Glass slipper

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Peasant becomes Princess

        That night I couldn't sleep laying awake thinking about all the ball and how wonderful it could be. Slowly it became dawn, slipping out to bed, I put on my clothes for the day and rushed down the stairs. As I brought by step mother's breakfast, I placed the parchment of paper on her tray. Out in the hall I couldn't help but hope they would let me go . I was really hoping they let me go, since the note said that every maiden must attend. She couldn't ignore anything given by Royal Command.

        I must have not been paying attention because both of my step sisters we're standing in the hall you're standing watching me. With a smirk on those faces they're asking me what I was doing standing there. I must obey orders, I did my best to explain that we have gotten an invitation, and that one of the young girls there would be the future queen. That backfired, they were freaking out, explaining to each other that they would be the chosen bride.

        I was scrubbing the floors later that day around noon, Lady Dushlun and both Prudence and Nevaeh came in and looked at me. Stepmother surprise me, when she told me that I had no chores for the day. I was quite excited even though, I did my best not to show it, I'll use that time to make a ball gown. But then I heard the rest, that stepmother instructed that I'm to stop all my chores and help my step sisters getting ready for the ball. Looking at stepmother, I said "On one condition."

        Looking at me in disgust, "fine!"

"OK, I help them, you have to give me a grown for the ball."

"Ella, you have a deal."

"Now help!" Step mother yelled.

        I just entered a nightmare. Both of my step sisters were grabbing and pulling like I was the last dress on earth.

"Do my hair!"

"No do my nails!"

"Wait after she helps me choose a dress!"

        It was a disaster! Left and right grabbing and pulling, screaming. I thought I was going to burst into tears. Though I was having a hard time trying to short everything out, all I could think about is that dress.

        Finally they were ready. They were both decked out, head to toe, glitter, feathers and ruffles. There were both whining that they can't have more of everything. They're mad because they had to look the best for the prince. Now it's not they didn't have enough, I think they're just trying to put more work on me that's all. Once stepmother saw them, she burst out to joy explaining how beautiful and magnificently charming there are. Actually I just thought they looked silly .

        Looking at Lady Dushlun I said, "Where's the dress you promised me?"

        She looked at me with pride, "There's some dresses in the lounge that my step sisters do the willing to give away."

        Running into the lounge I chose the light pink one with ruffles in the front. Running up the stairs and I couldn't wait to see how it looked my new dress.

        As I came down the stairs, I could see both my step sisters and my stepmother in amazement. I couldn't help think to myself, that I must look good.

        Looking at my stepmother I asked, "When will the coach be here to pick us up."

        Prudence said, "Oh it'll be here in a few minutes, but I'll be picking us up, you are going?"

        I asked Nevaeh if that was true, she told me it was. Looking at her in rage, I explained to Lady Dushlun that she made me a deal. She told me stop joking around, she promise the dress, not that I was going to a ball.

        She looked at me as she came up and said, "Oh you have something right here," and tore my dress. Both of my step sisters stood by laughing. They kept making of noxious comments like,

" You have a rip in your dress Ella, hope you're not TORN up about this.

"Ella, are you going to the ball or to clean it?"

        My face is turning red from embarrassment as I ran out I'm the hall and into the garden. While in tears I could hear rebel in the distance, he acted like something was going to happen. Running over to rebel to calm him down' I could hear a twinkling in the distance. I can't really make out what it was, so I ignored it.

        I had a sudden urge to go visit my mothers grave. I don't know why. I haven't been there since the day my dad died. But I had a sudden urge to go, for some reason I had to. When I got to my mothers grave there was a man in the distance. I thought I might need help, and they went over there to help him he seems familiar, like I've seen him before.

        When I ask him if he needed anything, he told me to go to the attic and find my mother's dress. I asked if anything was wrong. He only did was tell me to find the chest. For some reason I listen to him, he was going to change my life, but I didn't know it. When I got to my attic only one chest. It was a dark oak, about four feet long and three feet in height. It had engravings of lilies, roses and lilacs. In the middle of the chest was my mothers name, Juliet. Slowly I open the top, looking inside there was the most beautiful dress I've ever seen.

        It was indigo blue with a tint purple, it had silver strap at my waistline, from the waistline down was covered in small sapphire pieces, which made it look like a thousand stars. Inside was a small mask the same color of the dress, it was covered by small sapphires and there was a peacock feather going across the top.

        I went through the chest some more. Inside was invitations to previous balls she has been to. There's also some pictures of her drawn by my dad. She looks just like me. At the bottom of the chest, they were the most beautiful shoes I've ever seen. They were pure glass. They want perfect with the dress. Changing into the dress , I hear a knock at the door. I started wondering who it could be, I thought everyone was at the ball already.

        When I open the door, there was the strange man from the grave, who told me about chest. Looking at him straight in the eye, I asked him what he was doing.

        Looking at me he replied, "Get the shoes and a mask on, the carriage is waiting."

        Doing what he asked, I slipped on the shoes and carefully put on the mask. Glancing at myself in the mirror, I barely recognize myself. On the way out I heard the man mutter, "she looks just like her mother."

        Getting into the carriage I asked the man, "How did you know about the chest?"

        He ignored me. Asking him again, and this time without mumbling, I asked him how he knew about the chest. He still wouldn't answer. He was getting on my last nerve, I was only asking a simple question but I couldn't get an answer. So finally I started to get out, I felt someone grab my shoulder.

        Looking at back at the strange man , he said "trust me, trust me if you don't wanna be slave."

        I was thinking this man was crazy, but his words sound sincere and honest. Looking back at him, I asked him the question one more time, he finally answered. He told me that you knew my mother a long time ago, and when she died she asked him to tell me about the chest when he felt it was right. Every normal person would call this man crazy, but I'm not normal. I trusted him.

        Finally we got to the ball, the palace was decked out , lights, music, laughter, there was everything. Right before I was going to step out and leave, the strange man grabbed me by my shoulder and said "be careful, for your beauty lies within the heart." I really don't know that was supposed to help me at the time. But it did give me my happily ever after. Then he gave me an invitation and explained that I going to need this to get in.

        As I walked up to the gates, it seems like people are staring at me and pointing. I don't know if it was good or bad. I didn't care because tonight was the night I was a princess and this was my fairytale. Handing man the letter, I walked into the ballroom, the second I set foot in that room there was a gasp from the crowd. The prince ignore the girl he was dancing with, and made his way up to me. He asked me to dance.