Chapter 10: Finding the Girl that fits the Slipper

The next morning, Aqua was in very lively spirits. Her night at the ball was just the recharge she needed. She was so happy she could wash all the laundry in an hour.

"Aqua?" Larxene asked from the entrance of the chateau. "Aqua? Aqua? Oh where is that girl?"

"What?" Aqua asked.

"My daughters, where are they?" Larxene asked.

"I think they're still in bed." Aqua said.

"Oh." Larxene groaned. "Well don't stand there gawking, child! Bring up the breakfast trays at once, and hurry!"

"Okay." Aqua said. Larxene really needed to relax.

"I wonder what's going on." Sora said.

"Me too." Riku said.

"Me three." Aqua said to herself as she got the breakfast trays ready.

()()()()()

In Rikku's bedroom, Larxene practically threw the door open.

"RIkku!" Larxene called out. "RIKKU!"

"No Mommy, I don't wanna go to the horse races." Rikku said sleepily before Larxene shook her awake. "What?"

"Get up this instant!" Larxene said as she pulled open the shades and nearly blinded Rikku. "We haven't a moment to lose."

Larxene then walked into Yuna's room.

"Yuna?" Larxene asked. "Yuna?"

Larxene violently shook Yuna awake.

"Get up, Yuna!" Larxene said agitatedly.

"Oh, the silver mice are eating all the cheese!" Yuna said with a start as she woke up. "Oh. Hi Mom. What's up?"

"Everyone in the kingdom's talking about it!" Larxene said as she pulled back the drapes. "Hurry now, they'll be here any minute!"

"Who will?" Rikku asked with a yawn as she scratched her rear end.

"The grand duke and his ward!" Larxene explained impatiently. "They've been hunting all night."

"Hunting for what?" Yuna asked with a yawn as she sluggishly got out of bed.

"For that girl!" Larxene snapped. "The one who lost her slipper at the ball last night. They say he's madly in love with her."

"The duke?" Yuna asked. "Seems kind of old for her."

"No, no, no!" Larxene said angrily. "The prince!"

"The prince?" Aqua's voice said as there was a sudden crash.

Larxene turned around to see a shocked Aqua standing there with the ruins of the trays and dishes laying there.

"You clumsy oaf!" Larxene shouted. She'd never understand how her last husband could handle the girl. "Clean that up now and then help my daughters dress!"

"What for?" Rikku sighed. "Prince Drew already decided that he's going to marry whoever he danced with last night."

Rikku and Yuna then snuggled into Yuna's bed and went back to sleep. Larxene lost her temper and pulled the covers off as both girls felt it and shielded their behinds with their hands.

"Now listen you two!" Larxene snapped. "No one, not even Prince Drew, knows who that girl is. The only clue is that glass slipper. The Grand Duke Hayner has been ordered to try the slipper on every girl in the kingdom, and if the slipper fits, than by the king's command, that girl will be Prince Drew's bride.

"His bride." Larxene heard Aqua breathe.

"HIS BRIDE?" Rikku and Yuna asked as they jumped out of bed.

"Aqua, get my pink cocktail dress!" Rikku snapped. "I can't get engaged to the prince in my sleep in jammies!"

"Never mind her!" Yuna shouted back. "Help me find my purple tube top and skirt!"

Yuna and Rikku both began talking at once and piled clothes after clothes on Aqua's arms, but the girl seemed to have become a doll. She just stood there smiling like an idiot.

"What's the matter with her?" Yuna asked.

"Wake up stupid!" Rikku snapped. "We need to get ready for the duke!"

"Get ready for the duke?" Aqua asked. "Oh yeah. We've gotta get ready for the duke."

Aqua then handed Yuna the bundle of clothes and walked off in the direction of her bedroom.

"Did she lose her marbles?" Yuna asked as she pulled out her chosen outfit and tossed the bundle to Rikku.

"Hey!" Rikku snapped. "What's wrong with Aqua today? She hasn't been this out of it since her old man gave her that stupid puppy."

"Quiet!" Larxene said quickly as she listened. Aqua was humming the waltz from the ball, and she noticed the way Aqua was moving, exactly how the girl who danced with the prince had. She understood now. Aqua had obviously hid a dress and simply gone to the ball after them… Somehow. She had always disliked Aqua. The girl was ruined by that foolish man she'd married, playing with filthy horses and dogs like any common peasant, so that was way Larxene treated her like a peasant, because she was one. She wouldn't let a country bumpkin like her ruin her daughters' chance at riches and a respectable life for a woman. She knew what she had to do.

()()()()()

"What's she gonna do?" Riku asked as he and Sora watched Larxene follow Aqua up the stairs.

"Shh!" Sora said. "I don't know, but we've gotta get up there fast."

Sora and Riku then jumped into a mouse hole and rushed upwards.

()()()()()

Aqua couldn't believe it. She was going to marry the man of her dreams. She didn't care that it was Prince Drew. She would have been happy if he was simply the palace's stable boy. He dreams were finally about to come true.

I can't wait to see Drew again. Aqua thought when she realized she was already referring to Drew as Drew instead of Prince Drew. Well, she guessed that was natural seeing as how they were going to be spending the rest of their lives together.

In her room, Aqua was combing her hair when Sora and Riku rushed in.

"Aqua!" Robin called out. "Aqua!"

"Get outta here!" Riku called out.

After they got on her vanity, Aqua noticed them at last.

"What's wrong?" Aqua asked.

Aqua then looked in the mirror and saw Larxene closing the door. Aqua rushed to keep it open, but it was too late. Not only did Larxene close the door, but she locked it, and there was no other way out of the tower except by flying out, and Aqua knew that there was no way in heaven or on earth to do that.

"No please!" Aqua begged Larxene. "You can't do this! Let me out! YOU CAN'T KEEP ME IN HERE!"

()()()()()

Sora and Riku crawled out from under the door and watched as Larxene walked off.

"Why that jerk!" Riku called out. "She can't do that to Aqua!"

"Calm down, Riku." Sora said. "Getting squished by that old hag isn't the answer."

"Well we have to do something!" Riku protested.

"I know." Sora said. "We have to get that key, Riku. We just have to get that key."

Chaos dose not own Cinderella or kingdom hearts, but she owns Iris, Surane belongs to SuraneSpiral, Hikari belongs to WingBladeWeaver1357, and Drew belongs to RedDiEnd.