Cinderella: There's No Happy Ending

The Horse and the Pasture

Alice had just finished brushing down Ella's horse and was leading both horses into the stable when Ella came bursting out of the kitchen door. Running to the stable, Ella immediately mounts her horse without his saddle and nudges his side. The horse runs off and Alice curses loudly in a very unladylike fashion. Grabbing a knife that she always kept near just in case, Alice jumped onto the larger horse and spurred him in Ella's direction. The horse, more than happy to run after being stuck in pasture for a few days, immediately ran after Ella.

His longer legs gave him an advantage and though Ella's horse had a head start, Alice quickly caught up with her. Her horse reared suddenly, startled by a large stag that had jumped in her path. Alice slowed her horse down and the two horses stood side by side, watching the stag with caution. When he realized they weren't going to attack him, the stag stood tall and stared at the girls with proud eyes. In turn, the girls stared at him with wonder and joy. The sound of horns broke the silence and the girls looked to the sound. "A hunting party from the palace most likely." Alice's voice was soft and melancholy.

Ella leaned forward on her horse and told the stag to run before they could catch him. Seeming to sense the urgency in her voice, the stag turned and bounded away. Ella's horse followed in that direction, moving quickly and startling Ella. Not allowing her horse to follow just yet, Alice leaned down a little and quickly picked a large bunch of wildflowers from the ground. They were a lovely white color and Alice would braid them into Ella's hair later. That sort of thing usually helped the girl get out of any bad mood.

Tapping her heels against the horse's side gently while she put the flowers gently into her bag, Alice knew the horse would find its friend and therefore Ella. When her friend did come into view however, Alice was immediately angry and scared. A man who was obviously from the King's guard was sitting on his horse, ridiculously close to Ella. As if to confirm her worst thoughts, what the man said next had Alice panicking.

"You shouldn't be this deep in the forest alone." Before Ella could answer, Alice's horse pushed between the two which caused the man's horse to back away. Alice immediately held her small knife inches away from the man's throat without saying a word. The man immediately looked nervous but didn't make any sudden movements. Ella tugged at Alice's dress insistently, begging her to put the knife down.

"He's not threatening me. I'm simply making a new acquaintance and we were having a lovely conversation before you put a knife to his throat." Looking back at Ella to judge the truth of her words, Alice nodded and lowered her knife before riding her horse away. She didn't hear Ella apologize for her or the conversation that ensued. If she had, Alice would have made fun of Ella for flirting with the man. However, she was now focused on the hunting party that she could see riding through a clearing.

Three of the men broke away from the main party and began heading in Alice's general direction. Seeing the woman waiting for them, they slowed their horses and Alice took this time to examine the men. The younger two were close to her age but they were nothing to behold. Alice would never remember their faces but as soon as her eyes fell on the Captain of the Guard, Alice's quickly spinning world slowed to a crawl. His shoulders were wide set and gave him an overall dominant look that commanded respect. His skin was ebony colored and his eyes shone brightly from his face. He looked as though he loved to laugh and a part of Alice ached to make him smile for her. Shaking the thoughts from her head, Alice looked down at her horse's mane when she spoke next. "If you're looking for a young man from your guard, he's over this way speaking with my friend."

"We shall follow your lead then, my lady." The Captain's voice was warm and smooth, causing a blush to rise to Alice's face. She nodded and turned her horse the way it had come, walking him slowly to give Ella a bit more time with her handsome companion. The Captain rode his horse up next to hers while the other two stayed behind them. "If I may be so bold, my lady?" Alice smiled and looked up at him with wicked eyes.

"Please be as bold as you would like Captain. That's how I prefer my men." Alice's answers gained her the satisfaction of hearing one of the men behind her choke slightly and begin coughing. The Captain however, gave her the bright smile she had so desired a moment earlier. Alice smiled back when she realized that he knew exactly what reaction she had been aiming for. "Your dress is a very lovely shade of green and brings out the color in your eyes perfectly. It makes me want to stare into them for ages." Alice blushed bright red and a laugh bubbled its way out of her chest.

Alice missed the look the two men in the back exchanged. Their captain never flirted with any woman, as far as they had ever seen. The other lads in the guard would be talking about this for weeks; the dark haired beauty that finally caught the eye of the Captain of the Guard. They came around a bunch of trees and spotted Ella and the man. Alice released a tiny breath of air when she saw Ella was unharmed.

"You were worried for your friend? You thought he might hurt her?" The woman shrugged and looked up at the Captain when she answered. "He is a man. She is simply a woman who is alone in the forest. Neither of us know him, what was I to think?" The Captain looked shocked and shook his head quickly. Alice nudged her horse gently and rode to wait by Ella's side as the man spoke to the Captain loudly. Still completely enthralled, Alice watched the Captain as he smiled at the man indulgently. That look reminded her of how she let Ella have her fun with her mice friends. Someone allowing their friend to do as they wish in that moment simply to let them be happy for a small while.