"Let's see her wear the crown now!"
There was a bright flash, the smell of ozone as the enchantress aimed her wand at princess Allana. Like a balloon being gently pricked, the strikingly beautiful brunette began shrinking out of her elegant robes while her younger brother Rondel gazed on in disbelief.
With a laugh and a puff of smoke, the enchantress vanished from the private chamber of the castle. Rondel, fearing that his beloved sister was dead, hurried to the pile of expensive silks.
Her jeweled tiara sat not far away. The young prince noted a moving lump in the lacy underclothes. Rondel parted the fabric to reveal his sister, now no more than eight inches tall!
"Thank heavens you are still alive!" gasped the sheltered prince.
Rondel scooped up his sister. Rondel, at eighteen, was two years younger than his sister. Her twenty-first birthday was several months away. That date was supposed to mark the day of her coronation, but Allana had crossed paths with Xerena, the enchantress. Both had designs on the same prince. Rickard had promised to marry Allana a month after she took her crown. Now those plans were...
Rondel studied his sister. The young prince had never seen a naked woman before. His conservative upbringing had seen to that. Still, the lad could appreciate the female form, at least as much as he could see of it through all the long skirts and tight, high bodices the women of his kingdom wore. From what he could tell, his sister was far lovelier than most young women. He noted that she had long shapely legs, a flat toned tummy, firm medium-sized breasts, and a long sinuous neck. Her midnight-black hair contrasted wonderfully with her ivory skin and flashing blue eyes. Yes, his sister was more than lovely, she was beautiful!
"Rondel!" came Allana's now squeaky voice, "Stop looking at me like that and get me something to wear! Call my ladies in waiting!"
"Yes, Sis," he replied but the young egotistical, conniving, and power-hungry prince's mind was soaring like a falcon on the hunt.
He stood, took a handkerchief out of the belted bag he always wore around his waist and wrapped his sister in it very tightly. The shrunken princess could now barely move or make a sound.
"Help! Help!" he cried. Immediately the room filled with guards.
"That vindictive enchantress, Xerena was here! She completely vaporized my beloved sister! See! I am not lying!"
The castle was searched from top to bottom. No sign of the future queen was discerned anywhere. A sad-faced Rondel appeared before the king regent, his uncle Adolphus, who loathed to cede his power.
"What this means nephew, is that with the presumed death of your sister, you shall wear the crown upon entering your twenty-first year. Now, it is time to mourn our loss."
In his private chambers, Rondel unfurled his handkerchief and deposited his sister in a small cage. She was livid with rage.
"What is the meaning of this, brother?"
"Simply, sister. I feel that I would make a better king than you would a queen. I'd detest having Rickard as a brother-in-law and finally, I now have a woman of my own."
"I'm your sister!"
"Yes, it would be simply scandalous if you were to be discovered and along with it the things that I have planned for you."
"What do you mean?" asked the princess as she continued to shield herself with her hands.
"Only that a prince should have some experience with members of the opposite sex if he is to be a successful husband and father."
"That's SICK!"