Cinderella's Tale

Chapter Six

Before Suzan has time to ask any questions, Helena calls out for dinner. I sigh, and grab the dinner that Suzan prepared with the last of the meat. That’s why I had to go through the freezing cold to get some more.

I put the plates in front of Helena and the twins, and they look at me.

“Did you get the meat?” Helena asks. I nod, and turn around, wiping the tears from my eyes quickly so they don’t notice. They eat with a slower pace than usual, talking about their dresses for the ball. No doubt trying to make me angry that they are going and I’m not.

I refuse to rise to their bait.

“The prince will definitely fall for me at the ball. Too bad when we all move in there, we will have to sell the castle,” Cassandra says. For some reason, that makes me furious.

“This is my father’s castle!” I tell her. She looks over at me, pouting.

“Your right, and he’s dead,” she says. I clench my fist, and slap her in the face. She gasps, and before I can do anything, Helena has restrained my arms, but I’m fighting her strength.

“You spoiled, selfish, cow!” I yell at Cassandra. She just smirks at me, and takes a bite of her food.

“You and I are going to have a little chat,” Helena growls in my ear, and she pulls me out of the room into her bedchambers. I’m thrown to the floor, and I scoot back until I hit the wall. Then, Helena kicks my chest.

“One more outbreak like that and I tell the witch hunters what you are!” Helena snarls at me. I gasp, how does she know?

“Yes, I know what you are. I saw your father teaching you that thing you call magic. He had told me about his craft that very morning, and the witch hunters were coming. He saw me watching you use magic, and pleaded with me not to turn you in as well. I complied, and from then on, you were my servant, as things should rightfully be,” Helena explains. I look at her, tears in my eyes. My father had loved her, and she betrayed her.

Like Matthew might do to me.

For I know now, that I love him. I love him, and it became obvious when he kissed me. But then I used magic, and he will betray me to the witch hunters. I won’t be surprised if they’re coming now.

“Now, go to your cellar!” Helena yells, and I run towards the cellar, but not before Helena slaps me like I did Cassandra.

I collapse into the cellar, crying while a storm rages outside. I cry and cry until I hear the cellar door being opened. I look up to see Suzan has walked in, holding a dress. I look at it,  it’s a beautiful white dress, and on the top is a white mask. In Suzan’s other hand is a pair of silver strappy heels.

“She knew my father was a warlock, she betrayed him!” I cry, and Suzan smiles sadly, “and she knows I’m a witch,” I admit. I look up at Suzan, and she nods.

“Yes, I figured you were one too, seeing as your mother and father were both magical,” Suzan says.

“My mother was a witch?” I ask. Suzan nods, and hands me a leather book, bound by a leather strap. It’s almost as big as my father’s family book, maybe bigger.

“Your mother gave that to me before she was taken. You were only one at the time, so you knew nothing about her. I think it’s time it returns to you,” Suzan says. I smile at her, and she hands me the book. I thank her, and put the book in the same hiding spot as my father’s book.

“Why is it that you need to go to the ball? Does someone else know about you?” Suzan asks. I nod, and I spill everything about Matthew. Suzan nods throughout the whole part.

“And then I ran,” I admit after I tell her about the fight tonight. Suzan shakes her head at me.

“Well, seems like you really need to explain everything to Prince Matthew. Here’s your dress,” Suzan hands me the dress and the mask, and I put it on. The dress was  plain white,  the top beaded with silver beads, and the bottom looked like feathers. The mask was  a half mask, white as well. It was laced on the outside, and around the eye holes. The right side had a white flower with four lines of white beads hanging down. And the flower had ten white feathers sprouting out. I put the mask on, wrapping a thin strap around my black hair, and turn towards Suzan. She smiles as she sees me.

I take the dress and the mask off, and Suzan takes it.

“Get some rest, you’ll need it,” Suzan says, and she leaves. I smile, and then fall asleep, surrounded by two blankets.