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Stroke of Midnight: Chapter One

Two posts in one day?? What is going on?? ;) I finished revisions on a short story I wrote a few weeks ago for a Wattpad contest. The contest is called #reversetheroles and so for the contest, I wrote a story reversing the roles of Cinderella and Prince Charming where the prince is a princess and Cinderella is a guy named Aidan. The contest ends October 28 so I just put chapter one up on Wattpad and I wanted to share it on here. It's in the POV of Ella (check back for chapter two which is in the POV of Aidan!). It's also only a second draft and, I mean, I like it and I think it turned out well, but there still may be a few rough edges to it. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!


“Please, Ella, just listen to me,” her father sighed, hands outstretched palms up.
Ella scowled and turned away. She knew she shouldn’t be so pouty, so childish, but she couldn’t help it, her father was asking the impossible of her. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t impossible, but it was pretty dang close. How could he expect her to fall in love so quickly? Or maybe he just didn’t expect her to fall in love at all. After all, he had gone into a loveless arranged marriage with her mother all those years ago. Ella had just never thought her father would expect the same of her.
“I know this is a difficult situation, but we need this. Our kingdom is dying Ella, without this help, we’ll have nothing,” he went on. One of his hands came to rest gently on Ella’s shoulder and despite the anger still bubbling inside her, she couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sympathy for her father. He was right. This was a difficult situation. She knew her father would never do anything to hurt her, physically or emotionally. She knew he only wanted her to be happy and by asking this of her, he was giving them up, possibly for the rest of her life. After all, he had married her mother without knowing her in the slightest. He knew exactly the sort of sacrifice he was asking of her.
At the thought of her mother, Ella fingered the glass slipper on a silver chain around her neck her mom had given to her before she died. Ever since her death when Ella was little, it was just her and her dad. The king and his princess. He loved her and always said how she was a living reminder of the love he felt for her mother. All her life all he had wanted was the best for her and Ella knew how hard it was for him to ask this of her.
“I know,” she whispered, turning to face him. “I just… I’m scared. I don’t want to do this.”
He nodded and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in close. Ella gladly hugged him back, burying her face in his chest. “I understand. I was scared too. But I promise, there are many princes to choose from. The ball will be as painless as I can possibly make it. Lots of sugar, lots of glitter, and lots of dancing.”
“And at the end I have to announce my betrothed,” Ella grumbled, pulling away from him.
“Yes.”
Ella thought about it, weighing her options. She was the only child of the king and queen of Miramar, so really, she didn’t have much of an option at all. Except… an idea sprang to mind, and Ella perked up. “The ball’s not for three days, correct?”
Her father nodded slowly. “Yes.”
She grinned. “If I am to be betrothed by the end of the ball, I would like to have these three days to myself. To tour the countryside, to explore… to have some me time and at the end of it, I will return, and do as you say. I will pick a prince and wed him.”
Her father seemed to consider it, rubbing a hand over the shadow of his graying beard that matched his black curls. “Hm, three days? And you will return for the ball and pick a groom?”
Ella nodded eagerly. “Yes. I promise you I will. I just want three days of freedom, that’s all I ask for.”
She held her breath, watching him think it over. When he nodded, Ella squealed and lurched into his arms, making him laugh. “Very well, you get your three days.”
“Yes! Thank you, Daddy! I’ll pack and leave at once!” She hopped out of his arms and practically ran for the exit of the throne room.
“Be back in time for the ball though! And take a guard!” he called after her.
“I promise I will Daddy! See you in three days.” Ella burst through the door, met by the green eyes and small smile of her personal guard, Reyna. (Click on the link below to read the rest!) :D





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