Cinderelo {A Queer Cinderella Retelling)

Chapter 1

It hadn't been long since he'd visited her. Yet, he could already feel her frowning at him gently as he walked down the hill their home was built upon to the space near the stables that they had deemed fit to abandon and bury his mother.

"I apologise for my lateness, mama. You will forgive me, will you not? You always do." He shielded his eyes from the roaring sun and quietly went down on his knees, struggling not to cry.

His mother had been many things in her lifetime. An artist, a circus performer, a baker, a pirate? Perhaps some of these had just been bedtime stories but Elo believed it all and the list seemed endless.

Of all these, she always told him being a wife and mother was her greatest adventure and greatest joy. He wondered if she still felt the same way, her grave so far away from her husband's and her own home. The funeral had happened so many years ago and he had been too young to speak against his aunt's wishes, yet, he still felt ashamed of himself for letting it happen.

As he replaced the wilted wildflowers with fresh ones, he let himself remember how things had gone so wrong. Life had been such a beautiful thing when he was young and naïve. That sweet, blissful ignorance to suffering didn't last too long for Elo. Death is not the kind that can be reasoned with. No matter how good or bad you are, it takes and it takes and it takes.

As he got up to leave, some sand flew in his eye, almost like the earth was spitting in his face. He let out a sigh, gazing at the mound of dirt before him. Not even a gravestone for his dear mother. That was the least they could have done for her.

One day, he would own enough money to buy one for her. That single purchase was one of the few dreams he clung to in order to survive.

"I know you want me to stay, mother but to throw dirt in my eye? That wasn't very kind of you... It must get lonely, here. I wish I could stay with you... I am lonely too, up there. In that big, stupid house I once thought a castle." He struggled to get his words out as he got choked up on his tears. "It's very unfair of you... You know I would happily join you and father if I could so it is very, very unfair of you to punish me when I didn't choose any of thi-"

"CINDERELO! CINDERELO! WHERE ON EARTH IS THAT BOY?!"

The range of his aunt's screeching never ceased to amaze him. He picked himself up and made a run for the hill, his lean and muscular limbs already accustomed to moving about to do his chores. That was more than he could say for his cousins who could hardly be bothered to get themselves out of bed. He only saw them when they wanted to eat or bother him.

They seemed to genuinely delight in his stress and discomfort.

Luckily, as he walked into the house, he didn't hear a thing from either of the twins. No ruckus meant they were sleeping in; more time to enjoy his solace. Creeping past their rooms, he made his way into the largest room in the house - once his parents' bedroom - to face his Aunt Augustine.

She was a rather plump woman with a few moles on her face. He could only wonder how many more there were beneath her clothing. When he looked at her, he couldn't help but feel saddened at how much prettier she would seem if she was only more kind. Sweet people were always beautiful to him but Aunt Augustine always had her nose in the air and a permanent snarl on her face when she looked at him.

Resisting the urge to recoil at the sight of her, Elo gave a bow and forced a smile. "Good day, aunt. I am terribly sorry, I would have come sooner but I went to see my-"

"You know fully well that I care not, Cinderelo."

He winced at the name. He hadn't heard anyone call him by his real name in some time. Then again, he didn't speak to many people unless mice, chickens, an old horse and stray animals count. "Now, why are you still standing there when I have not eaten this morning? And of course, my little Lord hasn't had anything to eat either, has he? Look at how skinny he is, Elo, you should be ashamed of yourself! You starve the poor thing! I bet you eat part of his meals like the little thief you are-"