Charming Academy

Charming Academy

  by

  Jessica L. Elliott

  www.JessicaLElliott.com

  Copyright 2012 Jessica L. Elliott

  All rights reserved.

  This book is also available in print.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold

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  of this author.

  Dedication

  To John for inspiring me to retell my favorite stories in a way that wasn’t “girly”.

  To Mom for giving me constant encouragement along the way.

  To Jonathan for being the real Prince Charming in my life. Thank you for sweeping me off my feet into a true-life, happily ever after story

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Year 1 Chapter 1

  Year 1 Chapter 2

  Year 1 Chapter 3

  Year 1 Chapter 4

  Year 1 Chapter 5

  Year 1 Chapter 6

  Year 2 Chapter 1

  Year 2 Chapter 2

  Year 2 Chapter 3

  Year 2 Chapter 4

  Year 3 Chapter 1

  Year 3 Chapter 2

  Year 3 Chapter 3

  Year 3 Chapter 4

  Year 3 Chapter 5

  Year 4 Chapter 1

  Year 4 Chapter 2

  Year 4 Chapter 3

  Year 4 Chapter 4

  Year 4 Chapter 5

  Year 5 Chapter 1

  Year 5 Chapter 2

  Year 5 Chapter 3

  Year 5 Chapter 4

  Year 6 Chapter 1

  Year 6 Chapter 2

  Year 6 Chapter 3

  Year 6 Chapter 4

  Epilogue

  About Jessica L. Elliott

  Connect with Jessica L. Elliott

  Prologue

  Back to Table of Contents

  “I won’t go to bed,” the child screeched. “I won’t, I won’t, I won’t!”

  “You will and you’ll do so right now,” the babysitter replied firmly, picking up the kicking boy and dropping him rather unceremoniously on his bed. She had long, red hair, tied back in a ponytail; though there was always a wisp or two that escaped. Her bright blue eyes took in everything around her and right now all she saw was the same screaming brat she’d been dealing with since six that evening. She was tall, which was emphasized by the way she presented herself; her mother always complimented her perfect posture. Dressed plainly in a pair of old blue jeans and a grey tee shirt, she sighed as the small boy strained against her freckled arms which were held resolutely across his belly to keep him in bed. “If you’ll quiet down, I’ll tell you a story.”

  “What kind of story?” He stopped squirming and eyed her suspiciously.

  “A fairy tale,” she replied in a mystic voice.

  The boy scoffed, “I don’t want to listen to a fairy tale. They’re all about some guy named Prince Charming who goes around saving and marrying princesses. Seriously, who would name their kid Charming?”

  “No one. It’s a title. Not every prince was a Prince Charming and he certainly wasn’t just one person. There were many and they had to go to a special school to become one.”

  “What about the princesses? They have weird names too.”

  “Those were used to protect the people and their families. Don’t you realize that if everyone knew Sleeping Beauty’s family, they would never get any peace? They’d be bothered all the time by fans and the press.”

  “Oh come on, those stories aren’t real.”

  “Actually, they are real. They happened thousands of years ago. So long ago that they’ve become legends, changed and gilded through the years as people passed them down through the generations. Of course, it isn’t helped by the fact that the fairies left Sanalbereth. That’s why we don’t have Charming Academy now. But if you promise to try to go to sleep, I’ll tell you the honest to goodness, true story of the fairy tale.”

  Year 1 Chapter 1

  Back to Table of Contents

  Our story begins, as all fairy tales do, once upon a time in a land far away. More specifically, it begins in the province Maltisten, a small country within the fairy-ruled empire of Sanalbereth. In this province, lived a king and queen and their two children, Lucian and Allegra. Like all good parents, King Lysander and Queen Alexandra wanted the best for their children. So, they decided to request their placements in the two most sought-after schools in Sanalbereth; Charming Academy for Boys and Fair Damsels Academy for Young Ladies. The only problem with their plan was that each child secretly hoped that they would be rejected. Lucian, like most thirteen-year-old boys, firmly believed that females were to be avoided at all cost. Living with a little sister had proven that to him. Allegra, at twelve, firmly believed that she already knew everything and most vehemently disliked the idea of spending time with boys. They were far too boisterous and dirty for her tastes.

  But life is what happens when you’re making other plans. And life has a wicked way of doing precisely what you don’t want it to do.

  The day Lucian’s life took its merry twist had already been shaping up to be a terrible day. It started before he woke up when his father left him at home; instead of taking him on the elk hunt. It didn’t matter that it was Lucian’s own fault for oversleeping. That simply made it worse. At breakfast he’d gotten in trouble for sticking his tongue out at Allegra. Nobody would listen when he said Allegra had started it. Instead, Allegra grinned triumphantly and gave one last parting shot with her tongue while no one was watching. He scowled at her and walked up the stairs to his room. He decided to practice his swordplay with the wooden sword his father had made for him, but couldn’t seem to find it. A noise at the door made him turn to see his sister standing with a pleased expression on her face.

  “Looking for something?” Allegra asked, holding Lucian’s sword above her head with a nasty smile.

  “You give that back,” Lucian hissed, jumping at her.

  “You didn’t say please,” Allegra said in a singsong voice, sidestepping so that Lucian missed.

  “Please.”

  “Please what?”

  He snarled, “Please give me my sword.”

  Allegra held the sword in front of her, but as Lucian reached for it she jumped backwards. “Gotta catch me first,” she called as she sprinted down the hall.

  “Allegra, give that back,” he shouted. He thundered down the stairs and after skipping the bottom three entirely, tackled her to the ground. He had almost wrestled it away from her when his mother’s voice pierced the air.

  “Lucian Alexander, what on earth are you doing to your sister?” Alexandra cried.

  “Mother, she stole my sword,” Lucian replied angrily.

  Using that whiny voice and horrible pout that their mother always fell for, Allegra lied, “Did not. I was trying to give it back and he attacked me.”

  “Lucian, you should be ashamed of yourself. You know better than to attack a lady,” Alexandra scolded.

  “But, Mom, she’s lying,” Lucian argued.

  “That is not important. A young man never attacks a lady, whether or not she is behaving as one. Now you apologize,” Alexandra said.

  “But, Mom,” Lucian began.

  “No buts,” Alexandra interrupted. “Apologize.”

  Lucian scowled at Allegra who was smiling wickedly before saying through clenched teeth, “Sorry.” He ran up the stairs to his room. It simply wasn’t fair. Allegra got away with everything! He shoved his toys b
ack in his toy chest. “Today can’t get any worse,” he muttered. He should have known better than to tempt fate, but he was only thirteen. A knock at the door made him pause. “Who is it?”

  Allegra walked into the room. “Here’s your sword back. I’m sorry I got you in trouble.”

  “No you’re not. You wanted to get me in trouble.”

  “Well, yeah, but I still feel bad. I thought I’d say sorry. I shouldn’t have done it.”

  Lucian softened. “What are siblings for? You want to play a game with me?” Allegra didn’t have a chance to answer because just then they heard the doorbell. “I wonder who that is,” he said and the two of them raced down the stairs. A fairy with gold wings and long, blonde hair was standing in the doorway handing Alexandra two large envelopes. “Just the mail.” He and Allegra turned to go back up the stairs.

  They had just reached the top when Alexandra began screaming at the top of her lungs. Immediately the two turned and barreled down the stairs. Lysander, who had recently returned from his hunt, collided with Lucian as he reached the landing. Allegra laughed as Lucian, sprawled on the ground, tried to regain his breath.

  “What’s the matter, Alexandra?” Lysander asked as he pulled Lucian to his feet.

  The queen seemed to have lost the ability to speak and was dancing from side to side waving a piece of paper in the king’s face. He snatched at it a few times before finally getting it away from her. As the king read aloud, Lucian’s heart sank farther into his shoes. He read:

  To Their Royal Highnesses King Lysander and Queen Alexandra,

  On behalf of the entire staff at Charming Academy, I thank you for your interest in sending your son to our school. After reviewing your request we have chosen to accept him into our program. Please arrive with