~Chapter 7~
Noella
The world came into focus again and Cinderella thankfully still had my hand. We were in the foyer of a grand mansion with jade marble flooring and a winding staircase leading up to another floor.
"Where are we?" I asked in a daze.
"My house." Cinderella answered.
"Welcome home." Lady Tremaine appeared from a dark doorway.
"Why don't you leave me be? I haven't done anything to you." Cinderella said desperately.
"Nothing?" Lady Tremaine spat incredulously, "You ruined my life, so I'm going to take yours."
I didn't remember Disney villains being so sadistic and terrifying.
"Isn't that a bit extreme?" I said trying to talk this mad woman down.
Lady Tremaine tapped her hand gently on the wand spiraling up some magic energy.
"Cinderella, you are ordered to remain on the grounds cleaning the manor from top to bottom. Clean until your hands bleed. Bibbity Bobbity Boo."
The magic sprung from the wand aimed directly at Cinderella, but I leapt between the blast and Cinderella letting the spell hit me instead. I fell to the floor since I made such a huge leap, but I didn't want this spell to harm Cinderella or the baby, so I knew I had to do something. I slowly sat up and began scrubbing the floors using my hands alone rubbing the floor intensely.
"Noella!" Cinderella cried.
"You foolish girl." Lady Tremaine spat, "Though it's not a bad look for you, at least you're out of the way."
I watched as Lady Tremaine began circling the both of us thinking and whatever it was I was sure it wouldn't be good. She opened the front doors wide open going outside and then whipping around facing us raising the wand a second time.
"These women are prisoners forever inside the manor grounds. No one may leave and no one may enter unless destruction should befall the manor. Bibbity Bobbity Boo."
A green swirl of magic escaped the wand and surrounded the area inside and out of the manor. It was a large green barrier and I don't think I could bring this one down just simply by touching it. Lady Tremaine laughed mockingly as she disappeared from our sight, as soon as she was out of sight, I stopped rubbing the floor.
"Noella, how are you able to move of your freewill?" Cinderella asked swiftly coming to my side helping me to my feet.
"The spell had no power over me. She said your name, not mine. Remember?" I winked.
"How clever…" She paused putting her hand gently on my shoulder, "What you did before leaping out to take the hit. There is nothing that I could possibly do to repay you."
I smiled shrugging my shoulders.
"It's no problem. As my sister graciously reminds me, it's always good to help when you can."
"She sounds wise, maybe I could meet her sometime?" Cinderella asked.
"She's ten, but yeah I'd say she has much knowledge especially of around here."
"So now we're just trapped. I don't know what my stepmother intends to do, but I'm afraid Thomas is in trouble."
Suddenly I saw movement on the side of Cinderella's dress. I looked at her curiously.
"Hey, do you have anything in your dress pockets?" I questioned.
Cinderella looked down on her right side reaching in her pocket pulling out a couple of mice. Another person might have been quite alarmed pulling two mice out from their clothes, but apparently not Cinderella. Another surprise was the fact that these mice were clothed and standing on their feet.
"Jaq! Gus!" Cinderella exclaimed, "It's so good to see you."
"You too, Cinderelli." The taller mouse in red replied.
"I thought you were at the palace with your family?" Cinderella asked.
"We were." The shorter, plumpier mouse added.
"We were fixing a gift for you and princy and taking it to you when we saw you scurry scurry to the gardens. When we saw evil mother, we leapt and hid in your pocket." Jaq explained.
"I'm glad you did." Cinderella replied patting them both on the head.
Cinderella promptly introduced them to me still getting used to the idea of talking animals. Clearly it was the normal thing here.
"Listen guys, we're trapped here." I told them.
"You need to return to the palace and bring Thomas here quickly. Do you think you can do that for us?" Cinderella asked.
Jaq and Gus exchanged looks and glanced outside spying the palace in the distance clear across town.
"We can do that Cinderelli, sure sure, but it may take us awhile." Jaq said glumly.
The mice needed transportation and I remembered the gift Fauna gave me. I began singing a little tune and before I knew it a small pack of birds rushed in from the door along with a brown dog wagging his tail excitedly.
"Bruno." Cinderella exclaimed.
Frankly, I didn't know what would show up, but it was something at least. Cinderella placed Jaq and Gus snuggly underneath the dog's collar.
"Bruno, get to the palace and hurry." She instructed.
Bruno snorted his nose as if in acknowledgement and howled before leaving promptly out the door. I turned to the birds still fluttering around and I glanced at Cinderella.
"Should they go too?" I questioned.
"You go ahead." Cinderella replied.
I was full of disbelief that I had the capability to get birds to follow orders, but I did summon them here after all.
"Find Lady Tremaine and distract her until the mice find the prince. Please hurry." I instructed and promptly the birds flew off leaving Cinderella and I alone. These gifts from the three fairies were proving to be useful to my surprise.
Lady Tremaine
This magic wand had proven quite useful and I was just getting started with it. With Cinderella out of the way, I could place one of my daughter's on the throne taking her place. Anastasia had once shown such promise, but her defiant nature in recent months had proven not worth taking the risk. So Drizella would be chosen one. I had left the girls in the marketplace giving them money to spend on outfits for the anniversary ball. There I left them as I went to deal with Cinderella and her friend. Upon my return, they met me outside the palace looking impatient.
"Mother! Where have you been?" Drizella asked tapping her foot impatiently.
"Silence Drizella, I was tying up loose ends. Are you ready?" I said determinedly.
"I guess." She shrugged.
I glanced at Anastasia who was holding a basket full of baked goods and I glared at her.
"I give you money for clothes and you spend it on this trash?" I asked crossing my arms.
"The baker was having a sale. I thought these things would be nice for us, mother." Anastasia replied showing off her basket.
"Don't you know baked items are full of empty calories?" Drizella mocked. "Plus, they make you break out."
I said nothing, but stared at my youngest daughter in disappointment and disapproval. I walked right up to her grabbing the large loaf of bread in her basket. Anastasia looked at me confused and in one fluid motion, I swatted her over the head hard.
"Since you're so keen on this trash…" I growled, "Go stuff your face with it in the garden for all I care. You're such a disappointment."
Anastasia looked stunned and her eyes flooded in tears and she ran off. Foolish child, she wouldn't hear the end of this. Drizella looked shocked watching me attentively.
"Let's go." I ordered.
Drizella walked up the steps ahead of me as I cast another spell with a Bibbity Bobbity Boo.
I slid the wand up my sleeve for safe keeping. Drizella and I were inside glancing around the splendor of the room. It looked as if the entire kingdom had turned up for this event from all walks of life. The mere idea disgusted me. People of various rank and social status enjoying the company? It was ludacris. I saw that the prince was sitting on the throne in the far back of the room. Drizella and I approached and as soon as he locked eyes with my daughter, his face immediately perked up and he stood running briskly toward us.
"Your majesty." I said bowing low as he approached us.
He nodded acknowledging me, but then quickly hugged Drizella. She reacted stiffly and glanced around at me and I flashed her a small compact mirror and the reflection looking back was in fact that of Cinderella. Drizella looked shocked to say the least and she knew what to do to sell her persona.
"Where did you go? I've been looking everywhere…" The prince said pulling out from the hug.
"Oh I just uh needed some fresh air." Drizella shrugged.
Soon a howling canine rushed through the main doors barking loudly. He rushed up to the prince wagging his tail. The prince knelt down scratching the dog on the head. Immediately, I smelled a rat and I knew why when I spotted a pair of mice hanging onto the dog's collar. Quickly, I reached my fingers up my sleeve going for the wand, but not before a swarm of birds came flying into the room chirping in my ears. It was maddening. I swatted at them angrily batting them away. Drizella helped me and in my distraction the prince left the ballroom following that mangy mutt outside. I don't know how, but I just knew this was Cinderella's doing. Finally after some time, the birds left me in peace and I followed the prince outside. He was in the gardens alone with the dog and two little mice. As Drizella and I approached, the prince looked at us curiously.
"Is everything alright your majesty?" I said in a calm manner.
"Well, I just had a conversation with some mice, so I'll let you know if I'm alright." He said putting a hand to his head.
Drizella approached him looking back at me nervously and I gestured for her to move forward.
"Let's return to the ball." She said to him, "We have guests."
"Enough, we're going to follow this dog to his home because these mice claim that my wife is there and yet I see her right here with us, so before I lose myself. Come with me, won't you?"
He took Drizella by the hand and the three of us hopped into the royal carriage. The prince told the driver to follow the dog and away we went. I glared at my daughter as she sat across from me. This wasn't going as planned, but no matter. I'm flexible, I have the wand after all.
Noella
Cinderella and I looked throughout the manor to find anything of use. We could leave the house as far as the green barrier allowed. Cinderella ventured into the backyard where the chickens and horse were while I scanned around the front. Before long, Cinderella screamed for me and I took off running lifting up the hem of my dress so my sneakers wouldn't trip on it. When I spied her, she stood in front of a tall oak tree that stood just barely inside the parameters of the barrier. She was staring at an object of stone. It wasn't a garden gnome or anything and I stood beside her panting.
"What's the matter?" I said finding myself out of breath.
"This is my fairy godmother. She's the one who got me to the ball a year ago and she's the very reason I live the life I lead now." Cinderella said glumly.
I gently put my hand on her shoulder.
"We'll free her." I reassured her calmly.
"How?" Cinderella said desperately.
"I don't know, but we'll figure it out." I promised.
Soon, we heard a howling dog and the sound of heavy horse hooves hitting the pavement. Curiously, we returned to the front of the house and Bruno came right up to us passing through the barrier. It only blocked people in or out I suppose. Jaq and Gus seemed in a daze as they walked off Bruno's back and into Cinderella's hands.
"Any luck?" I asked.
"Princy is coming." Jaq answered.
"But so is she." Gus said nervously.
Cinderella and I looked up as a large, grand carriage painted white with gold trim approached the barrier. The driver tried to get the carriage closer, but couldn't. Once it was stopped, the prince stepped out.
"Thomas!" Cinderella cried out.
He looked over at her in surprise and complete confusion covered his face. He held out his hand toward the carriage as a familiar face stepped out of the carriage. It was Cinderella's face, but clearly an imposter. Lady Tremaine was the last to step out and she held a smug expression on her face. I watched as she slowly pulled out the wand from her sleeve getting ready to cast a spell should anything not go her way. She was muttering something though I couldn't tell what it was, but the wand reacted.
Thomas walked over with the imposter and stopped at the barrier. He looked at both the women looking like his wife.
"Will someone tell me what is going on here?" Thomas said angrily.
"It's me." Cinderella cried out putting her hands against the barrier desperately. "I don't know who that woman is with you, but she is an imposter." Cinderella cried.
"Your highness. Don't listen to the mad ravings of that poor witless woman." Lady Tremaine commented.
"Can't you tell who your own wife is?" I asked him desperately. He didn't answer or even acknowledge me. Did Lady Tremaine cast another spell? Cinderella and I exchanged confused looks.
"Whatever is going on, this isn't funny. Which one of you is my wife?" Thomas asked determinedly.
"I am." Both women replied together.
The imposter glared at Cinderella and gently pulled Thomas's arm toward the carriage.
"Come on, we have guests. Surely, this is a mental institution that woman has clearly lost her marbles." She said.
Thomas yanked his arm out from her grasp.
"I'm going to ask some questions and only my wife will know these."
Lady Tremaine didn't look pleased as Thomas began his questions.
"Where did we meet?" Thomas asked.
"The ball." The imposter quickly said before Cinderella could answer. Lady Tremaine sneered.
"What was the shoe that you wore to the ball made out of?" He asked.
"Glass." The imposter said.
Cinderella was looking especially nervous.
"One final question," Thomas started to say.
The imposter looked ready to jump to answer again and Cinderella grabbed my hand.
"What news did you share with me today?" He asked.
"Happy Anniversary, of course." The imposter smiled grabbing his arm pulling him toward the carriage.
Thomas yanked himself free glaring at the imposter.
"Wrong." He muttered turning toward Cinderella.
"I told you that you're going to be father." She smiled gently rubbing her belly.
Lady Tremaine looked shocked as I watched her jaw practically hit the ground in surprise. Thomas ran toward Cinderella at least until he hit the barrier.
"What is this?" He said desperately hitting the green wall between him and Cinderella. "I'll get you out of there." He vowed.
I glanced over at Lady Tremaine who was raising her arm to cast a spell again.
"You will forget the woman behind the barrier forgetting her completely. Bibbity Bobbity…Ah!"
Something flew out of the darkness hitting Tremaine in the head making her drop the wand. It was a loaf of bread that came and hit the ground rolling a few times before stopping. A young woman wearing a bright fuschia dress with red curly hair approached.
"How does it feel mother?" The girl said.
"Anastasia?" Cinderella said in surprise.
Lady Tremaine looked infuriated.
"You wretched girl. I'm your family. How dare you!" She spat rubbing the back of her head.
"I refuse to be part of your family anymore!" Anastasia yelled.
Lady Tremaine reached for wand, but it was quickly picked up by Jaq and Gus quickly grabbing it and running toward us frantically. Lady Tremaine immediately began chase.
"Drop that wand, you rats!" She yelled.
The mice were quicker and they brought the wand right to Cinderella. She took it and pointed it at Lady Tremaine.
"For years, you used me and abused me stepmother, but never again will you hurt me or anyone else again!" Cinderella spoke confidently. "I should have you thrown into lifelong servitude where you will stripped of your title and spend the rest of your days as a servant…" She paused swallowing calmly, "But I'm not like you. I'm not out for revenge or getting even…"
Cinderella was being quite kind, but I grabbed the wand.
"Cinderella, you may be above that, but I'm not. Consider this self defense...let me help protect you and your family…" I said glancing at Thomas and gesturing to her stomach.
"No Noella...please, we're bigger people than that." Cinderella said grabbing the tip of the wand. I nodded. Unsatisfied with Cinderella's decision, but I respected it and she released the wand still letting me use it.
"What are the words again?" I asked.
Cinderella smiled whispering them to me.
"Fix what's broken with everything around here. Bibbity bobbity Boo." I said flicking the wand. A bolt of white light exited from the point of the wand. The barrier dissipated letting Thomas reunite with his wife. Also it made me turn visible to Thomas who hadn't known I was here this whole time. The white light returned the imposter to her true self and finally it wrapped around the back of the house. Soon, an older woman came to greet us. She was a kind looking woman with rosy cheeks wearing a blue robe. Cinderella ran to her hugging her. The two of them walked over and the old woman smiled at me.
"May I have my wand back dear?" She asked me with a beaming smile.
I nodded placing the wand in her hand.
"Thank you dear." She smiled.
"You wretches! This can't be! I was promised my revenge. If I ever see that Corissa woman again, she'll regret that day." Lady Tremaine spat.
My heart stopped as I heard that name.
"You talked to Corissa?" I immediately asked Tremaine.
"She's the one who gave me the wand." Lady Tremaine replied.
I scrutinized Lady Tremaine's face. Surely, she was mistaken. There is no way she was talking about my mother. I didn't believe that, I couldn't believe that. Anastasia walked over joining the rest of us. Cinderella immediately hugged her.
"Thank you for your help." Cinderella said with a smile.
"Happy to help and listen Cinderella about what happened growing up…" Anastasia began to mumble timidly, but Cinderella held up her hand.
"It's in the past." She nodded.
Cinderella then gave Anastasia the deed to the house along with grand title. Cinderella might not of ordered it, but Thomas ordered that Eleanor Tremaine and Drizella serve out their crimes as servants in Anastasia's household with strict supervision thanks to the fairy godmother. We left Drizella and Tremaine at the house and fairy godmother returned the rest of us to the palace. Thomas and Cinderella went to dance and Anastasia and I watched smiling at the sight. Soon, Anastasia was asked to dance by none other than the baker. He cleaned up pretty nice having not been covered in flour like earlier when I saw him. As the evening grew late, I said my goodbyes and Thomas and Cinderella saw me off. Fairy Godmother had summoned Samson to me from the stables.
"Thank you." I said with a smile.
"Not at all." Fairy godmother replied before hugging me, "Thanks for your help Noella and along your journey let your light guide you." She smiled.
"Sure." I nodded wondering what she meant.
Thomas bowed to me kissing my hand which immediately made me feel awkward with his wife standing right next to him. I suppose I'll never get used to that.
"Thank you for everything Noella. You're welcome here anytime." Thomas said with a smile.
I bowed awkwardly as I next looked at Cinderella.
"You did me a great service today. Me and my whole family." Cinderella said rubbing her belly, "Oh wow…" She suddenly exclaimed. "The baby is kicking."
"May I?" I asked.
She smiled grabbing my hand placing it on her stomach and that baby was definitely making tracks.
"Wow, that's something really special. I'm sure motherhood will suit you just fine." I winked at her. She immediately hugged me and as we parted Thomas gave me a hand up on saddle.
"Take care." I said with a wave.
"Good luck." Cinderella replied.
With more goodbyes under my belt, I took off heading toward the barrier toward the west part of the town. The barrier was easy to find as I moved further and further west. I simply touched it like all the rest and it came down. Beyond it lead down to a large port with several docks and there was a building paralleling the docks with a wooden sign out front and it read: The Wild Seahorse Inn. It was late and I was getting tired, but I wanted to press on. Most ships would leave at first light, so I would have to find a ship captain quickly. There were a few rowdy men on the docks and when they saw me coming they whistled and hollered at me, but I simply ignored them. However, the ships behind them looked like what I needed to take out to sea, but I was stubborn. At the last dock, I saw the smallest boat of the bunch here. It wasn't big or elaborate. A single mast and sail. This small boat was tied to the dock and a woman with long, black wavy hair was sleeping on the boat with a small pig resting beside her. She looked like she had been getting a nice tan in Hawaii with the sun kissed color of her skin. I dismounted from Samson and walked closer.
"Excuse me." I said to her, "I'm sorry to bother you, but…"
The woman began snoring and I knew she wasn't hearing me. I leaned over the side of the dock and flicked some water her way and it hit her leg stirring her awake. Startled and alarmed, the woman grabbed an oar waving it around in a sleepy stupor. The pig beside her began squealing in alarm as well.
"Easy Pua." She said scratching the pig's head and settled the animal down quickly.
"Whoa, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." I said.
The woman calmed down shaking the water off her leg and ran her hand through her hair.
"No worries, but can I ask why you woke me?" She asked curiously looking at me from head to toe, "You're not from around here are you?"
"Clearly…" I smiled, "But you aren't either." I said raising a brow.
The woman smiled at me standing the oar on its end leaning against it looking amused.
"I like you. You have a sense of humor." She winked, "How can I help?"
"Do you know of a woman named Ariel? I need to find her."
The woman paused looking deep in the thought, but then shook her head.
"Sorry I don't, but there's a man across the other side of the sea who is quite knowledgeable about people around these parts. His name is Prince Eric."
"That's a start…" I muttered, "Would you be willing to sail me to meet him?" I asked.
The woman smiled and extended her hand to me.
"Deal." She said simply.
"I'm sorry though. I have no money to pay you, but I'm friends with…" I began to say and the woman held up her hand.
"Don't worry so much. I'm happy to do it. When do you need to leave?" She asked.
"As soon as possible." I replied.
"Well let's get some shut eye at the inn and we can make waves in the morning."
"Thank you so much." I said.
"Oh and my name is Moana by the way."