Glass

Chapter Twelve: The Manor

As if she was expecting us, a woman answered the door before Rafael even had a chance to knock on it. I recognised her - it was the Countess Gloria Del Flores, the one with the twin daughters.

"Your highness!" She gasped and curtsied just as poised and as elegant as she was on the night of the ball. Her dress was effortlessly expensive and modern, wrapped in a deep green lace atop green satin fabric, while her brown hair was wrapped into a neat bun decorated with a green carnation. Her thin, long neck was exposed, as were her wiry collarbones as she stood up straight. "What brings you?"

I was sure she already knew.
"We are here to find the woman who fits this slipper." I said, opening the box to reveal it. It had been in and out of the box all day, and by that point, the velvety material it was encased in had lost its shape. Gloria moved aside, welcoming us to her home.

The hallway was large enough for the Countess to throw a ball there herself. The floors were so clean that I could see my reflection in it, and the mahogany staircase shone against the glass raindrops of the chandelier above. To the left was an arch into an impressive dining room, lit with scented candles. To the right, a living area with pillows that looked like clouds. I feared that if I was to sit on them, I would fall asleep, and so when Gloria led us to them, I remained stood.

We waited as my soldiers searched the building.
"Might I offer you a drink, Your Highness?" Del Flores asked with a smile which exposed her pearl-like teeth. As nice as the offer sounded, I was forced to shake my head.
"We have been offered too many drinks for us to count by now, my Lady." Rafael said, although he failed to mention that he did not allow me to have even a drop for fear of poisoning.

I looked up at the mantelpiece, where above stood a marvellous portrait of the Del Flores twins from some years ago. It was intriguing to see the youthful features where their beauty would eventually derive - their rosy, rounded cheeks before they became high and angled like their mother's; their vibrant matching dresses swapped for the more mature hues and modern designs. In the portrait, they appear rather sweet, maybe even innocent despite how they acted at the ball. As I scanned the room, I saw more portraits of the twins as they grew, some with their mother, others with a man who looked nothing like them. He was tall with dark skin and a strong brow, but his smile was soft and kind. In the few that included him, he was holding a different animal, all of which I had never seen before.
"My late husband, your highness," Gloria explained, noticing my interest, "he was a conservationist of rare and exotic animals. He cared deeply for them."

Her eyes were downcast, but she smiled at the memories she spoke of.
"We met at a conservation shelter for jian birds in the North Continent. I had donated to them many times before, but never knew the man behind it all. Fabián was a widow, as was I, and he wanted to open a shelter for an endangered species of squirrels right here in Mendessa. So I let him stay with me and my daughters, while he pursued his dream. We fell in love… married that very same year and moved into this manor. He treated my girls like they were his own."

Hearing their father's name, the twins entered the room, accompanied by the entourage who had cleared their search. Laelia put a hand to her chest when she saw me.
"Your highness! You came back for my hand?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Laelia." Dahlia rolled her eyes.

The two were just as well-dressed and well-groomed as their mother, despite the late hour. Their mother flashed them a glance, and in unison, they curtsied.
"Girls, Prince Andres is here to find the girl who ran at the ball," she said, "whoever fits this… glass slipper… is the one who owned it."
"It's mine." Laelia said instantly.
"Don't lie to him, Laelia, he can cut your head off for that."

I shook my head nervously to assure her that I would not. It was obvious that these three women were not the ones that I was looking for. I had met them previous to Cinderella's entrance.
"Are there no more women in this household? Maids? Cooks?" I asked, but my soldiers were already shaking their heads.
"I am afraid not, your highness. Since Fabián, there has only been the three of us."