Cinderella: There's No Happy Ending

Learning to Dance

Weeks passed after Ella's father left, filled with cleaning and laughter. Ella often helped Alice with her chores when Alice allowed it and in return, Alice helped Ella perfect dancing. Alice's father had made sure his only daughter knew how to dance and so Alice felt that every woman should know how to dance. Ella's father had tried to teach her but she had only really learned a few dances and none of them were exceptionally formal. There were dances for house parties, dances for balls hosted by Lords and Barons, dances for Countesses, and many others.

"Today we're going to learn how you would dance if you were invited to a royal ball. Typically the Prince, or Princess, will pick their partner and they shall have the first dance. Then, others shall pick a partner and those dances you already know. They are the same for a Baron or Countess." Ella looked slightly confused about what she was going to learn before Alice continued to explain. "I'm going to teach you how you would dance if a prince asked you to dance."

"Alice, you know as well as I do that I'll never be invited to a royal ball! Even if I was, the Prince would certainly never pick me for his partner." The woman simply shook her head and put the needle down onto the music box. Lady Tremaine had insisted on buying this so she could listen to music when Alice wasn't around to sing. One of the songs was the song typically played for royal balls and Alice had thanked her lucky stars when she heard it.

"Stand here and just follow my lead. I'll dance the male part, as usual. All you really have to do is follow where I lead you." Ella nodded and stood in front of her friend. They were dancing barefoot and were the same height, making things quite easier for both of them. Alice put her hand on Ella's waist and moved with ease and grace. They had learned how to other danced, Alice gently correcting Ella when moved incorrectly. After an hour, Ella had perfected the dance and Alice was applauding her motions. "You're doing wonderfully Ella! Any man would be lucky to dance with you! Now I just need to arrange an invitation to a royal ball!" Alice laughed and ducked out of the room as Ella threw a couch pillow at her.

The next evening, Alice was just finishing up cleaning Lady Tremaine's room when someone knocked on the door. Being her last item on the chore list, Alice stepped away and listened in the hallway as she heard Farmer John's voice. He told Ella that her father had passed away from an illness while on the road and Alice could hear the regret in his voice. Sorrow, deep and black, washed across Alice and she blocked the rest of the conversation out. It isn't until Lady Tremaine sweeps past her that the words register. "How will we live?" The words were rhetorical but Alice followed the Lady anyway, hoping to find a way to help.

Upon entering the room, Alice sees Lady Tremaine attempting to change out of her dress but she can't reach the buttons in the back. In her frustration, she tears at it violently, popping a few of the buttons off. Alice rushes forward and stills the Lady's hands before undoing the buttons herself. "Enough of that Madam. You'll ruin your lovely dress if you keep at it." Once she's out of her dress and clad only in the slip underneath, Lady Tremaine sits at large mirror across the room. Alice brings her silk robe to her and slips it on the woman slowly, helping her get her arms through it.

Once that's done, Alice picks up the dress and grabs a needle and thread from a side table. Every respectable lady kept a small collection of needles and colored threads, even if she never had need of them. Sitting on the bed carefully, Alice began sewing the buttons back onto the dress while the Lady brushed her hair out. "He spoke only of his daughter and her mother at the end. What of me? Didn't he care for me at all?" Alice sputtered with her words for a moment before remaining silent and continuing her work, thinking it was another rhetorical question.

To her chagrin, Lady Tremaine fixes her with a glare and stops brushing her hair. "Don't lie to me Alice; tell me what you really think." Alice sighed and finished sewing the last button on then stood and hung the dress in the wardrobe before walking over to the Lady and taking over brushing her hair. "Well Madam, you marriage to the Master of the house wasn't out of love as we both know. It was for the sake of your daughters. How could you expect care from him when you didn't give any to begin with?"

Her cheeks flushing with the ashamed realization that the girl was right, Lady Tremaine looked down at her hands which are folded in her lap. After a few moments, she looked back up and locked eyes with Alice in the mirror. "I'm going to have to dismiss the household first thing tomorrow morning. I cannot afford to keep them and none of them will stay here for free."

Alice nodded and set the brush down before she began braiding the Lady's hair so it would wave gently in the morning and not tangle. "Since the servant's quarters are going to be empty, you could sell the beds off as well. There are always people looking for a new bed, in town and in the country, and those beds were replaced two years ago. If you spend a bit of that money and buy one large bed, you could rent the room out. It has a small kitchen that would be perfect for one person or even a couple with no children. People traveling through the kingdoms are always looking for a lower price than what the inns in town offer. Many of them are looking to escape the bustle of town as well. That would bring some money into the house." Alice swallowed the lump in her throat and took a daring leap when she spoke her next words.

"I would like to remain here though, if you will only allow me a room to stay in. I have nowhere else to go and the nearest city already has a seamstress. I can cook, clean, wash, and everything else that is needed to keep this household running smoothly." She held her breath as she waited for an answer from the woman sitting in front of her.