Reincarnated as an Ugly Step Sister

Chapter 14

I leave the bathroom when Poppy starts banging on the door, yelling about a bath. "We took a bath yesterday," I remind her.

"Mother said we needed to bathe in case the visitors came. Plus you're all dirty." She marches down the stairs to help Cinderella warm the water, our only real chore.

"Who are the visitors?" I ask as I follow her.

Poppy shrugs. "Dunno but they sound important."

The room suddenly feels colder and I shiver. When I turn around I see Mother standing in the doorway. "I understand you're curious about the visitors. Perhaps by telling you, you will be inspired to look your best instead of this dillydallying." She shoots me an icy glare. "The prince himself will be visiting. Apparently he was quite taken with a girl he met last night and she left behind a glass slipper. He will wed whoever fits into the slipper."

Poppy gasps loudly. Suddenly she begins to work faster than I've ever seen her move. "What are you doing Violet? We need to take our bath right now!"

While Poppy and I spend until dinner trying to look our best (Mother practically traps us in our room with our makeup and dresses), Cinderella gets twice as many tasks. After being stuck in our room for about two hours, Mother lets us out for a bathroom break. I go downstairs to check on Cinderella. She's sitting by the fireplace, hunched over a pile of ash.

"What's going on?" I ask quietly so Mother won't hear.

"I have to separate these lentils from this pile of ash," she whispers back. When she looks up at me I see her face is dirty with ashes. Not only is making Cinderella do this meaningless task getting her out of the way in case the prince comes, it's also getting her dirty looking so he won't find her attractive. As much as I hate her, my mother is a clever woman.

I recall this chore from several versions of Cinderella's fairytale. Weren't her bird friends supposed to help her? How could they when she was in the house? "Maybe you should do this outside," I recommend, handing her a dustpan that was sitting near me. "I would help you but Mother's in a bad mood."

Cinderella looks at me with an eyebrow raised but takes the dustpan anyway. Her relentless trust and kindness makes me feel jealous and sorry for her.

"Let's go Violet! Your bathroom break is over!" Mother calls.

"Coming!" I call back. "Just... trust me and do this outside," I whisper to Cinderella before running up the stairs.

Half an hour later I look out our window and see Cinderella in the backyard. She's moved her ash and lentil pile onto the concrete and about fifteen brightly colored birds are carefully picking at the pile as well.

I tap lightly on the glass to get her attention. She turns and waves at me before mouthing "Thank you". Or maybe she said it out loud, I wouldn't know.

I spend the rest of the week in the house. Mother makes sure to keep Cinderella busy with meaningless tasks and I can't leave the house and risk not being present when the prince arrives. Not that I have anywhere to go since I'm still somewhat annoyed at Chase all while feeling guilty for annoying him and ignoring him. Emotions are stupid.

Prince Nicholas finally comes on Thursday, five days after the ball. I am in the library when he arrives, reading a novel about a knight who falls in love with a princess, but after marrying her realizes she's power hungry and manipulative. Poppy's in our room, probably playing with her paper dolls, which she's been doing a lot of recently. Cinderella is in the kitchen, cleaning the oven.

I'm the first one to hear the carriage. The loud clomping of the horses makes me look up from my book. "The prince has arrived!" I call to the quiet house.

The tap tap tap of Mother's shoes makes me stand at attention. "Go to your room Violet, I'll call you when it's time." I nod politely and hurry into my room.

Poppy and I sit with our ears to the door as the prince and his crew of guards and advisors and what not enter the house. It's hard to hear what he's saying but I think he says he wants to meet with all eligible bachelorettes under 25 years old, the qualification to go to the ball, and have them try on the slipper. We'll meet with him one at a time and put on the shoe in a separate room (because apparently it's impolite to change shoes in front of the prince).

Poppy meets the prince first. Despite her loud and awkward giggling, Nicholas remains composed and kind. After having a brief conversation with him, Mother and Poppy climb the stairs and meet me in the bedroom. I am sent down while Poppy tries to shove her foot into Cinderella's shoe.

I can't deny the butterflies in my stomach as I descend down the stairs. Nicholas is facing away from me, talking to a royal advisor. When he turns his face lights up and his stoic, polite energy gives way to a friendly, happy one.

"Give me some room, don't worry," he says to his group. The four of them exchange glances before exiting. As soon as they leave Nicholas hugs me. "I'm so glad to see you! I was worried I'd never see you again."

I blush furiously. "I'm happy to see you too. Are you really going to marry the girl who fits the slipper?" He looks conflicted and can't make eye contact with me anymore. "Do you even want to get married?" I ask softly.

"No. I've put it off too many times but if I don't get married soon I won't become king." He bites his lip and looks away. "Listen, I'll talk with you soon but I have a pretty tight schedule, can you send down your sister?"

"Sure," I say, timidly climbing up the stairs.

I knock on the door but hear lots of commotion on the other side.

My mother's voice calls out from the other side. "Just a minute!" followed by muffled screams. "Quiet down!"

Panic rises in me as I fear the worst. She wouldn't be so insane as to actually... I burst into the room and let out a shriek.