked if he could call again that he was feeling very fond of her. He kissed on the cheek as he left and LL felt a little weak in the knees.

The Prince said he would be back within the month and LL said she could hardly wait.

Written for: https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2018/06/14/tale-weaver-fairy-tale-175-june-14th-happy-ever-after/