“Oooh!” Malade shrieked as she struggled to her feet. “I do not appreciated being ignored!” She snatched the bag that held the wiggling frog. “You try anything else, any of you, and your little amphibian friend will be dinner for my trolls!”
“No!” Betty jumped out, unable to help herself. “Leave him alone! There's something about him...”
Black light flashed from the hands Malade lifted to the sky. Every person it touched instantly stopped moving as faces and limbs hardened. “Brett,” Charles yelped as they dove under the cream-covered dessert table, “what did you do?”
“Me?” she squawked. “Betty was the one who opened her mouth and begged to get some frog back!”
Betty crawled under the table next to them. “I didn't think she'd throw a temper tantrum!” She frowned, pulling her arm away from a streak of light that turned the remains of a pie into stone bits. “His eyes...the frog's eyes. I've seen them before.”
Richard and Lee rolled under the table next to them. “Getting a little crowded under here,” the bandit smirked, his eyes sliding to Lee. “Damned crowded, at that. Sort of cozy, if you know what I mean.”
“Focus on taking Malade down first,” Lee reminded him curtly. “Then we'll get cozy.”
Just outside the table, Charles saw Gene swing his wand, creating a shield of silvery light that fought the stone away from him and Helen. Sir Convy wasn't as lucky. He didn't wave his arms fast enough. When the light subsided, he was now made of the same sandy gray stone as the statues in the rock garden. It surrounded Fannie's lover Alma Mae, too, though Fannie herself was nowhere in sight. The fairies dodged the lights, but it surrounded Orson and Sarah. One tough beam tried to catch Debralee, but she soared out the Orson-shaped hole in the wall.
“Gary!” Charles screamed. “Watch out!”
His warning came too late. “Go away, you damned light!” Gary snapped, trying to fight it off. “You won't...no...” Stone covered his legs and stopped him in his tracks. “Sarah...Mast...” The stone rose up past his face and mouth before he could finish calling out. It trapped Sarah reaching for her sweetheart and Orson running for the door.
“Oh my god.” Gene gasped as he swatted the light away. “Malade, what have you done?” The ballroom was wall-to-wall stone. “I can't free all of them!”
Brett made a face. “There's no way I'm kissing all of them, either.”
“And they wouldn't want to kiss you,” Malade purred as she peered under the table. “Well, look what I found. Hello, Betty. Where did you run off to? I haven't decided what I'm going to do with you yet.”
“Hello, Malade.” Betty's voice dripped with sarcasm as Charles helped her out from under the table. “You're looking like yourself today. It's about time your outsides were as ugly as your insides.”
“And it's about time we learned who's the real queen around here,” the evil witch snarled. “Come quietly and I may consider not harming your precious husband.”
“Allen!” Betty yelped in horror. “Where is he? What did you do to him? We saw you turn him into something...”
“I know what she did to him,” Fannie grumbled as she emerged from behind a tapestry. “Turned him into an animal, just like she did to her guards who disobeyed her. I saw her do it when I made my deliveries.”
Malade only laughed again. “Your powers, kitchen wench...I can feel them. You're one of them. One of the Legendary Princesses. No matter. I can eliminate you as easily as I did the others.”
“How about two of us?” Marcia added as she dragged a protesting Bill out of the servant's hall. “Yeah, hi, Malade. Thanks for the nap. Haven't felt this rested in years.”
Bill Cullen ambled slowly behind her. “What's all the commotion up here? I was having a wonderful conversation with the kitchen maids when everyone suddenly grabbed pans and left! Naturally, I had to see what all the fuss was about.”
“Cullen,” Malade purred. “Ahh, the head of the wizards. Thought my bodyguards killed you off years ago, old man.”
He frowned as his eyes roved over to the rock-covered Sir Convy. “I left before you could have that chance. I see you're still attacking our kind. As a matter of fact...” He waved his wand, creating a silvery soft light. “I thought I'd deal with you myself.”
“Good.” A wave of her hand brushed Cullen's mist into the nearest statue, making it rise into the air. “That'll make it easier to kill all of you. I only need to wait for midnight, and then...I'll have my revenge.”
Charles didn't like the sound of that. “What happens at midnight?”
Joyce fluttered worriedly over his head. “That's when our powers are at their weakest. It's why the clothing spell ends then. We sewed your clothes by hand, and they should stay the way they are. But everyone else's...”
“She's right,” Gene added as he pushed Helen behind him. “Wizard powers don't work so well in the dark, either. That's why you lured me out at night, right Malade?”
“Of course.” She stroked his cheek before Helen slapped it away. “Now, to transform the rest of you into stone...”
“Wait,” Charles whispered as voices and loud thumps shook the gold-leaf roof over their head. “What in the hell is that?”
Gene looked up with a wide grin. “Oh, that's just my secret weapon. Bill, use the signal!”
The two men turned and waved their wands at once, creating a fireworks display of silver and gold sparkles that lit up the ballroom brighter than the sun. No sooner did they fade than a fist the color of coffee smashed down one door while a familiar ax splintered the other one, almost flattening the statue of Sir Johnny Olsen that remained frozen by the steps.
“Nipsey! Della!” Richard called out, laughing and waving at his friends. “What took you so long?”
“Sorry, Rich,” the big man yelled back with a grin, “but we got caught in the cross-town traffic. You wouldn't believe how bad the Holly Woods Highway is at this time of night!”
Richard grinned ear to ear. “I'll believe it, old friend.”
“Hey boss,” Donald, complete with cigar and thick mustache, stuck his head in. “Is this a private party crashing, or can anyone join?” Patti, wearing her blue dress and blinking with wide eyes, stumbled in behind him.
“Oh, yes, that.” Malade smirked, creating a ball of fire in her hands. “Hello, little mermaid. Enjoying your time on land, dear girl?” She took one look at Donald and nearly fell over laughing. “Oh, he's the one you chose? That idiot? I thought you picked something dashing!”
Patti quickly reached into a glass of wine and made the sticky liquid leap out and douse the flames. “Thanks, hon,” Donald gasped, jumping back. “I thought I'd end up roasted on a spit there for a moment!”
“Does this make all of you?” Malade's wide smile showed sharp, even white teeth. “Do we really have all of the Legendary Princesses here, at last? And oh my, look how late it is!”
Joyce fluttered to the clock. “She's right,” she gasped as the first bong echoed in the room. “Our magic...” Her green light flickered, returning her dress to its original leaf design. “It'll end when the clock strikes twelve.”
Fannie's eyes widened. “Now?” She covered herself with her hands as her pale blue gown flickered. “I think maybe it's time we got outta here...”
“We can't leave!” Brett yelped. “Not when we can all take her!” She thrust her hand onto one of the vines left on the floor. It flickered and jumped, but didn't wrap around her.
“That's when us champions come in.” Richard whipped out his bow and arrow and stepped in front of Fannie, even as his orange jacket and trousers frayed and faded.
Prince Bill ducked behind a gold silk curtain as his blue coat faded and the silk shirt under it frayed. “Anyone got a non-magical tunic on them?”
“Good thing I'm wearing my own clothes,” Della snorted. She settled for running head-first into Malade, tackling her. “Nipsey, hon, help me hold this snake down!”
“I'll be there, my sweet strong pear!” He called as he tackled Malade's other side, grabbing her arm. “You know, this is kind of fun. How many people can say they tackled an evil witch on their first real date?”
Della grinned back. “Better than dinner and a theater show.”
“Meanwhile,” Nipsey added, grabbing at the bag, “I'll handle this.” He opened it up and let the gasping frog hop out. “Here you go, old fellow!”
“Thank...you...sir...” The frog moaned. “You'll be...richly...rewarded...”
“Aw, it was nothing.” The big man chuckled. “You don't have to give me flies or anythin'.”
Marcia stepped back a little, rubbing her head. “Um, is it me,” she muttered, “or is Malade starting to glow?”
Charles frowned as Patti sagged in Donald's arms, her ragged breathing almost in time to the bongs behind them. “Donald, is there something wrong with her?”
“Sweetheart,” the balding man in the mustache fretted as she fell against him, “what's wrong?” Her legs flickered in and out. “How come you look like half a fish?”
Brett's eyes widened. “She's turning back into a mermaid! Donald, kiss her while we go get her voice!”
“Voice?” Della grabbed Malade by her shiny black hair. “Do you have her voice?”
“Yes, I do!” Malade growled. Muted dark light slowly flowed around her. “If I had her voice, she wouldn't be able to tell her champion how she felt about him! Besides, I need it for the spell! A part of each princess!”
“Well, we want it back, please.” Donald ran his hands up and down her body. “Where are you keeping it? Come on, lady, don't be shy.”
Malade glared at him, her face almost as thunderous as the bongs from the clock. “Watch were you put your hands, you little creton!”
“Hey, be nice to that creton!” Della smirked and yanked the pendent from around her neck. “You looking for this, shorty?” she drawled, the shell necklace dangling from her finger.
“Yeah. Thanks, Della!” Donald said with a grin as half-ran, half-slid back to Patti, who clutched the table to keep herself upright. “Ok, sweetheart, let's figure out how to do this...”
“Um, Don,” Charles tapped on a hook keeping the pendant closed, “I think this opens it.”
Donald made a face. “I knew that.” He unlatched the hook, watching wide-eyed as a blue light surrounded her throat.
“Donald, kiss her!” The clock's final bong almost drowned out Joyce's cry. “Kiss her now, or she'll belong to Malade!”
His eyes widened. “What?! Oh, no way, lady! She doesn't belong to anyone but herself!” Patti puckered up and closed her eyes, scrunching up her nose hopefully.
Gene wrapped his arms tightly around Helen as lights around the room flickered and died. “Hold on, everyone! There's no telling what will happen now.”
“I can tell you what'll happen,” Fannie groaned remorsefully as her gown reverted to her ragged servant's dress. “We're all going to end up half-naked, that's what will happen!”
“Aww!” Elaine wailed when her lace and frills fell away, returning to her peasant dress and purple apron. “But I liked that outfit! Are you sure I can't keep it?”
“Sorry, sweetie,” Jo Ann groaned, rubbing her head, her red rose gown now back to being a rose petal mini-dress. “After midnight, our magic weakens. That's why we try to be back in the fairy realm by then. We're stronger there.”
“Patti?” Donald's eyes widened as she collapsed in a heap on the floor. A pair of shining turquoise fins emerged from under her dress. “It was you. All along. I've known it from the first. You're the fish lady who saved me!”
“Yeah, hon, it's me.” Patti honked in a rusty nasal voice she hadn't used in two weeks. “It's just...help me up, ok? I can't walk like this.”
Donald gasped as he tried to keep his arms around her. “I didn't know fish could get this heavy!”
“Hey, watch it!” Patti grumbled. “I'm a mermaid, a mammal like you, not a fish! I just have a tail like a fish.”
“Well, you can't do anything on the floor, love,” Richard reminded her as he and Donald hauled her onto two chairs. “Matter of fact, it may be tough to do anything like that on land.”
Betty stepped back as Malade's light became stronger and grew brighter and taller. “Um, folks, in a moment, it may be hard for any of us to do anything! Isn't she getting a little too tall for the room?”
“I knew we should have had that skylight put in,” the frog muttered.
The light grew and grew, smoking and lengthening and moving upwards, as Malade's sweet laughter became heavy growls. Charles watched in horror as her ears became pointed, her sharp teeth grew into talons, her nails sharpened into claws, and leathery wings spread on her back.
“Holly moly!” Bill wailed from behind the tapestry. “She's a demon! A giant demon!”
“Nice to see your true form, Stepmother,” Brett snarled. “I've known for years you're no human. You couldn't begin to understand the depth of human emotions and logic.”
Charles blinked. “You're...a dragon?”
“A demon,” Malade purred as her head bumped into the chandeliers. She strode forward, knocking everyone off their feet as the grandfather clock in the back of the room sounded the final bong. “Let's clear out a few more nuisances.” she hissed, “starting with this one.” Before Betty could react, she plucked the frog from where he'd stumbled. “I could eat him,” she murmured, dangling him over her mouth and slowly lowering him to her sharp claws, ignoring Betty's shrieks of horror. “But I think I'll spare Her Majesty such an ordeal, and just play a little game. Let's see how well he sticks to the wall!”
“No!” Betty screamed as the frog slammed back-first into the wall near the grand stair entrance. “Oh my god,” she sobbed as she ran to his side, “what have you done?”
“Oh, I can do more,” Malade hissed, her glassy dark eyes roaming around the room. “Let's get rid of three more nuisances. I'll make you a little more useful for me...”
Debralee jumped hard as the demon shot a flashing black light at the trio of fairies. It writhed around Joyce and Jo Ann, drowning out their screams. When it subsided, two tiny monsters with horns, snouts, and little wings fluttered up to either side of Malade's head.
“Oh yes,” she purred sweetly, “yes, my little pets.” She caressed them, absorbing their blue light. “Yes...I'll take all that magic...”
“NO!” Debralee shrieked. “Turn them back!”
“We have to get her out of here!” Betty wailed from where she cradled the frog in her arms. “Take that...thing...outside! If she destroys the ceiling, she's paying for it!”
She roared as an arrow shot into her leg. “Come and get me, you giant fur coat!” Richard screamed from the entrance, now dressed in his tattered green bandits' tunic and hose. “You couldn't scare a turnip in a paper bag!”
Lee dove in front of him. “I'm the one who passed information on you, Malade!” she screamed to her boss. “I took over the Rebel Society after you turned Gene into a piece of wood. I worked with him all along.” Malade couldn't avoid her fast stab in her foot. “You destroyed the Royal Family!” Lee's cat-like hiss was nearly drowned out by Malade's shrieks as she jumped on one clawed foot. “My family served them for six generations! You destroyed our land, our homes, our livelihood! You never stop to think of what your desires do to us humans!”
“My god.” Richard's eyes widened in shock as the tall woman retreated, panting. “You're bloody frightening, do you know that?”
She sheathed her weapon, her eyes glittering in the rich velvet night. “Good,” she purred before waving her hand from the steps next to him. “Come on, you witch! Get out of here! You can't kill us in a small space!”
Brett darted next to her. “Yeah! The gardens can be replanted! I'll do it myself!”
“Oh, my gardens!” Betty moaned, cradling the frog as her green gown reverted to tattered blue silk. “Tell her to watch where she puts her tail! I just had the fountains repaired before we were invaded.” Malade crashed through the entrance, making a demon-shaped hole next to the Orson-shaped hole and knocking over the stone Sir Olsen. “Malade, could you possibly be careful?” she yelled. “This room is almost a hundred years old! I have no idea where we're going to get the gold to repair the gilding!”
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