Cinderella and The Shape Shifting Mice

Chapter Twenty Nine

Ella

There were eight different teachers for all of us, and we would be waltzing all day with breaks in between. My partner Val was from Moscow, Russia and he was the most beautiful and graceful man I had ever met in my life.
I became shy instantly but he coaxed me out of my shell by cracking jokes and making the dancing less like a chore and more like fun. Other girls were having the same experience I was, but it took me a while to realize that my partner and I were the only ones smoothly gliding around the ballroom. Sam was sitting in the corner with the Duke and both were watching me intently. So in a fashion very much like me, I tripped and almost sprawled on the ground.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry," I straightened myself up, Val holding onto my arm tightly should I fall again in the heels. "I think I just need a break for a second. Maybe a glass of water."
We walked across the floor and halfway there they announced lunch and trays were brought out and set onto a table in the corner away from the dance floor.

"Ella, right?" I turned to a girl I hadn't ever talked to before, but I vaguely remember her name possibly being Nicole.
"Yes?" I asked, gazing hungrily down at my salad.
"I'm not sure if I'm supposed to say this,
but you were so graceful out there. I just couldn't help but watch you and try to do what you were doing," she gushed, blushing fiercely.
"Oh, well thank you," I blushed too and took a sip of my water. Other girls around her expressed the same sentiments and I noticed the Duke and Sam listening in very carefully.

We broke after lunch and continued dancing but I went slower this time and blamed my lunch on my ability to function properly. Val didn't comment on my sudden change of pace and I was incredibly grateful for him.

The day ended quickly after that and we had a small dinner and then up to our rooms to try on our dresses with a seamstress there to help do any adjustments should the gowns not fit.

I opened my closet door and almost burst into tears upon seeing the dress. It was almost an exact replica of the one I had worn for the ball, right down to the shoes sitting in the box next to it.
"I know, it's quiet beautiful isn't it? Didn't know you'd be reduced to tears though," the seamstress patted my back and I shook my head, unable to get any words out past my closed-up throat.

I took it out and slipped it on but nothing needed to be changed, it fit like a glove. I put the shoes on and the seamstress took a step back, completely in awe.

"You know I was lucky to be at the party that night, and you look just like her," she confessed in a hushed tone.
"Yeah, I get that a lot," I mumbled, and it took everything I had not to rip the dress off me.

THE MICE

I huddled in the corner, watching the Duke pace his office. I had seen all of his plans, every deed to get Ella to win. He had called Mary a few times in the past few days to boast of how far her step-daughter had gotten and his genius in it all. Marcie was tasked with watching Ella and she had reported to me the same things, Ella was doing flawlessly and there was no doubt in her mind that Georgie was falling in love with her whether he knew it or not.
Gus was watching Sam, but he didn't have much to say in that respect. Sam was a wonderful man but I was distressed he wasn't doing more to save Ella when he had confessed before that he knew something was up in the palace. Georgie seemed to have forgotten, but I'd seen the side glances and lingering around. Sam knew something bad was happening, he just didn't know as much as we did because, well, he couldn't walk through walls like we could so to speak.

The ball was to be tomorrow, and I knew Ella would win. There was so little chance that she wouldn't. I needed to get to her and tell her before then, but I needed all the facts straight so here I sat, patiently waiting, praying I wouldn't be too late to save the girl I'd sworn to protect.

THE PRINCE

I sat down at my fathers desk, tired out of my mind. All day I had spent with Tiffany preparing for the ball. She's done so well for my birthday party we'd hired her again instantly. The Duke had decided spontaneously a few days ago that we needed to have the ball sooner rather than later to pick the winner and for once I agreed with him. I was getting tired, this process was exhausting. I barely saw my father or brother because of it, and I stayed up into all hours of the night working. I wanted this thing over and fast.

A knock at the door caused me to look up and my father walked in, limping a little on his cane. "Hello son," he sat down across from me, the seat I used to always occupy and now the roles were reversed.
"Hello," I answered a little cautiously.
"Are you ready for this?" he asked me blatantly.
"No," I blurted. "But also yes, I want to get it over with."
He shook his head, chuckling a little. "Son you're supposed to be picking a wife not a piece of furniture. This is a big deal," he gave me a pointed look, "unless you've known who you were going to pick for a while now."

My mind flashed to Ella and I shook my head to clear the thought. "Maybe, I don't know. I figured tomorrow when I danced with them all I would know by then. Which one is E," I answered.
He stared at me for a while and I fidgeted under his powerful gaze. "George." I looked at him. "Your mother would be very proud of who you've become. Always choose love. Always. It took me a very long time to learn that." He stood up and hobbled out, closing the door softly behind him.

I let out a long sigh and closed my eyes. I knew who I was going to pick, of course I did. But there was still something in the back of my mind that just kept nagging that something wasn't right.