Cinderella (1/1)
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be.
Dedication: To my sister, who encouraged me to try, despite my misgivings.
Distribution: If you want it, ask.
A.N: This is a new take on a very old tale, so old in fact it might be called a fairy tale. I'm sure that everyone knows it well. Ans as everyone knows it well. And as everyone knows all fairy tales start with once upon a time so...
Cinderella (1/1) by lirpa
Once upon a time there lived a wonderful little boy. His father loved him very much but was afraid that he could not provide the proper "motherly" care for the boy, his wife having died in childbirth. So, he married again, to a woman who had two daughters that were about the same age as his son. And they all lived together for a few years, until the father died, leaving his son, Zechs, alone with the stepmother and stepsisters.
It was then that the true character of the stepmother and stepsisters was revealed. They were cruel and Zechs suffered. He was forced to do all the chores, including cleaning the fireplaces, which left him covered in soot and hid his extraordinary beauty.
This continued for several years, which caused Zechs to grow despondent. It became obvious to him that he would never be able to escape the drudgery that filled his days.
He woke up before dawn to prepare breakfast for his greedy stepsisters. Then he washed their clothes and prepared their lunches. He spent the afternoon cleaning the house before he began to prepare the evening meal. After that, he spent his evening scrubbing floors and before he went to bed he cleaned the fireplaces and laid new fires. It was a routine that lasted for years.
Then one day it was announced that the Prince was having a ball to look for his ideal mate. His parents, very liberal parents, did not care if the mate was male or female, just that the Prince married. The Prince himself did not want to marry, he wanted to continue to live his bachelor lifestyle.
But nonetheless the Prince allowed his family to plan an extravagant ball and invite every eligible young man and woman in the kingdom.
This included both of Zechs' stepsisters. They were both very excited, sure that the Prince would pick them and that they would live in the palace and command an army of servants.
The two women kept Zechs so busy making their dresses and doing their hair that he had no time to get ready himself, for every eligible man and woman in the kingdom had been invited, and this included Zechs.
After his stepsisters and stepmother had left in the house's only carriage Zechs went out into the garden. For once there was no one to hound him to do the cleaning and cook the meals. Still, he would rather have been cooking and cleaning then spending this evening in the garden while his stepsisters, Dorothy and Relena, danced the night away at the Prince's ball.
Without realizing it Zechs began to cry. He did not pay any attention to the tears coursing down his face and splashing on the ground.
"What's the matter, child?" a voice behind him asked.
Zechs spun. "Who are you?" he asked, facing the woman with short, dark hair.
"Don't you know?" she replied.
"If you're looking for Dorothy or Relena they're at the ball the Prince is throwing."
"I know," she replied seriously, "I'm here to help you."
"Help me?" Why do you want to help me?"
"Because I'm your fairy godmother," she replied.
"Fairy godmother?" Zechs repeated.
She sighed. "Yes, my name is Noin. This ball, you want to go?"
"Everyone in the kingdom will be there. They say the Prince will choose the person he'll spend the rest of his life with."
"But do you want to go?" Noin repeated.
"Of course I want to go. I might even meet the Prince."
"Then go you shall."
"How? I have nothing to wear!"
"Is that your only problem?" Noin asked, amused.
"No, I have no way to get to the ball either."
Noin pulled out her wand and promptly turned one of the nearby pumpkins into a carriage and several of the mice scurrying around in horses, a driver, and a footman. Zechs just stared, openmouthed.
"Now for your attire," Noin concluded, waving her wand again. Zechs was caught up in a whirlwind of magic and when it vanished he stood there, dressed in a white suit, his hair clean and brushed out, and a mask covering his face.
"Now all of this wears off at midnight, you understand," Noin warned. "I can't make it last any longer than that."
Zechs nodded stupidly and crawled into the pumpkin carriage. "Away with you," Noin commanded and the carriage pulled away.
Zechs arrived at the ball. catching the eye of one of the Prince's friends. "What about him, Trowa?" Quatre asked. "The one with the mask."
Trowa nodded but said nothing, not unusual, and his lover merely laughed. "Now how can I get them together?"
It didn't appear that Prince Trieze needed any help, however. His eyes had not left the stunning creature since he had entered the ballroom.
He even broke away from his dance partner, some dim-witted girl named Relena, to intercept the brilliant young man, who refused to take off his mask or tell Trieze his name. They danced the night away.
Zechs was having such a good time that he lost track of time and was jolted forcefully into the present as the clock began to toll midnight. He had to get out of here before the Prince saw him as he truly was.
So he ran, not even stopping to pick up his mask when it dropped in his haste. Trieze ran after him, but could not catch him; and was left holding only the mask which Zechs had worn to the ball.
Zechs was surprised to hear the next day that the Prince was searching for the masked man from ball. He was declaring that he would marry none other. It was said that the royal couple was in fits over their son's unusual behavior.
It was later that month that the Prince knocked on his door, he was in the kitchen, cleaning when he heard his stepmother telling someone that no men lived here.
"It's just me and my daughters," she lied, locking Zechs in the kitchen.
"Nonsense," a voice replied. "I know there's a young man who lives here, I saw him sweeping the step just yesterday," a musical voice declared.
"You must be thinking of some other house, your Highness," his stepmother lied.
It was Trieze's voice that shocked him then. "Quatre never forgets details, madam. If he says there was a young man sweeping the step yesterday then there was a young man sweeping the step yesterday."
Zechs' heart did a flip and it was then he decided to do something. Gathering up the good china he walked to the door, to find it locked. he rattled the knob to remind his stepmother he was still in the kitchen.
"And who is that?" Trieze demanded.
"Only one of my daughters," the woman faltered.
"And how many daughters do you have, madam?"
"Why two, your Highness."
"Then it is not one of your daughters. I saw them both in the sitting room. Open the door, madam." Trieze commanded. Reluctantly she did so.
"Ma'am?" Zechs asked as he exited the kitchen. "I thought you said to put the good china back into the dining room?"
She said nothing, only gave him an absolutely murderous glare.
Meanwhile Trieze took the helmet from his friend and approached Zechs.
"Sir?" Zechs asked, trying to act confused.
Trieze did not reply, instead fitting the helmet over Zechs' head. It fit perfectly, of course.
The china was taken from him and he was whisked away to the palace, where an army of people were getting ready for the wedding.
"How did you know it was me?" Zechs asked Trieze, curious about how the Prince had recognized him when he looked so vastly different.
"Your hair."
"My hair?"
"I don' think I've ever seen hair like it. It's like sunshine pouring down your back. But you have beautiful eyes as well."
"Thank you, your Highness," Zechs replied, a little embarrassed by the compliments.
"Please, call me Trieze. We are to be married in a few short days. We should not stand upon formality."
"Very well, Trieze."
And they were married in a fairy tale wedding that half the kingdom was invited and lived happily ever after.
Fin.
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be.
Dedication: To my sister, who encouraged me to try, despite my misgivings.
Distribution: If you want it, ask.
A.N: This is a new take on a very old tale, so old in fact it might be called a fairy tale. I'm sure that everyone knows it well. Ans as everyone knows it well. And as everyone knows all fairy tales start with once upon a time so...
Cinderella (1/1) by lirpa
Once upon a time there lived a wonderful little boy. His father loved him very much but was afraid that he could not provide the proper "motherly" care for the boy, his wife having died in childbirth. So, he married again, to a woman who had two daughters that were about the same age as his son. And they all lived together for a few years, until the father died, leaving his son, Zechs, alone with the stepmother and stepsisters.
It was then that the true character of the stepmother and stepsisters was revealed. They were cruel and Zechs suffered. He was forced to do all the chores, including cleaning the fireplaces, which left him covered in soot and hid his extraordinary beauty.
This continued for several years, which caused Zechs to grow despondent. It became obvious to him that he would never be able to escape the drudgery that filled his days.
He woke up before dawn to prepare breakfast for his greedy stepsisters. Then he washed their clothes and prepared their lunches. He spent the afternoon cleaning the house before he began to prepare the evening meal. After that, he spent his evening scrubbing floors and before he went to bed he cleaned the fireplaces and laid new fires. It was a routine that lasted for years.
Then one day it was announced that the Prince was having a ball to look for his ideal mate. His parents, very liberal parents, did not care if the mate was male or female, just that the Prince married. The Prince himself did not want to marry, he wanted to continue to live his bachelor lifestyle.
But nonetheless the Prince allowed his family to plan an extravagant ball and invite every eligible young man and woman in the kingdom.
This included both of Zechs' stepsisters. They were both very excited, sure that the Prince would pick them and that they would live in the palace and command an army of servants.
The two women kept Zechs so busy making their dresses and doing their hair that he had no time to get ready himself, for every eligible man and woman in the kingdom had been invited, and this included Zechs.
After his stepsisters and stepmother had left in the house's only carriage Zechs went out into the garden. For once there was no one to hound him to do the cleaning and cook the meals. Still, he would rather have been cooking and cleaning then spending this evening in the garden while his stepsisters, Dorothy and Relena, danced the night away at the Prince's ball.
Without realizing it Zechs began to cry. He did not pay any attention to the tears coursing down his face and splashing on the ground.
"What's the matter, child?" a voice behind him asked.
Zechs spun. "Who are you?" he asked, facing the woman with short, dark hair.
"Don't you know?" she replied.
"If you're looking for Dorothy or Relena they're at the ball the Prince is throwing."
"I know," she replied seriously, "I'm here to help you."
"Help me?" Why do you want to help me?"
"Because I'm your fairy godmother," she replied.
"Fairy godmother?" Zechs repeated.
She sighed. "Yes, my name is Noin. This ball, you want to go?"
"Everyone in the kingdom will be there. They say the Prince will choose the person he'll spend the rest of his life with."
"But do you want to go?" Noin repeated.
"Of course I want to go. I might even meet the Prince."
"Then go you shall."
"How? I have nothing to wear!"
"Is that your only problem?" Noin asked, amused.
"No, I have no way to get to the ball either."
Noin pulled out her wand and promptly turned one of the nearby pumpkins into a carriage and several of the mice scurrying around in horses, a driver, and a footman. Zechs just stared, openmouthed.
"Now for your attire," Noin concluded, waving her wand again. Zechs was caught up in a whirlwind of magic and when it vanished he stood there, dressed in a white suit, his hair clean and brushed out, and a mask covering his face.
"Now all of this wears off at midnight, you understand," Noin warned. "I can't make it last any longer than that."
Zechs nodded stupidly and crawled into the pumpkin carriage. "Away with you," Noin commanded and the carriage pulled away.
Zechs arrived at the ball. catching the eye of one of the Prince's friends. "What about him, Trowa?" Quatre asked. "The one with the mask."
Trowa nodded but said nothing, not unusual, and his lover merely laughed. "Now how can I get them together?"
It didn't appear that Prince Trieze needed any help, however. His eyes had not left the stunning creature since he had entered the ballroom.
He even broke away from his dance partner, some dim-witted girl named Relena, to intercept the brilliant young man, who refused to take off his mask or tell Trieze his name. They danced the night away.
Zechs was having such a good time that he lost track of time and was jolted forcefully into the present as the clock began to toll midnight. He had to get out of here before the Prince saw him as he truly was.
So he ran, not even stopping to pick up his mask when it dropped in his haste. Trieze ran after him, but could not catch him; and was left holding only the mask which Zechs had worn to the ball.
Zechs was surprised to hear the next day that the Prince was searching for the masked man from ball. He was declaring that he would marry none other. It was said that the royal couple was in fits over their son's unusual behavior.
It was later that month that the Prince knocked on his door, he was in the kitchen, cleaning when he heard his stepmother telling someone that no men lived here.
"It's just me and my daughters," she lied, locking Zechs in the kitchen.
"Nonsense," a voice replied. "I know there's a young man who lives here, I saw him sweeping the step just yesterday," a musical voice declared.
"You must be thinking of some other house, your Highness," his stepmother lied.
It was Trieze's voice that shocked him then. "Quatre never forgets details, madam. If he says there was a young man sweeping the step yesterday then there was a young man sweeping the step yesterday."
Zechs' heart did a flip and it was then he decided to do something. Gathering up the good china he walked to the door, to find it locked. he rattled the knob to remind his stepmother he was still in the kitchen.
"And who is that?" Trieze demanded.
"Only one of my daughters," the woman faltered.
"And how many daughters do you have, madam?"
"Why two, your Highness."
"Then it is not one of your daughters. I saw them both in the sitting room. Open the door, madam." Trieze commanded. Reluctantly she did so.
"Ma'am?" Zechs asked as he exited the kitchen. "I thought you said to put the good china back into the dining room?"
She said nothing, only gave him an absolutely murderous glare.
Meanwhile Trieze took the helmet from his friend and approached Zechs.
"Sir?" Zechs asked, trying to act confused.
Trieze did not reply, instead fitting the helmet over Zechs' head. It fit perfectly, of course.
The china was taken from him and he was whisked away to the palace, where an army of people were getting ready for the wedding.
"How did you know it was me?" Zechs asked Trieze, curious about how the Prince had recognized him when he looked so vastly different.
"Your hair."
"My hair?"
"I don' think I've ever seen hair like it. It's like sunshine pouring down your back. But you have beautiful eyes as well."
"Thank you, your Highness," Zechs replied, a little embarrassed by the compliments.
"Please, call me Trieze. We are to be married in a few short days. We should not stand upon formality."
"Very well, Trieze."
And they were married in a fairy tale wedding that half the kingdom was invited and lived happily ever after.
Fin.