The Lavender Garland


Introduction.


"Something unique" is an understatement when describing this piece. I adapted it from the third story, "An Uncommon Romance" of Disney's Cinderella II: Dreams Come True. I took the whole story, transformed the characters into flesh and blood, wove my own ideas through the story like a tapestry, and the result became a teen/adult-level romantic novel! Quite a bold experiment. But I couldn't resist expanding on the theme of Cinderella's "ugly, evil stepsister" Anastasia coming to repentance, learning to love, and even becoming an object of affection.
I had a hunch that Disney wanted to take a new look at the "ugly, evil" stepsister. My hunch was confirmed when, on March 10, 2002, they aired Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister on ABC. It, too, became a source of inspiration for this piece.

Here are the first few chapters of a story with at least 19 or 20. The rest will be added as I complete it.

My story is divided into three books. Book One is a long prologue that depicts the beginning of the Cinderella II story: Anastasia's first meeting with the Baker, with whom she falls in love.
Book Two takes us back to Anastasia's childhood, and describes Anastasia's life up to the day she meets the Baker. This segment includes the period of Anastasia's life that takes place during the Cinderella fairy-tale everyone knows (that Disney made into a classic animated movie in 1950), this time seen from Anastasia's perspective.
Book Three returns to where we left off in Book One. Cinderella's kindness induces Anastasia to reconsider her whole outlook on life. This, as well as her love for the Baker, inspires Anastasia to change forever. But Anastasia is not the only one who changes; many other characters are challenged to rethink their attitudes, too.

Why have another look at the evil stepsister? After all, she's evil and ugly--end of story, right? Well, maybe we shouldn't be too quick to cast stones. Or mud, for that matter . . .

"Me, look like a princess? Don't make me laugh!" Anastasia was despondent. She threw up her hands. "How do you get to look like a princess? How?"
With her hand, Cinderella tilted her stepsister's chin up, and looked at her intently. "You must first become a princess inside."


THE LAVENDER GARLAND

Author's note: Many of the characters and story elements in Cinderella and Cinderella II: Dreams Come True are property of Walt Disney Enterprises. The author receives no compensation whatsoever for the existence of this story, and is interested only in paying tribute and offering free publicity to the original work which inspired it.

I began writing this story March 7, 2002 and finished the first draft March 31, 2002-Easter Sunday, the day of Anastasia: a day of resurrection, rebirth, and New Hope. Coincidentally, March 31 is also the birthday of Lucille Bliss, who first gave Anastasia her voice. It is in homage to her talent that this work is dedicated.

This present edition submitted Easter Sunday, April 20, 2003.


BOOK ONE: The Time of Loves


Break forth this morn
In roses, thou but yesterday a Thorn.
Uplift thy head
O pure white Lily through the winter dead.
Beside your dams
Leap and rejoice, you merry-making Lambs.
All Herds and Flocks
Rejoice, all beasts of thickets and of rocks.
Sing, creatures, sing,
Angels and Men and Birds and everything.
All notes of Doves
Fill all our world: this is the time of loves.
--Christina Rossetti, An Easter Carol


CHAPTER 1

Once upon a time in a faraway land, there was a tiny kingdom--peaceful, prosperous, and rich in romance and tradition. Here in a stately château, there lived a widowed gentleman and his little daughter, Cinderella. Although he was a kind and devoted father and gave his child every luxury and comfort, still he felt she needed a mother's care. Choosing for his second wife a woman of good family with two daughters just Cinderella's age, by name: Anastasia and Drizella . . .

The thick, black smoke contrasted against the magenta and purple hue of the predawn sky. Smoke, which emitted from the kitchen of the old château, marked the demise of yet another attempt at a loaf of bread. Amid her muffled whimpers of frustration, a redheaded maiden desperately grabbed a towel and hurriedly yanked the ruined pastry from the oven. It looked as though this was going to be yet another disastrous morning for Anastasia Tremaine.
For years, Anastasia had gotten used to sleeping in until noon and having her breakfast served in bed. Every morning, she would be greeted with a cheery voice and a breakfast tray of eggs, porridge, biscuits, jam, and hot tea, all prepared to perfection. Day after day. No matter how badly Anastasia or her sister Drizella treated their appointed maidservant, the cheery voice and perfect breakfast still came.
But those days had come to an abrupt end eighteen months ago, when their maidservant went and married Prince Charming.
"Cinderella is just so lucky," Anastasia whimpered under her breath. "Oh, her and her little feet!"
Anastasia had never liked her stepsister, and her hatred was never as intense as it was now. And, things were just fine until Cinderella went to that confounded ball and found her prince. Now Anastasia and Drizella had to take care of their château by themselves. It was Anastasia's task to get up at the crack of dawn to feed the chickens, gather the eggs, milk the cows, churn the butter, and bake the bread.
It befell upon her to make breakfast every morning, and they hadn't eaten a decent breakfast in months. She was probably the most incompetent cook in the world. Every time she attempted to make bread, it would always come out burnt, doughy, or sour. And even when the bread came out halfway decent, it would mold within a few days, and she would have to start all over again.
Everyone is luckier than me, she thought. Even Drizella got to sleep in later.
God must have slept in late, too, the day He created her, she thought. Whenever she looked in the mirror, she saw her lanky, homely, and ungainly reflection, reminding her how much of a disadvantage she had when it came to courtship. It only made her insecurity worse when she watched the upstart Cinderella come from nowhere and snatch up Prince Charming at the ball.
"That should have been my prince," she whined.
How did Cinderella do that? Anastasia remembered that night, the night of the ball. She remembered how, when they departed the château, Anastasia and her sister had left Cinderella with nothing but a tattered dress. (Indeed, Anastasia still kept the dress' sash-the long, pink sash she had torn off Cinderella's garment that night-stuffed in the vanity drawer). She knew that when she tore that sash off Cinderella's dress, she rendered the dress worthless. But Cinderella hired new finery, a coach-and-four, and a driver and footman that night-in less time than it took to travel to the palace! Cinderella was penniless; how was that possible?
Anastasia and Drizella asked their mother about it once, but Mother said nothing, and forbade them to bring the matter up again. Still, they thought whole event bizarre, not the least of which was Cinderella's footman barking and panting at the courtiers who passed by that night, and the four horses' penchant for eating brie and cheddar all evening.
But one thing Mother did say she learned from the incident, was that it was Cinderella's beauty, and her beauty alone, that captured the prince's heart that night. Ever since, Mother became obsessed with her two daughters' appearance. What little extra money they had was spent on expensive makeup, clothes, and jewelry. Trouble was, neither Anastasia nor Drizella had a clue as to how to apply makeup properly. And Mother's taste in clothes was atrocious, even though the sisters always went along with whatever Mother chose for them.

The morning chores done. Great. Now it was time to return to her bedroom, slip off the work rags, and don her usual orchid-colored day dress with the purple bodice. With that completed, Anastasia went to the bedroom vanity she shared with Drizella, opened the drawer, and pulled out a teal-blue hair-ribbon from the menagerie of ribbons and bows in the drawer. The blue ribbon was entwined with some of the others, and when she pulled the ribbon out, the whole wad ended up on the floor. She shook her head and gathered up the mess, and then she saw at the bottom of the drawer an old, tattered pink piece of satin. It was the fragment of satin she tore off Cinderella's dress the night her stepsister prepared to accompany her and Drizella to the ball. Anastasia silently wondered why she hadn't finally thrown it away. Never mind. She stuffed it--along with the bundle of ribbons--back in the drawer, and closed it.
Anastasia thought about what happened to Cinderella. Certainly, the tables had turned on the Tremaines, and they were now financially dependent on Cinderella. Cinderella had given them part of the dowry granted her by the King, but it was still never enough. They had only enough to repair the château, and to hire a part-time gardener and a coachman. There was no extra to pay for in-house help, and so when Cinderella moved out, Anastasia and Drizella abruptly had to learn housekeeping skills. Mother complained loudly about what she perceived as the King's stinginess, and swore that she would see their fortunes turn soon. She eagerly awaited the next ball at the palace, the next opportunity for her daughters to marry into wealth.
Her mother was right, Anastasia thought. Marrying someone well connected was her ticket to riches and happiness. After all, it worked for mother, hadn't it? It worked for Cinderella, too.
But she also knew that with Cinderella, there was something more than an attraction to royalty, or an interest in advancing her personal fortune. Anastasia remembered that morning after the ball, before the Grand Duke came to fit the girls with the glass slipper. She remembered that dreamy expression on Cinderella's face when Mother announced that the Prince was searching for his bride. Anastasia had never seen anything like it. It was as though Cinderella was in another world. Yes. Cinderella had just finished cleaning up the breakfast tray she had oddly dropped; Anastasia and Drizella hurriedly tossed Cinderella their clothes so she could get them ready for the Duke's arrival. Cinderella mumbled something about getting dressed, and then just handed the bundle of clothing right back to Anastasia!
It was clear that Cinderella was deeply in love, and Anastasia had never seen her so happy as that morning after the ball. Sure, it would be nice to marry into royalty, Anastasia thought, but wouldn't it be so nice if she could be in love like that, too? In love with a prince. Or a duke. Or a baron. Or somebody.
Among the numerous items scattered upon Anastasia's vanity sat a quaint little music box. While she daydreamed, Anastasia opened it. The music box played a pretty little waltz while two figurines, which resembled Cinderella dancing with her prince, whirled around upon it. Anastasia sighed, leaned over the vanity, and wondered if she, too, could ever find love like that.
Her reverie was broken by a sudden yank at the hair-ribbon she held, as it dangled low under the vanity. A big black cat had decided it was of better use as his plaything, and was determined to wrest it away from its owner.
"Lucifer!" Anastasia cried.
Now, it was no easy task to win a tug-of-war with Lucifer, for the cat seemed to weigh a ton. During the ensuing struggle, Anastasia knocked over the music box with her elbow, and she gasped. She set it upright, relieved that it hadn't been damaged. Then, scowling at the mischievous cat, she snatched the ribbon away from him. Her victory, however, was short-lived.
"Stop hogging the mirror!"
It was Drizella. Anastasia's sister roughly pushed her off the vanity stool and onto the floor. Anastasia retaliated with a bump of her own, knocking Drizella off the chair, and Anastasia sat back down. Drizella noticed her sister beginning to tie the ribbon in her hair, and gasped.
"That's mine!"
"No! It's mine!"
"No, mine!"
"Hey, it's mine," Anastasia protested, as her sister grabbed the ribbon from her hands. Anastasia managed to catch the free end of it, and held fast. The two pulled with all their strength, until at last the fabric tore and the ribbon split in two.
Drizella gazed at the useless half of the ribbon she held, then nonchalantly tossed it to her sister. "Oh, you're right. It is yours."
Anastasia's eyes flashed. "You did that on purpose!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
Another voice from inside the doorway interrupted their quarrel. "Girls!"
They looked up. It was Mother-Lady Tremaine. Through the shadow of the doorway, the girls could see her steely eyes staring coldly at them. She stood practically six feet tall--taller yet in her high-heeled boots. She wore her usual dark trumpet-shaped skirt and high-boned collar, and pompadour hair style.
Mother came in and shook an angry finger at them. "Stop all this bickering at once! Cinderella's ball is tomorrow night. So pay attention!"
The girls immediately straightened up. When she noticed Lady Tremaine wasn't looking, Drizella turned to her sister next to her and spat raspberries. Anastasia returned in kind.
"Every noble bachelor in the kingdom will be there," Lady Tremaine continued. "If you want to find a husband, you have to make the most of this opportunity. I won't let you fail me-" She turned, with her arms folded, and glared at her two daughters. "-again!"
The sisters nodded obediently. "Yes, mother."
"Drizella, pin back those curls! Anastasia, put more color in your cheeks! A perfect appearance is the only way to attract a proper gentleman."
Anastasia found herself doing something to her face with a makeup brush. She didn't know what she was doing, nor did she care, so long as Mother was pleased.
"We shall find you men of wealth, and nobility," Mother said.
"Maybe a count," Anastasia said, excitedly. Countess Anastasia. That had a nice ring to it.
"Or a duke," her sister agreed.
"Precisely," their mother said. Anastasia thought she heard snickering coming from Lucifer's direction.
"Come along now, we need new gowns for the both of you."
"With new shoes," Anastasia said.
"And jewelry," Drizella added.
"The fancier, the better," Mother agreed. "Lucifer, come."
Lucifer, who by now had curled up on the floor and was preparing to nap, roused from his slumber, and looked up briefly. He decided to ignore his mistress' order, and closed his eyes again.
"Lucifer!"
With a contemptuous groan, the black feline stretched and sauntered out behind them.
No one in the household ever disobeyed a direct order from Lady Tremaine.