Soot & Ashes

Eleven: Twist In The Game

Soot sat in the little nook she had fashioned for herself in the kitchen. Sewing needle in hand, pulling fine thread through delicate lace, tool and taffeta, all the purest white. Outside a storm was raging, it piddled in under the creaky kitchen door leading out to the grounds. Still she was safe, tucked up beside the fire, careful not to dirty her secret work.

Cinders was finishing up her chores and oblivious to Soot's nimble fingers pushing and pulling thread, from dawn 'til bed every night for a week.

Mary Cinders had used what money she could to buy two dresses for Soot and Arabella to wear. All she had done all week was plan for the ball. Only there was no room in her plans for Ethel Cinders. To her stepmother, she was still a wretched creature undeserving of pity or kindness. But oh how she secretly longed to go.

When the night of the ball had arrived, Soot huddled by the fire again after being forced into a preposterous, puffy dress that made her look like plum pudding.  "I don't care what she says, I will not go." Soot crossed her arms, she could care less if she stained it, or if sparks flew and created holes in its delicate material.

"At least you have the chance to go. I've never loved anyone my whole life, I should like to think my first love be a prince." Cinders sighed dreamily, trying to sew up a little imperfection in Soot's gown.

Soot sat up a little, a faint smile playing across her lips and stood from her chair. "I could never marry someone I did not love, Prince or not. I had a love and I would rather never hold anyone so dear to my heart again. My wish is that he return to me somehow." She sighed softly, then laid her hand down upon a box on the table. "So you might as well go instead of me."

Ethel Cinders stared up at her in shock, her eyes widening. "But how... your dress is too long for me and step-mama will fly into a fury!"

"You won't need my dress." She replied with a laugh like tinkling bells. Lifting the lid to the mysterious box Soot pulled out a beautiful ball gown, white as angels feathers.

Cinders jumped to her feet, awed by the creation before her. It had a puffy tool skirt, but a simple, delicate bodice covered in fine lace and detail. She took it up in her dainty hands and twirled around the room with it, as if she were already at the ball dancing with her partner. "This is wonderful! It's beautiful! Thank you!" She enthused, giddily.

Soot laughed, as she started to tear her dress, starting with her horrible puff sleeves. She would not stay in it a moment longer.

Ethel stopped, silent and still. "But how will I get there?"

Soot hadn't stopped smiling, this thought hadn't dampened her mood at all. "Everything will work out just fine. You'll see. First we should get you dressed and your hair done. Then you should hide until it is time to leave."

When the grand carriage arrived, a sturdy black cab with red velvet interior and old detail, two white mares to pull it and every trimming you could think of, only two ladies emerged from the house to step up onto it. Soot had not yet come, she had been taking her time all evening and had done her best to avoid her mother's inspection. Mary Cinders decided she would have to drag the girl out of the house.

Arabella watched as her mother marched back through the front door, leaving her to be helped up into the carriage by a footman. She glanced at a moving shadow beside the house, where an arch of ivy and flowers lead onto the back of the grounds. There, under the arch, Sven the stable boy was stood half hidden behind a chestnut bay. They exchanged a look neither one of them would forget their lives over. It was the look of regret, longing and heartbreak. Still Arabella kept silent and he disappeared onto the grounds.

Mary had found Soot, no longer in her dress, preparing a small picnic. "What do you think you're doing!" Mary grabbed her roughly by the arm, pulling her back, infuriated and ready to burst again.

"I'm preparing something to eat on the road." Soot answered stoically.

"Why are you not in your dress?! Why would you need anything for the road?" Mary snapped and snarled, her hair falling out of place here and there.

Soot yanked her arm away from her mother's grasp and with an iron like strength, very seriously told her exactly what she was doing. "I'm leaving this house to make a fresh start for myself. I cannot stand by any longer and be used when I know there's better out there for me than this."

Stunned back a few steps, Mary couldn't believe what she was hearing. "How will you live? The world is a cold unforgiving place for little girls like you! You will wind up dead in some ditch!" She wailed.

"I shall be just fine, you've taught me well enough how grizzly the world can be." Soot answered, not wavering even to flinch at her mother's anger. "Now, you should go before you're late for the ball."

At that, in a mad rage, Mary Cinders left, grinding her teeth together and growling under her breath.

Soot picked up her small picnic and went out the back way. There in her hand sewn dress was Cinders, sat atop the chestnut bay horse Sven had prepared for her. She reached down to Soot and they embraced briefly for what might have been the last time.

"I hope you find everything you're looking for." Ethel wiped a tear away from her eye.

"And I hope you make some of your dreams come true tonight. Just be back before mother, or not at all." She warned.

Ethel Cinders nodded her little head and started her ride for the palace.

Soot turned to Sven who took her arm. "I shall take you to my family's tavern, there's a job there for you and a place to sleep." He smiled.

Tonight would be the start of something new for every one of the Cinders girls.