Cinders: An Intrulogical Story

Chapter 16

After everyone came back from shopping Logan was forced to help Patton get dressed for the party, it sickened Logan to see Patton look so beautiful.
He looked like an angel straight out of heaven, it would of been funny how ironic it was if it wasn't so sad.
While Logan helped him get ready he had to withstand even more insults and taunts, adding salt to the already fresh wound from earlier.
"Be gentle with my hair Cinders, it's not a rats nest like yours, you have to actually TRY to take care of it." "For your hair we wouldn't need a hair brush, we would need a hair broom! Get it? Because your hair is terrible and you're our maid." "You're really lucky daddy doesn't have enough money to buy us a replacement for you, we could pull some one off the street and they would still be better than you.
I bet they'd complain less too.".
Logan bit his tongue and resisted the urge deep inside him to tug on his hair, knowing that it wouldn't make his situation any better.

Watching the three of them walk out the door was painful, he didn't say anything and just stared emotionless as the three headed off into the carriage.
Roman smiled a devilishly malicious smile at Logan, "We'll be back by midnight, don't wait up." he bitterly said.
The moment they left, Logan ran off into town, shaking a sobbing hysterically, he felt embarrassed, flustered, angry and remorseful all at once, clouds started to form and he realized it would storm later that night, a perfectly moody change of weather for such tragic events.
He pounded on Picani's shop door and he ushered him inside, Logan squeezed onto him for comfort.
"Oh Emile! It's terrible! I think Roman's going to do something to Remus and I can't do anything about it!" "Who's Remus?" "That doesn't matter now! He's in danger!".

"I suppose I can go to the polic-" "No, you tell him." Picani said, causing Logan to become instantly frazzled "Me?! I can't tell him! I can't go to a fancy party, you know what happened earlier, they would literally kill me if I intervened! Why can't you do it or the police or-" Picani cut him off, gently putting a hand on the back of his head "Because Remus deserves to hear it from the man he loves.".
Logan looked down and sighed "But I can't go Picani, I'm just a maid and I don't belong as a guest at a fancy party, I'm supposed to serve at it! It's impossible!" "So what? Lots of things that were impossible once have been accomplished by people with just as few resources as you have.
Men used to think sailing the seas were impossible so they made boats, we thought making glass shoes were impossible but we did it nonetheless. Impossible things are happening every day Logan.".
Logan thought about everything he went through, all the pain and suffering he experienced and how tired he was from all of it.

He needed a break, a big, long break, he worked himself to the bone day and night to make everyone around him happy and for what? Logan remembered the promise he made himself the night he came home from his mushroom hunting trip with Remus, 'I will never be quiet again' Logan had thought.
If there was anytime to step up and never back down again it would be now, he had so much to lose but everything to gain. Whatever they had planned for Remus, Remus deserved to hear it from the man he loved.
Taking a deep breath and throwing caution to the wind he looked at Picani intensely "Alright, I guess they'll never know that I left if I'm back by midnight.".
Picani jumped for joy and pulled him close, hurting him a tiny bit, They gathered resources from Logan's house and Picani's shop and prepared to spoil him rotten tonight.

Logan got to have the first proper bath he had in a long time, usually he and Picani had to just use regular soap bars that were used for cleaning the dishes and a lake but not tonight, tonight, Logan got to relax in a big pearly white claw foot tub with actually hot water.
He was "allowed" to use all of Patton's soaps that smelled like all sorts of sweet things, Lavender, Peaches, Roses, it was all so hard to chose because they all smelt so lovely.
It was extremely relaxing, to be honest, Logan was surprised he didn't just fall asleep in the tub.
After he got out and dried himself off, he met Picani at Patton's vanity, waiting for Logan to sit down so he could style his hair.
He brushed it ever so delicately, humming softly as he made sure every little tangle disappeared, Logan looked at himself in the mirror and blushed, he had never been doted on this much before, even when he was little.
After that came the clothes, Logan was expecting that he was just gonna go to the ball in his dads clothes in a pair of Patton's shoes but was caught off guard when he saw something unusual right beside the outfit.

Two glittering glass boots, the exact same pair of glass boots he had saw at the market and admired.
"Picani, I-" "Don't say a word lo, I have a sneaking suspicion they just might be your size." Picani winked, his voice was sly like he knew something Logan didn't.
While he helped him get dressed Picani just couldn't believe how different Logan looked now, he looked like the handsome boy he knew he was deep down and not the sad, homely maid Roman had forced him to be.
The glass shoes felt amazing on his feet, the silk sock liner made the shoes incredibly comfortable, Logan just couldn't believe how lucky he was to have such a beautiful one of a kind pair of shoes.
"There's just one last thing." Picani said, taking off Logan's glasses and placing them aside, he grabbed a new pair from his pocket and slipped them on his face.

Logan turned around to admire himself in the mirror, he looked like a totally different person, he looked regal and refined, he looked handsome and fashionable, he looked princely and cute, he looked—... like his dad.
Logan's eyes welled with tears and he took off his glasses for a second to wipe his eyes, Picani hugged him, happy that he could make Logan feel so special.
"I don't know what to say." "You don't have to say anything, I'm your god father and it's my job to make sure you're happy and if some sparkly glass shoes and a bath will make your whole day then it's well worth it.".
He clutched his hand, gently patting it in a sympathetic manner, "Ooh! Wait! I almost forgot! I have one last surprise!".
Picani lead him outside and showed him a massive blue and silver carriage, Logan adjusted his glasses and blinked out of shock, how did Picani even get this thing?

"While you were in the bath I ran into town real quick to ask for a favor from a friend." Picani explained, the coach driver waved at the two of them and Logan timidly waved back.
Picani opened the door and helped Logan step inside, Logan had the sweetest little grin, it warmed Picani's heart to see him so happy.
Picani stepped up on the back of the carriage where foot men usually stood and signaled for his friend to leave.
Logan relaxed against the soft dark blue velvet interior and stared outside the carriage window in awe, despite the fact storm clouds had started to roll in the town looked more beautiful than ever.
The lights in the town glimmered and music filled the streets, it seemed like the parents who couldn't attend the ball because they had kids to watch were having their own little party in town square.

Logan waved to all the children and their parents, some of them waved back, some of them ignored him but the one that stood out the most to him was one little girl with braids excitedly talking to her mommy and pointing at him, "Mommy! Look! A prince!" She exclaimed, Logan didn't know how to react.
He just smiled and waved some more before resting back in his seat, as he looked up at the lights his mind wandered back to what the little girl had said again.
'Me? A prince?' Logan thought 'Children sure are silly, as if something impossible like that would happen.'.
How silly indeed, but as unbelievable as it sounded, Logan was wrong to assume something like that, because after all, it's like Picani said, impossible things are happening every day.