Cinderella was tucked into the Prince's side and sleeping peacefully on his shoulder when she opened her eyes the next morning. Charles nuzzled into her hair and sighed in his sleep. She tried to move without waking him but he tightened his grip and rolled over onto her.
"Where do you think you're going?" He asked, kissing her smudged face as she giggled.
Outside the town clock chimed seven am. It was the latest she had slept in years. He laid his own ash covered face on her chest and she held him to her, stroking his hair.
"What happens now?" She asked with her eyes closed.
He turned and rested his chin to look at her, "Now we go meet my father."
She bit the lower side of her lip nervously, "What if he doesn't like me?"
"Not possible," He chuckled. He kissed her again a wave of desire running through them both when they heard the front door and a chorus of voices. They both froze, snapping back to reality.
"Cinderella!" They called.
"Where is that girl?" Lady Tremaine asked annoyed.
"Probably still sulking in her room," Anastasia suggested.
"Can you believe the nerve? A servant with the Prince! Ridiculous." Drizella agreed.
"I can't believe the King wasn't more upset when we informed him. Check the kitchen," Lady Tremaine ordered her daughters'; "We need to have a chat about last night's events."
Charles scrambled to pull his pants back on while Cinderella looked around for something to wear. He tossed her his shirt and she threw it on over her head. Grabbing his other clothing and shoving him in the closet again she didn't have time to hide as well when she heard footsteps on the stairs. Throwing everything in with him she closed the door a little too loudly.
"There you are!" Anastasia hissed, "What are you wearing?"
"Who do you think you are?" yelled Drizella, "trying to steal the Prince and now you don't even do your job? You didn't even get the door for us when we arrived!"
"Do you know he disappeared after your little embarrassing display? The entire ball was ruined!"
"I should say so! The Prince was surly going to pick me before you wrecked everything!"
Charles cringed at the very idea and clapped his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing when Cinderella replied, "Somehow I doubt that."
Her stepsisters' mouths dropped. Cinderella had never actually spoken back to them.
"How dare you speak to us like-"
"Like what?" She interrupted, finally feeling bold enough to speak her mind, "Like two spoiled brats? Because you are, in case you didn't know."
Charles beamed with pride from his hiding spot as Cinderella straightened, holding her head high.
"Why you little-"
"Wait until mother hears about this!" The stepsisters yelled as they ran back up the steps calling for Lady Tremaine. When they were gone she ran back to let the Prince out and he burst through the door, kissing her excitedly.
"Let's get out of here." She laughed between kisses.
The sound of Lady Tremaine's shoes on the stairs made her jump and close him back in the cabinet. The upper door was closed behind her and Cinderella heard the door lock above her head. Slowly her stepmother appeared in the doorway.
"Well, it seems we've gotten ahead of ourselves." She said with an eerie calm. The hair on Cinderella's rose at the sound. Despite her brave face she was terrified of the woman. She had witnessed firsthand how cruel she could be. The older woman's eyes narrowed as she took in her appearance. Charles shirt stopped halfway down her thigh and her hair was loose around her shoulders. "Are you still having delusions about his highness?"
"I'm not the one with delusions." She replied firmly.
Lady Tremaine walked to her slowly, circling around like a shark as she looked her up and down. "Do you know why I turned you into a maid?"She shook her head, afraid to move, "Because my family was born to rule."
Cinderella looked over her shoulder at her, "What does that have to do with me?"
She smiled with all the warmth of a viper and she reached out and touched her hair gently. "Because you've always been too pretty for your own good. Beauty is like a virus when it comes to men. It infects them, keeps them from thinking straight." With a yank she pulled her head back and looked down into Cinderella's face. Charles fumbled with the door and found that it didn't open from the inside. "I always knew you would get in the way."
Cinderella breathed slowly in the awkward angle as she asked, "What really bothers you? That I'm a threat, or that it was no contest?"
Her step mother threw her to the floor. With a glance at the closet she shook her head, praying Charles saw through the cracks. He held off, but watched closely.
"You're a fool girl. You've always been a little fool." She grabbed a larger hand full of her hair and snapped her head back again. She looked at her, almost motherly for a moment, "Did he sleep with you?"
"What?"
"Don't play stupid. Did he sleep with you?"Cinderella narrowed her eyes, refusing to answer. "Well then, I don't need to worry. He's surly gotten what he wanted. Now he will leave you like the whore you are."
"I wouldn't be so certain." She yelped when the back of her stepmothers hand came across her face, whipping her head to the side. The Prince was about to kick the door open when Cinderella motioned for him to wait. He didn't know how much more of this he could watch.
"Your father spoiled you rotten!" She spat, "Always fawning over you."
"Leave him out of this!"
Lady Tremaine took a step as if to hit her again but stopped when she heard knocking of the door upstairs and shouts of, "Mother! The Grand Duke! He's here!"
Straightening she composed herself and locked the kitchen door, taking the keys with her. "We are not finished." She told her sternly before slamming the upper door and locking it again. She ran to the cabinet and threw herself into the Princes arms.
"Are you okay?" He asked, gripping her protectively.
"I'm fine, just a little shaken." She breathed.
"Why did you keep telling me to wait?" He growled.
"I didn't know if it would just make things worse."
He looked down into her face and said firmly, "I won't watch that again."
She nodded, stepping back again and searching the room for a way out. The windows didn't open and the door outside was too solid to shoulder.
"I've had enough of this," Charles announced as he went up to the top of the steps and threw himself into the thinner door until it opened.
"Charles!" Cinderella whispered, "The Grand Duke is here! He can't see us like this!"
The Prince shook his head. "I'm tired of this game, Ella. I have the right to choose my wife after the ball, and I don't care what anyone thinks."
She smiled at him feeling her stomach flip flop at his words. They could both hear the Grand Duke explain that the slipper was currently being tried on every maiden in the kingdom. They hoped to find the girl from the night before and find out where the Prince had gone.
Both sisters started arguing over who would try the shoe on first, insisting it was them. Rolling his eyes Charles stepped out, wearing only pants and his boots, clearing his throat. "That won't be necessary, your grace."
The Duke looked him over, shocked by his half naked, and soot covered appearance, "Your highness! Where have you been?"
Lady Tremaine's mouth dropped as she realized he must have been here the whole time while the other two girls raced over to him, begging him to remember them from the night before.
"Oh I remember you perfectly well. Do you honestly think I would confuse you with Ella?" He snapped at them, not even trying to be kind.
"Ella?" Drizella asked in disgusted, "You mean Cinderella? You must be mistaken!"
"Yes you're highness," Anastasia insisted,"She's just the maid!"
"Indeed, Sir, she's just an imaginative child!" The stepmother had composed herself and was giving him an oily smile. "I'm not sure what she told you but you must have been confused."
He took a threatening step toward her and balled his fists, "Believe me madam, I heard everything loud and clear."
The woman sputtered, unable to hide her surprise. Both stepsisters began protesting asking their mother to stop what was happening.
"Sire whoever you are talking about must try on the slipper."
He looked at the Grand Duke in amazement, "Are you kidding?"
He held up his hands, "King's orders, Sir."
With a shrug he ducked back into the hallway and scooped Cinderella up, still wearing nothing but his shirt. When he emerged the sisters gasped while the Duke blushed and turned away.
"I can walk," She mumbled to him softly. He ignored her, setting her down on a chair.
"Shoe?" He asked, pleased by the dumbstruck faces in the room. Fumbling the Duke did his best to give him the shoe without looking over at the young lady. Kneeling down in front of her Cinderella sat forward.
"Your highness I can do it!"
He looked at her face blankly, "I'm sorry I didn't hear you."
Shaking her head she sat back with a laugh, holding her foot out and gesturing to it dramatically "As you wish, Charming."
Eyes never leaving her face he slid the shoe onto her foot, fitting perfectly as they both knew it would. There was a chorus of cries from the sisters, but neither heard any of them. Prince Charming swept the Princess of Cinders into his arms and carried her off. Neither looked back as the carriage pulled away.