Sanzorella

Chapter 5

She could feel the prince's warm breath caressing her cheek. Sanzorella watched as the prince's face inched closer and closer to hers. When his lips nearly grazed hers, she quickly turned her face and said, "It's a full moon tonight."

Prince Hakkai's eyes fluttered open. "Wh-what?" he started to ask but was interrupted by the loud chime of the tower clock. Sanzorella immediately turned to look at the looming clock tower in the distance. The clock had struck 12.

"I have to go," Sanzorella said curtly and walked off.

"Matte! Matte kudasai!" Prince Hakkai called after her but Sanzorella just kept walking and then broke into a run. She heard Prince Hakkai's steps trying to catch up with her.

Damn this gown and slippers! Sanzorella kept on running, ignoring the curious stares of those inside the ball room. She could feel her stepmother's eyes on her and could just imagine the woman with an evil smirk on her face. Sanzorella heard the prince bellowing for her to wait. Upon reaching the staircase, she quickly took off her glass slippers and ran up. She was quite breathless when she reached the top and then quickly descended down another staircase to the main entrance. Stupid staircases! Sanzorella could not help fuming. She still could hear the poor prince asking her to stop.

"Miss Sanzorella, hurry!" Dokugakuji was already waiting for her at the entrance. Summoning every ounce of strength, Sanzorella tore down towards the waiting footman and together, they raced towards the waiting carriage. "Step on it, Lirin!" Dokugakuji ordered.

"Hai…" came the driver's reply.

As the carriage began to move, Sanzorella looked out from her carriage and saw the prince still chasing after her. Doesn't he know when to give up? Baka! Sanzorella glanced at the glass slippers in her hands and got an idea. She turned to look at the prince and hurled a glass slipper to him before the carriage finally picked up speed and rode away like lightning into the darkness.

King Kougaiji and Queen Yaone could not stop worrying. It was already 9 am in the morning, eight hours since the ball ended but their son had been sitting all alone at the terrace, refusing to talk to anyone and merely gazing at the glass slipper in his hands. He was still in the same clothes, only rumpled and his hair in disarray.

"Hakkai, please talk to us. Tell us…what can we do?" Queen Yaone begged, her brown eyes filled with concern.

But Prince Hakkai still refused to open his mouth and talked. He merely gestured with his eyes towards the glass slipper in his hands. King Kougaiji circled his wife's slim waist and Queen Yaone buried her head into her husband's chest and began sobbing.

"Hush, my love. Hakkai will be alright!" the king assured his lovely wife. He looked down at his son and could understand his son's pain. If Yaone was to ever leave him…. King Kougaiji shuddered at the thought. "Let us just leave him for a while. He will soon come to his senses."

After his parents left, Prince Hakkai was visited by his personal bodyguard. "Hakkai-sama, do you need me to scout the land in search of a blond woman who fits that glass slipper?"

Prince Hakkai slowly turned his head towards the bodyguard. The tall, lean man with an eye patch over his right eye looked at the prince expectantly. "Yes, that will do, Zenon. Have the search proclaimed immediately. We will set out first thing tomorrow morning."

"Sanzorella, is my breakfast done yet?" Lady Gojyo yawned loudly as she entered the dining room.

The kitchen was filled with the aroma of freshly baked cookies. After placing a plate of cookies on the breakfast tray, Sanzorella then brought it to the dining room where Lady Gojyo was waiting in her yellow, satin nightgown. The widow immediately snatched a cookie and began chewing while staring at Sanzorella who was waiting by the edge of the table.

"I had fun last night," Lady Gojyo started.

Good for you! Like I care! Sanzorella just remained silent.

"The prince was so good looking. We danced the night away and he said he could not wait to see me again." Lady Gojyo cocked her head to one side but Sanzorella still remained silent. In fact, the stupid, droopy eyed girl had a bored look on her face.

"Actually, there was this blond girl who appeared halfway through the event. Her face looked familiar somehow."

Sanzorella felt her heart hammering slightly but composed herself. I am not going to be bothered by her comments!

"Ah, come to think of it, she looked like you!" Lady Gojyo faked a cry out. She watched her stepdaughter carefully. Still, there was no response. "Chh…but then again, I don't think someone like you could go to the ball in the first place. Whatever. I'm done with my breakfast. Clean up and then go do what you are supposed to do!" With a toss of her long red hair, Lady Gojyo then left the dining room.

Sanzorella picked up the breakfast tray and went to the kitchen. Plunking down the tray at the sink, she then walked over to the small fireplace and sat down on the stool in front of it. She gazed at the soot and ashes and let her mind wandered to the events last night.

As the clock struck for the 12th time, Sanzorella found herself landing on her butt on the muddy ground in the forest. The carriage was gone, and so were Dokugakuji and Lirin. Her fine gown and glass slipper, too, disappeared and were replaced by her former garb. Slowly she stood up and made her way out of the forest. The darkness did not bother her at all. She knew the forest like the back of her hand.

As she walked home, she kept replaying the terrace scene. She could not help but to remember the intensity of the prince's green eyes as he gazed down at her and also the near-kiss they almost shared. Sanzorella could still feel the prince's warm breath on her skin. Stop it!

Once home, Sanzorella immediately went to shower and as she dried herself, Ai Goku appeared.

"How was it, how was it?" Goku asked excitedly. "How's the food?"

"Bakasaru! Have you got nothing better to think of than food?"

Goku pulled a long face. "Chh…I was only asking. And stop calling me saru! I'm not a saru. I'm a fairy godmother!"

"Fairy godsaru!" Sanzorella retorted.

Goku then stepped closer to Sanzorella. Her huge golden eyes were fixed on the blond beauty. "Have you fallen for the prince?"

*THWACK*   A pail came crashing on Goku's head. "Urusai, bakasaru!"

"Itte! Nani sun dayo?"

"It's for your stupidity, duh!" Sanzorella then gave her fairy godmother an icy stare. "Do you mind? I'm trying to change here?"

"Fine, fine!" Goku sighed and vanished.

Sanzorella calmly slipped into an oversize faded cotton nightgown. She hoped her plan worked….

Her reverie was interrupted by the door bell. Could it be? Masaka…

Sanzorella quickly went out of the kitchen. When she reached the living room, she saw that her stepmother was already posing seductively at the doorway. Lady Gojyo was laughing politely and occasionally tossing her red hair over her shoulders. Sanzorella saw that the man at the door was the same messenger from the other day. What was his name? Homaro, Homeru…something like that.

After the man left, Lady Gojyo closed the door. When she turned around, she saw Sanzorella looking at her with intensity. Cocking an eyebrow, Lady Gojyo asked, "Why aren't you doing your work, stinking girl?"

"I was. I am supposed to answer the door. Who was it?"

Lady Gojyo found her stepdaughter's inquiry slightly disturbing. "Why should I tell you?"

Sanzorella did not answer but merely gave a sharp look. And for some reason, Lady Gojyo found herself obliging. "It was the Royal Proclaimer and Messenger from the palace, probably the same one that came the other day. It seems like the prince is organizing a search to find a blond woman who can fit into a glass slipper. Whoever fits it will be his bride."

With the explanation, Sanzorella spun around and marched to the kitchen.

~ Continue ~