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As the carriage entered the grounds of the Governor's mansion, you looked out the window to catch a glimpse of the stately manor.
"Wow," you breathe, taking the perfectly manicured lawn and the white-stone house which practically glowing the light of innumerable torches.
"It is rather grand, isn't it," Commodore Norrington commented from the seat beside you, smiling softly at your awe.
You sat back in your seat, taking a deep breath.
"Nervous, Miss ______?" asked Lieutenant Groves.
"A bit," you nodded. "Now I know how Cinderella felt going to the ball."
"Cinderella?" Groves asked.
"French fairytale, Groves," Norrington answered. "Daughter of a widowed Merchant. Her father remarries a horrible woman with two daughters, and the all three torment the girl, treating her as a servant, while her father is away."
"I see."
"After her father dies, it gets much worse for the girl," you continued. "Then, the prince of the land hosts a ball, inviting every eligible maiden to attend. Cinderella's step-mother and sisters don't let her go, but her fairy god-mother comes, turns her ragged clothes into a beautiful gown with glass slippers, a pumpkin into a carriage, mice into horses, and lizards into footmen and driver."
"So, she does get to go to the ball after all?" Groves asked.
"Yes," you nodded. "but the magic will only last until midnight."
"I assume she gets the Prince anyway," Groves said.
"Yes, but she nearly stays too long at the ball, so she has to go suddenly, leaving one of her glass slippers behind in her haste, which the Prince uses to find her again."
"To find her?"
Norrington chuckled. "Yes. You see, he falls in love with her over the course of one evening but never thinks to ask for her name."
"What does the slipper have to do with it?"
"He has every maiden who attended the ball try on the slipper," you explained.
"That sounds tedious."
"and the shoe was so small, it only fit the feet of one girl in the entire kingdom: Cinderella," you finished.
"And she and her prince lived happily ever after," Norrington added.
"So, you identify with this Cinderella, Miss ______?" Lieutenant Groves asked.
"Yes," you nodded again. "A girl with no parents, no name, no fortune, nor status to recommend her to society, going to a ball given by the ruler of the land and wearing a gown given to her by a benefactor. Sound familiar?" You smiled at them, trying not to show your nerves.
Norrington, however, saw rather through it. "There is one difference between you and Cinderella," he said.
"No glass slippers?" you joked, which won a chuckle from him.
"No, not that. Although, I imagine your feet will be glad of that difference soon enough," he said, gently taking your hand in his as the carriage stopped at the front door. "The difference is that, no matter what happens tonight, I will always be right here with you."
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