That's A-mor...eh? (Lottie)

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Lottie gazed at Henry sadly as he told the tale of his brother’s failed marriage and how it had caused him to doubt that love could last. Reaching across the table, she clasped his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze.

“Oh sugah, you can’t base all your views on one story,” she said in a soft voice that was unusual for her. “My daddy tells me stories all tha time about him and my mother and just how happy they were. That’s a love woulda lasted forever. Will last forever. Same as Tia’s parents.” She smiled gently at him. “Just ‘cause one don’t last don’t mean true love doesn’t exist. Ya just gotta find the right person is all, and ya gotta work at it. That’s what my daddy says. He says it wasn’t always easy but they fought for it and they made it work. Love is always worth fightin’ for.”

Holding his eyes a moment longer, Lottie let go of his hand and dropped her gaze to her plate, her cheeks flushing slightly.

“Oh, how I do go on! Listen to me just jabberin’,” she said, stuffing a forkful of pasta in her mouth to stop her from talking for a moment and let him get some words in edgewise.

“Tia’s wonderful, I do hope ya get to meet her someday.” Maybe at the wedding. “And I just loved bein’ an only child, just me and Big Daddy. I don’t think we’d be so close if there were any more kids.”

She was definitely the apple of her father’s eye, and he doted on her and gave her anything she wanted. A sibling would have changed the entire dynamic, so in many ways Lottie was glad to not have one.

She didn’t miss the movement of Henry’s eyes, nor where they settled for a moment before he realised where he was looking and met her eyes again. It was the encouraging words, though, that really made her preen. She was used to guys ogling her, but actually saying she was going to be great at whatever she chose to do with her life... well, that was new.

“I’ll keep that in mind, at least for the men’s clothes. Gals, we gotta make some sacrifices ta look this good.” She had taken hours to get ready for tonight. Maybe some of it wasn’t necessary, but she’d wanted to look perfect and irresistible.

“Tha pasta’s great! I love seafood. I just love all food, ta be honest, though pastries are my weakness. Tia makes the best pastries you’d ever eat, you just can’t even imagine how good they are. They’re just ta die for!”

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Henry held Lottie's gaze for a moment, willing himself not to squeeze her fingers too tightly. He wanted to believe in love, he really did. But love, destiny, happily ever after...well, those were just stories, weren't they? But she did make a compelling argument. One man's failure didn't prove that everyone would fail, only that success isn't guaranteed. Before he could voice any of his thoughts in words that wouldn't sound completely stupid, though, Lottie dropped his hand and returned to her food.

"No, it's fine," he said quietly. "Thanks for the thought. I'll...I'll think about it."

Henry grinned, and there was only a touch of envy in it. "Well, that confirms all my suspicions. Forget big families. From here on out, it'll be only children only, just to keep everyone connected." He briefly imagined a life without siblings again. Sure he might have been closer to his parents, but that was only a maybe. They were both often busy, anyway. And it probably would have been a lot more lonely, with a lot more pressure. And would he really want to get rid of all his siblings? "I don't know what I'm going to tell Edward, though. He's already got three kids. Maybe we can convince him to lend a few out."

Henry frowned as he chewed. "You don't think girls can look good and be comfortable? I mean, you'd be pretty no matter what you wore. I mean, you look really great tonight, but you don't have to do this all the time. Just, I don't know. Be yourself, and then don't put up with people who don't like you as you are. Unless they're family. Family doesn't count." Nor did pretty girls, apparently, but Henry didn't like to look at hypocrisy in his own statements. And really, he was being more honest with Lottie than he had been with most of the girls he'd seen, so that was a step forward.

"To die for, huh? I don't know, I haven't really found anything worth dying for in this world. Usually I try to find a way to avoid that." He grinned. "You're really making me want to meet Tia, though. She sounds incredible. I have a friend here who knows how to cook. My friend Remy? He made this turkey thing once, and it was really good. I don't even understand cooking, but I like just about anything, too. I like eating food, so I love finding people who can cook. Even if it's just poorman's stew."

Henry was finishing up his salad and his thoughts turned toward dessert. He wasn't going to bring it up, but if Lottie wanted some...maybe they could share? That was supposed to be cute, right? Anything to stretch the budget a little.

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Right then, while they held each other’s hands and their eyes locked, Lottie knew that was their moment. That was the one she would keep in her heart long after this date was over, the one that would carry her into a wonderful, dream filled sleep. She knew it, she could feel it; Henry wasn’t just a prince, he was her prince. Maybe her fairytale just hadn’t been written down yet, but when it did it would be the story of Prince Henry Charming and his princess, Lottie LaBoueff.

“Good. It’s worth thinkin’ about,” she said with a soft smile that turned into a giggle as his proclamation. “It’s a nice thought, but it don’t always work out that way.” Especially in his times, she’d imagine. She had no idea what sort of birth control they used back then other than abstaining, and just who wanted to do that if they had such a handsome husband like any of the Charming princes?

“Oh sugah, this is myself!” Lottie exclaimed, holding her arms out as if presenting the whole package. It was pretty much true, it was hard to contain such a larger than life personality in such a small form so it was as if all the bright clothing and heavy make-up was just runover. It was just how she was, she never left her room in anything less than full make-up and perfectly quaffed hair, not to mention a dress and high heels. She didn’t even own a pair of trousers. “I’m not sayin’ that they can’t look good and be comfortable, but they certainly can’t look their best.” Because no matter what anyone said, fresh faced and flat footed just was no girl at her best. None.

She was pretty sure everyone liked her just like this... right? They all came to her party and had fun, until it had all gone wrong, but still! Okay, so there was Gawain, but his only problem with her is that she turned him down, so he certainly didn’t count and she didn’t care one lick that he didn’t like her because she hated his very guts. All she cared about was the mean rumours he was spreading about her. But no, she wasn’t going to think about that now because she was out on a date with an amazing boy and Gawain could just wallow in his cheap women and liquor.

For a moment she thought of arguing that there was plenty to die for, love above all else, but she caught his grin and realised he was clearly joking and managed to not put her foot in her mouth, which was a good thing because it probably wouldn’t have fit in there with her dinner. It certainly would have ruined the food, as well as her shoe.

“Oh, don’t I know it. Cookin’ is just so complicated with all tha measurements and so many ingredients, and it just takes up so much time!” Lottie replied. They had a cook at home, she’d never had to do more than butter toast in her life. “Gosh, I bet Tia and Remy would just get on like a house on fire. I’ve been tryin’ ta convince her to come here for ages but she’s just all about work, work, work, she barely leaves the restaurant. No way I can get her to leave everything and come here.”

Lottie was also a big fan of food, she was far from those dainty princesses around who looked like they’d never eaten a real meal in their lives. Not that she was fat by any stretch of the imagination, but she wasn’t a stick either. Finishing off her last bite, she pushed the plate away and sighed contently. “That was delicious.”

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"Well that's true," Henry said with a small smile. "And I guess it wouldn't be too bad. Really, Edward and Sn--my nieces and nephew are pretty great kids. Even if they are a handful. I can't believe one nanny can control all three of them." All right, so maybe some of his family wasn't so bad. And maybe having a big family meant that you had more chance of finding someone you got along with?

He grinned. This was Lottie, and she loved being the way she was. It just made him look so...shabby, he guessed. "Maybe," he said. "I don't know, do you think the same is true for everyone? Even guys? Because I don't get swoons when I'm in my dress uniform, but all the girls line up to stare at the knights when they're doing their fighting practice." At least he hadn't heard anyone swoon over him in uniform. But then he was usually paying more attention to the itchy collar at that point. "I think it might also work for girls. When they're out fighting, I think guys might want to watch that." Yeah, he could definitely see that being popular.

"Well if she has stuff back home maybe you shouldn't bring her here. Maybe we'll just have to go visit her. And get her to cook. I'm so glad we have a cook at home or I don't think I would ever eat." He vaguely knew that his mother and sisters knew how to cook, but it hardly seemed important. That was why they had servants, and the family hardly ever had to pitch in. It wasn't like it was a requirement to know how to cook in the royal household.

Henry caught himself staring at Lottie again, admiring her healthy curves--really thin girls might be considered beautiful, but to him they just looked a little sickly--when the waiter came up again. Henry jumped and turned to the man, who was offering to take their plates and asking if they wanted dessert. He had managed to refill their glasses while Henry was distracted.

"Um," he said, looking over at Lottie. "What do you think? Would you like dessert?" He could punch the waiter for bringing it up, but it wasn't worth it to get angry now. Better to just go with it. "We could split something, if you would like. Maybe the cheesecake?" That one didn't sound too expensive. At least he knew what it was, mostly.

"I hope Blackie's getting along all right," he mused as the waiter left. "He spends a lot of time in the stables. I'm not sure how he'll act outside school grounds." But he wasn't really interested in talking too much about his horse, so he turned the conversation back to his date. "Do you have any pets? Or know how to ride?"

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Lottie felt proud to get a smile out of Henry in regards to his family. He didn’t seem too happy about his siblings so far, but he seemed to love his nieces and nephews and golly, she bet he was just the best kind of uncle. The kids probably loved him to pieces. “I’m sure she has some help,” Lottie replied, smiling fondly at her date. She bet he would even read fairytales to them if they asked.

“Oh honey, if tha girls ain’t swoonin’ all over you then there’s somethin’ wrong with them,” she said, batting her eyelashes. “Not that I mind if they don’t...” She gave him a little smile then, one that she hoped to convey that she was perfectly happy keeping him all to herself. Besides, if any of those trollops decided now to throw themselves at him then the southern belle just might have to claw the offender’s eyes out. “They’re all just distracted by the fighting. Gals love to watch the nights because they’re all strong and masculine wavin’ those swords about. Plus they imagine them ridin’ into battle, saving damsels... it’s all about the fantasy.” A real big fantasy too, because Lottie had met knights, and if Gawain and Lancelot were the model of the rest then God help any of those girls that got mixed up with them. “Now girls fightin’, that’s a different story.”

One she didn’t elaborate on.

The very idea of Henry going back home with her to meet her friends and family just sent her heart all aflutter, especially since he was the one to suggest it without even any promptings at all. Oh gosh, she could just picture it now: they would dress in all their best finery and and stroll along the streets of New Orleans arm in arm, and then they’d stop in at Tia’s place and shed get to introduce him as her prince and then Big Daddy would show up and he would call Henry ‘Son’ and they would throw the biggest party the place had ever seen and announce their engagement and dance the night away and...

“Huh?” Lottie quickly snapped out of her daydream by the waiter’s approach. She leaned back while he refilled the glasses, and she could feel Henry’s eyes on her but she tried to play coy and not look back. She considered the question of desert, not wanting to make a pig of herself if he wasn’t going to order one too; after all, she had already eaten more than him tonight. Her face lit up, though, when he suggested splitting one. It was so romantic! “That sounds just divine!” she trilled, beaming first at Henry then at the waiter. The waiter didn’t seem to care, he just took their order and left with their plates.

“Oh, I’m sure he’d just fine,” she said, not worried. That’s what horses did, they were supposed to be used to that sort of thing, just waiting around for their next ride. “I have a dog back home, her name’s Stella, and gosh, sometimes I just miss her like crazy! I wanted to bring her with but my daddy said the wouldn’t let her at the school and besides, she’d just hate the cold here.” She really did miss that dog. She’d had her ever since she was a little girl, and the poor thing certainly wasn’t getting any younger. “I don’t really know how ta ride, but maybe you could teach me sometime?”

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Henry flushed. "I don't think...um. Thanks." What got him was the sincerity of the compliment. She actually believed he was worth the attention, unlike just about everyone else he had ever met. What fault hadn't she discovered yet, and how could he keep her from finding out about it? As far as the knights went..."Oh," Henry said quietly. Was that her fantasy? Did she wish he were gallant, able to ride into battle and save her? Well, this date was fun while it lasted. "Yeah. Knights are really popular." Since Lottie didn't seem interested in discussing girls fighting, Henry decided to let that subject drop.

He was glad the cheesecake offer went over well, and he flashed Lottie a smile that he hoped was charming and not just grateful. "I wonder what size pieces they give out here. The ones in the cafeteria always seem small."

Henry grinned, imagining Lottie playing with her dog. "What sort of dog is Stella? Big or little? I guess both have their value. But it makes sense that you wouldn't want to have her here. You wouldn't have a lot of time with her, anyway. And I'm not even sure they let pets stay in the dorms." He winced at the idea of him teaching her to ride. "Er, maybe. We'll see. Maybe after I--" brush up on my skills. But he was rescued from admitting his failure at all things princely by the arrival of their cheesecake.

Henry smiled at Lottie over the food. "Ladies first," he said, gesturing at the slice. "So your father, your friend Tia, your dog Stella," he said, taking turns with her eating at the cheesecake, "is there anyone else I could talk to and find out more about you? Maybe someone here at school, since I don't have much chance to go visit the others since the portals closed?"

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Gosh, just look at him being all modest and shy about her compliments. He was even blushing! If that wasn’t completely adorable then Lottie didn’t know what was. “Well you should think, ‘cause you’re quite the catch, Prince Henry Charming.”

Not to mention good at catching, because he’d certainly caught her heart pretty good. If she were a cartoon then there would probably be little red hearts bouncing out of her eyes right about then.

“Yeah, well, the other gals can keep ‘em, I say,” Lottie made a dismissive gesture with her hand. She didn’t care what else Gawain and Lancelot were, they seemed to prefer to be knights first and she preferred to have nothing to do with them, so they could have all the other girls they wanted, or each other for all she cared. She’d rather talk about cheesecake. “Oh, I’m sure it’ll be perfect, whatever they bring.” Because they would be sharing it so it automatically sounded perfect to her, just like this night was turning out to be.

“She’s a basset hound, lazy ol’ thing, but sweet as pie,” Lottie mused, smiling fondly but with a distinct hint of sadness in her eyes. It was the first time in a long time she’d let herself miss a piece of home. “You’re right, with me in class all day she’d just be bored stuck in that room all by her lonesome. She’s much better off at home with Big Daddy.”

Henry was just agreeing to show her how to ride when the cheesecake arrived. Her full on beaming smile returning, she picked up the desert fork and cut off a small bite. It was delicious. “Find out more about me? Why honey, I’m an open book! You can ask me anything!” Though it was kind of flattering that he wanted to talk to other people about her. “Though I ‘spose you can always go talk to Astrid, she’s my roommate, after all, and you know? She’s actually a pretty good friend.” It was almost surprising to admit it. They were so different, but Lottie couldn’t help but like the girl.

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He managed to only wince slightly when she used his full name (minus the middle name, of course, thank goodness nobody here knew that (and Edward had better keep his mouth shut)). "Ha, well, you know. Prince Charming." What a good catch.

"Yeah?" he said, brightening up a bit. "Not such a big fan of the knights, then?" Someone else who shared his opinions? Maybe one of the only other people in the world? That was enough to make someone believe in soul mates again! "Well I like cheesecake, so I hope it's not too small." He couldn't exactly go for the I'm with you so everything is amazing argument, not this early on.

"Sweet as pie, huh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Like, apple pie? Berry pie? Pecan pie? What are we talking about here, exactly?" All right so he was being facetious. He didn't necessarily care. "I'm sure she's fine. And when you see her again she will be ten times as happy to be around you again. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, or so I'm told."

He frowned and shook his head. "I can't ask you everything. What if I want to surprise you for something?" He took another bite. "Yeah, Astrid's pretty great. It's weird how you and her are roommates. I didn't even know she knew you. I guess she's not really a big sharer, though. More of the fight first, talk later kind." He shrugged. "I guess that's cool. I usually try to talk my way out of trouble, though. It tends to work better...mostly..." He shuddered briefly.

He let Lottie have the last bite of cheesecake and looked over for the waiter, who was hovering nearby with the check. Henry glanced at the receipt and bit the inside of his cheek, trying to do some math. With a tip...well, there definitely wouldn't be enough money for cab fare.

"I'll go take care of this and meet you out front?" he said, hoping she might need to use the powder room or something so that she wouldn't see him counting out every last penny out of his pocket.

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Oh yes, she did know. Prince Charming, her very own Prince Charming. It was literally a dream come true, and all she had to do was continue to be beautiful and appealing and by the end of the night she should have him hooked. A proposal would be imminent, and then there would be the wedding to plan... boy, was she going to be busy!

“Let’s just say that the knights I’ve met are nothin’ like they are in the storybooks,” Lottie replied with a slight scowl of distaste. It was about the nicest way she could put it. Glad for the chance to move on, she smiled at his talk of the cheesecake. “It’s just perfect.”

And it was, everything about this night was, even the imperfections. The rough ride, the problem getting a table, none of it seemed to douse her spirits or make the night seem any less wonderful.

Giggling when he started listing on types of pies, she tilted her head slightly as she looked at him. Maybe he wasn’t like the princes in storybooks either, but in this case? That wasn’t such a bad thing. In fact, she was beginning to think it was rather a good thing. “More like sweet potato pie. And yeah, they do say that, and I’m inclined ta think it’s true, though the company here is certainly makin’ me less homesick.” She gave him a meaningful look with that, clearly meaning his company specifically.

Continuing to eat the cheesecake in small, delicate bites (not exactly her usual style but hey, they were sharing), her face absolutely lit up at the talk of him wanting to surprise her. “Well, I do love surprises,” she said, practically wiggling in her seat in excitement. Henry wasn’t perfect with his awkwardness, lack of self confidence, and terrible first impression, but gosh he might just be perfect for her.

“You know, when I first met her I didn’t think we’d get on at all, but we bonded over a makeover and she loves to just listen to me talk so we get on pretty good now.” True as far as Lottie saw it, at least. “That’s just as important. I mean look at how much trouble could be avoided if people could just talk things through instead’a fightin’ over every little thing. I’m not much of a fighter myself. Wreaks havoc on my nails.” Holding her hand up between them she wiggled her fingers to show off her perfect manicure, smiling all the while. It was hard not to smile around Henry.

Finishing the cheesecake, Lottie took no notice of Henry’s discomfort with the cheque, nor did she think it suspicious that he wanted to meet her out front. Of course she would take the opportunity to fix herself up in front of a mirror before they set off again, even though another bumpy ride was awaiting her.

“Sounds perfect,” she said, slightly disappointed that he didn’t pull her chair out for her as she got up from the table, but brushing it off. “See you soon.” With one last smile she retreated to the washroom, making sure to sway her hips just so as she walked away.

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"Well, I find that people are rarely just like they seem in the books. People are more complicated than that." She had to be aware by now that he was nothing like the guys presented in the various interpretations of his own story. She did know he was part of a story, right?

"I don't think I've ever had sweet-potato pie," he said quietly, caught for a moment on imagining what it might taste like and trying to compare that to a dog. It wasn't working so well--he was starting to imagine the taste of sweet potato dog pie. He was so caught in his musings that he almost missed the last bit of what she'd said, and instead found himself under her smiling gaze with almost no warning. He flashed her another nervous grin and returned to the food. He wasn't sure what to say without insulting either her or his family, so he settled on a cautious "Thanks."

He made a mental note that Lottie liked surprises, good to know so he didn't accidentally terrify her or something. Though she seemed hard to terrify.

Unfortunately, he had just paused to take a drink of his water as Lottie talked about Astrid, and he accidentally coughed some of it up into his nose (he wasn't sure how) at the mention of a makeover. He grabbed his napkin and held it over his nose and mouth to hide the fact that water was now dripping out of his nose. His eyes watered and he tried to compose himself by nodding and listening to the rest of the description. He smiled and looked gracious as he admired her nails. "That's very nice," he said, reaching out to hold her fingers. "Yes. Yeah, you look very nice. I wouldn't think you would want to get dirty all the time. Just sometimes it's been necessary..." But he didn't want to go into that. "So uh, did you manage to get Astrid looking nice? Because that would...wow. That would be pretty impressive. I mean, I guess she's pretty, under the, what, five layers of dirt? Maybe. I don't know. Not as pretty as you, anyway."

As she walked away, Henry watched for a moment but was too absorbed in financial woes to pay much attention. He bit his lip and wandered over to the front desk, where he pulled out the last wad of money he had and paid the cashier. Then he went to the valet and asked to have the carriage pulled around.

The valet shifted nervously before informing Henry that due to the limited accommodations for such creatures and the inability of the staff to watch such a spirited beast...

"You LOST my horse?!" Henry ended up shouting, hands on his head. They offered him a refund on the price to host the animal, but he was too busy trying to keep from tearing out his hair. "What am I supposed to do? How do you expect us to get home? How am I supposed to find my horse?!"

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Lottie could certainly believe that and she nodded in reply. Cinderella had seemed very much like in the books, though, but Snow White was nothing like her fairytale counterpart at all. Maybe it all depended on whereabouts in their stories they came from, before or after?

“Oh, you should! Maybe you can get your friend Remy to make you one,” she said. She probably should have offered to bake him one herself, but they had already covered the fact that they didn’t cook.

She looked at Henry in concern as he coughed and sputtered a bit, but she continued her story, not wanting to embarrass him since he was clearly trying to hide his little fit behind his napkin. It was quickly all forgotten, though, when he recovered and took her fingers between his. Golly, Lottie swore she felt electric sparks passing between them.

“It took a lotta products and about half a bottle of conditioner to get all the knots outta that mane of hers, but by tha time I was done with her you wouldn’t have even recognized her! All tha boys woulda just been fallin’ at her feet!” Lottie exclaimed proudly, though she made a mental note to never let Henry see Astrid all dolled up, even if she did appreciate him ensuring that she could never be as pretty as Lottie herself.

Once in the powder room, she made sure all her make-up was perfect, her clothes straight and not a hair was out of place. Finishing up all her business, she sashayed through the restaurant, quickly locating Henry, and was about to do something that was supposed to be playful and adorable, like cover his eyes from behind or something, when she heard him shouting at the valet.

Oh, boy.

“They lost the horse?” she blurted out from behind him, turning an accusing gaze to the valet. “How do you lose a horse? They ain’t exactly tiny!”