by Dana Piazzi
Just in time, we left the vicinity of the palace and the spell broke. The carriage disappeared and I fell to the ground in a heap. I was wearing the tattered gown that belonged to my mother. A piece of paper fluttered in the air and floated to land a few feet away from me. I crawled over to find out what it was. It was the silly comment card from my fairy godmother. I picked it up to tear it into a million pieces, and discovered one glass slipper under the paper. I picked up the one reminder of the magical night and slowly made my way home.
I finally made it home after having to duck into the bushes once, when Edwina, Kerra, and Darcy passed by in their carriage. When I arrived home, in my torn dress with various leaves and twigs in my hair and stuck in my clothes, I found the door locked. My night’s humiliation was complete. I managed to wiggle through the window to fall on my bedroom floor. It took me the better part of an hour to clean myself up, and I crawled into my bed, unsatisfied and disappointed with my night.
I had hoped to catch the hand of the prince, and though I did, there was never any way we were really going to live happily ever after. All I ever had was until midnight. It was a teaser of the good life, a look but don’t touch moment in my reality. It was a disappointment through and through. I looked over the comment card and decided that I was not going to be leaving a good review. What good was a magical transformation, if it only served to remind you of what you can’t have?
Chapter 4
The next week remained the same for me. Only, I kept waiting for Edwina to let loose her anger at my appearance at the ball. I was sure that I was going to pay for that, one way or another. So I went about my work waiting for the other shoe, or should I say glass slipper to drop.
One week after the ball, the reprieve ended. The prince’s manservant, and his close advisor, arrived at our front door. I could only hear them talk from the kitchen where I was preparing tea for the guests. It seemed they were looking for the mysterious beauty at the ball. The prince was determined a lady of her caliber not get away. They were searching every house for the person whose foot would fit in the one glass slipper she left in her wake.
I thought immediately of my matching shoe upstairs. I poured the tea and snuck toward the stairs to try to clean up a little and obtain proof that I was the missing lady. Suddenly, Darcy appeared at the bottom of the stairs carrying my shoe.
“That’s mine!” I said, furiously.
“Everything in this house belongs to me, my mother, or my sister. You forget your place, Cinderella!” she bit out.
“This is not my place. I am done here!” I hadn’t known that would come out of my mouth, but it was the truth. I was choosing not to live this wretched life. I didn’t need the prince, although it would have been nice. I would find a way to survive, and it wouldn’t be under the feet of these three horrid women.
Darcy swept her arm into the tea set, shattering the delicate china all over the floor and the hot water rained down on my arms. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t have wanted her to know she hurt me, but a scream tore from my throat. I couldn’t hide my pain. Footsteps could be heard running toward the kitchen. Two gentlemen arrived first, but I couldn’t really pay attention to them through my tears.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t ignore Edwina’s words when she stepped into the room and declared, “That foolish servant Cinderella! She is so clumsy. I don’t know why I haven’t fired her before.”
I would have laughed if I wasn’t in such pain. Now I was a servant? I was under the impression servants got paid. It would have been more truthful if she had called me a slave.
“Go to your room now, and pack your bags. I want you out of my house now,” Edwina said, dismissing me.
“Wait!” A new voice entered the conversation. “At least let her take care of her injuries.”
I looked at the gentleman who dared to stand up to Edwina, to help me. His blue eyes struck my heart once again. This was the man who helped me dance the first time at the ball. The man, who bore a striking resemblance to the prince. He stepped forward and wet his handkerchief, placing it on my burnt flesh.
“You,” I whispered under my breath while he took care of me.
His eyes glinted with a spark and he smiled. “You,” he repeated.
The other man he arrived with came back to the kitchen with two wraps to bandage my arms in.
“I’m not a doctor, but I do believe you should keep your arms as clean as possible.”
“Thank you, so much. Who are you?” I said, asking the question that I had wanted the answer for since the moment I met him.
“My name is Sebastian. I am the advisor and close friend to Prince Gregory. Who are you?” he echoed back.
“She is just leaving,” Edwina cut in. “As you can see, my daughter Darcy has the other slipper. She is the one you have been looking for.” It was absurd. Would he really believe dark-haired Darcy was the girl he danced with?
Sebastian’s eyes darted toward my thieving stepsister. “I do believe we must try them on her before we can bring her back to the prince.”
“Fine. Let’s go into the parlor and she can try them on,” Edwina agreed. Darcy grimaced, knowing my shoes would never fit her over large feet. “Cinderella, see yourself out. I will be very cross if you are here when we are through.”
They exited the kitchen, and I ran up the stairs. I had been afraid to leave this house without the guarantee of a safe future, but I had come to the conclusion that I was no longer safe with my step family, either. With no way to prove who I was, or who my father was, it was possible that marriage would never be an option for me. Nonetheless, I would rather be a servant than Edwina’s slave. I’d rather take a job than continue to be the punching bag for Kerra and Darcy. I packed a small bag with my two best dresses, though most might consider them rags. I ran back down the stairs, fully intending to leave immediately. The sound of crying coming from the parlor made me pause, though.
“Perhaps she just took her sister’s shoe. Let’s try Kerra’s feet,” Edwina was explaining, trying to marry off at least one of her daughters.
Darcy hid her face in her hands, sobbing at her lost opportunity. This time a chuckle escaped my mouth. Thankfully, no one noticed. Kerra had a slight defect marring her feet. They might have been smaller than Darcy‘s, but an extra toe was hard to hide. All her shoes had to be custom made. I didn’t need to see the show to know it wouldn’t fit, so I left the house, thankful to have made my escape after all.
Chapter 5
Outside, I lost all my gumption. I had no money for transportation. I had no money for lodging. I didn’t even know where to go. I paced back and forth in front of the town house, considering all my options.
I could go to my cousin, the new duke, and see if he had any mercy in him. Maybe he could introduce me to society, or allow me to work in the manor where I was raised. It would be difficult to work in my own home. It would be straight out embarrassing and depressing, but I was willing to do almost anything. Lines I would never have crossed, were beginning to blur.
For example, I might be willing to throw myself at the mercy of Sebastian. He wasn’t royalty, but maybe he would marry me, anyway. Perhaps, I could be his mistress. Anything so I wasn’t homeless. Then I shook my head at my own silliness. No, the lines hadn’t blurred that much. I laughed that I had even considered the idea.
There was a third option. I could ask him to try the shoes on me. Perhaps I could marry a prince whom I didn’t love; one whom didn’t love me. That was, if he would ever consider marrying a slave girl in the first place.
The front door opened, interrupting my thoughts. Sebastian and the manservant were walking out. I looked away, not wanting to appear that I was waiting for them. I still hadn’t decided what I was going to do. A tap on my shoulder startled me, and I spun around to find myself looking into the eyes of Sebastian.
He gestured to the stairs and I sat down. Kneeling before me, he slipped off my worn shoes. A shiver ran up my back as his hand made contact with
my skin. Once both shoes were on, he sighed.
“I knew it was you,” he said. “I saw you dancing with Prince Gregory, and I was sure you were the person he was looking for. You are very beautiful.” His hand touched a tendril of my hair and he pushed it back out of my eyes.
“I was beautiful, but it was only a spell,” I explained.
He snorted in disbelief. “It was never the spell. There is a light that shines from your eyes. A strength, a kindness. As long as you don’t lose your inner light, you will always be the most beautiful girl in the world.”
Sebastian stole another piece of my heart. He became even more attractive to me. It took all my willpower, and the knowledge that we were on a busy London street, to keep myself from throwing myself into his arms. He removed his hands from my feet and my hair and the magic of the moment was over.
Sebastian cleared his throat. “Imagine how surprised I was to find you injured and working in a kitchen. Who are you?” he asked me once again.
“I was the daughter of a Duke, but he had no sons, and my cousin, whom I have never met, took over. I was left with my step-monster and her two little devil daughters.”
Laughter burst out of Sebastian’s mouth and I smiled wryly. “While I was born into nobility, ever since my father died, I have had no real education. I might be of age to marry, but I am entirely unsuitable. It’s like I am in a state of limbo; neither lady, nor servant.”
Again, he sighed. “I’m not sure how the prince will feel, but he was entranced by your beauty. If you would like to come with us, we will bring you to the castle and present you to the prince.”
I bit my lip with worry. The prince would see me just as I really was. He might just throw me out of the castle. Then again, he might still marry me. “I’ll come with you,” I said, squashing down my worries. The servant, Henry, grabbed my bag and opened the carriage door. The drive was smooth, but silent on the way to the castle.
Chapter 6
I was ushered into an empty room, and the prince’s servants did their best to clean me up. One of the maids managed to find a dress that fit me, and it covered my bandaged arms. My hair was put up and powdered. In the end, I looked presentable, even though they couldn’t reproduce the magic the fairy godmother had created. And I wasn’t the only one to feel that way.
Moments later, the prince arrived and looked me over critically. “I thought I asked you to bring me the girl I danced with at the ball,” he said to Sebastian.
“This is the girl, your highness. Look, she is wearing the shoes,” Sebastian explained.
The prince looked pointedly at my feet, which were not visible from beneath the dress. I pulled up on the skirt, just a little, in order to show him the glass slippers. He looked down, disdainfully. Without giving me a second glance, he snapped his fingers at Sebastian and motioned for him to follow.
As the two conferred in the corner of the room, I had to question my decision to come to the palace in the first place. Again, the prince appeared to be completely arrogant. His ego was astounding, and even if he did want to marry me, he didn’t want to marry “me”. He didn’t know me, and didn’t want to, as long as I looked like the girl at the ball.
Finally, the prince glared at Sebastian and walked over to me. I felt like a piece of meat as he walked around me, stroking his chin. I felt his eyes glide up and down my body, before he finally stopped. “Well,” he sounded resigned. “She is still more attractive than all of the other girls who showed up at the ball. I guess she‘ll do.”
“She will make a wonderful bride,” Sebastian agreed.
“I’ll marry her, but she must be trained. It can’t be known that my new bride is a servant, regardless of who her father was.”
“Yes, your highness,” Sebastian agreed again.
Without actually proposing, the prince seemed to be on his way to planning our wedding. “Be sure to have someone teach her proper etiquette, how to dance, teach her how to play an instrument, and learn another language. She must be completely acceptable to the people.”
He paused in front of me, and placed his hands on my shoulders. “Congratulations…” he trailed off, realizing he didn’t even know my name.
My hand itched to slap him and I wanted to tell him where he could put his non-proposal. “Ella,” I said, instead.
“Congratulations, Ella. You will be the new princess, and maybe the future queen one day. Once you have completed your training, we will marry, and produce a fine looking heir, I’m sure.”
“I don’t know what to say,” I said, thinking that I might rather take my chance on the streets, than be his arm candy and produce his heir.
“I have that effect on women,” he boasted. “I’m leaving the country for a month. When I return, hopefully you will have learned some manners and grace.” Then he marched off in the opposite direction and out the door.
My mouth dropped open.
Sebastian walked over and stood by me, and seemed to sense my distress. “He’s not so bad, once you get used to him.”
“I don’t want to get used to him,” I said, bluntly.
“I know it seems bad right now. Just think, Ella. Soon you will be wearing the finest gowns, and attending the best balls. You will never have to wash another floor, or mend another dress. You will have people who will take care of you the way you deserve,” he rationalized.
“I’m not sure it’s worth it, Sebastian. Manual labor might seem demeaning, but it’s honest work. I was mistreated, but I was still myself. I don’t want to lose who I am, in order to marry a prince.”
“I won’t let you change. You are a beautiful young woman, but who you are makes you enchanting. You are strong and brave. I know you can do this.”
“What about love?” I ask.
“What about love?” He chuckled as he repeated my question. “Oh, Ella,” he patronized. “Love is a fleeting feeling. It won’t put fine dresses on your back, or keep you warm at night. My mother thought it would, but she was abandoned by the one she loved. Go for the money; it won’t cheat on you or leave you.”
There was a hidden pain in the depths of his eyes, and he followed the prince’s steps out of the room. The servants all bowed and took their leave. “Congratulations, m’lady,” one said, and then I was alone.
I sat down on the sofa, unable to believe the direction my life had turned. My life had taken a turn at unbelievable, and got on the highway to a future of wealth and power, bypassing the road to love and affection. I wasn’t even attracted to the prince. His cold demeanor and over-inflated ego were the world’s biggest turn offs. No matter that he was handsome as sin. The blue eyes I longed to gaze into belonged to a man who didn’t believe in love, and had no interest in marriage. If it were Sebastian proposing, I would have been much happier. Although, it didn’t sound like he believed much in love, either.
Chapter 7
As far as I was concerned, I hadn’t decided whether I would go through with marrying the prince. I did know, however, that for the next month I had the opportunity to live in a castle and learn the art of charm and grace that I had been denied in my upbringing. Once the prince returned, I would decide whether to leave or stay.
For the next two weeks, I was given lessons in royalty. How to dress, speak, and eat properly. At dinner every night, Sebastian tested me on my knowledge. We ate together and then I would play a little on the piano for him. Afterward, we would sneak in a game of chess, since he was teaching me to play. It wasn’t something required of a princess, but he loved to play and it helped pass time.
During our downtime, I got to know a little bit about Sebastian. He came to know more about me, too. It started one night when the chef served liver for dinner. We both confessed our distaste for the dish, and from there, we compared our other likes and dislikes. We both had a fondness for beef, chocolate, reading, and the reward of hard work. Liver, liars, and evil stepsisters topped our list of dislikes. I had laughed and reminded him he had no stepsisters, evil or any other ki
nd. He said mine were enough to put them on the list, and then he kissed my hand as he apologized for my prior situation.
I pulled my hand away, slightly disconcerted about his attention to me. As I enjoyed it, I also realized that there was no intent to go any further. He would never admit feelings to me, or take me for himself. He was adamant about giving me to Gregory, even though the air was wrought with heightened emotions when we were near each other. At some point, I was going to have to leave or actually marry the prince, and I had no intention of the latter.
A few nights later, I had found the courage to let him know my true intentions. “I want to thank you for helping me with my lessons,” I started off saying.
“It is my pleasure, princess,” he said, and bowed before me.
“I’m not a princess,” I corrected him.
“You will be soon.”
“Not ever. I was thanking you, because the truth is I have no intention of marrying the prince. I have been taking advantage of his hospitality and yours by staying here, but I will be leaving soon.”
“Why would you refuse this opportunity to live in wealth and comfort?” he asked.
“I know love isn’t important to you, but I want it. I’ve spent most of my life unloved, and I don’t want that feeling to continue,” I answered, my eyes filling with unshed tears. The idea of being just some thing, some trinket around the castle filled me with almost as much fear as going back to live with Edwina. I told him so.
“He is not that bad. Once you get used to him, you will find him perfectly amiable,” Sebastian insisted.
“He is a cold fish! He has no heart; all he wants is a trophy princess to hang on his arm and look pretty. All he wants is someone to provide him with good looking heirs. Why do you keep defending him so?” I yelled in frustration.