Kimiko: Yo Haro ^^ have a one shot I decided to type for fun, it has an almost Cinderella feel to it which is why I called it Cinderella... or not? I went with a more unique twist on the story of Cinderella. I went a bit OOC but it had to happen for the story sorry! Hope you enjoy it anyway ^_^
Cinderella...or not?
Legend had it that if the crown prince did not choose a bride by his 20th birthday he would be doomed to live a loveless and unhappy life. Legends were taken very seriously in the kingdom of Shakara so generation after generation the king and queen would have their sons marry at the age of 18, whether it was a loveless marriage or not did not matter to them for they just did not want their sons to live unhappy and without a heir to take over the throne.
"Nagihiko-sama, please attend the ball tonight," the princes personal maid sighed.
The maid was average looking, her white cap concealed her long blond hair so that it would not fall out around the palace, she wore a gray dress with a white apron around her waist, her eyes were a beautiful golden color but her face was mostly down caste so no one ever took notice, she wore simple black shoes much like the rest of the maids and nothing more.
Meanwhile the Prince known as Nagihiko wore tight white pants, black horse riding boots and a beautiful purple jacket with intricate designs on it, he also had beautiful purple hair that flowed down his back.
"I wont! I am only 18, I do not wish to get married so young!" Nagihiko said stubbornly.
"Nagihiko-sama think about the future of the kingdom, no about YOUR future! The legend says that if you do not wed by your 20th birthday you will live a loveless and unhappy life," the maid said worried "I do not wish to see my prince live such an awful life."
"Rima... " Nagihiko sighed and smiled at the maid "Very well, I will go then, but only if my parents allow all the maidens of the land to attend!" Nagihiko said and Rima nodded.
"I shall go tell the king and queen of your wish, Nagihiko-sama," Rima bowed and exited the room.
The ball was full of laughter and happiness when Nagihiko finally showed up dressed in his princely garbs which consisted of his purple jacket, but rather then his riding pants he wore neat black pants and shoes, he looked between all the girls trying to find the one he would dance with but could not spot her anywhere so he started dancing with one maiden after the other.
Nagihiko tried to get away from the dancing for a bit when an energetic pinkette grabbed his hand.
"Nagi lets dance!" she said happily and Nagihiko grinned and nodded.
"Princess Amu, I did not expect to see you here," Nagihiko said smiling.
Amu, Nagihiko's long time crush married his best friend Ikuto from the neighboring kingdom. Nagihiko was never able to tell Amu his true feelings and swore to never fall in love again after he lost Amu.
When the song ended Amu smiled and bowed.
"Thank you for the dance,"
It was then that the ballroom doors opened again at the top of the stairs and in stepped a maiden in a flowing white ballgown, the skirt was almost bigger then the maiden wearing it and the top hugged her petite body tightly, it also included off the shoulder white straps, her golden locks cascaded down her back but her entire face was hidden by a mask.
The maiden slowly descended down the stairs as the people whispered among themselves.
"I've heard only Cinderella comes late to balls," Nagihiko said as he approached the mysterious maiden but she stayed silent.
"May I have this dance?" he asked and she nodded and took his hand.
Nagihiko tried to find out more about the maiden, her name, her age, anything but she kept silent the whole time.
"I must say Cinderella, you are a lovely dancer" Nagihiko said having decided to nickname the mysterious maiden. "Tell me will you disappear at midnight?" he asked and she nodded.
"Oh? And will you be leaving behind a glass slipper so I can find you?" Nagihiko asks smirking but was shocked when the maiden shook her head no.
"I will only exist tonight" she finally whispered almost inaudibly.
Nagihiko led the mysterious maiden outside for a walk in the garden and true to her word at the stroke of 12 she ran away and true to her word no trace of her was left behind.
Nagihiko sat in the library and sighed.
"Rima!" he called and she calmly walked into the room.
"Yes Nagihiko-sama?" she asked.
"What kind of a maiden just runs off without a trace? Cinderella left a glass slipper for her prince to find her so why does this maiden not wish to be found?" Nagihiko asked annoyed.
"I don't know Nagihiko-sama" Rima said.
"If it were you Rima, why would you disappear without a trace?" Nagihiko asks.
"That much should be obvious Nagihiko-sama, I am a servant I would not possibly try to associate myself with the prince so informally, I know my place" Rima says.
Nagihiko sighs.
"Thank you, you can leave."
Rima calmly walked down the corridors until she reached her room, when she finally did she sighed and put her hand over her heart. She giggled and went to her closet, she pulled out the beautiful gown of the so called mystery maiden Cinderella and pranced around with it in her arms as she danced about in her small room, she hummed happily.
"Rima-chan..." The queen said shocked. "Y-your highness! I-its not... I mean... I wasn't planning on associating with the prince! I-i just wanted... to dance with Nagihiko-sama once too... I- i promise I had no ill intent and he doesn't know it was me!" Rima said quickly.
The queen nodded "I think it would be best if you stayed away from Nagihiko for a bit Rima," the queen sighed and Rima nodded "O-of course your highness"
"Also hand it over" she said gesturing her hand to the dress.
"Please your highness, don't take my only reminder..." Rima begged.
"What if someone else sees it? I promise to keep it safe" the queen sighed and Rima reluctantly gave her her dress, she had saved 3 years to buy the materials for and 2 years to make, and mask.
"I'm sorry your highness..." Rima said looking down.
The queen sighed, "I like you Rima-chan, you have served Nagihiko since he was a child and never once complained but you are a maid and I cannot risk Nagihiko finding out." the queen tried to explain.
"I know your highness, I understand." Rima said.
"Honey whats the matter?" the king asked his queen at dinner.
"Nothing..." the queen sighed, "oh yes Nagihiko I will be assigning you another maid for a while, Rima has a few things she needs to do for me."
"Very well" Nagihiko nodded.
"Also give up on the mystery maiden."
"What? Why?!" Nagihiko asked shocked.
"She does not wish to be found Nagihiko, it is time you get your head out the clouds and start thinking of your future and who you will marry" the queen said firmly.
"Excuse me," Nagihiko said annoyed and left the dining room.
"Where is Rima?" he asked the head maid.
"I'm afraid I'm not allowed to tell you Nagihiko-sama," the maid bowed her head.
"And why not?" Nagihiko asked annoyed.
"It was a direct order from the queen."
Nagihiko sighed, it has been 2 weeks since he had seen Rima and his patience was wearing thin, he was always able to talk to her about anything going on in his life and without her around he felt like he was all alone, he didn't realize how important Rima actually was to him. He sighed and stood up, he'd beg his mother if he had to but he had to get Rima back.
Nagihiko was about to knock when he heard an all to familiar voice.
"Please don't send me away your highness, I've stayed away from Nagihiko-sama as you requested, no one else but you and myself know that I was the mystery maiden so please, I grew up in this palace and I have worked here my entire life, I wouldn't know what to do with myself outside of these walls." Rima begged.
"Rima its too risky, Nagihiko is still not over this silly mystery maiden and its all your fault!"
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen! I just wanted to dance with Nagihiko-sama once! Please it will never happen again" Rima begged.
"Rima are you in love with Nagihiko?" the queen asked.
"N-no your highness! I know my place!" Rima said quickly.
"Rima be honest with me are you in love with my son?" the queen asked growing impatient.
"...Yes my queen... but I know my place! Please!"Rima begged.
"Guards! Take her away!" the queen yelled angry.
"No my queen please! I'm sorry!" Rima cried as the guards dragged her away "I'm so sorry!"
Nagihiko hid as the guards dragged Rima away, he was horrified at the revelation that Rima was the mystery maiden.
"Mother" he said calmly as he walked into the room, he spotted Rima's gown from the ball in his mothers hands "Where did you get that?" he asked.
"Nowhere important, what can I do for you?" his mother asked.
"I came to ask that you return Rima to my side," Nagihiko said calmly.
"I'm afraid I cant do that, Rima has committed treason the poor dear..." Nagihiko's mother sighed "so I had to banish her."
"What kind of treason?" Nagihiko asked.
"She tried to poison you, I didn't have the heart to tell you my dear," His mother said sincerely.
"Rima!" Amu called walking into the boutique "I brought you lunch!"
"Amu-hime please stop bringing someone of my ranking lunch," Rima said looking down as she finished putting a few touched on the dress she was working on.
"Come now, its been 2 years you are a successful dress maker of the kingdom that everyone knows about, don't talk so lowly of yourself anymore." Amu said and Rima looked at the finished dress.
"Sorry, hold on I just need to put this dress out quickly then I'll be with you" Rima said and put an exact replica of her ballgown in the shop window. She smiled and headed to Amu.
"Did you hear? Nagihiko finally chose a bride," Amu said, Rima picked at her food and nodded signalling Amu that she was listening.
"Excuse me," a male voice called as the shops doorbell rang.
"Sorry, how can I help...you..." Rima looked shocked at the man.
"Yes, I'd like that dress in the window please," the man said.
"Sorry that one is only for show but I can make another like it," Rima said.
"That wont be necessary it should fit perfectly," the man said smirking.
"Rima who is it?" Amu called and walked into the front of the shop "NAGIHIKO?!" she exclaimed shocked.
"What are you doing here? Isn't today your wedding day?!" Amu asked shocked. "Indeed it is" Nagihiko said grinning.
"What are you doing here?" Amu asked confused.
"Collecting a dress for my bride, Rima would you fit this on so I know it doesn't fall apart" Nagihiko asked.
"I don't think... Amu you do it..." Rima said.
"My chest would never fit in that Rima, it was tailor made for your body shape you fit it on." Amu said and Rima sighed and went and got changed into the gown after she collected it from the window.
"So Nagi, who's the bride?" Amu asked.
"Cinderella," Nagihiko said smirking and Rima walked out the changing room in the dress.
"I believe you left this Cinderella," he said smirking and offered Rima her mask.
"You think that after a whole year I'm just going to magically fall into your arms after I was the one that hid from you?" Rima asked looking away.
"I was hoping so yes," Nagihiko said smirking and pulled Rima close against him "After all it is our wedding day."
"W-what?!" Rima exclaimed shocked and Nagihiko kissed her.
Kimiko: Okay guys before ANYONE threatens to kill me I actually did NOT rush this ending, I'm actually very happy to leave the ending where it is cause it leaves room for a lot of imagination but the reader is still aware that they end up together which is exactly what I want ^_^ I really enjoyed typing this since I thought it was a pretty unique twist to the usual Cinderella story we all know and love :3 I hope you guys enjoy this one shot ^_^
I got the beautiful cover picture here: art/Rimahiko-Slow-Dance-145650655
The plot is thanks to my very interested and confusing brain but I do not own Shugo Chara or its characters in any way shape or form ^_^
