Charming

Nemeny Neverwish curses Charming so that every woman in the realm will be bewitched by him until his twenty-first birthday. The spell makes Charming irresistibly attractive, but it can only be broken by finding his true love. The deadline casts a heavy urgency over Charming's coming of age and set pieces of destiny in motion.

Charming proposes to three different princesses—Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty—at nearly the same time, each unaware of the others. The revelation of their shared fiancé creates a royal scandal and pressure from guardians. This brinkmanship pushes Charming toward the Gauntlet as a path to true love.

Charming's father forces him to embark on a perilous Gauntlet to prove his worth and to uncover his true love. The quest becomes a test of character that must replace Charming's reckless charm with genuine resolve. The royal mandate marks the official start of the journey.

Lenore Quinonez, a crafty thief, briefly crosses paths with Charming after stealing a royal carriage. He is instantly smitten despite not knowing who she truly is. She hides in a bakery to escape guards, while Charming remains oblivious to her identity and motive.

To outrun the law, Lenore disguises herself as a man named Lenny and agrees to escort Charming toward Fire Mountain. She discovers their betrothal to Charming is a court scandal worth leveraging. The deception deepens their complicated bond as the Gauntlet progresses.

Lenore shares her hard history, explaining she was raised at sea and learned to distrust everyone. Charming's surface flippancy contrasts with her guarded pragmatism, and they begin to lean on each other for survival. The growing trust hints that she might be more than just a conscripted ally.

A tribe of giant Matilija women attacks the pair, and Charming's charm wins over the chief, delaying Lenore's death. The tribe's fierce plans to marry Charming complicate Lenore's future and the Gauntlet's course. While chaos unfolds, Lenore's life hangs in the balance.

The Half-Oracle takes Lenore in and hints that Charming might be her true love. The prophecy adds emotional weight to the Gauntlet and nudges Lenore toward embracing genuine feeling. Lenore's hope grows that the quest could end with them united.

Charming secures the chief's hairpin, an invincible sword, while Lenore steals a ruby from a guarded cave. They enter a stone cave enchanted by Nemeny, where Lenore accidentally awakens a guardian monster. Charming realizes that returning the ruby will appease the creature and keep them alive.

Charming and Lenore complete the Gauntlet's trials by befriending the stone monster and enduring the danger. Lenore begins to develop real feelings for Charming, while Nemeny subtly draws other women toward him, threatening their fragile bond. The emotional stakes grow as the goal of the Gauntlet comes into focus.

The party reaches Fire Mountain where the princesses and guardians await. Lenore finally reveals the truth about her feelings and identity, and Charming realizes she is his true love after all they have endured. Their bond reframes the quest's outcome and future prospects.

Refusing to marry any princess, Charming decides to sacrifice himself to break Nemeny's curse. He writes letters to the enchanted women explaining the curse and prepares for an execution that would save the land. The gesture is a selfless attempt to end the danger through personal loss.

Lenore's bird Illy steals one of Charming's letters and brings the warning to Lenore. Realizing the danger, Lenore rushes to stop Charming from being hanged and to confess her love in time. The timely rescue rekindles their hope for a shared future.

Nemeny interrupts the final act and orchestrates a fatal strike against Charming to finish the Gauntlet. Lenore's true love's kiss revives him, breaking the curse as Nemeny disappears. The land is freed, and Charmings and Lenore marry, living happily ever after.