I couldn't suppress a yawn the next morning as I prepared the breakfast trays.

I was running late today. It was just as well stepmother and the girls had been out later than me and were still in bed - where they would likely stay until high noon after an outing like last night.

As I came into the hallway though, I noticed Drisella's door was open. Peering inside I saw the bed was empty, and the curtains drawn back.

Odd I thought to myself as I left her breakfast tray on her bedside table. It wasn't like the girls to be out of bed this early on any day, let alone the day after a grand ball at the palace.

Not thinking too much more of it in my sleepy state, I moved on to Anastasia's room. I could hear stepmother talking

'The one who lost her slipper at the ball last night, they say he's madly in love with her!'

I smiled a small smile, that was me they were talking about and they had no idea.. But wait, who was supposedly madly in love with me? I only danced with that one man, the correspondent.

'The grand duke?' Anastasia's sleepy voice asked.

'No no no, the prince!' stepmother exclaimed.

My eyes widened as that tidbit of information seeped into my sleepy brain.

'The. Prince,' I gasped softly, dropping the breakfast tray in the doorway with a loud crash as the crockery smashed and the tea and porridge started soaking into the carpet.

Stepmother turned and gasped at me, scolding me by the tone of her voice, but I wasn't paying attention to her words, I was still processing.

It wasn't an important correspondent that I was dancing with all of last night. It was the prince.

How had I missed that last night? His courtly manners, his being away on important business, why, he even mentioned his father parading women for him to choose a wife from. What other kingdom dignitary would do that to his son?

I slowly knelt to clean up my mess, listening intently as Stepmother and the girls discussed what the grand duke had been doing since the early hours of the morning.

Apparently the only clue they had to my identity was the slipper I left behind. I still had the other one hidden in a drawer up in my quarters. The Grand Duke had been visiting all the households in the Kingdom that had attended last nights ball, and was trying the slipper on every eligible maiden.

'If one can be found whom the slipper fits, then, by the kings command, that girl shall be the princes bride!' Stepmother was saying now.

'Bride,' I breathed the word – barely a whisper. I grappled with the idea that the man I had spent a scant two and a half hours with last night was already so in love with me that he wanted to marry me. It seemed impossible. But the way my heart was thrumming in my chest told me I felt the same. An indescribable joy warmed my heart as I realised that I was loved, not only loved but in love.

While I was sorting this out in my head and heart, Drisella and Anastasia had burst to life, clamoring around the room throwing piles of laundry and mending and ironing at me.

I however remained still, basking in the warmth of newly discovered love, remembering being in the princes arms last night, walking hand in hand and drinking in the moonlit night together. Delighted shivers ran up my spine as I recalled our near kiss, and the smell of his cologne.

My imagination then took off into a future, where we would share many romantic walks. I imagined the small, dark haired children that we would have and what a wonderful father he would be. A dreamy smile came to my face as the pile of clothing in my arms became larger and larger.

'Wake up stupid!' the shrill cry cut through my daydream

'Y-y-y-yeah, we've got to get dressed!'

I looked blankly over at my stepsisters, then down at my usual drab attire.

'Dressed,' I repeated.

I absently handed over the laundry to Anastasia and walked out of the room.

'I must get dressed, it would never to for the Grand Duke to see me like this…'

I wandered in a daze up to my quarters, memories from the previous night bringing a smile to my face and a dance to my step as I walked the many stairs before finally reaching my room.

My little mice friends waved at me excitedly as I grabbed a brush and started brushing my hair, humming one of the songs from last night.

I realized, a moment too late, that they weren't waving in excitement, but warning as my stepmother's silhouette blackened my doorway for a brief moment before she withdrew the key and locked me in.

My heart sank right down to my toes, and miserable nausea welled up in my gut as I realized that I would not be reunited with my Prince, my love.

'No!' I cried, rushing towards the door, but it was too late. Tears welled up in my eyes as I tugged and pulled on the handle. This couldn't happen!

'No please!' I begged, 'please you cant do this to me! You cant!'

Stepmother said nothing, and I heard her steps disappearing down the stairs.

Devastated, I could not hold in the sobs building up in my chest. How was I ever going to meet my Prince again if I couldn't try on my slipper?

'No, please!' I cried out to no one in particular. I barely noticed Jack and Gus scurrying under the door as I wept, my heart withering within me as my dreams shattered.


AN:

Thanks again for reading guys! I'm so glad that you are enjoying this story! I am enjoying writing it :)

Thanks so much to those who take the time to review! It really encourages me to keep writing, so please keep it up. Also if you think there is something I need to improve on, I would love the feedback..

Until next time!

KC