Work Text:
Of course, if this were to be a Night that Ella would never forget, they needed to be far enough from any watching eyes in the next few minutes. Close enough to the Tower that marked the Old Gates to the City to hear the deep chimes of the Bell, the very Bell that Fairy Godmother had warned would mark the End of the Dream on the last echo of its last chime of Midnight.
“Such bad timing.” She couldn’t help but gasp when a look back and the sound of many horses (plus riders) confirmed that the Palace Guards were giving chase.
Quite the understatement Ella would later realise. If they saw the Magic wear off, everything return to how it had once been, then the possibility of not seeing Kit again would fast become the least of her worries. What they’d presume. What they might do to her in the name of ‘Protecting the Royal Family’.
The sound of Mr Lizard’s joyous cheering from just behind where she sat - the carriage still golden for now - brought her out of her fearful thoughts, and she risked a look outside to see what was happening.
The lack of pursuers a relief. The Mice, Mr and Sir Lizard, and Mister Goose resuming their original forms wasn’t.
----------------
Mister Goose had been more than relieved that they’d managed to stay on the roads the entire time, but he knew his admittedly non-existent experience with Carriage-Driving had almost been the end of them just a minute before. The cheering and constant motion from the back of the carriage that rocked it as well as the uneven ground though were still a concern for him.
“Oh Dear.” The massive webbed feet briefly lost their purchase on the footrest before he steadied himself, the sight of the massive round ears on the ‘horses’ not helping his disposition any.
Mister Goose knew that this was it. The Magic had lasted as long as the White Lady said it would, and he would be a simple bird in a matter of moments.
Too soon, it was still too soon for him. They weren’t far enough away from the buildings and people so instead of slowing the horses, he flicked the reins in a way to keep their current speed up. Get as much distance between them and the Palace as he could, as close to their Home as they were able.
“Ella…” That pained whimper would be his last word spoken before his beak returned, honks and clicks the only sound he could make again. No way to reassure Ella that he was still fine. If only for now.
----------------
Mister Lizard had been the first to see that they weren’t alone anymore. A hollered Command from behind informing him of the Palace Guards not only giving chase, but fast gaining on them. Their horses not weighed down by a heavy golden carriage with four passengers.
His panicked gulps and yelps weren’t solely from knowing they were being chased, the oddly comfortable feeling of something returning to him the other, major reason for the beginning of his distress. A moment later and he could feel a lost appendage again. His Tail.
“I know what to do!” The timing could not have been both better and worse for them.
Worse for the ones behind who could see it. Better for the switch to the Gate they were about to pass. One good swing, and he secured his tail to it, letting their forward motion pull on it, move the lever, and bring down the gate the instant after they passed under it. He couldn’t help but cheer and dance about on the spot.
He couldn’t suppress his cheerfulness even as he felt the scales return, in fact it was only after he hat slid off his smaller head (that Ella witnessed) that he remembered that they were still in a serious situation with the Magic fading fast, even as they continued to race back to her house. Continuing to clamber over the wheel even as his tail reattached to his spine and the coattails split open again. Pieces of his uniform flying off when he got close to the carriage doors, a last look ahead enough to see his hat and wig pulled away as his shrinking form forced him to constantly adjust his hold.
‘I liked that hat.’ His thoughts as he finally managed to throw himself into the relative safety of the carriage, a simple lizard once more.
----------------
Sir Lizard had maintained a stiff stoic expression throughout the night. He hadn’t asked to be made human, even if Ella needed the help and they were the only ones at hand to provide it. The crazy race back to his peaceful residence confirming how much he didn’t like any of it.
He wouldn’t voice his reservations however. He didn’t when they left the grasses and stopped at the Palace, and he wouldn’t now. Despite his misgivings, and how much he just wanted to go back to his quiet life, he knew this young kind Lady had every right to assistance, thus he did as he was required without complaint or remark.
With the other humans blocked by the metal bars, they could at least go back to normal with some manner of privacy, and when he turned to face the more talkative one, he had to make a small smile at his antics. Trying to clamber into the inside of a moving carriage as he was? No, he was making quite the ordeal for himself, even if it would be at least a little safer in there than out here.
Sir Lizard waited until his familiar snout was in his sight before he made his move. With one leap that rid him of all that could get caught or cost him his grip, and was almost ready to enter the carriage, waiting just a little longer to be sure he could do it safely, at the cost of losing a souvenir of the night.
----------------
The Grand Duke had not let up his pursuit, this Mystery Princess having a lot to answer for. Though the faint hope of her falling to her Death and resolving his problems for him had not come to pass, her actions thus far were demonstrating that she most certainly had something to hide from The Prince. More than Reason enough for their halting her.
“Get this thing open!” That Gate dropping, letting them leave and trapping them on the opposing side had not been a scenario he factored in.
But what had truly caught his attention, was how it had happened. Tailcoats, even exaggerated ones like that simply couldn’t be manipulated in such a manner. Nor could they wrap around themselves to form something like…a tail…?
Something was seriously amiss with this ‘Mystery Princess’, and as the Gate was slowly raised, he was more determined than ever to get to the bottom of this matter as he guided his horse under the spikes and resumed the chase. Hoping they hadn’t lost too much time with that delay.