Cinderella: A New Life

Cinderella's POV

I ran down the stairs. "No. It can't be," I protested.

Stepmother turned and looked at me. "Would Your Grace excuse me? I must have a word with my…maid." Stepmother said, calmly.

I blocked the pain as I realized that Stepmother didn't even to refer to me as what I really was—her stepdaughter.

I gasped as Stepmother stopped me from continuing down the stairs. She looked tenderly at me and comfortingly said, "You look confused, dear."

I immediately asked, "How could the slipper have fit Anastasia? I danced with the Prince. That was my slipper." I continued to protest.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the other slipper. "Here, I have the other slipper. I'm the one he's looking for." I held out the slipper.

Stepmother glared at me. "You may have danced with him. You may even have thought it was love. But the slipper fits Anastasia and that's who he's marrying."

She took the slipper on the end of her walking stick and dangled it over the banister. "Whatever you think happened last night was a dream."

I reached for the shoe and, gasping, watched, horrified, as it fell shattering instantly.

She used her staff to force me to look at her, as she said, "I don't care where you go or what you do, but you stay away from the palace. Stay away from the Prince."

As she walked away, she added, "Oh and…clean up that broken glass."

I numbly closed the door behind her and the cleaned up the broken glass. "Did I hear correctly? I can leave?" I was unsure of myself. Was Stepmother really going to let me leave?

The mice nodded and I made up my mind—I was leaving the kingdom. I would make my own way and my own life and my own future—somehow.