The sun rose up, shining through the barred hole, glinting off the rust covered poles. The two girls awoke to the sound of the leaves being blown around by the gust of wind and the noise of many of the wildlife animals awakening from their long, restful and peaceful nights. The girls found their way out of the small, cramped bedroom, and headed straight for the kitchen. Drizella went over to the washing basket, and got to work on washing the clothes which had sat, soaking in the water over night. Anastasia walked over to the mop which was splayed over the floor in the corner of the room. She started to mop up the floor, wiping away every little speck of mud from the otherwise shiny tiles. A banging came from the stairs, and the girls ignored it. Cinderella walked through the arch into the kitchen, and stood staring at the girls, who continued to work. Cinderella gave a low cough, and Anastasia immediately looked up at her. “Get me a cup of water, and bring it upstairs to my room!” Cinderella shouted, ordering Anastasia to work immediately. Cinderella walked out and up the stairs, whilst Anastasia bolted to the cupboard above the sink. She removed a shiny glass from the cupboard, and closed it over quietly. She then turned the tap on, and filled the cup with cold water. She walked towards the arch of the kitchen, bumping into Drizella as she went past, and headed up the stairs. When she reached the top of the stairs, she headed left, passing the bathroom and straight into the end room of the hallway. She placed the cup of water down onto Cinderella’s bedside table, and walked back towards the door. Cinderella called out to her, “Anastasia, since you are a wonderful worker, I’m going to give you some time off, or at least out of the house. Go to town and fetch me a pair of glass slippers. The money for them is downstairs, on the table next to the door. Take that money and buy me the nicest pair you see. Be back within three hours. I will need you to do something for me again,”
“Yes Cinderella,” Anastasia groaned, as she turned and walked out of the room. She headed back down the stairs, and into the kitchen. She walked straight to the end, next to her mop, and opened the door there. It opened up into a glamorous hallway, which she walked down, and ended at the front door. She looked to her right, and saw the money on the table which Cinderella had been talking about. She picked the money up, along with the house key which sat next to it, and left the house, heading for the town.
The streets were packed with people, all buying dresses and shoes. Anastasia had no idea what was going on, and so she didn’t want to ask. She continued her way towards the best shoe shop there was in the town, The Pale Sole, and she entered. She took about ten minutes looking for the shoes she was picking out for Cinderella, and then she went up to the desk to pay. The glass slippers were the shiniest in the shop and so transparent that you could see all the way through them with only a tiny bit of blur in the object on the other side. The man at the desk asked for the money, “500 Gold please?” and Anastasia very quickly handed over the money. Then the man asked, “Are you going to the ball then?” and Anastasia looked at him with a look of wander on her face, “What ball?” she asked.
“The ball which the Prince is holding to find his Princess.”
"The Prince is having a ball?" She asked almost demanding an answer.
"Why yes. He is looking to find his princess, and so he is holding a ball in the palace this weekend. Did you not know?"
"I had no idea."
"How can that be? News has been going on about it for weeks."
"I am not allowed out of the house much." She says with a saddening tone in her voice. The man leans over the desk and sees Anastasia's rags, and realises immediately. "I meant no offence... Ma'am."
"Oh, I am no ma'am..." The man cut Anastasia's sentence short. "Anyone has that chance. As should everyone have the chance to go to the ball. How about you come back in two days?"
"Of course. And what of my sister?"
"Umm... She can come as well."
"Thank you kind sir." The man gave a bow and Anastasia leapt inside. She turned and walked out the shop, before skipping all the way home. The biggest smile on her face.
