Cinder Maid

Untitled Part 4

Cinder buried her face in her skirt. Soot was most definitely smudged on her face and in her hair but she didn’t care. No one else was going to either.

“Cinder,” Lily said. She leaned against the door frame. She lifted her foot to take a step.

“Don’t walk into the room,” Cinder said. “Ella would accuse me of having the plague.”

“And not otherwise?” Lily asked raising an eyebrow.

“Your mother doesn’t always make sense,” Cinder said getting up. She stumbled a bit but regained her balance by resting her hand on the fireplace. “She seems to make her own logic as she goes along.”

Cinder went over to the back table with the cleaning rags. “Can I help you?” She hadn’t meant for it to sound so rude but it did. If she could have swallowed her words she would of then.

“Mother told me to tell you that she wishes to have you in her company,” Lily said, dropping her gaze to the floor.

Cinder looked up. “I’ll be there in a moment.”

Lily nodded and left the doorway. After a moment of hesitation she walked down the corridor that connected Ella’s room to Cinder’s “bedroom.” Each step was nervous and slow. Ella had no reason to see her, unless it was about the ball. Her anxiety grew into fear as Cinder stood outside Ella’s doorway. She was supposed to nock and yet there was something holding her back. Maybe it was the fear of what she would say. Maybe someone had witnessed her slip on the ice and the gossip had made its way here. That idea made her stomach sink fifty feet under the floor boards.

She knocked on the door.

“Come in Cinder,” Ella said.

Cinder opened the door to a gigantic skirt of silk incasing a thin figure. Ella turned so her back was to Cinder. “Help me,” she said. Cinder stepped forward and fiddled with the buttons until they were all done.

“Why are you wearing it now?” Cinder asked. “The ball isn’t for three days.”

“My darling Cinder,” Ella said. “I was in fear that this dress wouldn’t fit so I had no choice but to try it on.” She waved at her thin figure. “It does so I will wear it to the first ball.”

Cinder undid the buttons again and helped Ella undress. “On each night of the ball you will help my daughters dress and then help me. But you will get up at dawn those same mornings and do the list of chores that will be on the table. If you finish everything by dusk and can find a suitable dress to wear you may come to the ball with us.”

“Work from dawn to dusk and help Wendy and Lily get dressed. When will I have time to find a gown?” Cinder asked.

“That part is up to you,” Ella answered.