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Kit watched as the carriage disappeared through the palace gates calling for his horse at the same time. He ignored the protests of the grand duke as he mounted and urged the horse to a gallop. He lost his mystery princess once already, he wouldn’t be so foolish as to lose her again.
***
Ella was giddy even as the magic unwound around her. She hadn’t felt such blissful happiness since she was a young girl and was delighted to know she could still feel such a way. Kit was a prince, a handsome, kind, charming prince. Though she longed to tell him the truth about who she was, they had promised each other no more surprises. He would forget about her, but she would remember this night for the rest of her life.
However her wonderful night was quickly coming undone as each spell was stripped away. The pumpkin bounced and rolled its way down the dirt road before smashing on a rock sending Ella falling to the ground. The billowing skirts of her gown turned back to the old tattered lace of her mother’s dress and her friends returned to their animal form. Ella was miles from home and would have to walk the rest of the way barefoot. She didn’t mind though, the night air was cool and fresh and the woods peaceful after the bustle of the castle. With the mice in her glass slipper and goose waddling behind Ella started the long walk home.
***
Kit laughed as he pushed his horse faster and faster. He loved the feel of the night air in his hair and the pounding of the horse’s hooves beneath him. He used to ride like this all the time as a child when the castle became too much or his father was cross with him. However, he never rode with as much purpose as he did now. He never had a reason to. Kit was so caught up in his thoughts of the mystery girl and her deep brown eyes he nearly missed the pumpkin remnants scattered across the road.
“Lizards and pumpkins and things” he muttered to himself, abruptly pulling his horse to a walk.
He had no idea what the connection between a gourd and his princess was, but he was curious to find out. Kit continued down the road keeping an eye out for any more hints of her whereabouts.
Ella heard the beat of hooves behind her and quickly ducked her head. She wasn’t ready to face a traveler concerned about a girl walking in rags alone at night. It would break her trance and she dearly wanted to live in the magic of the castle for a while longer. It appeared her luck had ended though as the traveler slowed down in his approach.
Kit wasn’t sure why he stopped for this strange girl walking through the woods at night, but something about her seemed too familiar. When he pulled his horse to block the road in front of her he barely held in a sharp laugh of disbelief, there was a lizard perched on her shoulder.
“When could you possibly have had time to change?” He asked once dismounted.
Ella laughed softly but kept her head down, embarrassed to be caught by the prince in such a state. However, she didn’t shy away when Kit stepped closer.
“I saw a broken pumpkin a while back, I suspect that was your doing?”
She raised her gaze to meet his and saw his confusion, but his eyes held no malice only genuine intrigue.
“Yes, that was my carriage,” Ella sighed, “the lizards were my footmen, and Mr. Goose the coachman.”
Kit laughed for real this time. Her words made no sense but he could sense her honestly, and he believed her to be too kind to lie.
“You will have to explain all of this later, but I need to know your name before you have the chance to run away again.”
Ella desperately wanted to disappear into herself as she had become so used to with her stepmother. However, her mother would never have wanted to see her daughter become a shy, insecure mess. With a deep breath Ella raised her chin to meet the Kit’s gaze.
“I’m Ella” she pronounced.
Kit whispered her name back with the utmost reverence. Then repeated it again and again each time his smile growing wider. Ella couldn’t help herself and smiled back. It was the most beautiful sight Kit had seen.
“Come back to the palace with me, you must meet my father,” he said stepping closer to her.
In that step Ella felt her magic bubble burst. She couldn’t go back just yet, she had her home and her life, however dismal it was. She couldn’t leave the memory of her parents so easily.
Kit noticed her hesitation and cursed his own brashness. He was arrogant to think such a girl only dreamed of being whisked away by a prince. After all she learned of his identity first and ran away anyways.
“I’m sorry, that was forward of me” he said dropping his gaze.
“No!” Ella burst out, “or rather, I’d love to join you but, I have my home. I can’t leave it just yet.”
Kit smiled softly allowing himself to maintain his last shred of hope.
“Of course. You must at least allow you to deliver you safely home. It would be ungentlemanly to leave you in the woods at night. And I must learn how you rode away in a pumpkin carriage.”
Ella agreed and gracefully mounted Kit’s horse before he climbed up behind her. She startled at the warmth of his chest against her back after going without any affection for so long, but soon settled into his embrace. The ride home was long and slow giving Ella plenty of time to explain her stepmother's cruelty that led her to their first meeting in the forest and her fairy godmother’s magic that night. Though Ella couldn’t see Kits face, she felt him listening intently as he guided the horse down the bumpy dirt road. He was tense as she recounted the trials of her childhood, only relaxing when she began to talk of their meeting. Ella could hardly believe the tale herself but Kit took it in stride. He had after all held the glass slipper in his hands and saw the remnants of magic left behind on the road.
Kit felt his heart breaking when Elle pointed him down the road to her home. He loathed to leave her even a second more with her dreadful stepfamily, but Ella quickly shushed him when he tried to voice those concerns. Perhaps she was too kind, Ella considered, but she hadn’t the energy for anger, especially after such a wonderful evening. The pair arrived at the small stables just as the rain began to fall. Kit kept Ella close after helping her down, his hands resting lightly on her waist.
“Come back to the palace tomorrow,” he pleaded gently, “You don’t have to leave your life but I need you in mine. I’ll chase you on horseback if I need to, but it would be much easier if you just stopped running away.”
Ella giggled and leaned into the already small space between them,“Very well, I suppose your mare deserves some rest after tonight.”
Kit breathed out a sigh of relief and pulled her into a crushing hug. Ella couldn’t tell if she wanted to laugh or cry she was so overcome with joy, instead she buried her face into Kit’s chest and held him tightly. They finally pulled apart when they noticed the pounding of rain growing louder. They would both be soaked through as soon as they left the stable, but neither really cared. Kit brushed a loose curl behind Ella’s ear desperately hoping she could feel how much he adored her.
“Tomorrow” she said hold his gaze steady.
He stepped back with a nod as he didn’t entire trust his words right now. Ella turned towards the door ready to step into the downpour awaiting her before Kit called her name. In two determined strides he was in front of her once more. He cupped her face gently and kissed her soundly. Ella braced herself against his chest and returned the kiss enthusiastically. There was more magic in kissing Kit than she had felt the entire night. A magic heightened with the knowledge that it wouldn’t disappear at midnight but might last the rest of their lives.
“Tomorrow” Kit whispered squeezing her hands tightly before they parted for the last time.