Cinderella

Cinderella... Will You Marry Me?

Chapter 8: Cinderella... Will You Marry Me?

Cinderella

We sit in the lovely garden of the palace. The tall trees and beautiful flowers dance as a soft breeze blows throughout the garden. Next to me on the marble bench, sits Marius and we gaze into the slowly falling water from the fountain. Little bird swim and splash in the water as if in a small birdbath.

My head rests on his shoulder as we sit there with his on mine. It's so peaceful... being with Marius... I... I love him. I don't know why it all is happening now... but... I love him.

"Huh?" I jump up a little when hearing his voice.

"Come on Cinderella. It's starting to rain." He holds out his hand and I take it. Just as we get indoors, it starts to down pour; I can even hear thunder and lightening. We walk to the grand staircase and that's... when it all happened.

Music started playing... delegates from all over look to us and there, on the middle landing in front of the solid oak clock, was Prince Charming standing and staring at me. I didn't like it... I had a pretty good idea what was happening and determined to say no.

"Cinderella!" He says cheerfully while jogging down the stairs to us meaning me. When he comes down, he takes me by the hands and slowly pulls me lightly up the stairs to the clock. All the delegates continue to watch and my face goes red... In embarrassment? In anger? In fear to loose Marius? I don't know.

We stop directly in front of the clock, with the hand striking midnight... Already! Time surely flies when you are holding yourself back from killing the man closest to you.

"Cinderella... We were such good friends long ago... I want to renew that special bond... And so, Cinderella, my good friend, will you do me the honor... and become my wife?" He falls down to one knee and reveals a small velvet box; he opens it slowly to reveal a huge diamond ring.

I gasp and look to Marius... but he's gone... My head starts spinning as I look around at all the people around us...

"I... I..." I can feel my legs becoming weak and my breath starting to quiver.

"I... can't..." That's when my legs give way... and everything goes dark.

I feel as if I'm helpless in vast ocean... in the middle of nowhere... Something is moving around from under me... Something... big and black. I look down too see this thing rushing up towards me... White, pearly teeth; sharp as a knife and eyes full of death... If I marry Prince Charming, my life... will be over... like a predator... to it's prey.

Prince Charming

She still hasn't given me an answer from last night... I love her... and I want to spend the rest of my days with her... If she says no, I don't know what I will do... Never marry... end it all... I just don't know.

I wait outside her room waiting for the doctor to come out and tell me she's alright. She took a big fall last night but thank god she didn't fall down the stairs; she would have been more damaged than she is already.

The door opens and the doctor walks out.

"Doctor! Is she alright?" I ask loudly; he covers my mouth and closes the door silently.

"Your highness... She quite alright... but she's hurting inside." My heart basically falls in a ditch.

"How so?" I ask trying to keep a straight demeanor.

"I don't know... But it has to do with conflicting emotions... That's all I could figure out." He says before he nods and walks away, leaving me in front of her room alone.

I stand there for hours trying to understand his words... but I can't. She love me... Right? That's why she came back into my life... I thought we had a special bond... that nobody can break... Please tell me I'm right. Give me a sign, a sound; Anything!

I slowly walk away from her room; thinking about all the good times we had as children... before locking my self away to my lare of seclusion. I won't come out... until... she says yes.