Okay. So I've been going through some old stuff (comes with the territory of packing and moving) and I found a TON of my old material that I've written over the years. I've had quite a few people tell me that they have wanted to read this piece or that so I have decided to post those as well. It is also nice because I have no shortage of stuff to post while I work on new material =) 

As always, feel free to read, comment and give (constructively positive) feedback. 

PS. I apologize ahead of time (and will announce in each post) for any language. I wrote a lot of this stuff while I was in  a not so active in the church time in my life and I don't want to edit the work away from my original creations. I will post disclaimers before hand if you choose to skip over those particular posts. 

This one is a bit on the longer side. It was a play write project (hence the super obnoxious format) I did my first semester of creative writing in college. Now that I'm no longer at that school I will freely admit that I wrote this the night before it was due. I made minimal changes to it for my final portfolio so what you read is what you get. 

I wrote this one as a homage to my Disney obsession but I was also going through a weirdly dark time for whatever reason so...it's more of a "there is no happy ever after." (Side note: everything I wrote that semester was dark, fair warning. There were some interesting things going on and looking back it clearly manifested in my writing.) 

So, here it is: After Happily Ever After by TaNee (Edwards) White 

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WARNING: Contains some language and some sexual references 

After Happily Ever After

                                                                          Act 1

SCENE 1

(The time is five years after CINDERELLA and PRINCE CHARMING are married. CINDERELLA has once again reverted back to the mindset of a servant. Refusing to take part in her ‘royal duties’ in bestowing an heir upon the Kingdom, CHARMING has taken a mistress, one of CINDERELLA’S wicked step-sisters. Open scene with CHARMING lying in bed with DRIZELLA.) 

CHARMING

(Leaning on elbow toward DRIZELLA)

I don’t know what you’re so worried about Driz. No one is going to know.

DRIZELLA

(Laying staring at the ceiling)

No one except your servant loving sweeper of a wife. Why did you marry her anyway? I was at that ball, same as her. You didn’t want me then.

CHARMING

I was enchanted. She was dripping with magic. That so called fairy godmother that got her the gown added a little help to the spell. Dazzling, isn’t it?

DRIZELLA

I just don’t see why she’s so special. I mean why did she get picked to have an all expense paid magical hoorah and all the rest of us just got brushed under the carpet? She’s only half a noble by blood anyway!

CHARMING

I know love. We just need to patient. Soon you’ll be with child. Then everything will get better. Maybe we can find our own fairy godmother and she can make everyone forget the last five years and they’ll remember that you are my Queen.

DRIZELLA

Really Charming? You mean that? You’re not just saying that ‘cause the sex is good?

CHARMING

(Kisses her lightly on the nose)

No, my love. Although the sex is really good, I must say.

DRIZELLA

See, I knew you only wanted me for my body!

CHARMING

Never!

DRIZELLA

What are we going to do when she finds out, Charming? She’s had magic help before. Who’s to say this godmother won’t come back and give her a little magical help again?

CHARMING

(Pausing for a time in contemplation)

Well, I suppose we could tell her that we’re in love?

DRIZELLA

You’re kidding right? She’s going to kill us. Well, one of us. You or me…who do you think she’d off first?

CHARMING

Are we seriously having this conversation right now?

DRIZELLA

(Shifting to sit up and face him)

Yeah! I wanna know who you’d think your wife would kill first if she walked in on us in the throes of passion.

CHARMING

Well, if she killed me first it would be because she knew. If I die first, she knew before she came in here and it would be slow and gruesome. It would be premeditated and calculated. She would kill me first because she blames me for her inability to conceive.

DRIZELLA

And if she kills me first?

CHARMING

I cannot believe we are actually talking about this…you know her better than me! You should be able to answer this better!

DRIZELLA

I did not know her. She was a servant in my home who just happened to be related to me by marriage. Nothing else. Now what do you think? Why would she kill me first?

CHARMING

If she kills you first it would be because she didn’t know…and because it’s you. I think that’s what’s going to be the hardest thing. Because even if you don’t think you are related in any way that matters, she does.

DRIZELLA

So?

CHARMING

So? What if you walked in and I was bedding Anastasia?

DRIZELLA

(Staying silent for a few moments)

That better not ever happen.

CHARMING

See? That anger right there is why she would kill you first. Instant female hatred. Crime of passion. She would kill me after…again, slow and painful. She would make me suffer no matter what. I’m screwed.

DRIZELLA

You are not. Stop being dramatic. This is all assuming she finds out, which I’m sure will happen at some point. I mean, I’m going to get pregnant aren’t I?

CHARMING

You better get pregnant with as much as I’ve filled you.

(The two kiss and the lights fade on the couple, dimming slowly until black, insinuating romanticism)

SCENE 2

(Lights go up on Cinderella, dirty and tattered as she was five years ago before the ball. She sweeps and whistles a sad tune, occasionally stopping to brush the hair out of her face. She stops at the sound of a soft knock on the door to stage left. She turns and brightens when PRINCE ADAM walks through the door dressed as a commoner)  

CINDERELLA

(Running into his arms)

Adam!

ADAM

Hello my dear. How are you today?

CINDERELLA

Better know that you’re here. You would not believe the day I had. Charming is being absolutely insufferable. I want to strangle him in his sleep. Do you have any idea how hard it is to sleep next to a man I despise? How can a lie next to him when I’m so in love with you?

ADAM

I know my dear. Be patient. Our plan will be set in motion very soon, I promise.

CINDERELLA

How soon is soon?

ADAM

Soon, love.

CINDERELLA

I can’t wait another day.  If I have to spend one more night listening to him drone on and on about my royal obligations to the kingdom and my duty to bear the heir and keeping the kingdom in the family, I may throw myself off the North tower and end the suffering.

ADAM

You will do no such thing! Once you are free of this awful place, I will steal you away to France, and you will live with me in my kingdom, and you may do with that whatever you please. As long as you promise to never leave my bed.

CINDERELLA

Of course I won’t, my sweet sweet Prince. What I don’t understand is why your first wife left you to begin with. Not that I’m complaining of course, but I do question her sanity for leaving. You are the most wonderful man I could ever hope for.

ADAM

Well, when you spend 10 years more beast than man…let’s just say old habits die hard.

CINDERELLA

What do you mean?

ADAM

(Stepping away, toward stage right, facing away from CINDERELLA)

I mean, when your very nature is aggression, well…sometimes that aggression came out in the wrong way after I turned back into a man.

CINDERELLA

Did you beat her?

ADAM

I did. A few times. And after each time I swore it would never happen again, but it did. Then one night she decided that she’d had enough and she left. Went back home to live with her dad, married some local big shot hunter who tried to win her over before me.

CINDERELLA

And is this going to happen with me?

ADAM

No! Cindy I swear, that won’t happen. I’ve changed. I’m not that man…that beast anymore. I’ve done everything I can to bury him so that he never comes back. You’re safe. I promise.

(The two kiss)

CINDERELLA

I love you.

ADAM

I love you, too. And to answer your earlier question, the plan is technically already set in motion. I brought one of my more faithful servants with me to spy on your husband. He found something that the Prince may very well hang himself with.

CINDERELLA

Really? What is it?

ADAM

You’re not going to like it Cindy.

CINDERELLA

Adam, just tell me.

ADAM

He’s cheating on you just as much as you’re cheating on him.

CINDERELLA

I figured that one out all on my own thanks. How’re we going to hang him with that?

ADAM

He’s cheating on you with your step-sister, Drizella.

CINDERELLA

(Takes a step away from ADAM and remains silent)

ADAM

Now Cindy, don’t do anything rash. This is all part of the plan. This is great for the plan, even! We can leave even sooner than we’d hoped.

CINDERELLA

(Storms out of the room, ADAM chasing her calling her name. Dim Lights. Close curtains)

SCENE 3

(CHANRMING and DRIZELLA are still lying in bed after a long night of romance. The two talk in soft whispers as the lights go up. There is a spot light on the bed room door down stage right.)

DRIZELLA

Did you hear about all the drama with Prince Eric?

CHARMING

Who?

DRIZELLA

Eric. He’s the one with the dark hair that fell in love with the siren and figured out a way for her to be human? They’re up the coast a ways.

CHARMING

Oh, I remember him. Great guy. He can really hold his liquor.

DRIZELLA

Well apparently he can’t hold his woman like his liquor.

CHARMING

(Sitting up)

What happened?

DRIZELLA

I guess old habits die hard. She lived her entire life seducing other men to their deaths. Even after her transformation, her song was still very appealing. Eric found a room in their guest chambers filled with men that she had lured in and killed.

CHARMING

Well isn’t that something. They’ve been married for how long?

DRIZELLA

Less time that you and Cindy. And what’s more? You know how before she was human she was always stealing the human trinkets and hoarding them in her little underwater cave?

CHARMING

Yeah, it’s sort of the new fad to hoard though isn’t it?

DRIZELLA

Yeah, it’s a fad until you take all the trinkets from the men you’ve killed and make creepy death shrines for them all. The rumor is that she had a different room for each ‘collection’ Apparently Prince Eric is heartbroken. The trial is set for later this month. I believe they are going to get that witch to take away her legs and they are extraditing her back to the seas where her own people can charge her.

CHARMING

What’s the world coming to? You know I heard a similar story about that couple in the north?

DRIZELLA

Which couple? Snow? Or Aurora?

CHARMING

I think it was Aurora. I just get them confused because they both used the same cheesy ‘I’m asleep, kiss me awake’ bit to get their husbands to fall for ‘em. I’m glad my wife didn’t try that.

DRIZELLA

No, she just bewitched you with magical voodoo.

CHARMING

Hmm. Tis true. Not sure which one is worse. Anyway, I think it was Aurora – the one who married Phillip and joined their Western kingdom with the Northern?

DRIZELLA

Oh that’s right. I remember that.

CHARMING

Turns out that Aurora was just in it for the kingdoms. Just received word that Phillip has mysteriously died and now Aurora and her little fairy gang are taking over both kingdoms in the name of her deceased father.

DRIZELLA

I always took her for a dumb blonde. Who would have known that she could be so calculating? At least Snow made it out ok. I mean that marriage hasn’t totally fallen apart yet. 

CHARMING

Yet. But a Prince can only put up with infertility for so long. And no man likes it when a woman spends all her free time with her 7 male friends out in the woods doing God knows what. I’m surprised he hasn’t had all those annoying little dwarves executed yet.

DRIZELLA

What about that desert kingdom that got taken over by that non royal? What was his name?

CHARMING

Ah, the con man, Aladdin.

DRIZELLA

That’s the one.   

CHARMING

Well as far as know their marriage is fine. At least their kingdom hasn’t fallen apart yet, which surprises me, being run by a former homeless thug. But there are rumors going around that after they got married she wanted to leave and see the world and her father wouldn’t have that, so right before his death he passed a law that said that the queen must always be present for the kingdom to run properly and had her confined to her chambers unless otherwise directed by Sultan Aladdin.

DRIZELLA

Locked in a cage forever, the one girl who didn’t want to run a kingdom? That’s awful. That’s almost worse than being unfaithful. But, I mean, at least they are together.

CHARMING

Forever, by force if necessary.

DRIZELLA

I suppose. But at least he loves her enough to want to never let her get away. Granted, he’s doing it in the worst way possible but she should know that he really does care about her and doesn’t want to see her go.

CHARMING

I suppose. It’s still a little messed up though. But then again, if people knew the truth about my marriage, they might say the same thing.

DRIZELLA

Maybe, or maybe they’d say how awful your wife is and how she deserved what she got!

CHARMING

Wouldn’t that be nice?

(Just then, CINDERELLA bursts through the bedroom door. CHARMING and DRIZELLA sit up, startled, attempting to cover themselves up. Spotlight following CINDERELLA, lights around the bed dim.)

CINDERELLA

So, it’s true. You really are sleeping with my step sister?

CHARMING

Cindy! It’s not what it looks like.

DRIZELLA

(quietly)

Isn’t it?

CINDERELLA

You have got to be kidding me. I must be dreaming because I know I’m not seeing what I think I’m seeing.

CHARMING

Cindy, I’m sorry. But I don’t love you. You’re never here. You aren’t the wife that I need you to be.

CINDERELLA

So you’re sleeping with my step sister.

DRIZELLA

Oh, please. Stop using that like it means anything. We are no more sisters than you and that slut Ariel up the coast. Maybe you should go there and she can help you seduce yet another handsome Prince for you to exploit.

CINDERELLA

(Wielding a knife she stole from the servant’s kitchen, she rushes the bed and stabs DRIZELLA multiple times. DRIZELLA screams until she is dead. As DRIZELLA’S screams finally stop, ADAM bursts in, ready to stop CINDERELLA but realizes he’s too late.)

CHARMING

You!

ADAM

Me?

CHARMING

You’re the one they call Beast.

ADAM

I was. I am different now.

CHARMING

You’re the one who killed my mother while she was in France 6 years ago!

ADAM

(shrugs impassively)

I’m sorry, I do not recall, there were so many women. First your mother, now your wife.

CHARMING

(Now overtaken by the same anger as CINDERELLA, he jumps off the bed, and throws his hands around Adam’s throat. CINDERELLA screams for both men to stop but they do not listen. They grapple for a bit until CHARMING strangles ADAM to death.)

CINDERELLA

What have you done?

CHARMING

What have you done?

CINDERELLA

Well congratulations, Charming, you just killed the one thing that was going to get me out of here.

CHARMING

Well then it looks like you’re staying then doesn’t it?

CINDERELLA

(Grabs a mop from out of the closet.)

I suppose so.

(She begins to clean up the blood from DRIZELLA)

CHARMING

What are you doing?

CINDERELLA

What the hell does it look like I’m doing?

CHARMING

It looks like you’ve lost your damn mind, that’s what it looks like.

CINDERELLA

Maybe that’s true, but no… I’m cleaning up this damn mess.

CHARMING

Seriously, right now? Why?

CINDERELLA

(Shrugging)

Old habits die hard, I guess.