Ella

She and Gus pulled up to an old stone house on the northern corner of town. She knew Gus had put his job on the line for her, but he was more like a father than her own had been. He was always away on business or talking to her about how to run the kingdom. He never had snowball fights with her or sat and chatted while she knitted. Gus taught her all she knew about sewing and she was grateful for his friendship.

She had been to the two other guitar players' homes, and neither of them were the man she was looking for. This was her last hope. As the carriage stopped her heart pounded in her chest. If it wasn't him she would have to return to the castle and be the one person she didn't want to be.

"Are you okay, Princess?"

"Can you call me Ella?"

"Is that what you want?"

"I hate when people call me that. A Princess is what I am, not who," she said.

Gus smiled. "Ella is a beautiful name. You should have stopped me years ago."

"I know, but I didn't have the courage until now."

Gus stepped out of the carriage and kept the door open for her. Two gangly looking men retreated from the house. Her heart sank, neither man was the one she had been looking for. In her hand she held tight to the pick and rubbed the engraved name again.

"Good evening, Princess."

"Hello. I'm hoping you gentlemen will be able to help me."

"Yes. Of course." When the second man smiled she noted his crooked teeth, and one gold one that shone.

"I am looking for a man who played at the ball last night. He was about your height, dark black hair, some facial hair. He played a blue guitar."

"There is no one here like that." An older man stumbled from the house. He reeked of alcohol and had a grotesque man stench like he hadn't showered in weeks.

"Are you sure sir?"

He sniffled as he grew closer and wiped at his large round nose. Gus grabbed Ella's hand and held it tight.

"Positive, but if you are searching for some eligible bachelors, my sons are fine men."

"I-" Her lip curled with disgust. "I am not. I have three men anxiously awaiting my decision at the palace. I only wanted to-" She was about to tell him that she wanted to return the man's guitar pick, but then second guessed herself.

She squeezed the pick, her hand sweating from the pressure.

"Thank you for your time, gentlemen. Have a good evening."

As the carriage pulled away from the house she felt a twinge of sadness deep within her heart. Where was he? Had she dreamed him up? Gus placed his hand over hers, he smiled at her, but she had nothing to smile about. She had to go back to the castle and marry a man she didn't love. Wasn't that the whole point of marriage? Finding someone you love and want to spend your life with.

As they passed a small home she saw a woman with a black guitar case that reminded her of the man.

"Wait! Stop!" Ella yelled to the driver.

The horses neighed and the carriage came to a forceful stop. Her head bounced back into the cushioned seat. She ignored Gus trying to talk to her. She hopped out and chased down the woman. Her silver strands of hair swayed back as she walked away.

"Excuse me, ma'am."

The woman turned and narrowed her eyes at Ella. She stopped inches from her and observed the case in her hand. Ella had somewhat of a photographic memory and her eyes landed on a scratch she had noticed on the case last night.

"Where is the boy that case belongs to?"

"It's my good friend Olivia's guitar."

"But there was a man playing it last night, I swear-"

"Oh, that was my godson."

"Yes! Did he play at the castle last night?"

"He did."

Ella couldn't contain her smile. This was it, she had found him. He had to be here somewhere.

"Where is he?" She looked around frantically like he'd just appear out of nowhere.

"He lives in the stone house at the end of the path."

Ella gasped. "There were only three men at that house. They told me -"

Pounding footsteps on the dirt path caught their attention. The two of them turned and saw the man as he stumbled up the pathway. His clothing was torn to shreds, and his face bled. Ella raced in his direction and caught him in her arms.

"What are you doing here, Ella?"

"I was driving past and saw your guitar - and - what - what happened?" Ella asked as she looked over his disheveled appearance.

"I don't have much time to hang around, they will find me. I escaped. That was my stepfather and his sons. They have been torturing me for years. I saw you as you pulled away, but you didn't hear me call for you. They tried to stop me, but I had the upper hand. Although they won't be down for long."

"My father won't be happy, but I don't want to take over the kingdom. I want freedom, I crave adventure. Will you take that adventure with me?"

In one hand she still held onto that pick. She slowly opened it and showed it to him.

"You had it this whole time? I thought I'd lost it."

He reached for it and when he did she wrapped her hand around his, as best she could.

"So about this adventure-" His eyes met hers and she smiled at him. Her eyes lit like a thousand twinkling stars in the night sky.

"I'm not asking for marriage, I'm not asking for love, I'm asking as a friend, if you want to escape this life and start over. If it is love I want to experience what it's like to fall into it and not be forced into it. What do you say?"

He glanced over his shoulder and then back at her. His Godmother held up his guitar and nodded her head. His attention landed back on Ella. She swallowed hard, worried about his answer.

"Where to, Ella?" he questioned.

Her cheeks hurt from how big her smile was.

"Should we let the road take us?"

He nodded. "But we should hurry. All I did was knock them out, they will come looking for me."

He held onto her hand as they started for the carriage.

"Wait. I never got your name."

"Cole," he smiled.

"Cole. It's lovely to meet you. Oh, don't forget your guitar." She nodded towards his godmother who held it out towards him.

He let go of her hand, grabbed the case, hugged his godmother, then took her hand again.

"Let's go see the world," he said.

In that moment she forgot she was a princess, because he looked at her like she was a real person and not just a prize to put on a pedestal. Together they explored the world. For a while Gus stayed with them until they passed by his hometown hidden in a beautiful mountainside community.

They didn't fall in love right away, Cole waited until the moment was right before he kissed her again. They didn't plan to marry or rule a Kingdom, they decided to live life together, live in the moment, and enjoy what was in front of them. For the first time in both their lives, they were happy. This truly was the happily ever after she always wished for.