Samantha really didn’t have time for it, but Chaucer had insisted she make a personal appearance before the Happily Ever After inspection. With a soft pop! Samantha appeared in the elegant bedchambers of Ella. Ella was looking out the window but whirled around at the sound. “I thought I’d never see you again! Thank goodness!” she cried. The little serving girl was almost unrecognizable in her crimson royal attire and heavy crown.
“I just wanted to see how being queen has suited you. Well, I see.” Samantha grinned. It had treated both the girls well. Samantha was the celebrity of the Magical Bureau, with the most extraordinary Case of the Misfortunate to her name.
“Oh,” said Ella, looking sheepish, “It’s alright, I s’pose.”
“Alright?” Samantha gawked, “You’re the Queen of England! Alright?”
“It’s just … different, Fairy Godmum.”
“Different can be good.” Samantha pointed the golden tip of her new Mother of Pearl and coral-red wand at Ella.
“Yes …” the sad queen trailed off, looking wistfully out the window again.
This didn’t bode well. She couldn’t be this unhappy when the Ever After crew came in a week. Samantha would have her wand taken away, not to mention her contracts as spokesperson for three different perfume lines. “What?” Samantha croaked. “What?”
Ella let the dam break free. “Charles is such an awful bore, an’ ‘as the worst temper. An’ I’m forced to go to diction classes ev’ryday ’cause I don’t speak ladylike, and there are so very many spoons at supper.” Ella seemed angry at the mention. “Too many bloody-damned spoons!” She checked herself, put a hand on her golden bodice, and looked forlornly at Samantha. “Please, take me away from here.”