Chapter 2: First Visits and First Impressions
Authors Notes: Hey guys! So this is my first FanFiction as you can probably tell. Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I have a very busy schedule, but I will try and post every Saturday, or every week whenever that may be. So you are getting an extra long chapter here. We will probably get into more of T-rated stuff if were not there already. and again, sorry I haven't posted in forever, I will be better about it because I get annoyed when people don't post, but I get it now. So here's another chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Cinderella. Disney does. I just wrote this story.
As Kit and Ella walked out of her childhood home, she felt butterflies start to form in her stomach. Kit hopped onto his horse and reached out his hand to Ella. She grabbed it and was pulled up and sat behind Kit on the saddle, with her hands wrapped tightly around his waist. A guard took the slipper from her hand and delicately placed it in a protective box.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"To the palace, your new home. Our home," Kit responded.
Ella gave a light-hearted giggle as a response and put her head on his shoulder. Kit yelled "Hiyah", and then they off, back to the palace.
Ella looked behind her and saw her parents' house, her childhood home, the place she made many memories, disappear into the distance, along with many of her fears.
When they arrived at the palace, Ella's jaw dropped. She had seen it when she went to ball, but it looked different in the daylight. The tall white corridors looked intimidating while she was a small girl standing at the front of the gate. She wasn't a princess, and she couldn't pretend like she was, like during the night of the ball.
Kit got off his horse, grabbed Ella's waist, lifted her off, and then set her on the ground. "Are you ready?" he asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be," Ella said nervously. She repeated her mother's words in her mind over and over again. Have courage and be kind. Have courage and be kind. Have courage and…
"Cinderella, my darling, are you alright?" Kit questioned with his arm out for her to grab.
"Yes, your highness, I'm perfectly happy. But please call me Ella, that's my name. " Ella felt more at ease when she grabbed his arm. She always felt happier and safer when she was in his company.
"Alright, Ella. But there is no need for formality anymore my love. I love you, and you can call me Kit." They started walking up the stairs and then Kit said, "I will send some guards to your home tomorrow to collect any personal belongings you need."
"Thank you, I don't have much, but there are somethings I would like to have."
"If I may be so bold, what happened with you and your family?" Kit asked curiously. He didn't know if he was asking something he shouldn't have, but Kit wanted to know about Ella's past, and see if there was something he could do to help. He wanted justice if any wrong-doing happened to her, the love of his life. He had the power, he was the king.
"Later, I'm not sure if I want to talk about it right now." Ella looked down to avoid his look and so that he couldn't see the small tears forming in her eyes.
"Of course," they stopped and Kit turned toward her. "Anything you want you shall have. " He took his right hand and lifted Ella's chin so they could look each other in the eye. They kissed and a sense of relief washed over Ella as his lips met hers. She knew that she could tell him anything, no matter how traumatizing it was for her. He would be there to listen and comfort her. She hadn't felt like that since her parents died.
Kit kissed Ella's hand and when she looked to her right, she saw the palace before her. "Let's go, I'll give you a tour around the main areas," Kit said.
As they walked in, they were in the ballroom. It was not as decorated as the night of the ball, but it was still the most magnificent room Ella had ever seen. A few staff members looked toward the open door and bowed to Kit. "Dorothy, Philippe, please have dinner prepared and sent to my quarters in about an hour." A man and woman the closest to them nodded back in response.
Ella looked outside through a huge window that reached the top of the vast ceiling and released that the sun was starting to set. Ella turned her head back to Kit.
"Ella, this is the head butler, Philippe, and the head housekeeper, Dorothy. They are very kind and will assist you if you call them."
"Nice to meet you mademoiselle. If you need anything, don't hesitate to let me know." Dorothy said. She was a short lady, but she had a kind face with a nice smile. Her dark brown hair was neatly pulled back into a bun at the nape of her neck. Her black dress was underneath a freshly pressed apron tied around her waist.
"My lady, welcome to the palace," Philippe said. He had a crisp and clean dark suit with grey vest and white button-up shirt underneath. His mustache covered the area above his lips and he had a small beard at the bottom of his chin.
"Thank you," Ella politely responded. She curtsied and bowed her head. "It is very nice to meet your acquaintances and to be here at the palace. I'm sure I'm going to love it here and I will let you know if I need anything."
"Well," Kit started. "I guess I'll give you a tour now." They walked down a hallway and at the end of it, were a set of wide double doors in the middle. The two guards on either side opened it before Kit even reached the end of the hallway. Kit walked in confidently and Ella saw a beautiful red velvet and gold chair at the end of the long room.
"This is the throne room, and if you follow me, we will head the living quarters." Ella followed Kit through a door on the right side of the throne. They walked up a grand staircase and went on the right side of the stairs. "Over there on the left side are the servants' quarters, dining room, which I'll show you later, and a library. In the center is the main parlor and then the main balcony. Over here on the right are our quarters. Mine is at the end of the hall and then yours will be next to it. Then the guest quarters are a floor above us. I'll show you more like the gardens and the training rooms and such later on."
They reached two doors close to each other. Kit opened the one closest to the stairs and motioned for Ella to walk in. Ella was in shock when she saw the room. There was a large master bed in the back with dozens of fluffy on it. On the left was a couch with small tables on either side and a lower table in front of it. On the opposite side was a beautifully carved desk with stationary and a matching padded chair. The left side had door which Ella walked up to and asked, "Can I open it?"
Kit responded, "Yes, this is your room."
Ella ginned and opened it. Inside were two huge wardrobes that once again reached the top of the ceiling and a partition to change behind. Ella opened one and saw a few dresses in the closet.
"Sorry there aren't more dresses for you to wear. We will have the royal seamstress measure and make you more very soon."
"I'm going to have more dresses?" Ella asked excitedly.
Kit found her curiousness about royal life charming and humble. Her innocence and unknowing about how much he would spoil her, made him smile. "Yes, you will only have the finest dresses made of the best materials."
"Thank you, but I don't think I deserve to be adorned in such beautiful creations and fine fabrics.
"Oh my dear, but you do. You are the most beautiful women I have ever seen, so you shall have the best clothes to accent and make you look even more beautiful."
"Well thank you." Kit's compliment on her beauty made Ella blush pink. For him, the king, to say that she was the most beautiful women he had ever seen truly said something about her.
"Behind the other door, you will find a bathroom so you can freshen up and get ready for dinner. It will be ready soon so come to my room when you're done and we can eat. It's other door outside your room. Just knock and someone will let you in."
"Alright, I'll be there soon," Ella said. Kit gently picked up Ella's hand, kissed it, and left, closing the door to Ella's room on his way out. Ella saw everything once more and covered her mouth with her hands in shock. She walked into the bathroom and quickly washed her face. She went back to the closet and picked a simple royal blue dress that exposed her shoulders with three-quarter sleeves and sat down at the vanity opposite of the wardrobes. She brushed her hair and pulled half of it into a ponytail. While she did that, she noticed a small bruise on her right shoulder, which she then quickly covered with her hair.
She walked to Kit's room and smoothed her dress and knocked two times. Philippe opened the door and Ella walked in. "Have a nice meal your majesty, mademoiselle." He and Dorothy walked out.
She looked and saw Kit over by the balcony looking out into the dark night sky. He turned back and saw Ella quietly holding her hands, staring back at him. "Please sit," Kit said.
Kit pulled out her chair and Ella sat down and Kit walked around to sit opposite of her. The smell of the food made Ella very intrigued to see what they were having. There was a roast with some potatoes and vegetables.
Ella grabbed a small helping of everything and put it on her plate. It was more than any of the leftovers and scraps her family gave her from their meals, but it still wasn't enough to cover the plate. Kit saw her plate and questioned himself what her eating habits must have been like. She looked very thin, in that she looked like she hadn't always eaten enough. Kit would try to make sure she would eat more in the future. He also noticed a small bruise on her shoulder. It was there and it was dark. It stood out against her pale skin and it look like she got it from abuse.
"Wine?" he asked. Ella nodded and Kit poured some red wine into Ella's glass. Ella never really had wine or alcohol before, but she remembered what it did to her step-family. They were very dizzy and said strange things. The next day they would always have bad headaches and she would have to make them extra tea.
"What are some of your happiest memories?" Kit asked as he was cutting his piece of roast.
"When my parents were alive and I was young, we would always go on picnics in the field near our home. It always had so many flowers that I would pick and make into bouquets or flower crowns that my mother and I wore. After my mother died, my father and I would out there sometimes, but not as often as when she was alive."
Ella took a small sip of wine and puckered her lips. It was sour, but also a bit sweet. Kit saw her expression and laughed, and Ella joined in. "I've never had wine before, but its good," Ella commented.
"This wine has a particular taste that most people find unattractive, but I like it. Cheers, to new relationships." They clinked glasses and they each took a sip, and Ella was starting to like it.
After a tasty meal and getting to one other, they walked out onto the balcony and were watching the stars together.
"Ok," Ella took a deep breath. "I think I'm ready to tell you about my family."
"You don't have to, you know. Tell me when you are ready," Kit assured her.
"No, but I am ready." Ella took another deep breath and she noticed that Kit was holding her hands, showing that he was there for her. "When my mother died, my father was always sad. So a few months ago, he married my step-mother, Lady Tremaine. He went on a trip and he got sick and passed away. He was all I had and, then he was gone." Ella sniffed and continued. "Then we dismissed our household and staff and then my step-family made me become their new servant. I did everything for them. Cooking, cleaning, house work, all the chores for my family's estate. I rarely had time to eat, but when I did, I never ate much. Sometimes they would hit or abuse me, and I could do nothing." That was when she realized that she had started crying. "She moved me into the attic, but sometimes it was too cold that I had to sleep near the fire so be warm. I woke up one day covered in cinders and they gave me the name Cinderella, and that was the day that we ran into each other in the forest. Then when I heard about the ball, I had to go to see you, although I didn't know you were the prince. But here is where it gets crazy, so please believe me?"
Kit nodded and wasn't sure what to expect but he was already astounded by the actions of Ella's step-family. They were cruel, to treat and abuse a young girl that way.
"So that night the night of the ball, my fairy godmother came and made me a beautiful carriage out of a pumpkin." Ella was waiting for Kit to assume that she was lying, but he just stood there listening intently. "She made footmen from lizards, horses from mice, and she made my beautiful dress and glass slippers. And she said all the magic would run out at midnight so that's why I left early. I still had my glass slipper, but my step-mother found it and broke it and locked me in my room. Then you came and the slipper fit and now I'm here." Once again Ella waited for Kit to call her a liar, but he didn't.
Kit put his arms around her in a protective hug and whispered quietly, "I'm so, so sorry you were treated that way. You will get justice for what they did to you." Ella felt her tears rolling down her cheeks in honor that someone would do something like that for her. She hugged him back even tighter.
"As for your fairy godmother and lizards and pumpkins, I believe you. My father told me told stories about them when I was young. But, no matter what happened to you or what you say, I will love you." He faced her and kissed her hands and then lightly kissed the bruise on her shoulder. Ella felt a slight twinge of pain when he did, but she didn't care. She kissed him lightly on the lips and pulled away a little, but Kit brought back his lips to hers in another one, but this one gave the feeling of safety and security. And in that moment, Ella knew she would be happy because Kit would love her for her. Not a mystery princess, not a servant girl named Cinderella, but both. She was Ella. She was both a princess and servant girl, with happy childhood memories that made her who she was.
