Ella's Real Ever After

This is a short story I entered into a competition. Fingers crossed the judges like it!

Ella’s Real Ever After

Synopsis

Ella wants to move to Australia but her prince doesn’t want to go. He hires a tutor with the intention of dissuading her, but how will he react when his plans are thwarted?

“But, Charming, please!” Ella begged her husband. “I really want to move to Australia.” Prince Charming rolled his eyes at her and sighed.

“Why on Earth would you want to go there? You have everything you could possibly want here.”

“Adventure, Charming, dear; I want adventure.” Her husband stared at her then shook his head in defeat. Ella jumped up and down, clapping her hands gleefully.

“Oh, Princey-poo, you won’t regret this!”

His muttered, “I already am,” was barely discernible as Ella raced to her room to start packing. Prince Charming trailed behind.

“You do realise, Ella, dear, that you actually have to fill out paperwork before you just up and move to another country.” She hesitated, and glanced his way without meeting his eyes.

“Yeeeessssss,” she said, without an ounce of surety.

“And you’ll need a tutor to teach you the language and customs.”

Ella whined, “But that could take forever to learn.”

The prince smiled slyly. “Then I’ll organise one immediately for you.” He shot his wife a contemptuous look and walked away. Halfway down the hall, he flipped open his ancient cell phone and dialled precisely. “Yes, I need an Australian tutor to arrive ASAP. Ella wants to immigrate. Uhhh, I know. Harebrained scheme.” He hung up and tapped the closed phone on his palm. He grinned to himself. Give it a week and Ella wouldn’t want to leave.

After breakfast, Ella bounced around the dining hall as if she had magic beans in her britches. Her animal friends from her father’s cottage had followed her when she’d married, which was a constant source of contention between them. Mice and rabbits scurried and hopped around, squirrels darted up curtains, perching high on the rails. Her enthusiasm was contagious and had spread to the creatures surrounding her.

The door to the dining hall slammed open, the resounding thud of the door hitting the ornate wall echoing through the large room. Ella spun around, her mouth dropping open at the sight of the large man striding toward her.

Gulp.

The formidable figure loomed in the doorway, his face shrouded in the shadows of his brimmed hat.

“Um, hello?” she ventured.

“G’day, luv, howyagoin’?” His words sounded strange to her, his accent thick and unfamiliar.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” Her frown creased her forehead, growing deeper with each passing second.

“Howyagoin’,” he repeated. Her confusion didn’t lessen.

“Can you repeat that please, and slowly?”

“How. Ya. Goin’.”

Aha!