Please write a review or two and tell me what you think! This is my first fan fiction and I absolutely love Cinderella!
If there was one thing, the king hated it was tardiness. However, if there was one thing the kings son delighted in, it was making his father late. The prince stared out across the land, from the balcony of his chambers. He sighed, for the past three years he had avoided the subject with his father. Even on occasion, avoiding being in the same room as him for months on end.
Now however, he would have to face the fact that there was no avoiding it this time. His father had arraigned for a private dinner between the two of them, Alone. Usually he could stir up conversation with the visiting dignitaries but now he would be placed directly within his father's line of fire.
A knock at the door disturbed his thoughts, " Everd, you can't avoid this dinner all night, He said he won't eat a bite until you are present", said Everd's Paige Charles. Everd sighed. "well, Charles, your right, its unavoidable". Everd dressed in his finest attire and set off towards his father's chambers.
The chambers were large and dimly lit when the prince entered. At the end of a long thin table sat his father, with a scowl and worry lines dominating his face. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a watch. "hmmm, 20 minutes behind schedule" he said gruffly, "not an attribute befitting a prince, being late". "I know father" Everd mumbled. "Well, sit down or the food will be cold" said the king. During the dinner, his father said very little, besides complementing the chef. Then after he had finished his meal, he dismissed all the servants in the room. Everd had barely touched the food but it too was whisked away along with the servants.
"So father what have you called this dinner for?" even though Everd knew very well what it was called for, he still wished to hear it from his father. The king looked at him through beady eyes "When I was your age, your mother was pregnant with you…It is high time you settle down and continue our lineage".
Everd closed his eyes, rubbing them with his right hand "yes, well with who father….hmm?" he said indignantly. "Because the dukes daughter, the princess of merona and the Duchess from lycaster, all worked out so well".
His father's face reddened, and the pitch of his voice became lower but the overall tone more forceful " You are the reason none of those relationships came to an engagement".
"Ahh yes", said Everd, "If I recall the princess hated anything outdoors related, so I decided that we should go for a ride in the woods…..or the Duchess was allergic to roses and conveniently the next dinner included gigantic bouquets of roses …..or the Dukes Daughter, don't get me started…". "Everd!" his father said even more forcefully, his face now an acute shade of lavender.
"You WILL be married by the next year!". Everd stood up forcefully and walked towards the windows annoyed at his father.
"I have planned a Ball on the first night of July, in your honor" said the king in a more collected manor as he twirled his wine glass, watching the wine ebb and flow around the circumference of the glass. "At said ball, you will find a girl to marry, if not I will arrange a marriage for you with the dukes daughter", he set down the glass, "this is the only way I can see to reason with you".
Everd said "and if I refuse to attend". "Then", the king said, " you will marry the dukes daughter". The king paused, "I have tried to be reasonable with you, the ball will allow YOU to choose your bride, so, I would not waste the opportunity".
Everd felt trapped, by his responsibilities. His entire life has been dictated to him, What to eat, what to wear and how to feel. Now, this ball would trap him into an unwanted marriage, but there was no convincing the king otherwise once a decision was made. His princely manners took over, he again put on the façade of a prince. "As you wish your majesty", he said with a slight bow as he turned and left.
When he returned to his chambers, he sent Charles away for the night. Everd undressed into his night wear.
The room was dark except for one lone flickering candle which cast light upon a family portrait on the wall. In the portrait his mother stood, he face soft, welcoming and kind. She held him in her arms, he was only about three years old but already his blue eyes shone out brightly engaging with the world. Beside Her stood his father, who was young and smiling down at his wife and son.
This painting was commissioned by his mother privately; otherwise it would have resembled those in the great hall in which each occupant wore a scowl or authoritarian grimace. But not in this portrait. Everd felt his heart sink when he traced the lines of her face. If only she was here, he thought, life would be so different. Many in the kingdom say that while she was alive the king was also full of life. However, her untimely death killed his father inside. His son was too much of a reminder of her.
The king was overly harsh on the boy, but it was only due to the hope that his rule would someday prove to be prosperous.
Everd lay his head on his pillow and soon drifted off to sleep.
Preparations for the ball were underway. Pastries, meats and all other goods were baking in the ovens. Fine linens ribbons and streamers were set up and down the great hall. Servants shuffled from one end of the Castle to another. Every inch of the castle was preoccupied with preparations. Every square inch was busy. Everd had searched high and low for his own space, but his chambers were occupied by his servants preparing his wardrobe. The library was being cleaned. All of the outdoor gardens were being trimmed. There was no space for the prince to escape to.
"Come on Everd at least it will be a party to remember, I don't think this castle has ever seen a party so grand" said Charles, He always tried to cheer him, on days like this.
Everd smiled but it quickly faded "I just need to find some space so I can think".
"OH, no!" exclaimed Charles, picking up a brown parcel from a chair "they got me the wrong outfit for the ball" he said holding up a hideous green and Blue blazer coat.
Everd, laughed, "well, have them make a new one"
"Are you kidding? Everd, all of the seamstresses and every wardrobe person in the entire castle is booked until next year because of the party" exclaimed Charles."I will just have to go into town and see if anything fits from the already picked over shops"
Town! Everd said, " What if I go into town? We are about the same size and I could use some space, please Charles, just don't tell my father."
Charles hated the positions Everd seemed to put him frequently. Arranging huge bouquets of roses and sneaking them into a banquet hall was one thing, but allowing the prince to sneak out and put himself in danger was another. However, he also pitied the prince, he knew the toll royal life had on him. After all they had been friends for ever since he could remember.
He knew that Everd was subjected often to nights of endless lectures from his father, a constantly full agenda and never ending list of people he needed to know. Now, even with all that, he was expected to go to the ball in three days and pick a wife.
"Alright, but on one condition" said Charles, "That you are back here by nightfall"
"I promise" said Everd lifting a hand to signal his sincerity.
After slipping into Charles's clothing, Everd passed the gates out of the castle and soon found himself in the heart of the town. Everyone was bustling about making ball preparations. The only difference between here and the castle was no one knew his name. No one was repeating "Forgive me your highness" as they cleaned the same space he occupied. Everd loved the feeling, everything was so new. He walked from shop to shop, took in the sights and smells. He was so distracted while examining the farmer's vegetable stand that he did not notice, a woman with many packages walking straight towards him. He started to turn and before he knew it, he was on the ground covered by packages of all shapes and sizes.
"I am so sorry" she exclaimed, a little flustered. He looked over at the girl who was now scrounging around piling the packages again into a high tower. Her hair was a golden blond tied behind her back with a blue ribbon, which by the looks of it had been used many times. She was slender in form, even though most of it was hidden by rags, which consisted of a long brown skirt with many patches and a green loose fitting blouse. Everd started helping pick up the packages scattered at his feet and adding them to the tower.
"Can I help you carry anything, Miss?" he said, after he realized he had forgotten his manners. "Well, she said still looking down collecting packages; " I need to get all these packages to that carriage over there". She said pointing to a gaudy colored carriage with an over abundance of decoration. As he stood up, he reached to help the girl up and was met by the most beautiful green eyes gazing back at him. He had never felt like this before. When, He was a young boy, he often heard the tale of how his father met his mother. How the king had been completely smitten with her deep blue eyes, the same eyes Everd had inherited. "Thank you" she said with the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. "Uhhhm….Your welcome", he said dumbfounded. She leaned down and picked up all the packages. He said, " Oh, let me help you", while taking the top twenty or so packages. "Thank you" she repeated. As they walked to the carriage, Everd decided to try and spark up some conversation. " Well, the weather is very nice today", right after he said it, he realized it must have sounded idiotic. She replied " Yes I do think it is very nice", then she fell silent.
He said "well, my name is…Evvvvv…..Umm…Charles, What is yours?"
She looked at him confused, " Are you sure that is your name, you don't sound certain?". "Well, Uhhh…..?" responded Everd. "Cinderella" she said suddenly. He wanted to ask more about her, but soon they reached the Carriage. As he rounded the side to the opening, to place the packages, a harsh woman's voice came from inside. "Cinderella, you lazy girl! We wanted to leave a half hour ago!" said the voice. "I am sorry stepmother but the packages were heavy and I needed help to carry them" replied Cinderella, with a slightly worried face. He came to the opening of the carriage and saw three women inside. The younger two were more rotund with blotted purple noses, of which one was proceeding to pick. The other looked as though she had eaten something sour with her lips bunched to her nose. The eldest lady, looked elegant but increasingly more cross and bad tempered as he stood there.
After, taking notice of his presence, the eldest woman said condescending "Talking to strangers I see, Cinderella what have I always told you about talking to strangers" . "Not to", Cinderella mumbled. Everd felt as though he should speak up. "My lady" he said, "If I may, I ran into Cinderella causing her to drop the packages, So it is my faaal….. Before he could say another word the woman exclaimed "You dropped the packages!" "I hope you didn't ruin the dresses!" exclaimed one of the younger women, taking the finger out of her nose. "Uhhh she is worthless, first she is late, now we come to find out she ruined all the dresses, why do we keep her around!" said the other one with a sour disposition. "Pierre" said the older lady, "take us home". "As for you Cinderella, maybe walking home will teach you to be a better servant" she sneered "Pierre HOME!"
Cinderella began to walk away from him with her head down. "Wait!" Everd exclaimed "Can I help?" feeling somehow responsible. "You have already helped me enough, thank you" said Cinderella angrily. "wait, please!" he said again desperately. He caught up to her quickly. " I am sorry, I did not know that I would upset her so". Cinderella stopped and looked at him but instead of the angry eyes he expected, he only found that those beautiful eyes were full of tears. "No, it is not your fault, either way she would have been cross" she stated, "She is always cross". Cinderella looked at him and with much sincerity said "I really did mean it when I said "Thank you for your help today". She smiled "Charles, if that really is your name". Everd smiled and walked by her side, then blatantly asked "Who are those women? And Why do they treat you like that?". Cinderella looked at the cobble stone and became very silent. At that moment, Everd felt stupid again. "I am sorry…Sometimes I am too blunt…" he said.
"No, don't apologize, they are my step family and to be honest, I really do not understand why they treat me the way they do" She said staring ahead. Everd realized it was getting dark and if he was late Charles may never help him again. "Is there any way I can help?" he repeated one last time. "No" Cinderella said, "the house is just beyond the next bend in the road". "In that case, I must go" said Everd, giving Cinderella a slight bow, "till we meet again". As he turned to leave, he heard her say "Thank you" again under her breath.