In The Arms Of My Love - A Cinderella Sequel

Prolouge

Ella sat with Topher at the table as they watched all the many guests enjoying themselves at their wedding. "It's quite something isn't it?" He said looking at her.

"Yeah. There's so many people. It feels odd. Most of these people I don't even know, and they are at my wedding."

"I'm sorry love. I tried to control it. I really did. But apparently when the future king gets married, he doesn't get much say in who attends."

"It's okay Topher. As long as I have you. That's all I need."

"You'll always have me Cinderella." The girl smiled and rested her head against his shoulder. His arm naturally fell around her waist and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you."

"I love you too my handsome Prince." She whispered. The night went on and the two spent a lot of time dancing together, just like they had at the ball a month ago, before heading to their suite for the evening. Ella changed into her nightgown and a robe before sitting in bed, her knees to her chest. The prince walked in a few moments later from his dressing room and saw his new wife sitting there on the verge of tears.

"Hey." He said walking over to her. "What's wrong?"

"I... this all feels so wrong. This isn't who I am."

"It is now Cinderella." She buried her head further into her knees and Topher climbed onto the bed and put his arms around her. "How can I help you? I know that this is a huge change for you, and I want to support you in every way possible. I love you. And I promise to always be there for you."

"I know we just got married, and trust me, I love you so much Christopher. So much. And I know I'll adapt to this. But, I feel like we need to get to know one another more. And I want to start by saying that my name is Ella. Cinderella is what Madame called me, because I slept by the cinders of the fire. As I said, it's a name I hated, and a name I want people to know me by still, but, even after just a month, I miss the name Ella."

"If you want me to call you Ella then I will. You're my wife, and you can pick whatever name you want for me to call you."

"Ella please. But in formal situations I will still be Cinderella. It's grown on me, I just wanted you to know my name was and still is Ella. I understand that when you become king, I will become Queen, and I will be known as Queen Cinderella." Topher nodded and started to unpin Ella's hair letting it run loose so he could run his fingers though her soft locks.

"Ella, if you want to, can you tell me more about your past, your parents?"

"Sure." She said as she leant against him. "So I grew up with the most incredible parents. We weren't rich, but we weren't poor. We were beyond comfortable though. We were happy, the three of us. I went to school, learnt to read and write, the usual. Everything was perfect. And then when I was 8 my mother died. My father and I were heartbroken. He was also very sick and quickly remarried so that if he were to die, there would be someone to love me and look after me. So he married Madame and fortunately for me, he got better. My step sisters were always jealous of the relationship I had with my father. I was his precious little girl. Madame couldn't do anything horrible to me while my father was still alive, but when I was 14 he died at sea, shipwreck."

"My parents died at sea when I was 15. And I'm a year older than you. Do you have any idea of the boat he was on?"

"No. But I recall him once saying he was on an exciting adventure and was going to meet royalty. So maybe they were on the same boat." Topher nodded and continued to hold her close. "The day we found out he was dead, Madame destroyed most of his things, burnt many remains of him and my mother while I was outside being comforted by Marie. And from that day on I was essentially a slave to Madame and my step-sisters. I hardly ate anything, only the occasional leftover, I almost never slept as I was working. Marie kept me going though, you know, the crazy woman."

"And also your fairy godmother."

"Yeah, her. She's always been there for me since my mother passed. But when I lost my father, she was there even more. Visiting every day to see how I was going. She was the only good thing in my life, beside my friends, Rodger and Hammy."

"The fox and raccoon right?"

"Yeah. You remember."

"I remember my men saying the footmen had vanished and turned into animals." He chuckled. "I now know why."

"And that's why I always had to leave at midnight. The magic only lasted until then. But I don't need magic now, I have you."

"And you'll have me forever Ella. You're my whole world. The moment I first saw you, everything froze and I just knew right there and then, that you were the one. I still can't believe I didn't recognise you from the day you gave me water." There was a moment of silence between them. "So, because of Madame, that's why you were late to the ball, and the banquet?"

"She ripped up my invitation. Destroyed all hope I had. That was the day I found out about Marie being a fairy godmother. She made me that dress and those glass slippers, the carriage was a pumpkin, the horses: my mice, and the footmen were Rodger and Hammy as we established earlier. That's why I was so afraid when I said I hadn't tried on the slipper. I knew it was you, I knew the shoe was mine. I was scared you wouldn't love me for who I really was."

"I fell in love with you because of who you were. White ballgown or torn rags. You're Ella. And you showed me my kingdom, soon to be our kingdom, you showed me how to stand up for what's right, and for what I believe in. You were kind, generous, loving. You were a true friend. The only person who had ever truly respected me and cared about me since my parents passed. And when I realised who you were, everything felt perfect. The moment the crowd parted, I knew everything was changing for the better. The moment saw your face and I held your hand as you sat down, I knew it was you. Waiting for you to put the slipper on, felt like eternity as I just wanted to immediately confess my love to you. But even though I knew it was you, I couldn't say anything until the slipper was on your foot."

"I knew that you knew it was me. The sparkle in your eyes as you looked at me. The way you held my hand as I sat down. I felt so loved in that moment. And then when you felt so starstruck and you struggled to propose, I was so overwhelmed myself with joy. Not only had I proven everyone wrong. But I was getting to marry the true love of my life. And even thought we'd only known one another a week, and not really known one another that well. I knew you were the man I wanted to spend my life with, and not because you're a prince. But because you are kind, caring, joyful, you have the most beautiful smile, and the smoothest lips that make me smile whenever they are against mine." As she said those words Prince Topher pulled her into a kiss and Ella chuckled a little before smiling and kissing him back. "I love you Topher. And I always will. And when you become king, if you ever need some guidance or help. I will be here for you."

"I want us to rule this kingdom together. I don't want to be a king with a queen on the side. I want you, my queen, to be by my side though everything.  The first thing I will do as king, is allow us to rule together. For us to both have the power to make big decisions. Decisions we can make together as rulers of our kingdom, and as partners in life."

"Our Kingdom." Ella said softly. "I never dreamed of  ever meeting you again until the day the first ball invitation came out. And even then I never dreamed of falling in love with you, being a princess or a queen. Being ruler of the kingdom. It all still feels like a dream. I've gone from having nothing, to having everything. It's unusual still."

"It will be. And I understand that this could get difficult for you at times. And so I'll be there for you. To make sure you're okay. Because you are my biggest priority Ella. You're my world."

"And you're mine. While today was so crazy and insane. I will forever remember it as one of the best days of my life. Because it's the day I married you." The couple kissed again before Ella took her robe off, staying in just her night gown. "Goodnight my love. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life by your side."

"Goodnight Ella. I can't wait to see our relationship blossom even further as we live our lives together. Sleep well my princess." They both laid down and he kissed her forehead as he held her close. Ella quickly fell asleep in his arms and soon Topher fell asleep beside her.