A/N

This is a little fluffy ficlet that apparently decided to follow suit when I finished up "A Change of Heart". This is femslash Cinderella/Lady Tremaine, from Cinderella's POV. Also, this ficlet came to me in a dream. Literally.

I find it amusing, for all the wrong reasons, that nobody can imagine what's going on inside the walls of this chateau. People believe that where two women dwell on their own, without the company of men, there can be nothing inappropriate going on.

How wrong they are!

And also right, because inappropriate is hardly a name I would put upon love. The love between us is strong but gentle, and there is nothing I would ever want more. While nobody can know about this, it is a secret the world around us must never find out about, our everyday life is like that of any married couple. Quite frankly, I must say ours is more loving than many others', although we cannot show affection to the outside world. Perhaps that is why affection has become so important to us.

Oh, we have our ways to sneak about it, of course we do. We have developed codes and ways of secretly showing affection even in social settings. Most of those codes are the results of Eleanor's clever, cunning mind. Cunning is, by the way, only a bad word when your opinions are on the opposite side of the mind that possesses such a skill.

But the best times are these, when we are alone in the safety of the chateau, free to touch and kiss and tease just as much as we like, without worrying about prying eyes or accusations. Merely going about our lives. Our love.

"Make a wish," she says close to my ear. "Eyelash," she explains, and removes it with a swift caress of her long, slender fingers. I turn my head and look into her beautiful green eyes, those that used to look so cold and discontented all the time but only show radiant warmth and love nowadays.

"What did you wish for?" she asks as she leans in to kiss the corner of my mouth. I let her, but then pull her in for a real kiss. One of those that sucks the very breath out of her. I never grow tired of seeing the mighty Lady Tremaine coming undone the way she does after one of those kisses, and she does not disappoint this time either.

"Oh…" she gasps. "I was not prepared for that."

I respond with a grin.

"I know. That's why I did it."

"Such a cheeky girl. So, what did you wish for?"

I sigh happily.

"Nothing. I have everything I could wish for."

She smiles.

"Then may I use your wish?"

"Just don't tell me, or it won't come true."

She frowns a little.

"I must tell you or it won't come true."

I wait for it. She looks uncharacteristically nervous, which further perks my curiosity, and I touch her hand, trying to comfort her.

"Well?" I softly urge her on. "You know I won't tell you no unless I really have to, and I can't think of anything you could ask me I would have to say no to."

"If I were a man, I would ask you to marry me. But since we can't… I would like to ask you if I may give you a ring anyway. A symbol just for the two of us."

I have stopped breathing. My heart is pounding so hard I think I might faint. Eleanor looks worried but I manage a smile that seems to calm her.

"Yes," I exhale. "Yes, I would like that, very, very much."

"You may want to carry it on your right hand instead of your left. To avoid curious questions," she says, nearly in an apologetic tone, as she offers me a ring that looks simple - no doubt another clever move to avoid too much attention from others - but to me is worth more than all the riches of any queen in any kingdom. She reaches for my hand and slides the ring upon my finger. It fits like it was made just for me.

"If necessary, I will carry it inside my pocket, but I will always carry it," I say earnestly. "Always."

"Then my wish came true. Thank you." She kisses me, gently but with a lot of underlying fire and passion.

"Eleanor?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

And I wish only that we had reached this conclusion sooner.