So, in the castle miles away but still in the same kingdom, just, (Jacob believe greatly in real estate in the most rural and inaccessible parts of the kingdom) King George was discussing with his aide Janet how terrible it was that his son, Jack, had yet to find a wife.
"Aide Janet, it's terrible! Prince Jack still hasn't chosen a wife yet and time is getting on."
"Yes, sir." 'and we all know you're getting on a bit, sir...'
"Hasn't he shown any signs of choosing someone?"
"No, sir." 'apart from, of course, Laira, Kynthia, Sara, Freya...'
"The boy is hopeless! What am I to do?"
"I don't know, sir." 'not that it would matter if I did, sir...'
Well this is useful. Perhaps you should arrange a way for him to meet Miss Right?
"What a brilliant idea! I'm so glad that I thought of it. Isn't it a good idea, aide Janet?"
"Yes, sir." 'so no surprise that it wasn't yours then, is it really, sir?'
So you wouldn't perhaps be thinking of holding a grand ball and inviting every single woman in the kingdom would you?
"Why yes! However did you guess?"
Gosh, no idea.

So King George, assisted by his verbose aide Janet started to plan the Ball. They sent out invitations to every house in the Kingdom, requesting the presence of every single woman to the Grand Royal Ball. This was going to be an extra special Ball - everyone could tell because it had capital letters and everything. Now of course an invitation arrived at the house of Anise and CinderSam. Now although fetching the mail was included in CinderSam's daily duties, it so happened that that particular day the evil Anise just happened to walk past the door when the mail was on the mat and saw the letters with the Royal seal. (Royals are also important enough for capital letters apparently.) So, because she is evil she found CinderSam's invitation and called her into the room, telling her that she had an invitation but couldn't go.
"You can't go. So there."
"But that's so unfair! I've got an invitation - why can't I go?"
"Because I'm evil and I say so! Mwahahaha!"
Right. So then the evil Anise ripped up poor CinderSam's invitation and went off to practise her evil laugh because she hadn't quite got it right yet, leaving poor CinderSam who ran to the cellars crying.
"Boohoo."
Come on, it's sadder that that.
"Boohoohoo."
Oh for cryin' out loud! You can't go to the Ball with capital letters, you've got an evil stepmother and at this rate you'll never meet Prince better-name-than-Charming!
"Waaaaaah!"
Much better.

So CinderSam was sitting in the cellar sobbing her little heart out when suddenly some poorly funded smoke-type special effects randomly and sporadically appeared around the fireplace. CinderSam coughed a bit and waved away the smoke. Standing in the fireplace was a short grey guy with big black eyes.
"Greeting, CinderSam."
"Who the heck are you, and what do you think you're doing in my cellar?"
"I am your Fairy GodAsgaurd, Thorina."
"My Fairy Godwhat?"
"GodAsguard. We are a very intelligent race that has learnt over the years not to ask why we have such stupid names, else we shall suffer the wrath of the evil Anise and the narrator."
Excuse me! I do not incur wrath. I merely suggest that my complete power over the story-line might be a good reason to stay sweet with me, else I decide to write you out of the story or some such.
"Oh."
Quite. You were saying?
"Oh yes. Well, I'm your Fairy GodAsguard CinderSam, and you shall go to the Ball."
Oh geeze.
"Why have I got a Fairy GodAsguard anyway? I'm only a servant to my evil stepmother Anise!"
"Do not despair, fair CinderSam, you are very important - why else do you think you have two capital letters in your name?"
"Gosh, I do don't I? And the evil Anise has only one!"
Give the girl a coconut. And don't say she's not smart enough to spot a plot device - she saw that one coming by page two she did.
"So am I going to this Ball, or are you going to ramble on all night?"
Well excuse me for breathing. Fairy GodAsgaurd Thorina (who has many capital letters in his name and is therefore extremely important) waved his magical doohickey and suddenly CinderSam was dressed in a beautiful dress. Then he grabbed a nearby spray-painted kiwi and turned it into a pretty coach with flashing lights on that incidentally looked quite a lot like a Goa'uld Death Glider (but don't mention that the Thorina).
"Wow, sparkly!"
"Indeed CinderSam. But do not forget to return before midnight because the store was all out of Duracell batteries and my doohickey will stop working about then and you will be returned to rags."
Oooh... scary.

So CinderSam thanked her Fairy GodAsguard and went off to the Ball. When she arrived she saw the evil Anise with Daniella and Teal'cella in the crowd.
"No, Anise, no! We don't even like dresses!"
Oh dear, poor ugly siblings.
"Ugly? Excuse me? Okay, so we're not exactly supermodels but don't you think 'ugly' is going a bit far?"
Sorry, force of habit. Poor beautiful-yet-inappropriately-dressed siblings.
"Much better, thank you."
You're welcome. So anyway CinderSam had only been at the Ball a few minutes when in true clichéd fairytale style she happened to bump into Prince Jack up a corner where he had been hiding from his potential admirers (albeit unsuccessfully).
"Dammit, now I need a new hiding place!"
Maybe you shouldn't just dismiss her Jack - she's a complete stranger you've never met before; why not give it a go.
"Well, if I must... Greetings! Welcome to the Ball and all that - you're having a wonderful time I hope?"
"Oh yeah, wonderful. Hey, have you seen any princes round here not called 'Charming'?"
"Well as you asked yes I have! I just happen to know of one."
"Really? What's his name? And how many capital letters has it got, you know, because they are terribly importan-"
Oh for cryin out loud! It's Prince Jack, 2 capitals and will you stop pussyfooting around - it's him! True love, meet true love - is it really that difficult?
"Oh you just take the fun out of everything, don't you? How do you manage it?"
I practice.

So anyway, they talked, they danced and before they knew it midnight came. Fancy that. Shouldn't you be going somewhere, CinderSam?
"Oh yeah! I gotta go. Catch you around sometime!"
"Wait, I don't even know your name!"
"Oh, it's Cin-"
Ah, ah, ah! That's not how it works and you know it. Now drop a shoe and run girl, it's almost the twelfth stroke of midnight!
"Oh dear."
Well you seem bothered.
"Well if the doohickey is gonna stop working anyway, why should it matter where my crystal slipper is? Shouldn't it change back with the rest anyway?"
Will you stop picking at the already abnormally large plot holes and start running?
"You know, I'm going to report you to the RSPCSC."
Which is what exactly, when it's at home?
"The Royal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Story Characters. It's a very respectable institution you know."
I'm sure it is. And may I remind you that this story isn't over yet. There's plenty of ink left in my red pen you know.
"Erm, yeah, of course. Sorry about that."
That's fine. Running?
"I'm running. Puffing and panting and everything."
Good to hear. So CinderSam ran all the way home, and by the time she got there she was back to rags again, just like Fairy GodAsgaurd Thorina had said would happen.