Ashley- A Smoking Fairy Tale

As she came down the stairs and instructed that the girls start looking for the gold lighter which they did for five minutes then they got bored and headed into kitchen, picked two cans of lager from the fridge, and headed into the lounge, both of them knew, however much their mother thought it, they were never going to get married to Henry Charming. They were fully aware that he had some awful looking young skinny blonde thing on his arm all night. Neither of them where her. However much wishful thinking went on.

***

Lady Tremaine however was convinced she could persuade him to take one of her beautiful daughters.

She instantly started rummaging around the house. Still wearing her translucent night-time negligée. With the drawers out all over the floor the doorbell rang out. Lady Tremaine, who was already in the hallway, opened the door to be faced with the very attractive Henry Charming stubbing a cigarette out on the front doorstep with his shoe. She instantly slammed shut the door grabbed her fur coat from the hook in the hallway. Then once decent reopened the door smiling kindly as if nothing had happened.

"Oh, hello again," he almost softly boomed. "Sorry for interrupting. I am not selling double glazing, well not yet anyway. If this goes horribly wrong, I may have to. I have come to this address because I asked social media to find the owner of the other half of this lighter..." he opened his fist and presented the bashed lid of the lighter. "Last night at our ball, I danced with the prettiest, sexiest, cleverest, amazing blonde bombshell of a woman that I could find on the planet."

"And?" Lady Tremaine replied.

"She offered to light my cigarette with her lighter, she looked so cute with the cigarette in her mouth, anyway I was digressing. I asked the clever internet world and they highlighted to me that it said that the lighter was engraved TRE, the only TRE's in the town are the Tremaine's. My father said that you had been around the night before talking about your amazing daughters, so I put two and two together, you have amazing daughters and here I am!" He announced with a flash of his white smile.

"We are the Tremaine's, and I do have two amazingly beautiful daughters, and I think I recognise the lighter, let me introduce you to as you say my two wonderful daughters. We do thank you for the invite. So, yes were at the ball last night and you will have definitely danced with them, please do come in, do excuse the mess, we have been doing err a bit of err a summer clean."

From the doorway she observed both Ella and Anna slouched on the sofa cigarettes dangled on the corner of their mouths with cans of lager in their hands watching morning daytime television. Their matching transparent chiffon dressing gowns loosely tied around their waists revealing a lot of their overly abundant naked flesh.

Lady Tremaine gave a curt cough as she entered the room "Girls, focus now, we have male company, as such can you promptly make yourselves slightly more presentable, please, and turn the TV off, thank you!"

"Sorry mother!" both girls said in unison as they jumped up off the sofa, coughed and the untied, and then promptly re-tied their dressing gowns a little tighter squishing in around their large bodies. Then attempted to flick the ash of their cigarettes in the ashtray. The TV was eventually turned off as they fumbled with the remote as Henry, with his head high gracefully walked in.

"Mr Charming, let me introduce you to my gorgeous and if I don't say so myself, sexy daughters, Anna, who is 23, I believe a year younger than you?" Lady Tremaine announced.

"Oh wow...its err you...thank you for an excellent party last night" Anna said stuttering and smiling as soon as she realised who it was in front of them "We had amazing fun." She tightened her dressing gown once more.

"It was a great evening, which ended prematurely, you may be aware I am trying to find the owner of this amazing gold lighter, we met last night, and I must admit I had a couple or more glasses of champagne and losing myself in the moment. Sadly, I can't really remember her or more importantly find her!" He frowned and shrugged his shoulders.

"Well as you can see, we both smoke!" Anna said nodding in the direction of Ella as she inhaled on her cigarette as seductively as she could, "Here is my lighter does it fit?" she said as she turned and bent over to pick up her purple plastic lighter off the table, she unfortunately extenuated her large naked bottom through the chiffon dressing gown directly at Prince Charming. Her mother tutted and rolled her eyes as Anna passed the plastic lighter to him and smiled hopefully.

"Oh, thank you, erm, yeah, you well you see this isn't it." he said trying to marry the purple plastic lighter to the gold lid in his hands.

"It must do Mr Charming, please try again" Lady Tremaine begged holding her hands together almost praying.

He shook his head, "I am truly sorry, but it doesn't!"

"It must" she said exasperatedly, grabbing both parts from his hands and trying to get it to match.

"It doesn't" Henry said tutting as he watched her equally struggle to get the two parts to match.

"Well, I should introduce you to my younger daughter. Maybe try my equally beautiful Ella's?" she asked worriedly. "She is even younger at 21..." Lady Tremaine stated with nervous intentions.

Charming looked on exasperated, "Okay for completeness, can I check your lighter too?" he said looking at Ella, whilst hoping it wasn't this very large girl. Yes, he knew he had champagne goggles on last night. He watched as she too bent over, and then focused on her large breasts as they dangled down and fell out of her loosening gown as picked up her green lighter off the table. She grinned politely as she and passed it to him. She clocked where he was staring and instantly with squeak promptly tucked herself back in. "Well, I try again!" he said attempting to marry the two parts together "neither of these are a match, are you sure there are no other ladies in this house?"

"No just me, and my two gorgeous daughters!" Lady Tremaine said loudly to try and cover the thudding from upstairs.

"Is that banging I can hear?" Henry asked.

Lady Tremaine firmly shook her head, "No, it's our central heating, I must get it fixed one day" she said even louder.

"It's August?" Charming raised his eyebrow in confusion.

"Yes, I need, you see to get the thermostat sorted, that is why the girls are a...er...um so liberally dressed in here, it gets very hot!"

"So, you are sure that there is no one else in the house, upstairs banging on a door?" Henry asked.

"How dare you call me a liar that is almost fake news to assume someone is upstairs, my two sexy and amazing daughters were at the party last night, and you must have met and danced with them?"

"I may have done, but unfortunately on this occasion these two, erm, robust, but beautiful brunet girls are not the slim beautiful blonde girl I think I am looking for"

"Oh, are you sure?" said Lady Tremaine as Ella had a loud and long, almost manly, lager burp in the corner and then giggled before taking a deep inhale on her cigarette, "Well, if that is the case...then right well, I think you should leave now!" Lady Tremaine followed up.

"Before I leave, could it be possible to you use your toilet; I have been travelling around the whole town on the hunt of this mysterious girl?" Henry asked.

Without missing a beat Lady Tremaine replied "Certainly, if you go up the stairs and it's the second left" as she smiled at the thought of her being able to say to her friends that Henry Charming used her throne.

As Henry headed up the stairs, Ella exhaled a large cloud of smoke looked at Anna her sister and gently coughed before piping up from the sofa. "Was that wise mother?"

Lady Tremaine's eyes widened in fear as she muttered "Oh fuck!" and she hurriedly leaned over the table stubbed her own cigarette out and turned and ran up the stairs to follow Henry as quickly as her high heels would take her.

Chapter 6

Mary slowly danced around the room recreating the dance she had last night with the song in her head slowly undressing herself for her shower, she lowered her pyjamas and folded them up and put them in the middle of the bed, she sat on the edge of the bed and opened the bedside draw and picked up the half a lighter in her hands and held to her chest. Her only concern now was how she was going to get the lighter to Henry Charming.

The music played on in her head, with the window open she could hear the birds chirping outside. It was a relaxing for two minutes with her thoughts before her shower and the next barrel load of orders arrived. Her hand migrated between her thighs, she momentarily stopped singing in her out loud, she took a cigarette out of the pack and as she flicked her Bic lighter, she thought she heard the door clicking and the boards creak outside.

Mary dangled the unlit cigarette called out "Hello?" and got up of the bed and walked over to the door, she rattled the door trying the doorknob, and it was definitely locked. She placed the unlit cigarette between her fingers.

"Hello, Mother?" Mary shouted "Hello, Help, the door is stuck!" she shouted louder in attempt to be heard. She rattled and banged the door, there was no response. She tried the door again and loudly called out but got no response.

Mary retreated from the door and sat on the bed, and contemplated, why would they lock her in the room? She scratched her head, and then laughed out loud; the only logical reason is that they are looking for the lighter that is in her draw and her "mother" doesn't want it to be hers.

She picked up her pyjamas that were on the bed and put them on again, seeing as she wasn't going to get to her shower any time soon. As she was pulling her pyjama bottoms up, the doorbell rang out loudly, Mary creeped up to the door and listened through, she could hear talking, it was a man, she listened harder. She smiled it was Henry Charming he had obviously come to find her. She rattled the door as loudly as she could she banged on the door and wall.

The voices got quieter as they moved rooms; she banged and rattled the door as hard as she could.

"Hello, hello? I... err.... I ... err... mother I need a cigarette.... help?!"

***

Henry ignored the second door on the left and followed the banging and hellos echoing around the hallway. "Where are you?" he called out as he headed towards the second set of stairs.

"As I explained to you..." panted the unfit Lady Tremaine as she reached to the top of the stairs, she put her hand out on the wall to catch her breath, "...there is no one else in this house" she said before barging past Henry and put her arm across the hallway. A barrier to the stairs up to the attic.

"I am sure I just heard someone shout help from up there?" Henry suggested pointing up the wooden staircase.

"It will be the wind; I need to get the tiles fixed up there. I can assure you sir, and the girl you met last night would definitely have been either of my two wonderful daughters."

Henry smiled wryly "That may be the case, but someone is definitely shouting for help in the house, listen!"

"Heeeellllp" and several large bangs echoed down the staircase.

Lady Tremaine shook her head and shrugged her shoulders "I didn't hear a thing." she said nonchalantly "I think it's time for you to go downstairs and reacquaint yourself with my really amazing daughters!"

"If there is another female in this house, who may have the other half of the lighter, I need to know!" Henry said exasperatedly "my father has promised to disown me if I don't find this woman within 24 hours!"

"Really?" Lady Tremaine questioned.

"Yes, that is why I am so desperate, to find her!"

"Well, I am sorry sir, there is really no one else here, I think you would get on well with Ella, she is my oldest, and cleverest daughter. She needs a husband now...as I need a...."

"Helllllllllllllp"

Both Lady Tremaine and Henry looked at each other as the shout followed by loud sobbing reverberated down the hall.

"Sorry Ma'am" Henry said politely before he barged through her arm spinning Lady Tremaine comically in a circle and ran up the stairs.

"There is no one there!" roared Lady Tremaine, before bending over with panic induced chesty cough.

"Helllllllp" followed by several bangs of the door.

"I am on my way!" Henry said as he raced up the stairs.

"I am in here!" Mary shouted as she banged furiously on the door.

"Stand back!" Henry announced as he charged at the door. "Ouch!" he grimaced as be collided with the door and bounced back. He grimaced as he stroked his sore arm that had bounced off the door.

"Please don't break my door" bellowed the panting Lady Tremaine who was now following on behind. "Here is the key" she said handing him the large brass key.

"Oh," Henry said rubbing his bruised arm and ego.

He quickly opened the door the door to see a puffy eyed blonde Mary with tears running down her cheeks sitting on the bed in her grey Mickey Mouse pyjamas, with the gold lighter grasped triumphantly in her hands.

She got up ran towards the door and was completely star struck by the gorgeous Henry bursting into the room. "Oh, Mr Charming, so kind of you to come and find me!" She said "Sorry I am dressed like this; I was just about to head to the shower..."

"It's ok, it's absolutely fine." He said taking her hands with the lighter in his "Firstly I am going to check that this is the correct lighter." he calmly said taking the gold lid out of his pocket and marrying it up with the base unit in her hands. "Which it clearly is, we have a match!" he proudly announced as he managed to get the lid reattached to the base. He smiled at her and wiped a tear away from her rosy, red cheeks.

Mary smiled at him and looked at her stepmother over Henry's shoulder staring at her through the door her face black like thunder in anger.

"I will stand outside this door, keeping it unlocked so that you can get dressed in privacy, and even if your mother doesn't approve, I am going to take you back to my house, and we can have the cigarette together, the one that we didn't have last night?"

Mary nodded as another tear rolled down her cheek. "I do need a shower first..." she grinned.

Chapter 7

Mary let out a deep sigh as she sat in the leather passenger seat of Mr Charmings expensive Mercedes. She turned and smiled, "Sorry Mr Charming, can I have my cigarette now?" She asked sweetly as she could.

"Yes, of course!"

"I know you want to recreate last night, and we will, and more!" She turned and smiled at him. "But I need this smoke. Now!"

"Of course, but on the condition, you call me Henry, and importantly, can ask what your name is?" he said looking deep into crystal blue eyes as he, without looking, removed a lighter from his pocket.

"I am Mary Tremaine, nice to meet you again Henry." she said as she placed the cigarette in her mouth and turned her head as she accepted the flame from Henry's lighter and took a sharp deep inhale and pressed the button to unwind the window a little bit, only to glance back in the passenger side mirror to see her stepmother and sisters' arms across their large chests unapprovingly staring at them from the front door. She flicked a little bit of ash out the window. "Henry, can we leave like now?" she asked. "I don't want to be here a minute longer."

"Yes, of course, Mary, it's so nice to meet you too" Henry said as he started the car and with the wheels kicking off a cloud of dust they drove off down the road.

As the car disappeared around the corner and down the road into the distance Ella asked Lady Tremaine with her cigarette dangling out the corner of her mouth "Mother, who is going to make my breakfast now?" she removed the cigarette from her lips and took a gulp of her beer, then loudly burped.

***

After leaving her old life behind her. The new life for Mary was whirlwind for the first few weeks. Firstly, she had to integrate in the household of the Charming's. She had been given her own large bedroom. It was such a contrast to her draft filled, cold, bare walled servant's room. Plush wallpaper led to huge windows overlooking the manicured green gardens. There was enough space in the bedroom to swing a cat. If she had one. There was one small draw back. It was in the furthest wing from Henry's own room. She was used to being lonely. Everyone insisted it was just until the wedding.

However, she enjoyed it when Henry snuck across the house in the dark of night. They still managed to spend plenty of glorious time between the bedsheets learning each other's bodies intimately. He was charming by name and charming by nature.

There had been several media appearances where they cheesily had to recreate leaning on the balustrade outside the house and lighting the cigarettes together for the media. The photos went around the world both on social media and in the news. When the criticism came in of them promoting smoking. Then the numerous reports were put out there of them telling the world that they were working together to quit the evil and disgusting habit. It even included pictures of them wearing matching nicotine patches on their arms whilst grinning away.

Within a month a large engagement ring was placed on her finger. Five months later the engraved gold lighter was matched with two engraved gold rings as Henry and Mary Charming walked down the aisle.

Aunt Fay gave Mary away. Mary wore the same dress that her mom had worn at her wedding. Lady Tremaine and her daughters, whilst invited was nowhere obvious to be seen. Mary thought she may have seen her stepmother hiding behind a post at church.

After the first dance at the large reception hall, they took their champagne, stepped out on to the veranda of the hall, and as the clock struck 7, and the bell rang out, they turned to each other wrapped an arm around each other and passionately kissed. When the kiss eventually broke, Henry dug into his pocket and retrieved a pack of cigarettes and then they used Lord Tremaine's gold lighter to light their first of many cigarettes together of married life.

They eventually stubbed the cigarette out on the white wall, leaving the two matching blacken ash marks side by side.

"Hello Mary Charming" Henry said with his exhale before they both leaned into each other for yet another smoky kiss.

The End.