It Started With A Mask (A Cinderella Story)

Pic of Dani on the side, what I would consider her to look like!

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Prolouge

All I wanted to do is get out, have some fun, maybe meet some guys I'll never see again. But I never thought my night out would turn into a world-wild manhunt…or woman-hunt.

All I did was dress up in a beautiful costume my friends had helped me with, sneak out the back door, and borrow a mask and some fancy shoes from The Witch. My evil aunt never suspected a thing. She was too busy primping the banshees- I mean my darling cousins - Arabella and Gertrude. Or should I say Arabella Vivien Lacombe Duxelle of the House of Duxelle.... and Gertrude. You can guess who the favoured child is.

Hitching a ride on a pumpkin sellers cart I arrived at the ball, to see him. 

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DAY PRIOR TO THE EVENT - 4:00 PM (1 DAY AND 8 HOURS TO MIDNIGHT, 1 DAY AND 3 HOURS TO THE BALL)

"Danielle!!! Get the door!" screeched the hag- I mean, my lovely aunt, Agatha Antoinette Duxelle, of the House of Duxelle. {Cough} Hag {Cough}.

Oh, who am I? Well my name is Danielle Alecksa Rousseau. My father was the Lord Charles Sebastian Rousseau of the House of Rousseau. He was the kindest, most loving man in the world, who died 3 years ago. My mother, I barely knew, seeing as she died in child birth. All I have is a locket, a dress, and a fuzzy memory of her smiling at me. My father, he died of food poisoning - hah, food POISONING all right. You see, after my mother, he had a horrid taste in women. My last stepmother was, to say the least, a horrid old gold digger. She let slip that she had slipped poison into my father’s food, which led me to push her down the stairs. Yeah, not my best moment, I must admit.

Everyone believed she'd tripped and fell, so then I was shipped to Aunt Hag - Agatha I mean, with her outrageous daughters – Arabella and Gertrude. Well, Gertrude got better over the years at least. No more than a smile my way and less nasty words said.

One day, I'll move out and -

"Danielle! The door you worthless child!" Aunt Hag, at work once more. With a sigh, I got up; dropping the brush I had been using to wash the floor.

I opened the door to reveal a man, dressed in a fine red and black tunic, with shiny leather boots up to his knees. On his right breast was a crown with a crossed swords behind it. The Royal Insignia. What in the world would a squire from court want with Hagatha and the Dastardly Duo?

The squire gave a cough before pulling put a roll of parchment. He handed it to me.

"By Royal Decree, there is to be a Royal Masquerade in honour of His Highness, Prince Pierre Cristophe François Marcel of the House of Marcel tomorrow evening, at the seventh hour. By order of the King, ALL eligible maidens of the house MUST attend the Royal Ball as The Prince is to choose a bride. Signed His Royal Majesty the King" the man announced before bowing to me, and proceeded to the next house. I shut the door.

A ball? I snorted, how ostentatious. All that trouble just to find our princey a royal vixen. Ha. Oh, how my aunty will be excited.

As I approached the music room, I could hear a loud wailing sound that sounded like a half dead cat choking on a parrot. Ah, the sweet sounds of my dear cousin, Arabella. Gertrude sounded far better on her flute.

"Arabella, what a beautiful voice you have! Gertrude, did I not tell you to practice, your flute playing is atrocious!" jeez, way to give constructive criticism to the wrong people Hagatha. I knocked on the door before entering.

"Danielle! I told you not to interrupt our music lessons!" she shrieked. Music my fanny!

"Sorry Aunt Hag- Agatha. There was a Royal Squire at the door. There is to be a ball for the prince. He's apparently looking for a bride-" I was cut off as my aunt snatched away the parchment, her eyes reading the words as if they were the solution to all their problems. In a sense, they were. Arabella started squealing, which I must tell you, is no improvement from her singing. Gertrude was still silently practising her flute.

"Oh mother, this is my chance! I can finally meet the prince, and he will marry me, and we shall live in the palace and I shall be queen!" Woah, getting a little ahead of ourselves aren't we.

"Come Arabella, we must shop for a new dress, and jewellery, and shoes, and of course a mask! Also-"

"Mother, what about me?" Gertrude interrupted. Arabella scrunched her nose.

"Oh Gertie, you can borrow an old costume of Arabella's, and I'm sure we can find you a suitable mask, cheap" Gertrude looked crestfallen, but was quick to hide her feelings.

"What about me?" they all turned to look at me, Gertrude with a kind smile, and the others with distaste.

"What about you?" Arabella scoffed, disdainfully.

"It said ALL eligible maidens. By order of the king. Besides, it's not as if I'll get in your way, I'll just hang on the edges of the crowd. You won't even know I'm there" I wasn't going to miss out on my chance on having a night out. My aunt looked at me thoughtfully.

"Mother, you aren't SERIOUSLY considering this" Arabella screeched.

"Mm, you may go Danielle, IF, and only if, you finish all your chores, AND you find something suitable to wear" I smiled, before bobbing a curtsey.

"Of course Aunt Agatha" I quickly hurried out.

Just have to finish my chores and then I'm free.

AUTHORS NOTE: HI IT'S ME LIANNE. NEW STORY! HOPE YOU LIKE IT AS MUCH AS I LIKE ICE-CREAM!!!