Cinder Maid

Untitled Part 14

“I have two lovely daughters,” Ella said to the prince, waving toward Lily and Wendy.

They looked nothing like Cinder but Ella didn’t care. She didn’t want her daughters to be queen; she just didn’t want Cinder to be.

“Are there any other women in the house?” Theodore asked.

“Just our maid,” Wendy sneered.

“She didn’t go to the balls,” Lily said quietly.

“Can I see her?” the prince asked. Although she dressed like a princess she could have been a maid.

“No.” Ella shook her head. “She is cleaning the cellar and it would be just awful for you to see her like that.”

“Let me see her.” Theodore was desperate. There was only a handful of houses left after this one and he had to find Cinder.

“She would not like to be disturbed,” Ella pressed.

“She will not mind,” Theodore pressed harder,

He picked up the key that was conveniently laying on the counter and started for the door to the kitchen. Ella stepped in front of him.

“I cannot let you do that your majesty,” she said, her voice stern and serious.

“Mother,” Lily said, “Maybe -”

“No, Lily,” Ella snapped. “This is my house and I -”

“Will move,” Theodore finished, “Now.”

Ella bit her lip. If this was any other man she’d of declined his order, told him to drop dead, perhaps. But this was the prince, the young heir to the throne.

Ella moved against her will.

The prince moved forward, followed by his guards. He reached the door to what could have only been to the stairway to the cellar. He turned the key in the lock and motioned for his guards to stay behind. He started down the stairs slowly, afraid of what he would find.

Maybe a girl that wasn’t Cinder.

Maybe Cinder was truly ugly and she’d just been wearing a mask, a very convincing mask.

Maybe she was a witch. Maybe she was doing some sort of freaky voodoo down there.

He continued to walk.

Cinder stood at the bottom of the staircase, looking up at him. “You have a shadow,” she said.

Theodore looked up the staircase. Lily stood several stairs above him.

“I-I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I-I’ll just go -” She started back up the stairs.

“No,” Theodore said. “Stay.”

Lily came back down the stairs.

Theodore made his way down the rest of the stairs and took Cinder’s hands. She looked toward the ground so he tilted her chin up so she’d look at him.

“Cinder,” he said.

“Yes your majesty?” she asked.

“I have something to ask you,” he said, slightly sheepish.

“Yes your majesty?” Cinder repeated.

He paused to clear his throat and then paused again with his mouth slightly ajar. He regained his composure when he heard Lily’s slight giggle.

“Will you do me the honor of being my princess?” he asked, pausing after every other word.

Cinder took her time, too. She looked at the floor , at Lily and then at the floor again. Then she looked up at him.

“No,” she said. Lily gasped and Cinder continued. “If I am to be your princess I will soon also be queen, which doesn’t sound so bad until you thing about who I’d be leaving behind.

“I love my family, for better or for worse. Ella and Wendy taught me to fiend for myself and Lily showed me friendship and rebellion” - Lily blushed - “If I leave with you I will never see them again.” she released her hands from his grasp. “I hope you understand.”

There was silence for minutes until Theodore broke it like a mirror. “There are many rooms at the castle. I am sure if I talk to my father –“

“If you can do that,” Cinder said, “I will gladly be your princess.”

The ending of this story should be quite clear from now on. But for those poor unfortunate souls that are unfamiliar with the classic Cinderella story – Disney or Grimm Brothers – I will spell it out.

There was a wedding sometime later. Everyone was dressed in their finest attire. Cinder’s dress was long and silky and had a long veil to go with. She wore her golden slippers under her skirt.

Lily sat in the front row with her mother and sister, though she was the only one smiling out of happiness for her sister’s happiness. Ella and Wendy were glad they were moving into a castle.

There were “I dos” and dancing until I finally declared it The End