Don't Call Me Cinderella

Chapter Four: Exhaustion

Every single day since then Ella worked all night. Month two was now completed, but her mind was too tired to celebrate. She had plenty more months to go anyway.

It was the same every day. The chore list got longer and longer while she got slower and slower. It got to the point where she only got an hour of sleep every day. Then there was Mary, who refused to let any other maid help her with anything. So, while Ella took on the job of another maid while still having her own chores to complete, someone else got time off.

That's why she's currently sitting on the floor in a hallway in the middle of the night, too tired to stand. Her body ached and her mind refused to move her. Even the idea of standing made her cringe in pain.

Mary, however, was a different story.

She woke up late at night after yet another nightmare. Because she was still young, her room was near the servant's quarters, meaning it was far easier to go to Ella.

She trusted Ella more than anyone else, besides her Uncle of course.

So, with a trembling form, she stood and scurried out of her room, down a hall, and through the door to the kitchen. Once in there, she needed to go through one more door, which would reveal a hallway filled with dozens of other doors that were mostly dingy with caked-on dirt and grime.

Those doors led to rooms where people were sleeping after a long day of work. Most of the workers had roommates, but Ella was new and broke the even numbers. Mary was thankful for that; it made going to her after a nightmare easy.

When Ella's door was in sight she forced herself to walk faster, wanting the comfort of the woman more than ever. "Miss Ella I-"

She wasn't there. Mary checked everywhere in the room: the closet and dresser, under the bed, behind the curtains, she wasn't there. That little fact made her even more scared.

With tears threatening to fall she sprinted out of the hall, back through the kitchen, and down another hall. She needed to get to her Uncle.

She was absolutely terrified now. The moonlight shed very little light in the halls and all of the shadows seemed to grab at her. Every sound was someone or something that wanted to hurt her and every object only wanted to harm. If she didn't hurry then they would get her; at least in her mind.

Her Uncle's door! She was so close! She didn't even care anymore, so she simply burst into the room and onto his lap -since he just so happened to be up working.

"What on earth?! Mary, you know better than to enter like that." His scolding did little justice as she took deep gulps of air to catch her breath. "Ella... Ella isn't in her room..."

He didn't care too much, at least not until he noticed the time. It was almost two in the morning, she had no business or reason to be roaming the halls at this time of night. He sighed in annoyance and rubbed his eyes, a habit he needed to break.

"Another nightmare?" He felt her nod against his chest. He lifted her and put her on his bed, leaving her to cover herself with the covers. He lifted his leg to slide on the other side of her, but the small child stopped him. "What about Miss Ella? She could be hurt! Or worse! We need to find her!"

The frantic child jumped off the bed and rushed to the door, only stopping when she noticed the lack of a follower she had. "Uncle? You're coming too, right?" Again he sighed and rubbed his forehead.

He didn't know what Ella was doing at this time, but he doubted he wanted his sweet innocent niece to know. "I'm sure that she's fine. She probably couldn't sleep and go for a walk, that's all. Now, come to bed."