ANOTHER POINTESS DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Tamora Pierce; the plot is a non-owned folk tale.

A/N: This is where the plot starts to show my opinions on Jon. I try to avoid Jon-bashing since it's controversial, but I couldn't resist. Believe me, it adds a funny twist to the Cinderella-type plot. But if you'd rather not read it, then suit yourself. Oh, and read my A/N at the end of the story, too. That is, IF you read the story.

Chapter 3: The Message

Cinderalanna: Ummm...what was I doing before the Almighty Author so meanly turned the last chapter into a cliffhanger?

Duchess Garetha: Opening the door. MUAHAHAHA!

Cinderalanna: OK...[opens door]

Raoul: I bear a message in the name of King Roald!

Cinderalanna: Raoul! When did you get demoted to message carrying?

Raoul: I made an unfortunate comment that the King didn't look regal in pink. He has a bit of a temper, you know.

Cinderalanna: Ouch. Anyway, isn't Roald dead?

Raoul: Isn't Roger dead? And how about Ralon?

Cinderalanna: Point taken.

Raoul: Anyway, I have approximately 65,384 more houses to go, so I'd better get moving. [Hands Cinderalanna a message] Talk to you later, Alanna. [leaves]

Rogerina: [calls after him] CINDERalanna!

Cinderalanna: Well, who's going to open this?

Ralonetta and Rogerina: MEEEEEEE! [start fighting over it]

Cinderalanna: [rolls eyes and hands message to Garetha]

Duchess Garetha: [reads message] To whom it may concern: His Royal Majesty King Roald and His Royal Highness Prince Jonathan humbly request the presence of every eligible maiden in Tortall at a ball held for His Royal Highness Prince Jonathan's eighteenth birthday-

Cinderalanna: Um, Jon's A LOT older than 18, and he's not a prince, either...

Duchess Garetha: According to the Almighty Author, he's 18 AND a prince! So shut up! [clears throat and continues to read] at a ball held for his Royal Highness Prince Jonathan's eighteenth birthday, tomorrow evening at eight. The Prince is required to choose a bride at this ball.

Ralonetta and Rogerina: [Start jumping up and down and squealing for no apparent reason, since they're really not female]

Duchess Garetha: [glares at his "daughters" until they shut up]

Cinderalanna: That's it?

Duchess Garetha: Yup. MUAHAHAHA!

Cinderalanna: Who in their right mind would marry Jon? He's a jerk.

Ralonetta: He's HOT.

Rogerina: [sighs dreamily]

Cinderalanna: Well, you won't get ME to go!

Duchess Garetha: I hate to tell you Cinderalanna, but I won't let you go. [thinking: MUAHAHAHA!]

Cinderalanna: I think you have a selective hearing problem. I DON'T WANT TO GO!

Duchess Garetha: I'm sorry, Cind-WHAT?

Cinderalanna: I DON'T WANT TO MARRY PRINCE JONATHAN!

Duchess Garetha: Are you nuts? You'd be QUEEN if you married the Prince! Well, first you'd be a Princess, but you'd be Queen as soon as Roald and Lianne kick the bucket!

Cinderalanna: Exactly. I don't want to be Queen.

Ralonetta: You're nuts.

Cinderalanna: Your opinion means SO much to me, Ralonetta. [rolls eyes]

Duchess Garetha: Well, since I obviously can't do something nice, I'm forcing you to go.

Cinderalanna: [starts to sob] NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I WILL NOT MARRY THE JERK! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I WILL NOT BE QUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEN!

Rogerina: Aw, Mom, be nice to her. We are forcing her to cook our food and do our laundry and wash our dishes and scrub our floors and clean our chimneys and wash our drapes and make our beds and tie our shoes and clean our toilets and-

Cinderalanna: [stops screaming] Rogerina...are you being...somewhat...HUMAN?

Rogerina: HUMAN? Oh no! I'm turning away from the dark side! NOOO!

Ralonetta: MUAHAHAHA! NOW I AM THE EVILLEST ONE OF ALL!

Duchess Garetha: NO I AM EVILLER! MUAHAHAHA!

Cinderalanna: This is getting a little off topic!

Ralonetta: So what? We like MUAHAHAHA-ing!

Cinderalanna: Ummm...The Almighty Author said shut up?

[crickets chirp]

Cinderalanna: THANK YOU!

Duchess Garetha: Well, Cindy dear-

Cinderalanna: My name is not CINDY!

Duchess Garetha: But your name isn't Cinderalanna, either, and you've been putting up with that!

Cinderalanna: Point taken.

Duchess Garetha: Anyway, I have an idea. We can compromise.

Ralonetta: [gasp]

Cinderalanna: [suspiciously] How?

Duchess Garetha: IF you get all your chores done, you won't have to go.

Cinderalanna: YAY! But if I don't?

Duchess Garetha: Then I will personally betrothe you to Jonathan.

Cinderalanna: EW! [runs off to do chores]

Ralonetta: Mom, !

Rogerina: That's not very evil.

Duchess Garetha: I said IF.

Ralonetta: So...

Duchess Garetha: So, we make sure she doesn't lift a finger between now and tomorrow night!

Ralonetta: Oh...I get it...I think...

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A/N: Thanks lots to all my reviewers! I got more reviews than I thought I would.

ZakronTheConqueror: Thanks for reviewing. Sure you can use them! Please make sure you put in your author's note or disclaimer that they're my idea, though.

Everyone else, thanks so much for reading and reviewing! I'm hoping for 8 reviews...but if I don't get them, I'll still update. Oh, and ZakronTheConqueror is planning on using the three cross dressers in "The Wizard of BUNNIES!", so be sure you read it!