Cinderella: The Bloody Rose

2

The golden castle stood gleaming in the moon light. All Elizabeth could think is how a cruel old woman could have such a beautiful home and still be as heartless as she was. Elizabeth stared up at the castle when she saw a candle flicker in the darkest room of one of the tallest towers. Climbing up the tower was some red roses with black stems.

Elizabeth began to climb the tower higher and higher. The dagger held in between her teeth balancing as best as it could. Her dress being ripped on every throne as if trying to pull her down, trying to warn her of what will happen. As she got to the tower she saw Cinderella sat their staring into the mirror, her step-mother once stared in. She held a single candle and wore a silvery white twinkling dress.

'Too fragile,' Cinderella hissed.
'Too old,' she muttered.
'Too wise,' she spoke.

'Too cruel,' Elizabeth muttered to herself as she hide.

Cinderella's eyes twitched slightly, the candle light flicking some hope back into them. 'Don't hide dearie. I've waited this long for you to climb those bloody roses don't be rude and hide,' Cinderella spoke as she turned around to face Elizabeth, who clenched the dagger close to her heart preparing herself. 'I suppose that's for me,' Cinderella spoke with a cruel smile on her thin lips. She walked over to her old marriage bed and sat on it and looked at Elizabeth. 'Such an innocent thing to come kill such a cruel ruler,' she cracked.

'Innocence is the only thing that can kill cruelty,' Elizabeth spoke in barley a whisper.
'Is that what your mother told you? What a lie to tell? Not as good as true love will solve everything though.' Cinderella looked up at a painting of her prince, that laid on the wall. 'If you wish to kill me sweetheart I wish to first tell you why I am like this,' Cinderella spoke as the candle light up her face.

'I've already heard the stories,' Elizabeth spoke slowly moving towards her.

'Yes everyone's heard the magical stories, but this isn't a story it's a warning for you.' Cinderella stared up at her prince. 'It was no witch or black rose that made us dark. Because it was our job to be dark.'

'A good ruler does not go to cruelty to rule,'

Cinderella let out a cackle of laughter. 'Innocence is just another would for stupidity I see. A ruler must make choices to either starve their people of food or risk the illness to be brought in from another village. To send solider to the knowing deaths to win a bigger war. To kill innocence so people can fear something to unite them. A ruler looks out for they're kingdom before themselves they must choose to either be loved by a dying kingdom or be hated by a thriving one.'

Elizabeth did not know what to say. Cinderella still held her evil smirk, she placed her candle on the table next to her bed and glanced once more into the mirror. 'I once saw myself and my step-mother in that mirror, now I only see her,' Cinderella let out a loud cackle that echoed around the whole kingdom making everyone hear it feel like a spider was running down their spine.

The candle flashed blue, red, orange, yellow, then white a pure white flame. It lit up Cinderella's face as she walked over to Elizabeth who was too frighten by the story to even move.

'Well sweetie are you going to do it, or do I have to?' Cinderella hissed, her tired eyes greeting an old light. Elizabeth stood frozen. 'You'll soon learn to take an innocent life, or you'll learn to take your own.' Cinderella walked over to the tower window and stared down at the red roses with a black stem growing up the tower. 'Or both.' She smiled and opened her arms and fell forward crackling all the way till a sudden silence stopped it.

Elizabeth stood in her new castle staring into the mirror.

'Too innocent.'

THE END