Chapter 4
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"Please sir," Marie begged for the third time, "I have urgent business with Lord Majre."
The guard sighed with annoyance. It was his job to keep riff-raff out of the palace. No matter how tedious and boring it was, it was his job. "Look, I can't let you in, if you don't tell me what it's about I'm going to have to send you home."
Marie hesitated - he might laugh and turn them away - before she reluctantly showed the guard the glass slippers. The guard's eyes opened wide. Everyone had heard how a foolish (in the guard's opinion) and stubborn glassblower gotten the better of Lord Majre. He had ranted for weeks afterwards of the impudence of a mere peasant. Nobody crossed him without paying dearly for it and if this girl had something that Lord Majre wanted, the guard was not going to stop her. He valued his job and his life far too much to do that.
"Very well," the guard said tersely as he beckoned them to follow. Less than two minutes later, Marie and Cellendira were given audience to the Lord Majre, who looked down his nose at her like she was a piece of trash. His eyes, for some reason, just glanced past Cellendria without really seeing her. If either of them had been less nervous they probably would have wondered why. Closely following him were his wife and daughter and Marie's parents. The latter were in chains and looked thin, dirty and ragged. Cellendria was struck by how amazingly petty and extreme Lord Majre was being about something as silly and worthless as glass slippers. The couple wore worried expressions on their faces but their faces brightened when they saw Marie. She rushed forward but a guard blocked the way.
"Not yet." Lord Majre told her "Let's see the glass slippers I have waited so long for."
Marie fumbled with the slippers as she handed them to the count. Behind him his daughter and wife gasped in pleasure and amazement. "Their amazing!" gushed his daughter. "I'm so glad you finally obtained them Daddy, even if it did take such a very long time. I'll be the envy of every girl in court! The prince won't be able to take his eyes of me - I just know it!"
All this was said without hesitation and seemingly in one breath. If Marie hadn't been so distracted with her parents she would have wondered how on earth that girl managed it. Instead all she said was:
"Please, sir. I have given you what you asked for, will you let my parents go now?"
"It still remains to be seen if they are worth the price." He replied. "Opal, will you do the honors?"
Marie and Cellendria looked at each other nervously. Neither of them knew. Marie had not checked for fear they would break.
The Lord handed the slippers to his daughter, Opal. The room was silent as she slipped them on her feet. She took a couple of steps and they held. Marie let out a sigh and took a step forward.
"Sir. Will you release my parents now?"
The Lord grinned wolfishly. "And give up such an artist? Very well they are free to go - if you will stay. I am on the road to power and I could use someone of your talent."
Marie's heart sank; she would have to give up her parents after coming so far. "Please sir," She said "If you would reconsider, I love my home and my parents and I want to be with both of them."
"Well then, we don't have a deal." He replied, "Guards! Take them away!"
All the blood drained from Marie's face, she couldn't lose her parents now. Not after coming so far. But she couldn't let her parents say here either. She opened her mouth to accept, but Cellendria interrupted her.
"I curse you!" She shouted at him. The Lord noticed her for the first time and took a step back. Fairy curses are very dangerous indeed. "I curse you to lose all your wealth and for those glass slippers to stand between you and the crown and…" - she looked directly at the disgustingly dainty girl holding those ridiculously extravagant glass slippers that Marie made. - "…I curse your children with large feet hereafter!"
A glittery light gathered around the three nobles, then settled on their bodies and disappeared into their skins. In less than thirty seconds all of their feet had grown an in inch at least. Cellendria stopped and looked very shocked. She had felt the magic run through her. She could do magic!
Everyone stepped away from her. The guards let go of Marie's parents. She pointed at the handcuffs and they rusted off. The guards took another step back.
"Undo it!" Lord Majre demanded, "Undo the curse." The family's goal - no destiny - was to be royalty. They deserved to be royalty. How could any one dare take it from them, even a fairy.
"I can't. A fairy's first curse can't be stopped until it has run its course. I'm sorry." Cellendria admitted as she looked Lord Majre in the eye. "And even if I could I wouldn't. I shudder to think of what would happen if you became royalty."
While Cellendria had been talking to Lord Majre, Marie had rushed to her parents and they embraced, not quite believing that they were really back together. She smiled at them.
"Let's go."
Picking up the slippers she turned and almost ran into Opal as she fled from the mansion forever with her parents in tow. The last glimpse Opal had of Marie's face would haunt her forever. Years later, she would see it every day in the face of her stepdaughter - Cinderella.
.-._.-:*:-._.-.
The way home seemed short. Cellendria magicked a horse and wagon out of a squirrel and a branch. It still continued to astound her that she could actually do magic. She watched as Marie and her parents told each other their stories, as she sat a small distance apart from them. She felt a tugging in her heart for the family she lost.
"I should be happy," she scolded herself silently. "I can work my own magic now. And I should be used to being alone."
Marie's laughter pierced through the air and Cellendria was struck by how much the loneliness still hurt.
She busied her mind with brooding thoughts, making the ride seem short. All too soon they reached Marie's village and it was time for them to part. She turned to Marie, ready to be formally polite in her farewell when she was almost knocked over by Marie's embrace.
"I'll miss you, Elle" Marie whispered in her ear. "You've done so much for me."
"The horse an wagon won't last past midnight." Marie looked at her in surprise and laughed.
"Not the wagon, silly! You helped me save my parents, you helped throughout the journey. You helped me by being my friend." She wiped her eyes and smiled tearfully and held out the glass slippers to Cellendria. "Just promise me that you'll never forget me. You can have these to remember me by."
This time Cellendria reached out and hugged Marie. She took the glass slippers in one hand as she wiped the tears from her eyes with the other.
"I promise."
Cellendria turned and walked down that dirt path leading from the village. The familiar depression set in. Then the glass slippers clinked slightly in her hands and she remembered how Marie had cried and smiled as she thanked her and called her a friend. She realized that had made all the difference in the world.
.
To Be Continued
Author's notes: This was the last chapter, there is only the Epilogue left and since I'm feel like ignoring my homework and I want to make up for not updating all that quickly I'll post it today as well. But first, many, many, many thanks to GlitzyDancingShoes who's praise in her review for chapter 3 made me so happy I probably glowed.
.
"Please sir," Marie begged for the third time, "I have urgent business with Lord Majre."
The guard sighed with annoyance. It was his job to keep riff-raff out of the palace. No matter how tedious and boring it was, it was his job. "Look, I can't let you in, if you don't tell me what it's about I'm going to have to send you home."
Marie hesitated - he might laugh and turn them away - before she reluctantly showed the guard the glass slippers. The guard's eyes opened wide. Everyone had heard how a foolish (in the guard's opinion) and stubborn glassblower gotten the better of Lord Majre. He had ranted for weeks afterwards of the impudence of a mere peasant. Nobody crossed him without paying dearly for it and if this girl had something that Lord Majre wanted, the guard was not going to stop her. He valued his job and his life far too much to do that.
"Very well," the guard said tersely as he beckoned them to follow. Less than two minutes later, Marie and Cellendira were given audience to the Lord Majre, who looked down his nose at her like she was a piece of trash. His eyes, for some reason, just glanced past Cellendria without really seeing her. If either of them had been less nervous they probably would have wondered why. Closely following him were his wife and daughter and Marie's parents. The latter were in chains and looked thin, dirty and ragged. Cellendria was struck by how amazingly petty and extreme Lord Majre was being about something as silly and worthless as glass slippers. The couple wore worried expressions on their faces but their faces brightened when they saw Marie. She rushed forward but a guard blocked the way.
"Not yet." Lord Majre told her "Let's see the glass slippers I have waited so long for."
Marie fumbled with the slippers as she handed them to the count. Behind him his daughter and wife gasped in pleasure and amazement. "Their amazing!" gushed his daughter. "I'm so glad you finally obtained them Daddy, even if it did take such a very long time. I'll be the envy of every girl in court! The prince won't be able to take his eyes of me - I just know it!"
All this was said without hesitation and seemingly in one breath. If Marie hadn't been so distracted with her parents she would have wondered how on earth that girl managed it. Instead all she said was:
"Please, sir. I have given you what you asked for, will you let my parents go now?"
"It still remains to be seen if they are worth the price." He replied. "Opal, will you do the honors?"
Marie and Cellendria looked at each other nervously. Neither of them knew. Marie had not checked for fear they would break.
The Lord handed the slippers to his daughter, Opal. The room was silent as she slipped them on her feet. She took a couple of steps and they held. Marie let out a sigh and took a step forward.
"Sir. Will you release my parents now?"
The Lord grinned wolfishly. "And give up such an artist? Very well they are free to go - if you will stay. I am on the road to power and I could use someone of your talent."
Marie's heart sank; she would have to give up her parents after coming so far. "Please sir," She said "If you would reconsider, I love my home and my parents and I want to be with both of them."
"Well then, we don't have a deal." He replied, "Guards! Take them away!"
All the blood drained from Marie's face, she couldn't lose her parents now. Not after coming so far. But she couldn't let her parents say here either. She opened her mouth to accept, but Cellendria interrupted her.
"I curse you!" She shouted at him. The Lord noticed her for the first time and took a step back. Fairy curses are very dangerous indeed. "I curse you to lose all your wealth and for those glass slippers to stand between you and the crown and…" - she looked directly at the disgustingly dainty girl holding those ridiculously extravagant glass slippers that Marie made. - "…I curse your children with large feet hereafter!"
A glittery light gathered around the three nobles, then settled on their bodies and disappeared into their skins. In less than thirty seconds all of their feet had grown an in inch at least. Cellendria stopped and looked very shocked. She had felt the magic run through her. She could do magic!
Everyone stepped away from her. The guards let go of Marie's parents. She pointed at the handcuffs and they rusted off. The guards took another step back.
"Undo it!" Lord Majre demanded, "Undo the curse." The family's goal - no destiny - was to be royalty. They deserved to be royalty. How could any one dare take it from them, even a fairy.
"I can't. A fairy's first curse can't be stopped until it has run its course. I'm sorry." Cellendria admitted as she looked Lord Majre in the eye. "And even if I could I wouldn't. I shudder to think of what would happen if you became royalty."
While Cellendria had been talking to Lord Majre, Marie had rushed to her parents and they embraced, not quite believing that they were really back together. She smiled at them.
"Let's go."
Picking up the slippers she turned and almost ran into Opal as she fled from the mansion forever with her parents in tow. The last glimpse Opal had of Marie's face would haunt her forever. Years later, she would see it every day in the face of her stepdaughter - Cinderella.
.-._.-:*:-._.-.
The way home seemed short. Cellendria magicked a horse and wagon out of a squirrel and a branch. It still continued to astound her that she could actually do magic. She watched as Marie and her parents told each other their stories, as she sat a small distance apart from them. She felt a tugging in her heart for the family she lost.
"I should be happy," she scolded herself silently. "I can work my own magic now. And I should be used to being alone."
Marie's laughter pierced through the air and Cellendria was struck by how much the loneliness still hurt.
She busied her mind with brooding thoughts, making the ride seem short. All too soon they reached Marie's village and it was time for them to part. She turned to Marie, ready to be formally polite in her farewell when she was almost knocked over by Marie's embrace.
"I'll miss you, Elle" Marie whispered in her ear. "You've done so much for me."
"The horse an wagon won't last past midnight." Marie looked at her in surprise and laughed.
"Not the wagon, silly! You helped me save my parents, you helped throughout the journey. You helped me by being my friend." She wiped her eyes and smiled tearfully and held out the glass slippers to Cellendria. "Just promise me that you'll never forget me. You can have these to remember me by."
This time Cellendria reached out and hugged Marie. She took the glass slippers in one hand as she wiped the tears from her eyes with the other.
"I promise."
Cellendria turned and walked down that dirt path leading from the village. The familiar depression set in. Then the glass slippers clinked slightly in her hands and she remembered how Marie had cried and smiled as she thanked her and called her a friend. She realized that had made all the difference in the world.
.
To Be Continued
Author's notes: This was the last chapter, there is only the Epilogue left and since I'm feel like ignoring my homework and I want to make up for not updating all that quickly I'll post it today as well. But first, many, many, many thanks to GlitzyDancingShoes who's praise in her review for chapter 3 made me so happy I probably glowed.