Dancing on Glass

Rats in The Home

"Cinderella, come here please."

Cinderella looked over the balustrade, peering past the pile of sheets that were folded in her arms, confused by one simple word.

'Please.'

Her stepmother so rarely used it when directed at her.

Lady Constantia stood in the doorway of the parlour, watching her.

Cinderella glanced at the sheets in her arms.

"Leave those for now," Lady Constantia said, turning and vanishing into the room.

Adjusting her grip on the sheets, Cinderella turned and walked back down the steps, setting them on a side table as she passed before walking in.

"Close the door," her stepmother said from where she stood by the doors that opened out onto a balcony, which in turn led down to the back gardens. "And take a seat," she added.

Cinderella took a seat then looked down as her fingers brushed across the fabric of the seat.

She couldn't remember the last time she had sat in these chairs.

"Cinderella," her stepmother suddenly said, making her jump.

She looked up and realised Lady Constantia was watching her, probably wondering why she was feeling the chair seat. Cinderella folded her hands on her lap and waited patiently.

"We need to talk," her stepmother said, looking back out of the doors.

"Alright?" Cinderella said.

"As you know, I am to marry again," Lady Constantia said, "And because of that, I have met with a problem."

"Which is?"

"You."

"Me?"

Lady Constantia turned, looking at her, sunlight haloing her as she looked down at her stepdaughter.

"Everyone knows I have a stepchild," she said, "It has hardly hidden knowledge to who I was last married to. However—"

"Everyone thinks I am out living on the continent in grieving luxury as opposed to working as your servant," Cinderella said for her.

Her stepmother pursed her lips.

"And this poses a problem because people will want to know where I am and how the parentless daughter you were saddled with fits in the equation of your new marriage," Cinderella continued, "How does she fit in, Mistress? What do you plan to do?"

"Hush that attitude, Cinderella, I still have the power to remove you from the equation completely," her stepmother said, her voice low and dark.

"You mean have someone push me down the stairs again, and hopefully succeed this time?" Cinderella asked.

"That is not what I meant, are you accusing me of attempted murder?"

"Remove me from the equation completely? That sounds like a threat to commit murder."

"Your tone is too light for such a topic, it is no joke we are sharing here. Do not throw around that word with such ease, it is childish," her stepmother suddenly snapped, making Cinderella raise an eyebrow. "I expected more from you," Lady Constantia said, shaking her head as she took a seat and Cinderella bristled at being chided like that. "Perhaps you're not ready for a conversation like this, I always thought you the most mature of my daughters – though you're barely a daughter to me."

"I'm listening," Cinderella bit back begrudgingly.

"But are you willing to actually listen?" her stepmother asked.