KIERANErik was pacing around on the high table as he moved up and down checking the entrance. I narrowed my eyes at him and signaled for him to come to me."Why are you so restless?" I asked him.His eyes enlarged in shock as if I asked the dumbest question. "How can you ask me that?""What?" I shrugged utterly confused at what he was trying to implyHe slapped a hand to his face and turned to stare me straight in the eyes. "I am waiting for your special maiden to arrive! I have to be on alert! Other lords might get her before we do!"I released a laugh, causing other lords at the table to stare our way."What makes you think that? I have the right to make the first choice before any of these blokes!" I whispered and Erik smirked "I still have to be on alert!" He said and walked back to his position.I laughed and settled back in my seat.A lot of maidens had dropped in and I have even danced with a few but none was the maiden from the market.They were all beautiful but none affect

ELLAI felt butterflies deep down my stomach as it flipped with excitement at his words."I have found you, Ella," he whispered again.Kieran offered me his hand and he led me to the bed. I was tensed up but I didn't let it show. I calmed myself by focusing my attention on the bridge of his nose but my traitorous sight moved down to his lips and that was when I lost my resolve.How could one man be this handsome? - and to think he wanted me."I have searched everywhere for that one woman who would make my heart beat at the mere sight of her... " He held my hand and I felt the sizzling sensation again.I couldn't believe what he was saying. He wanted me, -an orphan. An ordinary girl from the village.My heart thumped so loud I was afraid he would hear it and think I had a medical condition. Tonight I wanted to pretend I was this important lady that could marry a prince.I locked eyes with him. I got pulled into his orbs and slowly we moved closer and closer. The distance between us wa

ELLA:As I returned to my room, I could still feel my stepmother's eyes burn my back but I kept my focus straight, I refused to let it falter. I would die first before I admitted to being the maiden at the ball.I got to my room and closed the door, taking a deep breath to calm my raising heart.Kieran gave me a memory I would never trade. I would never have him because I was only a slave while he was a prince, but the time we spent together was forever engraved in my heart. I would forever dance to the beat of his heart as he kissed me. I held my lips and unconsciously moved to a song I hummed to myself. Kudo and Ricky watched me move around the room and they stared at one another in confusion.They probably didn't remember but I did. Within this room, I was the maiden at the ball and no one could change that. I fell to the bed in excitement allowing sleep to finally take over my aching legs.In my dreams that night, I took myself back to the ball. I allowed myself to relive every mo

KIERAN"You look handsome! but can we get to the good part already?" Erik whined as I stood staring at my reflection in the mirror. The palace was clattering with activities as everyone hurried about to put in the final touches on the decoration. The food from the kitchen reached up to my room and I knew the kitchen staff had outdone themselves.I was finally getting married after several ordeals. And I wasn't just marrying to provide heirs for my kingdom, but I was marrying for love.I was getting married to Cinderella Cameron —my Ella."And what do you consider the good part?" I asked with a grin.He moved his hands to his groin and I laughed at his attitude. Erik would never change."The part where I get to sleep with one of the women at the party. There are always horny women in parties."We walked out of my room, and I continued chuckling at the things Erik said about parties and horny women. We moved to the throne room where the marriage was taking place and my breath was knock

HANSEL Gretel was dead right. Something didn’t smell right and it gave me a cheap lowly feeling. I sniffed the shirt I wore just to be sure. I flinched at the scent with a grimace. Mother would kill me if I walked in like this. Since we got here, we have had constant complaints from worried fathers and jealous husbands about how their daughters would stay all day with their friends talking about nothing more than how good looking Hansel was or how their wives would spy through their kitchen window whenever Hansel was cutting their grass or taking out their trash. Mother deserved a little peace of mind now.I rushed into my room taking off the clothes I was on. It didn’t take me a minute to put on something else. I sniffed for a while then grimaced again. The scent was still there.Wtf?! Did she leave her cologne in my soul or what?I tore out of the clothes and rushed into the shower abusing the medicated soap I had. I peeled open another bar of soap and continued the assault on my s