I found myself in a small room, near a fireplace. I looked around, and realized I was in a bucket of water. I recognized the girl tending the fire almost immediately. Cinderella. She hummed to herself, as she added more wood to the fire, and stood up, brushing the soot from her clothes as best she could. She was humming a familiar tune, though I couldn't place it, yet. Finally, I realized it was the song about Nightingales she sang when she washed the steps.
I pulled myself completely from the bucket when her back was turned I looked at the bucket, and wondered how I had ever fit inside it. My hair was dripping on the floor, and Cinderella turned at the noise of the water hitting the wood. She gasped in surprise to see me there.
"Where did you come from?"
"That bucket of water."
She went to the bucket, and put her hand in. She obviously hit the bottom, and then looked at me suspiciously. Well, she definitely didn't believe me. Hey, if I were her, I wouldn't believe me.
"How did you get in there?'
"I don't know."
"You'd better leave. My step-mother and step-sisters are out buying clothes for the ball, but they could be back any time."
"I'm not afraid of them." I proclaimed.
"Well, I am. Will you please go?'
I headed for the bucket, and put one foot in. I was afraid I was going to hit the bottom, but somehow, my foot passed right through it. I put the other foot in, and sunk straight down. Soon, only my head was still in Cinderella's kitchen. She gazed at me in amazement.
"If you're that good at hiding, maybe you can stay."
"I'll hide in the stable, with the horse and your dog."
"Okay. For now, you can stay and talk with me. Tell me where you're from."
I climbed out of the bucket again, and sat on a stool near the fireplace. I knew I'd get soot all over me, but I didn't much care.
"Okay. Well, I'm from a place far away, I think. I live in the water. Actually, I'm a mermaid."
"A what?"
"A mermaid. I have the upper body of a human, and the tail of a fish, instead of legs."
"I see only regular legs."
"That's only when I'm above water."
"That's strange."
"I know."
"What's your name?"
"Morgan Ellen Prinze."
"Mine's Cinderella."
"I know."
"How would you know my name?"
"I know a lot of things."
"Like what?"
"You dream of going to the ball, and your step-mother told you that it would be alright if you did, as long as you finish your chores, and find a suitable dress."
"Yes."
"I also know that you're planning to work on your Mother's dress, but you
haven't found the time."
"Yes."
"The mice will do it for you, but you must pretend it's a surprise."
"Lovely."
"But, your step-sisters will tear it apart, because it will be made with some of their things."
"Oh no!"
"Yes, but, your fairy God-mother will appear and make things right again."
"That's utter nonsense. I have no such fairy God-mother."
"Oh, but you do." A voice said, and suddenly there was smoke in the air. A little woman appeared, and she smiled at Cinderella and I.
"Hello dearies."
Cinderella was spooked, and it took quite a bit of convincing before she believed it was indeed her fairy God-mother.
"Now, I'm curious, how did you end up here, Morgan?"
"I'm trying to find my way back, and I keep getting lost. And, I keep ending up in places like this."
"I know quite well. I've been watching you, hoping you wouldn't pick our land to show up in. Well, now that you're here, I supposed you'll cause mischief, and then leave?"
"I suppose." I giggled nervously.
"Well, that can't be helped, but when you're through, I'll send you back so that you and Matt can spend some time together before school starts again. Then, I'll go about fixing the messes you've made."
"Thank you."
"Hello! Can you please explain to me just what is going on here?" Cinderella demanded.
"Well, all that concerns you is that you will be in a bit of a jam soon. I'll see you then." Her God-mother disappeared in a puff of smoke. Cinderella looked at me, completely confused.
"You really should get some sleep. You're awfully tired."
"Yes, I suppose I am." she yawned, and wandered from the fireplace, looking more confused than ever. I giggled and went to the stables, where I curled up in the hay.

The next morning when I awoke, Cinderella came out to check on me while feeding the animals.
"Oh, you're still here. I thought it was a dream, because I couldn't find you. I figured you had either left, or I had imagined everything."
"You didn't imagine it. I just figured it wouldn't do for me to sleep near the
fireplace, especially since your step-sisters and step-mother were going to be home soon. Boy were they noisy when they got back.."
"Okay. So, you decided to sleep in the stables?"
"Yeah, the hay is soft."
"I know, I've spent many nights out here when my step-mother decides I need to be punished."
"I can't believe they could be that cruel." I thought about what I had just said. "On second thought, maybe I can believe it."
"Well, did you sleep well?" She asked, changing the subject.
"Not exactly. The mice were talking to me all night long. Oh, Jaque is such a chatter-box."
"I know."
"I finally fell asleep, and they shut up I suppose."
"Actually, they came to bug me."
"I should have known they wouldn't give up that easily." I said, smiling wryly. She giggled, and agreed enthusiastically.
"CINDERELLA!" I heard someone shout from the house.
"That's my cue." she sang, and scurried off.
I looked around the stable. I could tell that at one time they must have owned a great many horses, and her father must have had a lot of money. The stables were nice, and very big. I wondered how he had died. It was never actually mentioned, as far as I knew, in the movie. Maybe I would ask before I left.
Cinderella came back out a while later, telling me that her step-mother and step-sisters were out looking for more suitable clothing, because after a night's rest, they had decided that the clothing they picked out the day before was too common. I laughed. "Yeah, that sounds like them."
"So, tell me about where you're from."
I told her all about the caves, and the under-water world where I was visiting, and all about the caves that led me here. It was more than I had admitted to any of the others so far, and I wondered if maybe it was a bad idea?
While we talked, I braided her hair, and tried out some of the styles that Mommy had done on my hair, and she looked in the mirror, claiming that I could do this professionally.
"I have a brilliant idea!" I exclaimed. "I could fix your step-mother and step-sisters hair. Tell them it's the latest fashion, and maybe they'll be so happy that they'll let you go to the ball after all."
"Maybe." She said, though she sounded unsure.

I figured out pretty soon why she sounded so unsure. If I had disliked the girls when I saw the movie, it was nothing in comparison of how felt when I met them
face-to-face. They sneered.
"What kind of hair-dresser are you? Obviously Cinderella made a horrible choice in choosing you. What did we expect from someone so lazy and stupid?"
My fists clenched, and I gritted my teeth. I pretended not to take offense at their comments, and noticed that they didn't tell me to leave, instead they sat in their chairs.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Prove us wrong." Anastasia shouted. I tried to block out the screeching voice. I wondered how anyone with my Mother's name could be so horrible.
I styled their hair, and when I was done, even they had to admit that I was good. I had tried styles that were from my mother's generation, but were literally decades ahead of their time. They loved them, and preened in front of the mirrors. I had to admit, even they could look good with the right hairdo's.
Cinderella smiled from the doorway, and her step-mother beamed her approval.
"Okay. you will fix my daughter's hair when it comes time. Until then, I'd like you to stick around. Maybe you could help Cinderella with her chores?"
I nodded in agreement. Cinderella hid a smile behind her hand. I put the chairs back where they belonged, and went to go help wash the floors.

The day of the ball, the sisters were so nervous, they ran around the house like chickens with their heads cut off. I finally convinced them that I was going to need them to sit still, because if they didn't I could never manage to fix their hair. Anastasia demanded to go first, and Drisella said it was just as well, because she wasn't done fixing her outfit yet. I thought they both looked silly in their fancy dresses. They looked no better than if they were wearing potato sacks, but their hairdo's turned out fantastic, if I do say so myself.
When Cinderella came downstairs wearing her mother's dress, her awful
step-sisters immediately tore it apart. Cinderella was left standing there, with barley
anything on. She shivered as a cold draft blew in. Her step-sisters flounced their skirts, and left in a huff. Cinderella went to the garden to cry.
"I warned you, didn't I?'
"I know. They're so horrible."
Her fairy God-mother showed up, and started getting everything together. I asked was there any way I could go to the ball as well? She said yes, and when the clock struck midnight, I would be instantly transported back to the cave. I'd be right at the spot where Matt and I parted. I hugged her, and thanked her profusely, then it was Cinderella's turn.
As we climbed into the carriage, we waved until we could see her no more. I laughed at how excited I was. Cinderella looked gorgeous in her white ball gown. Mine, once again, was forest green. I know there must be something about that color. I smoothed my skirt and laughed nervously. I had never been to a ball before, and I didn't really know how to waltz. What was I going to do?
I needn't have worried. It was a movie. I naturally knew how to waltz. I danced once with the Prince, but he was eager to dance with Cinderella, and once he did, he didn't leave her side.
At a quarter till midnight, the Prince announced his plans to marry the girl.
Cinderella smiled happily. I watched in delight as they danced, their first dance as an
engaged couple. Suddenly, the Prince's younger brother was at my side. He asked if I
cared to dance. I smiled. He looked so much like Matt. I accepted, and we whirled around the dance floor, feeling as though we were walking on air. I imagined that it was Matt in my arms. I wondered if we would ever dance like this?
We spun, and I laughed giddily. I knew my time left here was short, because the clock was going to strike midnight in only a few minutes. I looked into the eyes of the young Prince, as he told me that he really liked me.
As the clock struck midnight, I felt myself being.... pulled. I watched as the colors around me started to fade. I quickly kissed the younger prince, and then all the colors became one. I was in the cave again.