The Inside Story

Road Trip

Ella's POV (One Day Before)

As soon as we stepped through the portal, I recognized the location immediately after repeating this story time after time. The trees, the animals, and even the smell was familiar as my boots crunched the grass underneath as Sierra and I walked towards my family's manor. I wondered as we traveled to my story why on earth she would want to come here again?

Sierra seemed to be reading my thoughts as she said, "When I first came to this story, I wasn't simply just going story to story trying to get to King Arthur's story. I came to this one intentionally to look for something in particular but I couldn't find it, I was looking at the wrong place."

"Wait a second, if you have that orb," I pointed to her orb in her hand, couldn't she already go to Arthur's story with a seemingly magical object that allowed her to go to whichever story you choose? "Couldn't you already have gone to Arthur's story?"

Sierra nodded. "It's a good theory but no, every story has its own orb and this is just for yours. I managed to snag it from the Charming castle right before I left."

"You are a surprisingly good pickpocket," I added as I remembered how she had stolen my glass slippers right under my nose or feet, which was more appropriate.

"It's actually quite easy. Just make sure the person is paying attention to something else and the rest is easy, like I just took your bracelet," Sierra said as she held out my bracelet that Marian gave me when we were still best friends.

I snatched it back and locked it on my wrist. I caressed it gently, my mind in turmoil. A part of me didn't understand why on earth I kept it as the bond between Marian and I was forever tarnished because she was actually a big jerk in real life, yet I held onto it. Sierra either didn't notice or pretended not to as she stopped at the door.

"What's your plan Sierra?" I asked her.

"Obviously we're not going to be allowed in so you have to go in there and be the Cinderella you are," Sierra said as she snapped her fingers.

A cloud surrounded my body as my clothes transformed into dirty rags, apron tied around my waist, and my hair was filled with dirt. The smell surrounded me as I remembered how people don't have access to hot water here especially a maid like me. I immediately knew what Sierra wanted me to do and I held my finger up on protest. "No way am I going in there and being a maid. I still have a year left before becoming a slave!"

"This is the only way that you can snoop around without being a stranger. Believe it or not, you're unrecognizable without your dirt and cinders," Sierra smirked as she realized the pun she made.

"Ha ha, like I haven't heard that before. That's how I got my name," I replied with a grimace. I hate that my story is basically the mean name I was stuck with from my stepsisters.

"Why can't you just pretend to be the royal messenger and hand them the invitation for the ball? They'll let you in and give you something to eat, trust me they treat every guest from the castle as if even the footman is godsend. Better yet, when they go to the ball and you can get whatever it is with no hurry."

"Ella, we're near the beginning of the story. You've still got 6 months left till the ball even comes and we are not waiting that long."

"What makes you think I'll even help? Sure I've come with you this far but I don't want to help you anymore than I need to," I said with caution. How long would this "partnership" even last? Sierra was our enemy and the villain and I was reluctantly helping her in some way? I mean, heroes never made deals with villains and formed an alliance. What was I then?

Sierra groaned. "Ella, if you didn't do this for me you would have been strangled to death by that tree vine. You did it for your life and I promise you I'll change your story once I get the key."