Cindered

Chapter 8

The dimly lit maze of flowers and shrubbery glittered as Cinderella's slippered feet wandered along the garden path. Coming upon the fountain where she had first talked with Prince Edmund, she looked around; there was no one. Not knowing when exactly the Prince had meant for them to meet, Cinderella sat down on the fountains edge to wait.

She kicked some gravel lightly with her flat-soled shoes and sighed. "You are being so foolish," she spoke quietly to herself. "What if they catch you?.. there's no use getting your hopes up.. as if the prince wants anything more than a confidant... and even that would be a stretch." Twisting her fingers nervously, Cinderella realized for the first time since she had arrived at the castle that prince Edmund seemed to have no friends.

Cinderella's left side started to warm and a periwinkle glow proceeded the Fairy Godmother's presence, sitting on the fountain beside the girl. "Good evening," she smiled. "Waiting for the prince, are we?"

The young girl nodded. "He asked me to meet him tonight. Only... I'm not positive exactly when."

Godmother gave a small laugh, "He will be here, my dear, don't worry." She glanced at Cinderella and, seeing her hopeless expression, wrapped an arm around the girls frail shoulders and pulled her into a hug meant for comfort.

Cinderella sighed and let her head rest on her Godmother's shoulder. "Am I doomed, Godmother?"

"Why, whatever do you mean?" was the reply.

"I feel that there is no way out of my life as a servant to people who should have been my family... Doomed to stand away and watch the Prince marry Drizella... How could he ever believe it was me that night?" All her fears spilled out into the evening air and hung like thick spider webs.

"My child," began Godmother with a confidant air. "You must have faith that, in the end, everything that is meant to be will be. Just have patience... give it time."

Cinderella removed her head from her godmother's shoulder and signed. "I just wish I knew what to do."

Another smile played across Godmother's lips. "Simple, so simple." She touched Cinderella's face and looked into her eyes. "All you have to do is listen. Listen and all will be fine." And without another word, Godmother exited in her way, with a wink.

A shuffling made Cinderella jump and when the prince appeared from the opposite end of the path leading from the fountain, she stood and gave a small bow.

Edmund held up his right hand and frowned warily. "You don't have to..."

"I'm sorry," she responded, sitting back upon the fountain's edge.

Edmund came over and sat next to her. "Were you talking just now? I thought I heard someone speaking."

A momentary flicker of fear rushed through Cinderella, for who could explain a fairy godmother? "I... I was wondering why you wanted to meet."

It was not a lie, she had been wondering all day. Some of the most absurd reasons, she thought, were racing around in her head. The most absurd being that the prince had fallen for her and had wanted to meet in order to denounce Drizella and declare his love.

"I like talking to you." He said simply. "You've probably noticed that I have no friends... There hasn't been one person that I've felt comfortable being around just the way we are now. But since you came to the castle..." All this time he had been facing forward and speaking to the ground, but now he turned to look at her. "From the moment I saw you the day you arrived, I felt like I already knew you. Like we had met before. There is some sort of connection. Do you understand?"

Once again he had put her into an impossible situation where all she wanted was to tell him it was her, not Drizella, who had danced with him at the ball. And why did he insist on asking practically every time they spoke to each other? Cinderella felt she might develop an ulcer from anxiety. Too afraid to open her mouth and risk what truths might slip out, she shook her head and shrugged before looking away.

But Edmund, who was frowning again, continued to gaze at her. After a moment, though, he sighed and faced the ground once more. "I must admit my regret for being engaged to Drizella."

"Your highness?" She asked, surprised.

"Please, call me Edmund... at least when we are alone." He said, still looking down. "I don't care what anyone says... I've had my doubts from the beginning that she was the girl I danced with that night. It just doesn't feel right... The girl that night was so beautiful, her hair was different than Drizella's." He seemed to be talking more to himself than to Cinderella. "When I think about it, I can still remember the way she felt in my arms as we danced."

Cinderella's heart fluttered. She also remembered... the way his arm felt wrapped around her waist, his other hand in hers, looking into his eyes from behind the mask she wore. She would give anything to go back to that.

"Cinderella," the sound of her name coming from his lips brought her back to the present. Edmund looked at her now. "I don't know what to do."

"Have you spoken to the King or Queen about how you feel?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No... I don't think that would go very well. The reason for the ball in the first place was for me to find a girl to marry... If I back out of the engagement now it'll only make them angry."

"But surely their son's happiness is more important than a marriage...?" She asked.

"I would like to believe that."

Cinderella frowned. From passing moments with both the king and queen, they seemed like very nice people. She was surprised that they would not want their son to be happy above all else. "I'm sorry, Edmund. I wish I could help."

He smiled at her. "It helps just to be able to have a friend to talk to."

She smiled back. "It is nice." The smile on Edmund's face grew bigger, making Cinderella feel a little self-conscious. "What?" She asked.

"Nothing, I was just thinking..." He paused. "You have a very nice smile."

Cinderella felt blood rush to her cheeks and looked down at the ground, speaking softly. "You flatter a plain servant, your Highness."

"Hm, we're back to the formalities I see?" Edmund frowned to himself then half joked, "I should probably get back before they realize I'm gone and send out an unnecessary search party". Cinderella followed his lead as the prince stood from the fountain's edge and turned to look at her. "Can you promise to continue to be my friend, Cinderella, lowly servant as you are?" He joked again, a playful look in his eyes.

She laughed and curtsied to him, also being playful. "I promise, your most royal of highnesses." This time Edmund laughed, and he continued to laugh as he said goodbye and walked down the path back towards the palace. After he was out of sight, Cinderella, feeling her heart fluttering, skipped back to her room.