The Princess and the Con

There wasn’t a chance in the world of it working. She knew it; he? Not so much. All of Todd’s half-baked schemes never earned them a dime. Raina expected the worst out of his latest: snag a king’s ransom from the world’s brattiest princess through marriage fraud.
         Albeit, this time, Todd spoke ready to go all or nothing. He honestly intended to swindle the king and princess to earn himself a royal seat! Raina knew better, the king would, too. She had to get his head out of the clouds. But just how? Todd, the slimy toad, only listened to one thing: his ego.
         Shortly after its inception came “Part One” of his grand master plan. He set a fake frog on a castle well’s ledge, hid in the convenient surrounding foliage, and waited. The princess always passed here… Raina just shook her head. It wouldn’t work! She almost scrapped the plan, as her tensions built, as Little Miss Princess didn’t pass by… Her fury exploded!
         Wham! Her violent rage crashed her right into the Princess, who dropped that precious golden ball! Raina turned to catch it, but it was too late… It fell in the well. Just like he said it would.
Damn him for planning every last detail!!
         “I believe this is your ball, miss?”
         The princess rudely shoved Raina aside, eager to retrieve her precious plaything. Raina stifled a groan; they’d played into his hands like fresh putty! Oh, yes, he started up some innocent flirting now, and she played hard to get! Until, of course, he mentioned the snag. “By the by, did I mention I’m actually the frog?”
         She burst into laughter! The princess guffawed so raucously, trees shook, as did the bushes where Todd covered his ears. But, alas, he continued spinning more yarn to her ears. In his tale, he was a prince, cursed by an evil, UGLY witch.
         “Like the one who pushed me on my way here,” she innocently smiled!
         Now Raina wanted to choke the girl! And Todd, too, for feeding it!
         “Yes, one and the same! You see, she’s jealous that, in my human form, any girl would fall in love with me! She did herself! When I told her no, she turned me into a frog! Get that? And, it’s a double curse! A pretty little princess like you has to kiss me, as a frog! Huh? What a funny hex, right?”
         She chuckled awkwardly, beginning to doubt. When in doubt, con man’s out! Raina had to cook up something; Todd couldn’t handle the situation at present. So speaking of cooking…
         “MeeeHHEEEheee!! You’ll never, ever rescue yourself, stupid boy!!! I’ve cursed you FOREVEEEEERRRR!!! No girl could love your unsightly form! It’s my foolproof plan! This silly princess hates your wretchedness! MeeeHEEEheee!!”
         Raina stood in her own bush, cackling unseen! The terrified princess now clutched to the well’s bricks, and Todd winked at Raina. Easy prey, now time to go in for the kill.
         “Please, princess? Won’t you save me from this devilish witch’s spell?”
         “It’d be my honor, humble prince.”
         How naïve of her to accept! Raina could gag… Her stroke of genius saved him, that he could not forget!
         … Humble!
         “Pssst! Have you asked the king to marry her yet?”
         Todd sat on the princess’s bed (now undisguised thanks to “the kiss”), but turned to hear Raina again. She grinned quaintly in maid’s garb. She’d found her own way into the castle, so why couldn’t he trust her methods?
Some thought contorted his face. It bothered Raina, even enough to cause pity in her heart for the poor boy. She took a spot next to him, and rubbed his shoulder.
         “What’s wrong?”
         “The king knows, I can tell.”
         Todd spoke like a man facing his grave. Raina had to cheer him up, fast!
         “No, he’s not! You’re just imagining it to scare yourself out of this! Admit it, you’re afraid of commitment, and that’s the problem!”
         He stared at her coldly while she laughed at her “sense of humor”. Obviously, it didn’t spread well.
         “Perhaps this whole marriage part is the mistake, though. Even the sweet little girl will learn eventually… She’s not even worth it! What if you just duck out now?”
         “And lose the prize? Raina, this is my master work, my greatest scheme, my opus! She’s the ticket!”
         Pride flickered in those eyes; she battled it once and lost. Todd’s own self-confidence interrupted all rational ideas he ever dreamed up or heard, which is why he didn’t often listen to his obviously wiser partner. Raina grew tired of this game they played, and for the first time, left him alone.
         “What? You’re just leaving? No advice? … I’m scared!”
         “Maestro, it’s your opus. Finish it.”
         She barged out of the room, tears forming on her cheeks. For the first time, Raina’s heart flamed with a passionate jealousy…
         “Did you hear? The wedding is tonight!”
         “Tonight? How happy!”
         Servants’ chitter-chatter. Raina scrubbed the kitchen mindlessly, without a heed to the conversation adjacent. Some people! Just couldn’t keep their traps shut…
         That fool! Of all the ridiculous, pompous, idiotic, dumb human beings on this earth, he! Todd pulled her through hell, constantly!
But she wanted him to be her fool. If he’d pay some mind to the “princess” who’d kiss him, even if he was just a frog…
         Wait! Stirring in Raina’s mind now, that brilliant overture to genius… Her own opus! This single-handed swoop would steal away the life she dreamed. Raina skittered away in the festivities, ready to make some of her own!
         ”Your Majesty,
I, the witch of which your daughter may have spoken, have decided to take back my lovable, handsome frog prince for my own. He has confessed that he loves me, with or without my spells. In his nuptial hour, we stole away. He kindly returned the crown to your chambers this afternoon. We hope you’ll wish us the best of weddings (besides yours).
Sincerely,
         The Good Witch Raina ”

Word Count = 1,000