Ch. 1 A Wish Granted
Disclaimer: RENT belongs to the wonderful Jonathan Larson whom I thank greatly for his music and inspiring works of art.
AN: This story was inspired a little bit by Into the Woods. I was reading the script for about the fifth time and noticed Cinderella's line: "wanting a prince is not wanting a ball." Add that to a small moment of picturing a possible romantic moment between Cinderella and the Wife in the woods and you have a MoJo story. Please let me know what you think and enjoy.
Maureen sat in the kitchen looking out the window. She sighed as she looked at the magnificent palace in the distance. Its royal essence glowed elegantly against the setting. Tonight would begin the Prince's ball. The week long event was to honor Prince Benny's 21st birthday. When she was younger she thought it was just a festival where the King and Queen were so happy for their child they invited the whole village. However, now being 19, she, as well as everyone else in the kindom, knew it was a party to find a suitable wife for the prince. 21 was the age a member of the royal family was expected to find someone worthy of marriage.
Five years ago Prince Collins, heir to the throne, had his ball and found his love. It was an amazing story, really. Maureen's best friend, Mimi, was related to Angel so Maureen had known her well growing up. She wasn't allowed to go to the ball that night but Mimi told her all about it the next day. Angel wore an elegant red dress that flowed to the floor with a fuzzy white trim. It looked as if Santa Clause's clothes had been stolen and made into a dress that would make a winter fairy envious. The outfit, which Angel had hand-made herself, fit perfectly with the December atmosphere. Mimi had said that the moment they walked in Prince Colllins couldn't take his eyes off of her cousin.
"I could tell it was love at first sight," Mimi told the 14 year old Maureen who giggled.
"Mimi, there's no such thing."
"You didn't see the look in their eyes as they danced," the Hispanic girl retorted."It was love and everyone knew it."
In truth, she was right. Collins only agreed to dance with Angel the rest of the week. As other guests entered, Collins waited outside the door claiming to want to greet his guests but in reality he was waiting to see Angel. She was the girl of his dreams, even when he found that she was not born as a woman. When Angel had confessed her secrete, he simply kissed her before saying sweetly "You are the most beautiful, strongest, wisest woman I have ever known. And if anyone questions you about that I want you to tell them in their cowardly faces 'I'm more of a man than you'll ever be and more of a woman than you'll ever get.' " The next day, they announced their engagement.
Now, at age 19, Maureen still yearned to go to the ball. But, alas, poor Maureen was stuck in the kitchen in her raggy clothes covered in dirt and cinder. Her brown skirt was torn with various patches covering holes made by the wear and tear over the years. Her shirt with sleeves just past her shoulders looked more beige than the white it was ment to be. As for shoes, she had only a brown pair she usd for going to market or doing outside chores. Currently she was barefooted; the soles of her feet looking as black as coal. She was in no condition to present herself to anyone.
"Maureen!" a nasally voice called entering the house. Quickly Maureen stood up, broom in hand, and began sweeping again. Seconds later a tall women with perfect blonde hair stood in the doorway. Her nose stuck in the air as she looked down at Maureen in disapprovable. She dared not to enter the room fully in fear of dirtying her perfect silk dress made of the finest purple silks and purest white lace. "Maureen, are the girls getting ready yet?" she asked.
"Yes, Step-mother," came the girl's reply as she looked at the ground.
"Well clean up and go help them, you foolish girl," barked her step mother.
"Yes, ma'am," With that, Maureen scurried out of the room before heading up the stairs to help her two step-sisters. She tuned out the mindless gossip Alison, who resembled her mother almost identically, was telling her younger sister, Alexie who was the "darling" of the family, as she helped tie their dresses up, twist their hair, and sulk while they smiled.
Two hours later, Maureen sullenly watched her step-mother and step-sisters drive away in their carraige. The night before she had asked if she would be allowed to go with them. The response she got was a snickering from her step-sisters whispering "Cinder girl go to the ball?" and her step-mother's sarcastic reply of "Why of course, Maureen. You are 19 now. All you have to do is find a dress, shoes, and look acceptable to those of importance. Then again if you can't finish your chores before the time the ball begins- Well, I'm sure that wig maker's daughter can tell you all that you miss." Maureen left the room afterwards, hearing the blonde bitches laugh.
The list of chores was unimaginably long. It was too much for her to finish. No one would be able to finish a list like the one her step-mother had assigned. It would take her all weekto complete! Giving up for the night feeling down and frustrated, Maureen wrapped her scarf around her head and slipped on her shoes on. She left with no other thought than I must speak to mother.
The forest was surprisingly bright for this time of night. Her mother's grave rested unmarked but Maureen always found it. Her mother died when she was 5, leaving her poor father to take care of her. He had no money for a tomb stone so he planted a bed of glistening roses with his child. "This way we can always find her," he had told her. A year later her father married, 6 months before he died himself. Since then Maureen would sneek off in the night to visit her mother's grave. It wasn't as if she'd be missed. What made the flowers so special was that they were easy to find because of the glow they created. It was as if it was magic within the flower waiting to be released. Sometimes she wished she could visit her father as easily but he was buried in a place her step-mother would not tell her for reasons unknown.
Sinking to her knees, the young woman began to release her tears. "Oh mother, how I miss you," she wept. "I've been good. I've tried doing my best at behaving and trying to make you and Papa proud but I just want a change. I'm living in hell, mother. For a few moments, I want to escape and be the person I want to be. I want to feel important again. You always told me I was special but I don't feel it any more. I need to be special to me. Mother, oh how I wish I could go to the ball."
Suddenly, as if on cue, her tears mixed with the glistening roses creating a bright golden mist to form around her. "Child," said a voice as if from a familar past. She turned, sending her brown messy locks flying across her face. Her mother's spirit floated a few feet about the ground as the woman's face looked down at her daughter foundly. It was a look Maureen hadn't seen in years.
"Mother?" Maureen asked, her voice cracking with saddness and joy. "Is that truely you?"
"Yes, my sweet little Mo," came the angelic reply. "I've come to grant your wish."
"My-my wish?"
"To go to the ball, silly goose. It is what you want, isn't it?"
A wide grin appeared on the young woman's face. "Yes. More than anything."
"Then I shall help you. Step into the flowers and hold my hands." She did as her mother told her. A tingling sensation consumed her body. Her stomach fluttered with butterflies at the sense of a magical moment occuring. Her body glowed just before a shimmering golden dress rose from the roses and appeared on her body. The patterened of the dress reflected rose pettles after a little fall of rain. It sparkled with beauty and grace. She looked down at her feet to see a pair of slippers as pure as gold.
Once the bright glow surrounding her had passed, Maureen walked to the pond near by to see her reflection. Her face was covered in elegant make up; the sparkles by her eyes made her look almost like a mystical fairy princess. Her hair that was once let down, now was twisted in a regal bun with a curl on each side loose, allowing it to frame her face. New pearl earings matched her pearl necklace that had once belonged to her mother that she had thought was lost forever.
She turned back to her mother estatic. "How can I ever thank you, mother?" she asked hugging the spirit.
Her mother pushed her back gently saying, "Have fun tonight and wear this." Upon her daughter's head she placed a simple silver tiara. It was nothing extravagant, at least compaired to the rest of the outfit. However, it brought the look together with a modesty that Maureen held within her heart.
Maureen's mother kissed her head and smiled. "There is only one rule you must obey with this, sweet heart."
The girl looked up curiously. "What is it?"
"When you go to the ball, you must leave before midnight. The enchantment will not last all night and will be returned back to the flowers then. When you return to the ball in the up coming days all you need to do is visit the flowers and they will dress you as you are now again. Do you understand, Maureen?"
"I understand." Maureen nodded.
"Step into the roses once again and they will send you on your way," her mother explained while she slowly began to disappear.
"Will I ever see you again, mother?" Maureen called with teary eyes before stepping into the flower bed.
"One day, my child, one day." Her mother left a lingering kiss on her head as her voice faded away.
And so, her mother's spirit was gone. Maureen sighed being left alone in the woods once more. The tingling sensation returned as the flowers worked their magic on sending her to the palace grounds. The girl, who was finally getting her wish, closed her eyes and smiled contently. To my very first ball.