More Than a Servant (Cinderella AU)

Chapter 4

"Why do you cry my dear?" Astrid looks up from the bench to see a hooded figure making their way to her. The person's voice was female and Astrid could see under the hood a old woman's face. How did she get into the garden?

"Oh it's nothing ma'am." She said quickly and wiped her eyes. "May I help you?"

"I feel thirsty, may I have some water if you can spare any?" The woman asked.

"Oh of course! We have plenty of water." Astrid said as she got up and dusted the wet dirt off her ruined dress. She led the woman to the well and pulled up a bucket for her. She picked up a ladle and scooped up some water in it and handed it to the woman. "Here drink as much as you like."

"Thank you." The woman sighed and took the ladle from Astrid. After she had her fill, she placed the ladle in the bucket. "Were you planning on going to the ball tonight?" She asked looking at Astrid's ruined dress.

"I was but...my stepfather destroyed my dress. It took my friends forever to make it." Astrid sighed and sat down on the edge of the well. "At this point it seems impossible to even try and fix this and be able to have some sort of transportation. I need a miracle!"

"Have no fear," The woman said throwing her cloak off to reveal a middle-aged woman with auburn hair with that was neatly braided and sparkling green eyes. She wore not a gown but armor and held a large oddly shaped staff. "your fairy godmother is here my dear." She chuckled at her little rhyme as Astrid tried not to stare.

"You're my-"

"Fairy godmother. I had been watching over you for many years Astrid. Oh and don't call me fairy godmother dear, I prefer to be called Valka."

"Can you do magic?" Astrid asked in marvel. Valka nodded and twirled her staff over her head and slammed it into the ground. The small stones in the holes rattled loudly and when Valka lifted her staff, a tiny rose plant stood where the staff once was. Astrid watched in amazement as the plant grew till it became a bush with dozens of red roses.

"I can. And you deserve to go to the ball. Now let's see...ah yes we need something to transport you in. Have anything useful in this garden? A squash or some type of melon perhaps?"

"We have some cabbages and pumpkins." Astrid said pointing to the nearby patch.

"Oh I am definitely not going to let you go to that dance smelling like cabbage." Valka said wrinkling her nose. "Horrid plants, pumpkin smells much better so it'll have to do." She walked over to the pumpkin patch and pulled out a nice round pumpkin. "Perfect."

Valka placed it on the floor and twirled her staff over her head and brought it down hard on the pumpkin. Instead of shattering on impact, it began to grow and expand. The vines became wheels and pieces of the shell fell off to create windows. When it was finished, Valka struck the end of her staff against the side of it and a door was carved into it.

"There we go. Now who is going to pull this?" Valka asked wiping her hands on her skirt. Her gaze landed on Astrid's six Terrible Terrors who had came out to see what the commotion was. Smoke had also came out, so did Skullcrusher and Steelwing, the two Rumblehorns that Alvin kept as guard dragons in front of the house. "Ah perfect! Six Deadly Nadders to pull this!" The three bigger dragons gave a roar of alarm and scrambled away from the Terrors when Valka points her staff them and blasts the little dragons with her magic. In a flash of light there stood six colorful Nadders all ready to pull a large carriage.

"Whoa this is definitely weird!" Astrid muttered rubbing her eyes as the six dragons looked down at their new bodies in awe and shock before Valka shooed them to the carriage.

"And we need someone to drive this. He'll do." Valka points to Smoke, who was doing a poor job of hiding behind the well. Valka pointed her staff at him and in another flash of light, he was changed into a human man wearing regular mens clothes but had silver armor on his shoulders and a silver breastplate.

"Oh goodness! Where's my tail!" Smoke cried spinning around to try and see his tail. "Astrid my beautiful scales are gone too! Oh I look hideous!"

"It's gone for now but you'll get it back." Valka said guiding him to the carriage and helping him to climb up. "Now those two Rumblehorns will make perfect footmen." In another flash of light, both dragons were elegantly dressed footmen but with armor that was the color of their scales.

"What about Astrid?" Skullcrusher asked gesturing to Astrid who was still in rags.

"Yeah she still ain't ready!" Smoke said in agreement.

"I didn't forget about her. Now let's see." Valka studied Astrid carefully before pointing her staff at her. "A gown of blue the color of a Bewilderbeast's eyes and a set of glass slippers that look like ice to match will be perfect!"

Astrid watched as blue sparkles began to fly all around her as her dress began to expand and mend itself. And soon it was completed. She lifted her skirt up and saw a set of glass slippers on her feet appeared magically. They didn't feel tight but comfortable like a pair of worn boots.

"Oh thank you!" Astrid cried and spun around. "Thank you so much Valka!"

"Your very welcome- oh!" Astrid grabbed Valka and pulled her into a hug. Valka smiled and gently hugged Astrid back. "Remember dear, the magic ends at midnight, you don't have much time." Valka ushered Astrid quickly to the carriage and with Skullcrusher and Steelwing's help, Astrid was inside and waiting to go. "Enjoy the ball!"

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Astrid said waving as the carriage was set in motion.

"Any time Astrid! Any time!" Valka said waving back. She watched as the orange carriage drove off in the direction of the palace. "Now it's time for me to go too." She gave a loud whistle and a large Stormcutter swooped down and grabbed her by the staff and flew her off into the night.