"This is crazy," he thought as he pulled up to the next home, "I cannot believe the King, let alone his son, believe in love at first sight."
He respected the King & did as he was told. However, going home to home in search of a girl he just met? It was absurd. He could only hope that this home would contain the maiden that the young Prince was so taken by.
"Oh dear," he murmured as the doors to the Tremaine household opened up. There, stood a lady with a mischievous grin on her face.
"Welcome," she greeted as she waved him in, "I presume you are here to try the slipper on my daughter's, am I wrong?"
"Why yes, I'm told to try the slipper on all eligible women."
Something wasn't right about this to the Grand Duke, but regardless of how he felt about the situation he went on with his duties and began 'fitting' the shoe to the daughters. Oh how things didn't go right for him.
"Who do they think they can play me for?" he thought as he watched the final daughter trying her hardest to cram her foot into the shoe. He watched as Lady Tremaine grew more & more impatient and disappointed. He could only imagine what she would do to them as soon as he left. Once he retrieved the shoe back he was about to leave since no other maidens reside within the household, he heard someone calling from the stairwell.
He turned to see a beautiful maiden with strawberry blonde hair reaching the bottom of the steps. He intrigued with this woman just as he was at the ball when he saw the Prince dancing with the mysterious woman. If it was not this one, he just didn't know what he would say to the King when he returns.
The Grand Duke always did his best to do beyond what the King or Prince wanted him to do. Although he didn't always agree with them he knew his position and did what he can to be the best for the position. With that being said, he was both delighted & fearful with the possibility that this beautiful lady might be the one… or the chance that she won't be & having him fail the King.
As she sat down & awaited him to approach, one minute he was walking towards her, the next there was broken glass all over the floor. He was mortified! The Grand Duke couldn't believe what just happened, so the only thing he though to do at that moment was try his best to gather all the pieces' up. All the possible words & actions that the King & Prince would do to him when he returned played throughout his mind.
The Grand Duke stood up, head low, & was about to make his leave when the beautiful maiden stood up in front of him.
"Sir, if you don't mind, could this do you any good?" and with that, a shining, clear, similar glass slipper was pulled out from her apron pocket. Joy filled his heart & tears, of joy of course, began to fill his eyes. The Grand Duke took the slipper from her hand & fitted it perfectly on her foot.
Oh the look from Lady Tremaine & her daughters were the greatest, he thought, when he took her from the home & into the carriage. He glanced over at Cinderella, the maiden, & realized she's been tortured in that household. If he looked at her close enough he realized that she had dirt stains on herself along with her clothing, she was very underfed, & she had the slightest sign of hurt in her eyes. Yet, despite all of those, she was smiling & cheerfully bantered on about how excited she is to meet the Prince once again.