Disclaimer: The rights of Ella Enchanted, and related characters, belong to Gail Carson Levine. Also, the direct quotes used, mainly the dialogue, belong to her, as well. This applies to every chapter.


Char couldn't help but think about how odd this all was. There Ella was, complacently spending the night with the ogres. Ella was always one to rebel. And she just put them all to sleep? What was she waiting for? A better opportunity to escape didn't seem fairly likely.

Char shook the thought out of his head, and proceeded to prepare his men to join the scene ahead of them, in order to rescue Ella. Ella was clearly conscious, as she was able to help him and his knights tie up the Ogres. She didn't even seem too shocked, as she quickly started joking about her time in finishing school.

Char pushed his thoughts away about how Ella was acting strange, just happy to spend time with her once again. He missed her dearly, but was glad to see that, at the very least, Manners Mistress did not take away her sense of humor. Soon, he was laughing and smiling, as he always seemed to do with Ella.

After Char headed back with his men, and the group of not-so-friendly Ogres, he began to think about Ella's actions from the night before once again. She was an enigma. She seemed so independent and defiant, yet she did comply with the Ogres. Maybe she was still under their spell, while she was putting them to sleep. Or what if this has to do with the Ogres' eyes again? That did affect Ella beforeā€¦ Char sighed as he trekked forward, leaving his thoughts for another time as Sir Aubrey struck up a conversation.

The next time he saw Ella of Frell was at her father's wedding. He was adamant about going, wanting to see her again. As they roamed the halls, "looking" for a secret passageway, Char couldn't help but feel childish. But not in a sense that he was embarrassed; rather he was joyed to feel so young again. They were having a marvelous time when Ella brought up talk of fairies.

"A fairy gave my father and my new mother an unusual gift," she said, describing the magic-induced love. "What do you think of such a present?"

Though Char noticed that Ella seemed tense, talking of the fairy's gift, he continued the conversation. She was the one to bring it up, after all. "I shouldn't like to be under a spell to love someone." But, Prince Char couldn't help but feel that maybe love was a spell itself. It did seem to dictate his actions in a strange way, and often left Char breathless.

As they watched the fairy, Lucinda, through the window, Ella seemed afraid when she faced them, though relaxed once she vanished. Char gasped as he watched. Lucinda was definitely something he would wish to learn more about. She seemed very open and about for a fairy.

During his time in Ayortha, Char decided to learn more about fairies such as Lucinda. Besides, it wasn't as if anybody else wanted his attention, it seemed. They seemed overwhelmed when he spoke more then one sentence at a time. The only other thing he really enjoyed spending his time on, besides this task, was his correspondence with Ella. It seemed that everything that brought his joy was somehow linked with her.

With access to the Ayorthian royal library, it didn't take long to find out information about fairies. But what struck as strange to Char is that most fairies would not cast spells like that. Minus a select few, most refused to practice this "big magic." It was believed that it had too many negative consequences that were unforeseeable. All Char was able to find out about Lucinda was that she used big magic, typically at important events like weddings and births.

Char constantly wondered why Ella was so set off by Lucinda. Especially since she never seemed close to her father at all. In fact, Char recalls that he called her Eleanor the day of her mother's funeral, only to have Ella correct him. It seemed strange that after fifteen years, her father would still refuse to use her nickname. And it wasn't hard to tell that she had some disgust towards Dame Olga. Maybe she fears that Lucinda's gift will lead to her father staying home more? It wouldn't be irrational to think that it would have some sort of indirect affect on Ella.

For Char, it all came together in a dream one night. He often dreamt of his Ella, usually focusing on one memory they shared. They were his happiest moments, as he got to fool around despite his status. It was rare for that to happen, and he didn't take one moment for granted.

That night, however, it seemed as though his dream was a combination of his memories with her. Ella with zhulpH, with the Ogres in the forest, with himself at her father's wedding... The list goes on. But what seemed strange is Lucinda began to appear in all of the memories, as if she was secretly in each one. When Ella was being controlled by the Ogres in the forest, it seemed as though Lucinda refused to let her go. And even the small things Ella did seemed as if she was a puppet on Lucinda's strings. When she stood in order to try on the glass slippers, it was because Lucinda was pulling her strings up. And the reverse occurred when she sat. In the dream, though Lucinda was smiling, looking proud of herself, Ella was frustrated. As if she was finally a "real-boy," but Gepetto wouldn't let her off her strings.

When Char woke up, he didn't believe that his dream was true. But it did bother him, considering that, consciously, he believed Ella to be rebellious. Especially since she said openly, to the future king no less, that "Nothing should be dictated!" Char smiled at the memory, glad she felt comfortable to voice her opinion to him.

Much time passed before Char realized the truth behind that dream. It was during a meeting with the Ayorthian king that the topic of Ogres was brought up. Char, or Echarmonte as he was called, brought up how an Ogre once bewitched a girl with just its eyes. But the Ayorthian king told him this was impossible as they did much research on the creatures. And in appearance, nothing about them was persuasive. Only their voice could be.

Char realized that this must mean that something else forced Ella to try to give up zhulpH. And with the memory of Lucinda forcing Ella to complete tasks in his dream, Char decided to figure out if Ella was ever affected. He figured that he was just being paranoid, and just wanted to justify Ella's actions without having to ask her if she lied to him. It would be too much for him if she said yes, though he always assumed it would come down to that.

So when he found out, after consulting some Ayorthian victims of her magic, that Lucinda often gave obedience to newborn children, in order to stop their crying, Char felt as if he just completed the jigsaw puzzle that was Ella of Frell. Ella, his Ella, was forced to be obedient.


So I hope you liked it. I wrote it in the spur of the moment one night. I mean, I definitely don't think its too amazing, but I thought it was interesting. I've thought of continuing it and I have a few ideas as to where it could go. However, I'm not really sure, because I think it works nicely as a one shot. Let me know what you think. I'd love to hear some opinions.