Ella Enchanted

Ella bumps into Char. Char reveals that her father used to live in the palace they were in, and that there is a rumor of a secret passage. Char and Ella look for it. While searching, they come across a pair of glass slippers. Ella tries them on and they fit perfectly. They dance to the sound of the orchestra from downstairs, discussing Lucinda’s spell on Ella’s father and Dame Olga. Char and Ella slide laughingly down the banister into the group of Sir Peter, Dame Olga, Hattie, and Olive.

Sir Peter and Ella travel to Dame Olga, Hattie, and Olive’s home, where they will live now. Sir Peter admits to Dame Olga that he is broke. She is upset with his deception and declares that Ella will have to earn her keep, seeing she is a “pauper.”

Char visits the home the next day, but Hattie orders Ella to her room. Ella is frustrated and devastated not to see him. He returns the next day, and again Hattie orders Ella to her room. Char leaves to the country of Ayortha for a year. He writes in his journal that he is frustrated with Ella’s avoidant behavior; Ella is able to see the entry in her enchanted fairy tale book. Ella writes to Char apologizing, explaining that she was confined in her room and not allowed to leave. She also tells him stories of her childhood and asks questions about his life in Ayortha. She instructs him to address any return mail to Mandy.

Ella’s father leaves to conduct trade, and Ella is moved to a small room in the servant’s wing. Hattie tells Olga about Ella’s curse. Olga summons the servants and tells Ella that she will join them. Mandy says that she will take her on as a scullery maid; Ella is relieved. Olive comes to the kitchen and orders Ella to tell her stories until she’s exhausted, and then commands her to give her money.

Ella is ordered to scrub the floor for hours before a dinner party. Ella adds a mixture to Olga’s serving to put her to sleep, and Olga has to be carried to bed. Ella decides to write to her father asking for his help.

Ella continues to work as a scullery maid. Olga, Hattie, and Olive revel in her debasement. Char replies to Ella’s letter, telling her about his life in Ayortha. Char complains that the Aythoraians are not conversationalists, preferring silence, so Ella replies with conversational small talk and comments. In his reply, Char asks if Ella is still too young to marry. In another letter, Char admits that he loves Ella and wants to be with her: “I want to be with you forever and beyond” (181).

Ella is shocked by Char’s profession of love. She realizes that she loves him too, and is briefly overjoyed at the prospect of marrying him. However, she then realizes the curse’s consequences: She could be used as a tool against the crown, perhaps even to kill Char. Ella writes a letter, pretending that it was written by Hattie, saying that Ella has eloped with another man. Ella then writes a letter in her own hand, mocking Char and confirming that she is married.

Devastated, Ella sends the letters and confides in Mandy. Mandy summons Lucinda and explains the predicament. Mandy insists that Lucinda try two of her most common “blessings—” turning people into squirrels and Ella’s obedience curse—on herself. Lucinda turns herself into a squirrel and is sent to live in a park.

Ella’s father says that he will not come home. In her enchanted book, Ella sees entries in Char’s journal cursing her dishonesty. Ella writes letters to him that she never posts telling him of her life and love for him.

Lucinda reappears. She is devastated at the damage she has caused with her careless use of “big magic” after she’s had a chance to experience the curses directly. Ella begs her to remove the spell.

Lucinda is repentant. However, she has renounced big magic and will not remove the curse. Olga, Hattie, and Olive talk excitedly about the upcoming balls which Char will host. Ella decides that she wants to go, although she must go disguised.

Areida writes in her journal about an encounter with Char. She contradicted his suggestion that Ella married a rich man because all she cared about was wealth; Areida said that Ella had been a good friend to her and did not care about fortune.

When Ella is washed and dressed for the ball, including a mask to disguise her appearance, she realizes that it is heavily raining. Frustrated that Mandy won’t use her magic to help, Ella summons Lucinda. Lucinda fashions her a carriage out of a pumpkin, horses out of mice, footmen out of lizards, and a coachman out of a rat. Lucinda also produces a beautiful necklace and tiara for Ella to wear to the ball. Lucinda warns Ella that the charms will wear off at midnight.

Ella spends most of the evening watching Char longingly from afar. She dances with one man because he phrases his request as an order: “[D]ance with me, Lady” (206). Finally, Char introduces himself. Ella introduces herself as Lela and speaks to him in Ayorthaian; he is surprised and impressed. They dance together.

Ella attends the next ball, arriving again in her bewitched pumpkin. Char dances with Ella, singing an Ayorthaian song in her ear. Char asks Ella—who he thinks is Lela—to call him Char.

Ella reads a journal entry by Char where he wonders why Lela will not remove her mask. A note from Olive asks Hattie to pay her for distracting the prince’s attention from other women when he was not dancing with Hattie. At the final ball, Char introduces Ella—as Lela—to his father, the King, and his mother, the Queen.

Hattie interrogates Lela about who she is, but fortunately makes no direct commands. Ella creates a fictitious backstory for Lela. Ella and Char dance together. Ella realizes that it’s her last night with Char and cries. Char is distressed; Ella pretends it is because she will miss Frell when she leaves. As Char and Ella are saying goodbye, Hattie sneaks up behind Ella and removes her mask.

Ella races home. She explains her predicament to Mandy, and they begin to hurriedly pack. She takes off her gown and puts on her sooty scullery maid’s clothing. Char arrives and insists that the whole household present themself. He recognizes Ella in spite of her grubby appearance, and insists that she try on the glass slipper which had fallen off as she fled the ball. It fits Ella perfectly. Char asks if she loves him, and she admits that she does. He asks her to marry him, which she agrees to. Hattie interjects: “Don’t marry him, Ella” (224). Ella is forced to say that she will not marry him. Ella’s stepmother, Olga, overrules her, and Ella knows that she is planning to exploit Ella’s position for wealth and status. As she feared, Ella knows that marrying Char will compromise his safety and the wellbeing of Kyrria. For this reason, she knows she cannot marry Char, even though she loves him dearly.

Char gives Ella a direct command—“say you’ll marry me” (224). Ella feels that Char is too precious to endanger; she struggles with all her might against her curse. She rocks and cries with the effort of resisting, and eventually is able to yell: “No,” “I won’t marry you” (226). Ella is shocked that she is able to refuse. Hattie orders her to her room and she refuses. Mandy explains that her refusal to marry the prince in order to save him, in spite of wanting desperately to marry him, broke the curse. Joyfully, Ella tells Char that she can marry him. They kiss.

A month after their engagement, Ella and Char marry. Ella does not invite her stepfamily. Her friend Areida attends, and they happily resume their friendship. Mandy happily moves into the palace as cook, and as godmother to Ella and Char’s children. Ella continues to hone her language skills and accompanies Char on his journeys. Rather than princess, she adopts the titles of Court Linguist and Cook’s Helper. They live happily ever after.