"Charming?" Cinderella turned the corner looking down the decorated hall for her prince. "Anybody?" "Cinderella?" Charming's voice echoed down the long halls. "Charming!" Cinderella turned left and ran directly into the prince. "Oof." "Sorry," Cinderella giggled as she untangled her hair from Charming's metals. "Get lost again?" asked the prince. "Yeah," Cinderella looked down the hall. "Everything looks the same. And there are so many hallways." "I know what you mean. But..." Charming looked at his wife, "It's a great place to play hide and seek!" Charming turned to the wall and began to count. "One, two, three..." Cinderella ran to the end of the hall, down a staircase, and up to a large set of gold doors that she hadn't seen before. She reached for the handles. "Ready or not here I come!" Cinderella pulled open the doors and hid behind a dusty throne detailed with gold trim. She could hear the prince's foot steps on the floor above her. "I'm going to be here a while," thought Cinderella as she came out of hiding. She traced her finger along the trim of the throne. "This place is a mess," she said rubbing her thumb against her pointer finger. She began going through boxes, looking for a feather duster. Upon unpacking the fifth box, Cinderella came across a cake topper. The little plastic man looked a lot like Charming; his arm linked with a woman's. She continued unpacking; finding wedding decorations such as cream lace table clothes, white invitations with silver lettering, and a list of the top wedding planners in the neighboring towns. Confused, Cinderella continued opening boxes to find the feather duster. She found a box full of dust pans, cleaning spray, and a feather duster. She pulled a chain hanging down from the ceiling. A small light flicked on. Cinderella reached the duster to the top of the throne and flicked her wrist from side to side; relieving the dust. Letters begin to appear on the top edge of the throne. "Charlene Charming." The duster drops to the floor. Creeeeeak. "Found yo..." Cinderella turned to see Charming in the doorway. "It was dusty so I...I'm sorry." "What else did you find?" Charming saw all the open boxes on the floor. "Just some decorations," Cinderella's eyes begin to fill with tears. "Please let me explain." "Excuse me," Cinderella ran passed the prince, out the door, and down the hall. Charming stormed up the stairs; gripping the railing tightly. "Is my father in there?" Charming asked the guards standing next to the king's chamber. "He is sleeping Sire." Charming swung open the giant doors. "Why?" The prince tore the comforter off of his father. "Charming? What are you doing?" "I want to know why you kept all of the decorations from my engagement with Charlene!" The king turned back over in his bed. Charming removed the pillow out from under his head. "Okay!" The king sat up and pushed the pom pom hanging in front of his face from his cap to the back of his head. "I kept them in case you didn't find the girl who fit in the slipper. When you got married I forgot about them. Why do you care all of the sudden?" "I care because Cinderella just found it all father! She was so upset she wouldn't let me explain." "She'll get over it," the king pulled his blankets back over his body. Charming stormed out.
Later that night Charming knocked on his and Cinderella's bedroom door. "Cinderella? You in there?" He pushed open the door to see an empty bed. For an thirty minutes he roamed the halls looking for his wife. He found her lying on a spare couch in one of the guest rooms. "That mad that you couldn't come to bed?" The prince spoke softly. "No, I just couldn't find our room." Cinderella replied facing the back of the couch. "We need to get you a map," Charming chuckled. Cinderella grinned like she forgot about what she saw today for a second. "Can I sit?" Cinderella moved her feet; giving Charming a small place to sit on the end of the couch. "What you saw today was unfair and I am sorry you had to find out that way. I was engaged to that woman who's name you found on the throne. But it was an arranged marriage. My father and I fought about it for weeks. I too stumbled upon the decorations and throne without knowledge. Then my father and her father arranged a meeting and it turns out she didn't want an arranged marriage either. Neither of us would take yes for an answer until both our fathers gave up. She left and found love and my father told me to find a wife at the ball or he would set me up with another woman. That's where I met you. I never regret it. I never look back wanting a different result." Cinderella remained silent. Prince Charming headed for the door. "Hey Cinderella," Charming turned his head, "if you change your mind about the couch, OUR room is the fifth door on the right on the second floor." He turned back. He felt two warm arms wrap around his body. "It's is not that I didn't trust you," the prince turned around to his wife; pulling her into a hug. "I just don't feel like I belong here. Finding that stuff made me think you deserve someone who can act like a princess and who can find her way around the castle." Charming pulled back and looked his wife in the eyes. "You mean like everyone else that I turned down that night at the ball?" Charming grabbed Cinderella's hand, "I have something to show you, come with me." He lead Cinderella outside to his horse and carriage. Twenty minutes later they arrived at the edge of town at a small cottage. "What's this?" Cinderella inquired. "This," Charming helped Cinderella out of the carriage, "is our new home." Cinderella looked at her husband. "What?" "You were right about the size of the castle and how lonely the high ceilings and empty dance floors can be. You are all I need to be happy. Not large golden doors or framed pictures of myself hanging on the wall in every hallway. You. Only you." Cinderella pulled her prince in for a kiss. "Thank you," Cinderella smiled as she opened the door to her new home.