Charming

This story was written for Trifecta’s weekly prompt, and continues the saga of the Third Little Pig.

Prince Evinrude, of House Charming, just couldn’t let it go. Once he had told the Third Little Pig about the secret dungeon in his mother’s castle, he ought to have let the matter rest. But then it occurred to him that the dungeon might very well contain objects of magical power, and he didn’t want a vigilante pig getting its hands on them (so to speak).

He was not entirely surprised to find that the dungeon door had been blown open. “I wonder how he did it?” Evinrude mused absently as he stepped through. Then he was really surprised.

The Third Little Pig stood warily before the glowing figure of a woman who seemed very much upset. She seemed to be in the middle of a speech, but then she caught sight of him. “You!” she howled. “I know you! I’ve seen you in my dreams! You’re supposed to be True Love’s Kisser, but you never arrived! I’ve been waiting a hundred years!”

Evinrude rolled his eyes. “Oh, dear. You’re what’s her name, the girl from that enchanted castle who’s fallen asleep and needs someone to wake her up. First point, I’m trying to run a kingdom since my mother’s gone missing; I don’t have time to go waking up enchanted princesses everywhere. Second point, I’m already engaged. Princess Amaryllis, from the Marian Islands. She wouldn’t like it if I started kissing random women everywhere. Oh, now don’t look so offended; it’s not personal. And…you’re turning into a snake. Honestly. You do know that went out with Aladdin?”

“I don’t think she cares,” the Third Little Pig said, as Aurora’s misty form swirled into a very solid, very large serpent. “You don’t know how to charm this thing, do you?”

“Er, no, but I know someone who does. I’ll just go and fetch him, shall I?” With that, Evinrude practically took to his royal heels, leaving the Third Little Pig alone to face the gigantic Aurora-snake.

“Princes,” the pig grumbled. “Oy.”