"Ella," called my father.
I looked up from the fountain and smiled at him. He held out his hand. I rushed up and took it. "You must get ready the King's ball. Your new stepmother will help you get ready," he said.
I nodded and he kissed my cheek. "Come on Bruno," I called and the little puppy barked and followed me into the mansion. I wasn't watching where I was going and almost ran into my stepsister Drizella.
"Watch it!" she yelled at me and shoved me. I fell to the ground and looked up at Drizella through blurry tear filled eyes. Bruno licked my hand and whined. Drizella laughed and then she screamed. "Mouse!"
I looked down and saw a small mouse scurrying around Drizella's feet. He was looking for an escape. Then Lucifer ran towards it. I lunged forward and grabbed the mouse.
"Get that disgusting thing away!" yelled Drizella and she ran away. "Mother! Mother there are mice here!"
Lucifer eyes my hand and I narrowed my eyes at the black cat. "Shoo, go away cat," I said.
Bruno growled at Lucifer and he hissed then left. Bruno ran after Lucifer and barked and yipped.
I stood up and rushed up the stairs to my room. I walked into my room and put the mouse down on my bed.
He looked around and then when he saw me he tried to run away. But I stopped him.
"I'm not going to hurt you, I promise," I said and looked at the mouse closely.
"Big people try to step on us mice mice. What makes you any different?" asked the mouse.
"I'm not that big. I'm only fourteen years old. My name is Ella, I love all animals, including mice. What's your name?" I asked him.
"Mice mice don't have names," said the mouse and he crossed his arms.
"Can I give you one?" I asked.
The little mouse didn't reply.
I looked up and tried to think of a name for the little mouse. "I've got it. How about Jaq?" I asked.
The littler mouse looked up at me. "Jaq?" he asked. "Hmm, Jaq. I love it!" He smiled and rushed up to me. "So your name is Elly?" he asked.
"No, it's Ella," I said.
"That's what I said. Elly," he said and crossed his arms again.
I laughed a little and decided to let him call my Elly. "You look a little cold. Do you want a jacket?" I asked him.
He shrugged.
I opened up my doll house and took out one of my small boy dolls. I took off his orange coat and sweater and I grabbed his little hat and shoes too.
"Here," I said and helped Jaq into the sweater and jacket then I put the little hat on his head and the shoes on his feet. I held up a mirror and Jaq looked at himself in it.
"Zug, zug," he said and gave me a thumbs up.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"It's mouse talk. It basically means good," said Jaq.
I looked over and saw that six more mice had come up to me looking curious.
"Oh, these are my friends," said Jaq. He jumped down from the bed and talked to them. "This is Elly. She's nice to mice mice. Gives mice mice some clothes and names. My new name is Jaq."
The other mice looked up at me and I smiled. They all smiled back and came running up to me.
"I want a name!"
"I want clothes too!" they yelled up to me.
"Alright, alright," I said. "One at a time."
I picked up a small male mouse, "Okay, you will be Luke." I looked down at the other two male mice. They looked identical. I figured that maybe they were twins. "You two will be Bert and Mert." I looked down at the two female mice in front of me. "You will be Perla, and you will be Suzy." I picked up the last female mouse and smiled, "I'll call you Mary."
The mice all smiled and cheered. They loved their new names. I took out all of my dolls and took off their clothes and accessories.
I gave Bert and Mert blue shirts with yellow hats. I gave them shoes and then they were done. I gave Luke a light blue shirt and shoes but none of the hats fit his little head so I didn't give him one. I put some shoes on his and moved on to the girls. I gave Suzy a green dress and a white turquoise bonnet. I gave Perla a pink dress with a pink bonnet. And lastly, I gave Mary a pink and red dress and a blue bonnet.
They all admired themselves in the mirror and smiled and spun around.
"Ella," I heard a voice outside of my door.
I gasped. "Just a second!" I called.
"You all have to go," I said and picked them up and put them by their mouse hole. They all rushed into it and Jaq turned back to me.
"Will we see you again Elly?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Zug, zug," he said and turned a vanished inside the mouse hole.
I stood and straightened out my dress. "Come in," I called.
My stepmother, Lady Tremaine, walked in. She looked at me and pursed her lips. "Your father would like me to help you find a dress for the ball tonight."
I nodded.
Lady Tremaine walked over to my closet and opened it she took out a bunch of dresses then threw me a dull green one. I caught it and looked up at her. This dress was one of the ugliest ones I had. She couldn't possibly make me wear it.
"Put that on, then hurry downstairs," she said curtly.
"Yes Stepmother," I said and looked down.
Lady Tremaine walked out and shut the door behind her.
I sighed and laid the dress out on the bed. Suddenly Jaq jumped down and looked at the dress. He wrinkled his nose and furrowed his eyebrows. "Elly can't wear this to the ball."
"Well, I don't know what I should wear," I said.
"Mice mice help you," said Jaq and he whistled. The other mice I had clothes and named rushed out and scurried into the closet to try and find a dress for me to wear.
"Thank you, while you do that, I'll have my bird friends help me with my hair," I said and smiled. I opened my window and whistled.
A few of my bird friends flew in and I sat down at my vanity. They perched on my shoulder. I ran a brush through my hair and hummed a song my mother used to sing to me.
The birds handed me pins and hair-ties to help me with my hair. I put my hair up into a curly bun and had a few wisps hanging down by my face.
I got out my mother's pearl necklace and put it on. Then I stood and the mice helped me tied a ribbon around my bun.
The mice had picked out a beautiful silver dress that sparkled for me. I smiled and put the dress on. The mice and the birds helped to tie the dress together and I slipped on my blue shoes and looked at myself in the mirror.
"Perfect," I smiled. The mice and the birds smiled at me. "I'll see you all when I get back," I said and waved goodbye to them.
They all waved goodbye and I left my room.
I walked down the staircase and my father walked over to me beaming brightly. Lady Tremaine narrowed her eyes and Drizella and my other stepsister Anastasia crossed their arms and matched Lady Tremaine's disapproving frown.
"You look beautiful Ella; you look just like your mother," said my father. I smiled and he offered me his arm. I took it and Lady Tremaine took my father's other arm. We walked towards the carriage that would take us to the castle.
Lady Tremaine and her daughters got into the carriage first. Then my father helped me into the carriage and he sat next to me.
We rode to the palace and were instantly greeted by the duke once we got to the gate.
"Welcome," he said and led us to the main ball room. The king and his wife were there sitting on the thrones.
"Shall we?" asked my father to me.
I laughed and took his arm. We walked down to the ball room and we both started to dance. He spun me around and I laughed and smiled.
"Remember what I taught you?" asked my father.
I nodded. My father taught me how to waltz and dance like a princess. I let him lead me and I danced perfectly with him. He had to bend down in order to dance with me but everyone stared at us and smiled.
"Mind if I cut in?" asked my stepmother.
I nodded and let go of my father's hands.
My father and Lady Tremaine waltzed around and I smiled at watched them.
Anastasia and Drizella walked up to me.
"Aren't they lovely?" I asked them.
They both humphed then crossed their arms. "They would be even lovelier if you weren't around," snapped Drizella.
I frowned and turned to go. My stepsisters were always mean to me. I was never one to fight back, so I didn't.
I stood at the back of the ballroom watching all of the pretty women dancing with handsome men. I smiled and knew that I would be one of them someday.
"Excuse me, may I have this dance?" asked a young boy.
I smiled and nodded. He took my hand and led me to the dance floor. I remembered all of the things my father taught me to do.
"My name is Henry," said the boy. "What's yours?"
"Ella," I said and spun around.
"It is nice to meet you Ella, you look beautiful tonight," complimented Henry.
"Thank you," I said and smiled.
Henry and I danced and talked until our feet hurt.
"Ella, come along dear, we are leaving," called my father.
"It was a pleasure Ella," said Henry and he kissed my hand.
"Thank you for the lovely dance," I replied. "Goodbye." I rushed off and took my father's hand.
We walked out and back to the carriage.
"Ella, it was such an honor for you to be dancing with the Prince," said my father once we were in the carriage.
"Henry is the Prince?" I asked. I beamed from ear to ear. "He seemed so normal."
My father laughed. "He is normal Ella, all people are the same no matter what their title is. But there are people who are unique in their own way. Just like you," said my father and he kissed my cheek.
Suddenly he tensed and started to gasp for breath.
"Father?" I asked. "Father!"
"Stop the carriage!" yelled Lady Tremaine. Anastasia and Drizella screamed and the carriage stopped. The footman hurriedly opened the door and my two stepsisters rushed out of the carriage.
"Father! Please, hold on!" I sobbed and held his hand to my cheek.
Lady Tremaine took my father's other hand. But he only looked at me.
"Please don't die," I sobbed.
"I love you, my beautiful…Ella," he said then his eyes rolled back and he stopped breathing.
"No!" I yelled and sobbed.
"Get her out!" yelled my stepmother.
I was grabbed by my waist and dragged out of the carriage. I screamed and cried "No!" That was the last time I ever saw my father again.
After the funeral, I was about to head upstairs but Lady Tremaine grabbed my shoulder and spun me around to face her.
"Some things are going to change around here Ella. Drizella is going to take your room and you will sleep in the attic. You are to be our new maid. You will wake up every morning and give each of us our breakfast and tea. You will prepare dinner and breakfast. You will clean the house every day. And all of your possessions will belong to me now," said Lady Tremaine.
Anastasia and Drizella snickered and stuck their tongues out at me.
"Now go, change into the maid's dress I have kindly laid out for you," ordered my stepmother.
I felt tears fill my eyes and I ran up the stairs and up to the attic. An old dusty bed was there with a ratty dress at the end of it. There was a small wooden stool and a dusty mirror too. I took off my black mourning dress and put on the dusty ratty dress. Then I collapsed onto the bed and sobbed.
"Elly?" asked a small voice. It was Jaq.
I looked up at him with tears rolling down my cheeks.
Jaq wiped a tear off of my cheek and then hugged my finger. I sobbed and held Jaq close to me. "What am I going to do Jaq?" I asked him.
"Don't cry Elly. Or you'll make all of us cry," said Jaq and he gestured to the other mice and some of the birds that perched on the small window.
I sniffled and wiped my tears away.
"Mice mice will be here to help you," smiled Jaq.
"Thank you all so much," I said and smiled at them.
They all smiled.
"Ella! Come and clean this fireplace! It's filthy," yelled Drizella.
I sighed. Jaq climbed into my pocket on the apron and Mary followed. I tied my hair back with a blue ribbon and stood.
I walked down to Drizella's room…my old room.
She was sitting on my bed and eating a cake. "Hurry up!" she yelled.
"Yes Drizella," I said. I walked over to the fireplace and looked at all of the instruments in front of it. I had no idea how to clean a fireplace.
I walked over to the fire place and found a small sweeping broom and a pan to collect it. I started to brush the cinders into the pan. It took a long time but I finally did it and I wiped my forehead from the sweat.
I put the cinders from the pan into the trash.
"Will that be all?" I asked Drizella. I turned to her and her eyes got wide then she erupted into laughter.
"Of course it will…Cinderella!" she yelled and her laughter rang out through the house.
I turned to the mirror on my old vanity and saw that I was covered with ash and soot and my forehead was black with cinders.
Anastasia rushed in and she looked at me and started to laugh as well. She and her sister cackled and laughed calling me over and over "Cinderella!"
Tears brimmed my eyes and I took a clean end of the apron and wiped my forehead off.
They looked at me and laughed even more.
The ash had only spread down my face.
Jaq and Mary looked up at me with pity.
"Girls!" yelled my stepmother. She walked in and my stepsisters instantly quieted down. Lady Tremaine looked at me and her face formed a disgusted look.
"Wash off your face, then prepare dinner," she snapped. "And hurry…Cinderella."
My stepsisters started to roar with laughter again.
I was about to cry again then I stopped myself. Crying wasn't going to solve anything. Instead I picked my head up and walked with grace and poise to the door.
I turned and looked at my stepsisters and my stepmother. "I rather like the name Cinderella. I think I want to be called Cinderella from now on. After all, this is who I am now," I said simply.
My stepsister's eyes were wide and their mouths dropped open.
Lady Tremaine stuck her nose into the air and didn't say a word.
I turned and left Drizella's room.
"Mary and I are proud of you…Cinderelly," said Jaq.
I smiled and walked back up to the attic to wash off the cinders from my face. Ella was weak and hopeless. Cinderella was a new me, a better me. I was sure of it.