Cinderella and The Shape Shifting Mice

Chapter Twenty

Ella

Friday, the night before I was about to leave, I was packing a small suitcase with what little belongings I had; some clothes, toiletries, mostly books and pictures I had on my shelves. Jack Jack sat on my windowsill watching me move around when there was a knock at my door.
"Uh, come in," I called, closing my suitcase and setting it at the foot of my bed.
Mary opened the door and strolled in, glancing around the room with a slight look of disdain. "Ella I need to talk to you." She sat down on my bed and patted the seat beside her.
"I'll stand." I crossed my arms and leaned against my wardrobe. I didn't like to be within arms reach of her if I could help it. "What do you need?"

She smoothed the blanket around her and gave me a thin smile. "I know we haven't exactly had the... Closest relationship a mother and daughter should have.
"You're not my mother. And I'm sure as hell not your daughter. You r made that clear on many occasion."

She gave a wan smile. "But Ella, my dear, I need you to do something for me." She reached forward for my hand but I drew back.
"Just tell me," I stated flatly.

She took a deep breath. "Ella, I'm sending you to the palace for a reason. And that reason, is so you can be Queen."

I uncrossed my arms and gaped at her. "You want me to actually succeed?"

She shook her head and gave a small laugh. "Not exactly. I want you to succeed because, well, I want to be Queen. You see," she stood up and I backed up even more as she walked over to the window. "My dear, the business we run here is nice. It gives us enough money to live here and live comfortably, but I want to change things. Be in charge of things. Provide a better life for my girls." She turned around and smiled. "I want you to marry the Prince, so I can get to the King and rule instead."

"And how the hell do you plan on doing that?" I almost shouted. This plan was insane, how could I ever go along with it?

She turned and grinned at me. "Why, my dear, I'll reveal everything about your little secret downstairs, and who do you think they're going to believe? Me, or you?"

I frowned and crossed my arms again. This was it. This was the real moment when she finally took my soul. She owned me and I could do nothing about it. I bit my lip and gave a small nod. If what was in that basement was revealed... I would never see the light of day again.

"Fine. What do you want me to do," I mumbled.

"I want you to win by any means necessary. Don't make any friends. And make sure you earn the Prince's trust." She walked over to me and cupped my cheek, her nail stroking the underside of my jaw. "My dear if you manage to actually do this, you would never have to work for me again."

I slapped her hand away and moved away from her. Damn this tiny room. "There's nothing I would want more, but not at this cost. Now get out of my room, I have things to do." I opened the door and pointed to the stairway.
"Fine. But if I find out you said anything, and I will, you will greatly regret it," she answered as she flipped a lock of hair over her shoulder and made her way down the stairs. I closed the door and locked it and sat down on my bed.

I was nothing to her but a pawn to make her life better. And now I finally knew it.

****************

The doorbell rang before sunrise and I stood from my seat by the door to open it. A guard stood on my doorstep with a smile on his face.
"Are you Ella?" he asked.
I nodded and grabbed my small bag. "Yes, I'm ready."
He frowned at my bag and abruptness. "Is that all miss? Don't you want to say goodbye to your family?"
I pushed past him, looking at the ground. "They're not my family..." I mumbled as I climbed into the car.
He got into the driver seat and pulled away from the curb. "I'm very sorry about the inconvenience but we're going to have to pick up someone else in this car. I hope that's alright."
I gave a small laugh. "What would you do if I said it wasn't?"
He smiled at me in the mirror and turned down a street in one of the middle class neighborhoods. "Tell you sorry again and keep driving."

I nodded with a smile and looked at all the quiet houses as we drove past them. The quaint manicured lawns and soft glowing lights in front showing off the cement stepping stones with the children's hands prints. I sighed as the driver pulled in front of a little blue house with white shutters and a small front porch. A petite little blonde sat with her father in matching wicker chairs. Her knee was bouncing a mile a minute before she stood up and gave him a tight hug. My driver took her bag, shook hands with the dad, and proceeded to walk the girl to the car. She opened the door and gave a small jump when she saw me.
"Sorry, guess they were running low on cars," I apologized jokingly.
She gave a small laugh and slid in. "Honestly I'm just glad I don't have to go alone." She buckled her seatbelt and smiled. "My name is Grace. Yours?"

"Ella." I returned the smile then looked out the window as we pulled out of her neighborhood and towards the palace. The sky was just starting to turn a light pink and I longed to be watching the view from my bedroom window.
"Ladies, I would like to be the first to welcome you to the palace," our driver said as he pulled through the open gates and parked the car behind a long procession of cars identical to the one we were riding in. He opened our door and Grace climbed out and I followed. He handed us both our suitcases and we walked up the palace steps to the door where a man with the spectacle stood with a clipboard.
"Names?" he asked when we approached.
"Grace James." He waved her through and raised his eyebrows at me.
"Ella Tremaine." He starred at me a second before checking my name off.
"Welcome Madame Tremaine."
I winced at the name, thinking only of my stepmother and walked through the doors.

Sam was standing at the staircase with another clip board, handing out papers and telling girls where they would be rooming with a lot of hand gestures and patient smiles.
I walked up slowly, and when he saw me he gave me a kind smile.
"Hello there Miss Ella, how are you doing?"
I shrugged. "I don't know if I should answer that honestly to the assistant to the Prince."
Sam gave me a pointed look and I sighed. "I'm really glad to be out of that damn house, but right now I'm not really sure I want to be here either."

Sam nodded and handed me a map of the palace. "You're in the room closest to the Prince. And yes I had everything to do with that. Just go up these stairs and its the last door on your right. You have a beautiful view of the gardens. Your tentative schedule is located in your room but you wont be needed until lunch, when your alarm will go off an hour before hand. A dress has been provided for you to wear in the closet. Please don't be late." He gave me a warm smile. "I wish you the best of luck my darling."

I picked up my suitcase and nodded. I started climbing the stairs when he called out to me. "Also don't think I wont find out who you were at that ball Ella." I turned around with alarm and he winked. "It's my job."