It Started With A Mask (A Cinderella Story) [revised]

Prologue

Why? How did I get here? I thought as I drove my horse faster, urging it into a gallop. I could hear their thundering cries chasing after me. They mustn’t catch me. They can’t. Suddenly, my horse, the most surefooted of beasts, stumbled, let out a frightened neigh, as it tripped over a low branch and tumbled to the ground, throwing me off as it did so. Apparently it was unharmed, and quickly bound to his feet and cantered away, unaware that his master was sprawled on her back behind him. Come back. Please. I begged silently, as I heard them getting closer. Soon they’d be upon me, and I would be taken in for my crimes. How did I get here?

All I wanted to do was get out, have some fun, and enjoy myself for the first time in many years. But I never thought my night out would turn into a world-wild manhunt…or woman-hunt.

All I did was borrow a mask and some fancy shoes from The Witch, dress up in a beautiful costume my friends had helped me with, and sneak out the back door. Typical teenage rebellion.
After hitching a ride on a pumpkin sellers cart I arrived at the ball, to see him. 

My name is Danielle Alecksa Rousseau and this is my story.

A/N: Ok ISWAM readers, I decided that should I ever think this version is worse than the original, then it'd be better if I kept the original up, and posted the revised version, so I could always delete later should it turn out to be an unmitigated failure...so enjoy!