Cinderella: There's No Happy Ending

Royal Gardens

Alice stared in wonder at the sheer size of the royal gardens. Everything was so organized and had an obvious order about it. Vegetables, fruits, herbs, flowers, trees, everything had its own space and its own set of plots. Pulling the bag from her shoulder, Alice began walking through the garden. There was no room back home for any more trees; they grew more than enough fruits and vegetables, so that only really left herbs and flowers. There were many different types of each herb and some that Alice had never seen before. Spying a saffron plant held in its own pot, Alice dug a bulb out of the soil. She set it in a cloth along with some soil from the pot then tied it up and labeled it.

Going along through the herbs and flowers, Alice quickly filled her bag to capacity. She had more than enough to make the garden back home look magnificent and Alice knew it would be the talk of the countryside. Deciding she didn't really want to go back to the dance just yet, she decided to take a turn about the garden simply to enjoy its beauty. What she didn't realize was that Ella had arrived at the ball and was currently enjoying her own tour through the gardens with the Prince.

The Captain and some of his men had been sent out to look for him. The Prince was supposed to be paired off with a lady of the royal court's choosing, not running off with some mystery princess. One of his soldiers slyly suggested that the Captain should be the one to search the gardens, though he wouldn't say why. However, as soon as the Captain turned a corner and saw his dark haired beauty standing near a pond he immediately understood.

Her gaze was transfixed on the middle of the water that was completely covered with lilies. Their blooms were closed and the Captain couldn't really see anything special about them. Nonetheless, he moved slowly and silently to stand by the woman's side to stare at the lilies with her.

Alice knew the Captain was there the moment he turned the corner. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she felt him staring at her but she refused to move her gaze anywhere but the lilies. The moon was full tonight and the young woman knew that as soon as the beams touched the lilies, they would open to reveal the beauty inside. The large man opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by Alice's hand wrapping around his arm. They stood there, looking every bit like a young couple in love, and stared as the moon suddenly came out from behind a cloud.

Like she knew they would, the blooms burst open the moment they were touched by the light of the moon. Dark pink lined the outside of every petal and it slowly faded into a soft white on the inside. The center of the lily, which held all the pollen, was a beautiful deep purple color that matched the woman's dress. The petals seemed to shine softly and Alice couldn't help the bright smile that lit up her entire face. Now that the flowers were open, the Captain could see why anyone would find themselves entranced with their beauty. His head was turned however, by the show of a bright smile that covered the young woman's face.

"These are without a doubt, the most beautiful flowers I have had the pleasure of seeing. Though I must admit they pale in comparison to your wondrous beauty, my lady." Alice finally turned her head to look at the man next to her and her smile became just a bit bigger as a blush covered her cheeks. She thanked him for the kind words then laid her head against his arm that she was still holding. Both individuals welcomed the contact and stood, staring at the lilies in content while enjoying the evening together.

Breaking the silence after nearly ten minutes, Alice looked up at the Captain as she spoke. "That young man, Mr. Kit I believe is his name, that my friend was speaking to in the forest? I must find him so that I may deliver a letter to him." Smiling and trying not to chuckle, the Captain patted the woman's hand softly.

"That young man that you know as Mr. Kit is known by the rest of the kingdom as His Royal Majesty, the Prince." The color drained from Alice's face and a look of horror crossed her features. She had held a knife to his throat! She had threatened the Prince with a knife. Granted it was a tiny knife and it wouldn't have done much damage but people had been hanged for less! Alice groaned and dropped her head down, cradling it in her free hand.

"Don't worry my lady, the Prince found your spirit amusing. He has no plans to arrest you or sentence you to any sort of death." Alice blushed as she realized she had been speaking her thoughts aloud. Shaking her head, the young woman realized that she couldn't just give him the note now. It explained everything about Ella's life and that was something that couldn't be explained through a letter to a Prince!