There Is No Happiness

Chapter 10

      Pulling up between the two mansions was terrifying as I saw the prince standing in front of my house. This can't be. He shouldn't have been able to find me. I have been very cautious about not letting others see me or try and recognize me. With a deep swallow, I take my groceries around the back of the house, avoiding the guards. Not even 10 steps in to the kitchen through the back door, Lady Tremaine is at my side in a panic.

      "Did you see the prince? Did you see? Oh I just knew he saw something in my girls! Today is the day we become very rich, and you can have this house for all I care." I try to not let a cheeky smile creep from my lips. Her gone from this house? Now that will be the day. "Hurry and make some tea. Worry about the other stuff later. Hurry young lady!!" With those final shouts, shes gone. Maybe he won't know it's me, and I can forget all about him. Plus, how would he realize I'm the woman he took advantage of? I was in a gown made for a queen, and I looked like I could've been a queen. But now I am nothing more than a scullery maid. With quick feet, I make up a pot of green tea, gather the teacup and teapots, and headed up the stairs to the main hall.

      As I entered the drawing room, I almost dropped the tea as I saw him standing at the fire place. His body upright, and from what I can tell, completely sober. He seems more cleaned cut than before, and that's what sent a chill down my spine. Lady Tremaine practically whisper shouts me over to her side, and tells me to serve the tea to everyone. To my surprise, I notice more people, now that not all my attention is on the prince himself. His right hand man, his lieutenant, and a couple more guards by the doorway. I run back to the kitchen and grab more cups and saucers.

     Scrambling to make everything look tidy, Lady Tremaine grabs me by the collar my of my uniform. "Go and serve the prince first." Her voice was low but harsh and sharp as a whip on my back. Thinking of a whip though makes my back itch and ache. As I pour the tea, a feel of dizziness comes over me like a huge wave. I can feel my breakfast coming up through my throat, and I have to do everything I can to hold back. I have been feeling this way for a while. I wonder what the hell is the matter. I've had headaches, my feet are swollen, and my stomach won't stop turning.

      I swallow down the vomit in my throat and continue pouring the tea. With a steady pace, I take the tea to the prince. I clear my throat and bow my head. "Tea sir?" I try and whisper. He takes the cups from my hands and shoos me away. He didn't even look at me. I really am so below him that he wouldn't even glance in my direction. With a new frustration, I serve everyone else except the guards at the door.

      "Lady Tremaine," said the lieutenant. "We are here because we are in search of the maiden who lost a shoe. She danced with the prince and he is hopelessly in love with her." He lifts a glass shoe from a careful padded box. I could feel my stomach, my heart, all my innards launch into my throat where my vocal chords are. "So every young woman in this household has to try it on. Including staff." Before he can notice me, I sneak out of the room, and down the corridor to the stair that lead to the attic.

      I reach my room and barricade myself inside. I close my curtains, grab all my blankets off the floor, and hide under my bed. Dusty as it may be, I know that I have nowhere else to go. I cannot let them find me. If Lady Tremaine finds out I went, I'll be killed. If the prince realizes who I am, I'm as good as dead anyway. But it would mean I could escape this awful place. And then I'd be put right back into another petrifying place.

      What seems like hours, but only minute go by before the door to my room swings open. "I'm sorry officer I don't know where she is." But instead of the footsteps leading out of the room, the came closer to my bed. Before I knew it, the man was looking under the bed a smiling at me. "Now, follow me miss. It's your turn." He pulled me out from under and practically yanked me down the stairway. I could feel Lady Tremaines eyes on the back of my skull.

      As I walk into the parlor, I notice my stepsisters being whisked away. Both had their right foot gushing blood, and were biting onto bite guards. "One cut off her toe, the other her heel," said the officer with his voice full of amusement. "Never have I seen someone so desperate to make something work as this." Finishing his sentence I am presented to the prince. Placed on the couch, I am instructed to list my foot up in the air.

      The prince look at me with caution, like I was an enemy from a bad dream. Still, nonetheless he placed the shoe on my foot. Not to my surprise, it fit. Behind me, I can hear Lady Tremaine faint at the sight before her. In no words at all, my belongings are packed, I am put into the carriage, and I'm taken away from my childhood home to the palace.