Dear readers,

Firstly, I would like to wish you a wonderful new year.

Once more, I couldn't finish the next chapter so far due to work and health issues. Moreover, there are a few problems with stats these days.
I'm sharing another flashback as a preview of the next episode, so you can enjoy something in the meantime. Please, confirm in the reviews if you can read it. I'm not sure if the website is working properly.

Cinderella and the animals were crossing a small, quiet street with an arch. She was worried about her new friend Mary, who worked at the circus and suffered from performance anxiety, when Charles bumped into her, causing her fall.

'Oh, I'm sorry...', apologized Charles.

'Oh, it's you, Charles...'

'It seems you're always bumping into people...', remarked he.

Cinderella stood up, frowning.

'You're the one that bumped into me', protested she, 'I was thinking about a friend of mine who's having problems and I...'

Cinderella beamed and held both hands.

'Of course!', she exclaimed.

'What do you mean 'of course'?', wondered Charles.

'Come! Follow me!', Cinderella held his hand and led him all the way, followed by Patch, Bingo, Chouchou and Papy.

As Charles insisted to know more about Cinderella's mysterious plan, she stopped by a tailor shop. Unfortunately, the old tailor, who used to dress her father, had retired and she couldn't afford a decent shirt, breeches, and a cape. Nevertheless, the tailor apprentice gave her old, second-hand brown breeches and a pair of leather shoes. Then he gave her a large white cotton shirt and a thick brown fabric filled with patches.

'I'm sorry. This the best we can give you now, Miss... If you had asked earlier, we could be of better assistance', regretted the apprentice.

Cinderella bowed and thanked him with her eyes closed. As she left the shop, she examined the clothes and sighed. Then she raised her head and walked decidedly towards Charles, who was leaning against a tree with his arms crossed and talking to Patch.

'I might need to make some adjustments, but you'll have to try on these clothes. You'll have more privacy outside the city'.

'So, you want to dress me up...', smiled Charles.

Cinderella glanced sideways at him.

'May I know why?', asked he.

'No', drily replied Cinderella as she started to walk.

'I think I should know why...', insisted Charles with his eyes closed.

'Will you walk or not?', protested Cinderella while turning back.

'Yes, Ma'am!', Charles put his right hand behind his head and quickly followed her.

The animals didn't have a clue about her plans either. Yet, they couldn't stop giggling.

Cinderella led them to the same spot where she encouraged Mary to pursue her dream. There the river was very narrow, its banks were filled with flowers, animals and a huge tree provided a fresh shadow.

'Please, try these', asked Cinderella as she passed the clothes to Charles.

'Alright...', Charles peeked at the bag, then he put it in the grass, and began to undress his Bordeaux vest.

Cinderella widened her eyes and turned around.

'I chose this place so you can change clothes behind the tree trunk...', explained she.

'Oh, of course! How silly of me!', laughed Charles as he carried the bag and walked to the other side of the trunk.

Cinderella and the animals were giggling when he added:

'I guess I'm so used to change clothes these days that it comes naturally'.

Cinderella giggled at first. Then she looked a bit puzzled.

'What do you mean?', wondered she.

'Ah… never mind!', discarded Charles' voice.

Cinderella frowned and eventually forgot that, absorbed by the colorful, soothing landscape. Unfortunately, her contemplation didn't last long. Charles soon began complaining about the shirt.

'How should I dress this? I've never seen anything like that!', protested Charles.

'It might be a bit large', guessed Cinderella still reluctant to join him.

'A bit? This is two times my size! And this neckline doesn't make any sense... Come here, please'.

Cinderella joined him as he took off the shirt. It was the first time she glimpsed a male torso live. Charles was so handsome that he reminded her of heroes depicted in paintings and statues. She instantly blushed and looked down. He smiled and passed the shirt to her. Then she examined the shirt and gently put in on Charles as he gazed at her. It was extremely large and strange, indeed. Cinderella giggled and he frowned.

'I guess we can fix this...', smiled she.

Cinderella took some ropes from the bag and used them to tie the shirt around the waist and the sleeves. Then she put on the brown fabric filled with patches and tied it with a knot on Charles' chest. When she finished it, Charles watched his reflection in the river.

'So, I guess your game is over now...', frowned Charles with his arms crossed.

'Not actually... I need you to help a friend of mine in the city', Cinderella laughed with her eyes closed.

Charles widened his eyes.

'What? Do you want me to cross the city like this?'

Charles was grumpy all the way, and he still felt like a scarecrow as Cinderella approached Mary near the Circus. He suddenly changed when Cinderella introduced him as the prince. Charles widened his eyes. Once he understood that Cinderella intended it to be staged, he sighed of relief.

When Mary fell in despair, unsure about her performance, Charles kneeled before her, taught her a magic sign the prince used in his most stressful moments. He was so understanding and charming that Mary called him 'my prince'. At that moment, Cinderella couldn't help but feeling slightly jealous. Above all, she and the animals were very surprised by such gentle words that provided the encouragement Mary needed.

At the end of the afternoon, Charles, Cinderella and the animals returned to the same tree where Charles had changed clothes. On their way back, Cinderella didn't know how to start...

'I really don't know how to thank you. You exceeded all my expectations', smiled Cinderella.

Charles smiled.

'You know... If you had told me about my role in first place, I would have suggested you a red costume and a yellow cape. I heard the prince usually wears a red uniform'.

'Oh, yes... Now that you mentioned it... He was wearing a dark red costume in the forest... He almost shot my sister', recalled Cinderella.

'Don't tell me!'

'Yes...'

'What a brute!'

'Oh, no... it was not on purpose... he was hunting, but that proves my point about hunting.

Charles smiled and pondered the next question for a while.

'And what did you think of the prince?'

'Oh, he was a bit distant, but a ray of sunshine fell upon him. He was truly handsome...', smiled Cinderella with shiny eyes.

Then Cinderella paused and turned around, smiling tenderly at Charles.

'Well, it would be great if you wore similar clothes, but you played the part like no one... Quite frankly, I know this is impossible, but I wish there was a prince who spoke like you... with such passion and humanity and addressed humble people like Mary and me'.

Charles beamed and gazed so deeply at her that Cinderella blushed and looked down, slightly embarrassed.

'I wish that such a prince existed, too,' agreed Charles.

They smiled at each other and continued their path.