Cold Hearted

by Serena Valentino

  “Oh, I like that! I would like to meet Queen Belle!” said Drizella. “Oh, Mama, you’re taking us to the most magnificent place. Thank you.” She kissed her mother on the cheek.

  Lady Tremaine smiled and yawned.

  “Come now, girls,” Nanny Pinch said, standing up. “Your mama is tired, and I think it’s time to let her rest.” She took each girl by the hand and led them into the adjoining room.

  “I love you, my darlings,” said Lady Tremaine, blowing them a kiss. “I will see you later at dinner.” She was so happy her daughters were excited about this journey. “Rebecca, you stay with me for a while,” she said when they were alone. “What did you do with that book of fairy tales? I would like to read it on our journey to the Many Kingdoms.”

  Rebecca cast her eyes downward. “I’m sorry, my lady. It’s in the crates down in cargo. I can find it for you the moment we get to the Many Kingdoms, as soon as I am able to unpack.”

  Lady Tremaine signed. “Very well, then I am afraid you will have to answer all of my daughters’ and my questions about the Many Kingdoms for as long as this voyage takes.”

  Rebecca laughed. “It would be my pleasure, my lady.”

  When the ladies disembarked from their ship after their unbearably long journey, it felt to Lady Tremaine as if they had indeed stepped into another world. She was so relieved to be on land again and hoped her life in the Many Kingdoms was worth the voyage. She decided almost at once it might be. She marveled at her surroundings, dazzled by the magnificent lighthouse, its Fresnel lens glistening in the sunlight.

  “What kingdom is this, Rebecca?” she asked, looking up at the grandest lighthouse she had ever seen. “This place is remarkable.” She took her girls by the hands, leaving Nanny Pinch to find a porter to take their luggage to the carriage Sir Richard had arranged to be waiting for them.

  “This is Morningstar Kingdom, my lady,” said Rebecca. “It is one of the major port kingdoms. And that, my lady, is the Lighthouse of the Gods,” said Rebecca, motioning to the Cyclopean tower, which looked as if it indeed had been built by gods and not humans.

  Lady Tremaine and her daughters were awestruck by its beauty. They stood there speechless, almost bewitched by the diamond-like lens in the tower. “Who could have built such a lighthouse?” she asked, her eyes wide.

  “It was built by the Cyclopean Giants that used to rule this part of the land before the Morningstars, who built their castle to complement the lighthouse’s design,” Rebecca said. “The Lighthouse of the Gods has cast its protective eye over countless ships for more years than almost anyone can recollect.” Rebecca was clearly happy to see her lady so pleased with her new surroundings.

  Lady Tremaine felt a thrill to be in such a beautiful land, and one even older than England. Morningstar Castle was exquisitely perched on the highest rocky cliffs overlooking the ocean. She wondered if her new home would have such a breathtaking view.

  “I’m sorry, my lady.” Rebecca interrupted her reverie. “We must be going. It looks like Nanny Pinch found us a porter. Shall we all head to the carriage? It’s a long journey still to King Hubert’s lands.” Rebecca led Lady Tremaine and her daughters to the carriage. It was a lovely white carriage trimmed in gold, pulled by two massive white stallions with yellow plumes on their heads. Lady Tremaine was impressed that her betrothed had arranged such a stately ride for her and her daughters. After seeing Morningstar Castle and now riding in such a fine carriage, she had high hopes for what she might find once she finally reached her new home.

  Lady Tremaine and her daughters snuggled into one side of the carriage, and Rebecca and Nanny Pinch sat on the other. Their personal luggage was piled on the back, and their crated items were put into a wagon that followed them at its own leisurely pace.

  All the ladies chatted happily as they passed through the majestic yet terrifying Cyclopean Mountains. They had never seen mountains so tall and craggy, and imagined the legendary giants traversing them with ease as Sir Richard’s horse-drawn carriage slowly made its way down the winding path. They passed through several kingdoms on their way to their new home, including one with a tall stone tower where a young girl with long golden magical hair was rumored to be held captive. And as if that wasn’t frightening enough, they passed the largest cemetery they had ever seen surrounded by a thicket of dead rosebushes. It gave Lady Tremaine and her daughters chills as they passed it. Even though it was an eerie place, Lady Tremaine saw the beauty in it, with its tall stone mansion, glistening solariums, weeping angels, and wild beasts carved of stone.

  “That is the Dead Woods,” said Rebecca. “That is where the queen of the dead has ruled for longer than anyone recalls.” Her words made Lady Tremaine, her daughters, and Nanny Pinch shudder. Lady Tremaine was wondering what kind of place she had brought her daughters to. A place where witches hid young girls in towers, and there were queens who ruled over the dead. But they found themselves in their own corner of the Many Kingdoms at last.

  “Look, girls,” Rebecca said, pointing as they passed Queen Belle’s castle. “That’s where the Beast King lives. That means we are almost home.”

  “I wonder if we will see him,” said Anastasia with breathless excitement. But the moment they crested the mountain that separated Queen Belle’s kingdom from theirs, all thoughts of Belle were forgotten. They were home at last.

  “Oh, Mama! Look at that castle! Is that where we are going to live?” asked Drizella, leaning out the carriage window to get a better look at King Hubert’s castle.

  “No, my darling, that is where the royal family lives,” Lady Tremaine said, thinking it was the most beautiful castle she had ever seen. It looked as if it were straight out of a fairy tale, with its tall turrets and golden spires, all pastel blue with gilded trim. She had never seen so many towers. It didn’t look or feel as ancient as Morningstar Castle; it wasn’t awe-inspiring in that way, but it was, in Lady Tremaine’s opinion, much more elegant.

  “Mama! The tops of those towers look like blue witch’s caps!” squealed Anastasia, pointing at one of the towers and leaning so far out the carriage window that Nanny Pinch had to yank her back inside.

  “I suppose they do,” said Lady Tremaine, hardly noticing the minor commotion. She was remembering Mrs. Bramble’s ominous warnings about witches. She still wondered if she had made the right choice in asking Lady Hackle to arrange to have Mrs. Bramble live with her sister, and decided she would ask Nanny Pinch to look in on her when she got back to England.

  Just then the carriage stopped. “My ladies, look, it’s your new home,” said Rebecca.

  Lady Tremaine wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but her new home seemed to pale in comparison to what she had imagined. It was a lovely enough stone château, with a single tower and tall windows. She supposed it was a grand house in its own way, though not quite as lovely as her home in London. She let out a deep sigh and decided there was nothing to be done about it. This was her new home, and she’d better decide to find things about it she loved. She stood there looking at it, deciding she must be happy here. She needed to make it her home, a place to live and love, and have her happily ever after.

  “Look, Mama, our house has a witch’s cap tower, too!” said Drizella.

  Lady Tremaine had expected to see Sir Richard and Cinderella standing on the porch waiting for them, but they were nowhere in sight. In fact, no one was there to greet them at all.

  “Has no one come to meet us, then?” said Lady Tremaine, worrying that perhaps they had arrived at the wrong estate.

  “Not to worry, my lady. I will alert the staff that we are here. I am sure Sir Richard and Cinderella will come right out once they know we have arrived. Please wait here, I won’t be more than a moment,” Rebecca said, and dashed off to the front door to ring the bell.

  An older, round-faced woman with white hair answered the door and let Rebecca in. It seemed like Rebecca was in the house for an eternity, and Lady Tremaine hardly knew what to do. It was unheard of not to
greet your guests when they arrived, let alone your new family. She rapped her fingers on the side of the carriage nervously, waiting until she finally saw Sir Richard emerge from within.

  “Lady Tremaine! You are finally here! Thank goodness,” he said, running to the carriage and opening the door for her. “Come! Come inside, all of you. We have been waiting for you.” He held the carriage door for them. “And you must be Anastasia and Drizella,” he said, looking at them both intensely, almost appraisingly. “You have a beauty unlike any other in the Many Kingdoms.” Anastasia and Drizella giggled as they stepped from the carriage. “Ah, and here is the lady of the house. Welcome, my dear lady.” He kissed her hand like the gallant knight he was. Lady Tremaine’s spirits rose at this chivalrous display.

  “You know my lady’s maid, Rebecca,” she said. “And this is Nanny Pinch. She is here to see the girls settled before she goes back to England.”

  “Welcome, all of you. Now come, Cinderella is waiting to meet you, but we don’t have much time before we are due at the chapel. I told the vicar we would be there well before now, but I suppose your journey was delayed,” he said, ushering the ladies to the front door.

  Lady Tremaine’s head spun. “I hadn’t realized we were late,” she said, her heart sinking. “Are we to be wed today? The dress I had planned to wear—the rest of our belongings—everything is still in the second carriage, which hasn’t arrived yet.” She looked down the path as if hoping to see it coming over the crest at that moment.

  “Well, my darling, I can’t install an unmarried woman who isn’t a servant into my house,” he said. “We must be married today, there is no way around it. Ah, look! There is Cinderella now.”

  Lady Tremaine followed his gaze to the girl who emerged through the front doors. She thought she was the prettiest little thing she had ever seen. She could see Sir Richard hadn’t exaggerated about his daughter’s beauty. What was it about the Many Kingdoms that produced such fine-looking people? First Sir Richard and now his daughter. Even Rebecca was remarkably beautiful with her chestnut hair and large hazel eyes, and Lady Tremaine wondered if everyone in the Many Kingdoms was as striking as the present company.

  She gave her own daughters a sideways glance, recognizing the envy mounting within them as soon as they saw Cinderella. She decided to cut the tension by introducing herself to the angelic girl.

  “Cinderella, I am your new mama, and these are your sisters, Anastasia and Drizella. I hope we will all be happy here together,” said Lady Tremaine, smiling at the glowing young lady.

  Cinderella took a step forward, beaming. “Welcome to my mother’s home, Lady Tremaine,” she said, smiling at her new stepmother.

  Cinderella’s words stung Lady Tremaine’s heart and took her by surprise. “It would please me if you could find it in your heart to call me Mama,” she said. “Because I so want to be a good mama to you.” Lady Tremaine tried to keep her face calm, so as not to let the young girl know she had crushed her heart.

  “I can call you Stepmother if you’d like,” the girl replied. “Papa said I may call you Lady Tremaine or Stepmother, but never Mama.”

  Lady Tremaine’s heart fell, but she didn’t let Cinderella or her father know it. This girl simply didn’t understand that what she was saying was hurtful. Lady Tremaine had to wonder if Cinderella had been so sheltered, so kept from society that she didn’t know how to conduct herself in polite company? Well, it seemed Lady Tremaine had her work cut out for her.

  “Very well, Cinderella. You may call me Stepmother if that is what pleases you and your papa,” she said, though she intended to speak with Sir Richard about this later. She realized they hadn’t spoken of these things while they were at Lady Hackle’s, but she assumed they would be a true family. Perhaps Cinderella and her father just needed a bit of time?

  Lady Tremaine could see her girls getting twitchy at Cinderella’s treatment of her and thought it was best to usher them to their rooms before they pounced on their fair-haired beauty of a stepsister, but just as she was about to say it was time they all go refresh themselves, Anastasia spoke.

  “My mama is trying to be your friend, Cinderella. Why are you being so rude?” she said.

  Then Drizella chimed in. “Oh, Stasia, we can hardly blame Cinderella, considering she has such a rude father. We came all this way and he didn’t even greet us—ow!”

  Nanny Pinch had grabbed Drizella by the arm and was pulling her toward her. “Drizella, how dare you speak about your new papa like that?” she said, tightening her grip on Drizella’s arm.

  “Now that’s enough, the both of you!” said Lady Tremaine, her face undoubtedly red. “Please excuse us, Sir Richard. We have had a very long journey, and the girls are exhausted. If someone could please show us to our rooms, I will help the girls get ready for the ceremony.” She looked around in vain for the servants.

  “Nanny Pinch, you will find the girls’ rooms on the third landing,” Sir Richard said. “They will take the first and second from the stairway. Lady Tremaine’s room is the third.”

  Lady Tremaine thought this was all highly unusual. She wondered where the servants could be. Would they be expected to simply wander the third landing until they found their rooms themselves?

  “Rebecca,” Sir Richard continued. “You can take Lady Tremaine’s things up to her room, while Nanny Pinch sees the girls settled into theirs. Lady Tremaine and I have to go directly to the chapel.”

  Lady Tremaine flinched. “Right now, this moment? But I’ve not even changed. And what about the girls? Won’t they be joining us?”

  Sir Richard took her hand. “I’m sure you would agree the girls are in no disposition for an excursion, my dear. Besides, this will be my last chance to have you to myself for a while. Would you deny me that?” He kissed her hand again.

  This all seemed so strange to her. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but it just didn’t feel right, and in that moment, when his lips brushed her hand, something within her told her to flee.

  She hardly knew what to say. The last thing she wanted to do was get married right after such a long journey. But she supposed it couldn’t be helped. Sir Richard must have worried it would be a scandal if she moved in before they were married.

  She wished she had known this on the journey over. She would have worn something more appropriate for a wedding. As it was, she had chosen one of her more austere dark purple dresses over a high-collared lilac blouse that she accented with her favorite jade brooch. A very respectable outfit but not one befitting a festive occasion, especially not her own wedding.

  “Very well, Sir Richard,” she said. “But you will have to excuse me for just a moment while I quickly refresh myself. Come along, ladies,” she said as she headed up the stairs, followed by Nanny Pinch, Rebecca, and her daughters. The minute they reached the third landing her girls started protesting.

  “Mama, I don’t like it here,” Anastasia whined. “This is a sad, gloomy house, and that Cinderella is a beast!”

  Lady Tremaine agreed, but she held her tongue. The house was rather dark and a bit dingy, and the furniture, though likely very beautiful in its day, had become threadbare and lackluster. She felt she really should have brought her own things rather than selling them off; now she was going to have to buy all new furniture for this house. And where were the servants? It didn’t make sense. None of it did really, but she reasoned she was exhausted and probably making more of everything because she had gotten such little sleep on their long journey.

  “Yes, Mama! And why won’t Sir Richard let us come to the wedding?” Drizella complained.

  Lady Tremaine couldn’t help agreeing with her daughters, but she felt tiredness was clouding all of their judgment. “My dears, we are all of us so tired from our long carriage ride here, not to mention the journey by sea. Perhaps Sir Richard is right, and you three girls can stay here and get to know one another while we go to the chapel. I bet he has a grand party planned for afterward and that is why we have not seen
any of the servants. I bet they are all working on it and planning a splendid surprise for us. We will all get to celebrate together then. Perhaps after you’ve changed you can sneak down to the kitchens and spy on what they may be up to? I bet you’ll see a large wedding cake and all sorts of delicious things to eat.” It all sounded so lovely that Lady Tremaine almost believed it herself. “Don’t fret, my girls. I know Cinderella and her papa didn’t make the best first impression, but I imagine they are both just as nervous as we are. I am sure that in no time we will all be great friends,” she said cheerfully.

  The girls looked hopeful, but unconvinced.

  “Well put, my lady,” said Rebecca. “Now let’s get you ready for your big day.” With that, she led Lady Tremaine off to her room, leaving the girls feeling bewildered and alone.

  The wedding was a whirlwind. The vicar had been waiting for them in his tiny white chapel, and rather impatiently at that. He hurried the ceremony, had them sign the papers with his wife as witness, and it was done. Just like that. There were no rose petals, no kisses, no cake. No one had thought to decorate the chapel or arrange for a bundle of flowers for her to hold. No friends or family cheering for them as they walked back down the aisle as husband and wife. She felt like an afterthought, and remarkably alone.

  It all seemed like a formality, not at all what she had expected.

  Once they were outside the chapel, a royal carriage was waiting alongside their own, and Lady Tremaine wondered, her heart full of hope, if perhaps Sir Richard didn’t have something grand planned for them after all.

  “Ah, it’s the Grand Duke,” he said. “Come, my lady, let me introduce you.” Sir Richard rushed them over to the carriage, where a lanky man stood, sporting a formal gray livery and an elaborate mustache that reminded Lady Tremaine of a writhing serpent.

  “Grand Duke, this is Lady Tremaine, my new wife.”