Dancing on Glass

The Fall

Uncle Beldon's servants were still there when they arrived home and she was ushered from the carriage and back into the room where she had been originally transformed from Cinderella to The Duchess, the Queen of The Air. 

The women descended on her, transforming her back so quickly it was like watching some sort of magic.

In no time at all, she was looking at herself again, dressed in her old ragged clothes, her red hair a mess but tied back to contain it. Her makeup gone, the wig and mask packed into boxes, the dress; the beautiful gown, was carefully stored away and she got one last glance as it before it was covered by cloth and she knew she'd never see it again.

The folding screen was folded away.

The shoes were put back in their box.

All the accessories were stored.

And then everything was gone.

It was all out of the house, packed into another waiting carriage, the one who had brought her home having already departed to be ready for Beldon.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Vanessa asked as she handed the last small box to one of the girls then looked back at Cinderella.

Cinderella smiled at her. "I did," she said, smoothing down the waist of her dress, "I'm so glad I had the chance to attend the ball. Thank you, truly."

She curtsied and the women bowed.

"No need to curtsy, dear," Vanessa said as they headed for the door, smiling as she looked back over her shoulder. "Master Beldon did not give you that fake identity for fun; don't lose sight of who you are."

Cinderella looked at her in surprise and then they were gone, as suddenly as they had appeared, the dark carriage vanishing in seconds.

She and Edgar stood by the window for a long time, long after they had gone before they made their way down to the kitchens. Her ruined gown was gone, she didn't know where it was but she was relived, she wouldn't have been able to bear seeing it at that moment.

She was happy.

She had enjoyed her evening. She had got to be someone she wasn't anymore. She had avoided her stepfamily. She had danced with The Prince. She had danced with Jazz.

Some fifteen minutes after she and Edgar had settled down in the kitchen, they heard the warning sounds of another carriage approaching. The family was back.

Both of them made their way upstairs and Cinderella carefully schooled her expression to appear tired and gloomy.

Edgar opened the doors before they had even stepped down from the carriage and the trio dropped their capes in Cinderella's arms, Giselle smacking Cinderella in the face as she chucked her gloves at her, sniggering.

"Welcome back, Ma'am, did you enjoy your evening?" Edgar asked calmly, taking some of the capes from Cinderella.

"Yes, it was perfectly reasonable," Lady Constantia said. Cinderella's eyes flicked to her hand. Her stepmother held an envelope. She wondered for just a second if it contained the pages she had been holding when speaking to Lord Cheshire but she quickly drew her eyes away as Lady Constantia turned towards them.

"It was wonderful!" Giselle crowed, spinning around in her gown, the wings flashing in the light, "Cinderella you should have been there! You would have loved it! Such a shame you have nothing to wear and no invitation."

Cinderella's fists clenched around the cloaks and she openly glared at her stepsister.

"Yes... shame," she bit out, aware that her stepmother was watching her.