by Aron Lewes
Cinderella barely had time to process his response before her body was jolted by the sound of a thunderous roar. When she turned her eyes skyward and spotted another dragon, she felt like groaning forever. It was yellow and serpent-like, and a pair of long whiskers flowed from its face.
Terra could sense her stepsister's panic, so she quickly spoke up, “We don't have to worry about that one. It's not a threat. It's a Carrion Wyrm, and it feasts on the flesh of dead animals.”
“So it's a docile dragon? That's nice to know,” Rank said, then he stuck his head outside and yelled, “Still, it'd be nice if our horse would move a bit faster!”
Fenix whinnied and increased his pace.
In less than an hour, they reached their destination—which was a far cry from the forbidding witch's lair Cinderella was expecting.
They had arrived at a giant boot.
“Ummm...” Cinderella was so stunned, she nearly lost her footing as she alighted from Rank's vehicle. “What's this?”
“You've never heard of the old woman who lives in a shoe?” Rank asked.
“Who had so many children, she didn't know what to do?” Cinderella's brow pinched as she finished the rhyme.
“Aye. That's our witch. That's Donnabella.” Rank helped Terra from the wagon, then he removed the harness from Fenix's neck. “Donnabella's centuries old, and she's lived in this old boot for ages.”
“Are you... her children?” Cinda asked.
“No. Goodness, no!” Her question had him howling with laughter. “We are her students, though. And to be honest, I'm pretty sure she's whipped Fenix and put him to bed a few times.” When he saw Terra's puzzled expression, he added. “That's the rest of the rhyme, love. The old woman in the shoe whips them and--”
“I know the rhyme!” Terra interrupted, then she whacked his leg with one of her crutches. “I was just wondering what you meant!”
Before Rank could elaborate, Fenix shifted into his human form and quickly spoke up, “Well... I'm back to normal. Let's head into the shoe, shall we?”
Cinda's mouth gaped as she studied the massive brown boot that was supposedly Donnabella's home. When they got closer, she realized the laces were giant vipers. The snakes hissed and stuck out their tongues at the approaching guests.
“The snakes are harmless,” Fenix said. “Well... mostly harmless. They did bite Rank... once. Only because he was pestering them, though.”
“Aye. I was basically begging for it,” Rank added with a nod.
They reached the boot's iron door, which was located near the heel. Shortly after Fenix knocked, a sultry voice answered, “Come in.”
The door swung open, and all four of them sauntered inside. Cinderella held her breath as she entered the boot. When her breathing resumed, she almost wished it hadn't. Her nostrils were subjected to the scent of stale smoke.
Donnabella's appearance was even more shocking than the house in which she lived. Cinda was expecting an old lady, but the woman in front of her looked surprisingly young, possibly in her late twenties. She was sitting on a stool, smoking a pipe made from dragon bone. Her hair was long, black and stringy. Her blue eyes were unnaturally pale, and there was a long scar over one of them. Her cherry red lips were parted by a grin when she got her first glimpse of Cinderella.
“This is her, right?” Smoke billowed from Donnabella's mouth as she asked the question. “This is the prince's fiance?”
“Aye,” Rank replied. “This is her.”
“She's pretty,” Donnabella observed. “Not stunning... but certainly pretty.” Donnabella paused to take a drag from her pipe. When she spoke again, her voice was silky. “It's always a good day when my favorite students return to me. I'm tired of being stuck with these two. They're idiots.”
There were two ginger-haired twins sitting cross-legged near Donnabella's feet. Cinda assumed the boys were Donnabella's “idiots.” She couldn't guess their age. At first glance, she thought they were teenagers, but the lines on their forehead suggested they were at least a bit older than that.
Realizing they had her attention, the twins greeted her simultaneously.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
Their greetings were equally apathetic.
Cinderella took a moment to glance around the room. Nothing about the interior suggested they were standing in a giant boot. The room's shape was relatively normal, and the décor was surprisingly simple. There were flowers in a vase, a plush rug on the floor, and a vibrant abstract painting on the wall. The frame was a bit crooked, but apart from that, there was nothing unusual about it.
“Fenix!” Donnabella suddenly cried out. As she extended her arms, the witch demanded, “Come to me!”
Fenix was in such a hurry to reach Donnabella's side, he accidentally stepped on a squeaky cat toy. The witch's black cat was lazing beneath her stool, constantly purring.
“Kneel beside me,” Donnabella commanded. As he sank to his knees, she asked the girls, “You know about Fenix's curse, do you not?”
It was Terra who answered the question. “We... do.”
“Good. Then you won't be shocked when you see him bending over backwards to please me.” Donnabella's smile broadened as she dragged a hand through Fenix's wavy brown hair. “Isn't he a beautiful, beautiful boy? And he's all mine. It's wonderful.”
Troubled glances were exchanged between Cinderella and her stepsister. For once, Cinda felt sorry for him.
“Put your head in my lap, Fenix,” Donnabella commanded. When his head landed on her knees, the witch's long fingers caressed his head.
“Tell me I'm beautiful, Fenix,” the witch demanded.
“You're beautiful, Donnabella,” Fenix said. “You're the most beautiful woman in the world.”
“Good!” When she leaned down to kiss his head, her long hair tickled his nose. “Now... tell Cinderella she's ugly.”
There was suffering in Fenix's eyes when his gaze landed on Cinda. In a dry voice, he croaked, “Cinderella... you're ugly. I've never been less attracted to someone.”
The twin gingers snickered as their teacher tormented their peer.
“Good boy, Fenix! You're such a good boy today!” Donnabella praised him. “Now... kiss my feet.”
Fenix dropped to the ground and pressed his lips against the witch's painted toenails.
“It's remarkable, isn't it?” Donnabella cooed. “He's my toy. Fenix does anything and everything I ask of him. Every woman deserves a subservient man, don't you think?” When the witch clapped a hand on Fenix's rear end, Cinderella and Terra gasped at the same time. “Fenix?”
“Yes, madam?” Fenix answered obediently.
“Take Cinda and this... other girl... to the underground chamber.” Donnabella's nose puckered as she studied the young woman on crutches. “Who is this girl, anyway? Why's she here?”
As Fenix led Cinda and Terra to a hatch on the floor, Rank answered, “That's Cinderella's stepsister. They were traveling together.”
“But why is she here?” Donnabella shrilly repeated. “You should've dumped her along the way.”
Rank was absentmindedly shaking his wand. Unbeknownst to him, he was covering the floor in glitter. With a sigh, he replied, “I wanted to dump her. Fenix wouldn't let me.”
“Hmm...” Donnabella's face was contemplative as she brought her pipe to her lips. “Perhaps I need to be more clear in my instructions to him.”
When the hatch opened, a staircase dropped down. Fenix carried Terra down the stairs, then he offered a hand to Cinda, who gave him a pitying glance as she descended.
As soon as they disappeared below the hatch, the twins were suddenly vocal.
“God... she's a beaut!” the lankier twin exclaimed. “Cinderella, I mean. Not the other one.”
“Aye. She was gorgeous,” the stockier twin agreed. “What I wouldn't give for a night with her!”
“It's a shame the other one isn't prettier.”
“Aye. It's an ugly stepsister indeed.”
>
“I'd still have a go at her, though.”
“Aye. Me too.”
Rank could feel his jaw tightening as he listened to their chatter.
“I'd shag her, but I wouldn't look at her face,” the lanky twin continued. “I'd look at her neck or sumfin.”
“Or just keep your eyes closed the entire time. That way, you wouldn't have to--”
The stocky twin didn't get to finish his thought.
Both twins were silenced by Rank, who stomped across the room and simultaneously punched them.
“I can’t believe we’re sitting in a cellar... under a giant shoe,” Terra remarked as she raised her crutch. A spider, roughly half the size of her fist, was creeping across the ground, heading in her direction. If it came any closer, she had plans to whack it with her crutch.
“It does seem a bit unusual,” added a sighing Cinderella.
“Unusual?” Terra chuckled at the word. “An abnormally large spider would be unusual, Cinda. This is beyond unusual. So far, we’ve faced dragons, a mad mage, a man who can shapeshift, and a witch who lives in a boot. It’s absolute madness!”
“And now we're locked up,” Cinderella concluded their list of woes with an exaggerated pout. “I wish there was some way out of this mess!”
Unbeknownst to Cinda, she had uttered the magic word.
Wish. It was the one word that could summon the powerful ally she had forgotten. When a cyclone of glitter swept into the room, she sat up with a gasp.
“Fairy Godmother!” she exclaimed. “Oh, thank god! She hasn't abandoned me!”
“What?” Terra's countenance was twisted by confusion. Cinderella's words were as perplexing as the cyclonic glitter that swirled around the room.
When the cyclone stopped spinning, there was a woman standing in its place. She was old and stout, with snow white curls and plump, short fingers. Her blue frock was a bit too short for her, and her slippers sparkled like diamonds.
Terra watched through narrowed eyes as Cinderella hopped to her feet and captured the old woman in a hug. “Fairy Godmother!” she squealed. “Thank goodness you're here! Does that mean you're going to help me?”
“I hope I can help you, dear.” She tapped Cinda's nose with the tip of her star-shaped wand. “How did you get yourself in such a mess?”
“My god, it's a long story!” Cinda dropped to her knees as she summarized it. “First, we were captured by a really strange man... and then we thought were rescued... and then we were captured again... and now this horrid witch is trying to squeeze money out of Prince Sharman in exchange for my safety!”
“That horrid witch is Donnabella.” Fairy Godmother's smiling lips were temporarily overtaken by a grimace. “My dear... that is the worst case scenario.”
“Do you know Donnabella?” Cinda asked.
“Indeed. We've had... encounters.” Fairy Godmother reluctantly admitted. “And let's just say... those encounters never ended well for me. Though I hate to admit it, she is much more powerful than me. I daresay she's the most powerful witch in the world.”
“Does that mean...” Cinda's hopeless eyes snapped between the faces of her Fairy Godmother and stepsister. “You can't help us?”
“No. As I said, I'm going to try. I need to come up with a plan.” Fairy Godmother eyed the hatch above their heads. “If I use magic, Donnabella would probably be able to detect, so--”
“Excuse me!” Terra interrupted. “Can someone explain what's going on? I'm thoroughly confused!” The giant spider was closing in on her, so she squeezed her crutch in preparation.
“Oh! You've never met each other, have you? Terra... this is my Fairy Godmother,” Cinda proudly introduced them. “Godmother, this is the stepsister I told you about. The nice one.”
“Ahh. I'm glad I'm meeting the nice one and not the shrew.” Fairy Godmother offered a plump hand to Terra, who shook it with a sigh. “And don't kill that spider, dear, I might be able to transform him into something useful. He'd make a fantastic little spindly swordsman.”
“You can do that?” Terra gasped.
Cinda's eyes lit up as she told her stepsister about the night of the ball. “Oh, yes! Fairy Godmother is amazing! She turned a pumpkin into a stagecoach! She turned six mice into the finest horses I've ever seen! Then she turned a fat rat into a jolly coachman with bushy white mutton chops. It was incredible, Terra! My heart still races when I think of it.”
“Can I get a Fairy Godmother?” Terra asked.
“Yes, dear. If your need is great enough, anyone can summon up a fairy. You just need to make a sincere wish and--”
A burst of light suddenly poured into the cellar. When she realized the hatch was open, Cinda's Fairy Godmother clapped a hand over her mouth and immediately leapt into a cobweb infested wardrobe.
“I'm hearing a lot of chatter down there! Is there someone with you?”
Cinda's heart stopped pumping when she heard Donnabella's icy voice. As the witch descended the stairs, she forgot how to breathe.
“I'm pretty sure I heard three voices.” Donnabella's arms crossed as she stalked around the cellar. “Tell me the truth, girls. It's pointless to lie to me. Donnabella knows everything.” As soon as she spotted Terra's spider, she squashed it beneath her sandal. Terra sneered at the guts and twitching legs that were left behind.
Cinda tried to keep the fear out of her voice. Any crack, quaver or tremble would let Donnabella know there was something amiss. “There's no one with us.”
“Lies!” Donnabella threw back her head and cackled. “I already know you're lying. And I know a witch when I smell one.” Donnabella spun in the direction of Fairy Godmother's wardrobe and sniffed loudly. “This one has a very distinct scent... white sage with a hint of vanilla. You can come out of the closet, Gloriosa!”
Terra and Cinda watched each other with horror in their eyes. Both girls were frozen with dread.
“Gloriosa!” Donnabella screamed as she kicked the wardrobe door. “Get out here at once, Gloriosa! I don't like to waste my time!”
The door opened with a squeak. When Fairy Godmother popped out, a stream of light erupted from her wand. She tried to aim at Donnabella, who chuckled as the attack bounced off of her. The stream of light ricocheted around the room before it finally disappeared in a puff of smoke.
With a flick of her hand, Donnabella sent her opponent's wand flying across the cellar. When she wiggled her fingers, a ghostly hand appeared and clamped down on Fairy Godmother's neck. The hand was semi-transparent, and it wasn't attached to a body.
“No!” Cinderella cried. “Don't hurt her! Please!”
“Relax, little girl. I don't intend to strangle her... but Gloriosa will be dealt with.” When the witch flicked her fingers again, a dusty urn flew out of the wardrobe and into her hand.
“Gloriosa...” Cinda quietly repeated the name. “Is that my Fairy Godmother's name?”
Shrill giggles exploded from Donnabella's painted lips. “Is she still calling herself that? Fairy Godmother?” The witch's pale eyes rolled at the title. “How ridiculous! I don't understand why she refuses to call herself a witch.”
“Because I'm not... like... you!” Gloriosa croaked. Speech was a struggle while the ghostly hand pinched her neck.
“Not all witches are evil, darling. I'm sorry if I've given us a bad name.” Donnabella blew off the urn's dust and made herself sneeze. Even witches were susceptible to sneezes. When the urn was clean enough, she set it on a rickety table. “Now... do you have any idea what I'm going to do to you?”
The hand was holding her so tightly, Gloriosa couldn't even shake her head.
“I'm not going to tell you. I'll let it be a surprise.” Donnabella, who needed no wand to conduct her power, simply pointed and whispered, “diminutii.”
In the blink of an eye, Gloriosa's body shrunk. When she was roughly an inch tall, the ghostly hand caught her and carried her to Donnabella. The witch grinned as she studied her tiny rival. “You wanted to be a fairy... now
you can be a fairy. You're certainly small enough.”
“You're a wicked woman, Donnabella!” As she stomped on the ghostly hand's palm, Gloriosa shook a minuscule fist at Donnabella. “Wicked, wicked, wicked to the core!”
“Aww. Thank you. Coming from you, that's quite a compliment.” Donnabella smiled down at the urn. “You're going in there, Gloriosa. This ugly old urn will be your new home. I think it seems fitting.”
Gloriosa screamed as the ghostly hand chucked her into the urn's interior.
“You won't be able to leave the urn until someone gives it a rub,” Donnabella casually informed her. “And when they do, you'll have to grant their wish. Just one wish. Three wishes is usually the popular choice for this particular curse, but I think that's greedy. I'll only make you grant one.” Pointing at the urn, she whispered, “genus grantus unus.”
“Why are you punishing her?” Cinda snarled at the witch. “Gloriosa doesn't deserve it!”
“Of course she deserves it, dear. She was trying to take away my best chance to become filthy rich.” Donnabella's grin returned as she studied Cinderella's horrified face. “She was trying to take you... and I can't have that.”
Donnabella assembled everyone for a feast, including her two prisoners, who didn't look too thrilled to be stuck at the dinner table. The girls' had similar sneers on their noses.
Cinderella was sitting across from the ginger twins, who had somehow acquired matching black eyes since the last time she saw them. According to Fenix, Donnabella's least favorite students were called Jostle and Pitch, and they wouldn't stop gawking at her.
Donnabella was sitting on Fenix's lap, and if his sour expression was any indication, he was miserable. Her fingers swirled through his wavy brown hair and glided across his cheek, where she occasionally planted a kiss.
Only Rank was absent. Before Cinda could ask about him, the mad rogue suddenly danced into the room. Rank had traded his tatty coat for a pinstripe suit, which he paired with a bright red ascot. His black top hat was at least twice as tall as the average hat, and there was a red crescent moon painted around his eye. Cinda wanted to ask why he painted shapes on his face, but she couldn't get the words out.