Dance with Me

Disclaimer: I don't own Cinderella.

A/N - Well not much to say except that I'm sorry for the long wait! As an act for forgiveness, TWO CHAPTERS in TWO DAYS, which is quite a feat for me.

Oh and my other story Trinity is now officially on hiatus for a while. I can't come up with a story line for it! Sorry about that, but I promise it'll be back up. I won't just leave it.

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Eline had her head bent over the frame of the form that had been made for Francesca's wedding gown. She was sewing the gown and thinking about how sad Evander felt. She could sense it with her magic. Francesca, however, was greedy. She would not use her title for good. Eline's eyes widened as she thought about whether she would be forced to go with Francesca, what meaningless tasks she would be sent on. Evander would not be there to help cheer her, either.

He wasn't always such a prince charming however. He loved to make her scream, especially when in front of a lot of people. Eline couldn't understand why he annoyed her so much but she put up with it. She was used to annoyances. Felicity was a rather large one.

She had already seen what poofy monstrosity Francesca was to be wed in. She had taken the liberty of showing her a sketch of it, layer after layer of taffeta and lace, then overlaid more with pearls and small gems. It was the latest style, but it would make Francesca look twice her size, which did help Eline make the gown, just so she could laugh.

A knot. She pointed her wand at it, and the material sewed itself. Now she only had about thirty more layers to go.

Felicity called out suddenly, "My HAT, ELINE!"

Eline jumped and then quickly went out to Felicity's chambers. Felicity was standing in her sitting room, waiting for Eline.

"Fetch my lemon-colored hat," she said simply. Eline just looked at her, then at the hat in question, placed on the table a few feet away.

"It's right there, Felicity," she said, gesturing.

"And yet it's not in my hand, or on my head. Fetch my lemon-colored hat, Eline!"

Eline sighed, walked across the room, and handed Felicity her had. Felicity just looked at her. She looked up at her head pointedly. Eline took the hat and shoved it on Felicity's head, smiling politely before walking back to sewing room.

Just as she sat back down to more therapeutic mindless sewing- "Eline! Come and fetch my hat and coat!"

Great. Ruthia was back.

Most had mothers and step-mothers they could stand. Most step-mothers would accept their adopted family and learn to love them. Ruthia was not most.

She was tall, lean, and beautiful. A glint in her icy blue eyes, the same as Francesca's, a straight nose, and full red lips. Her beauty had not faded. The knot of dark midnight hair, which was now hidden under a particularly large purple hat, showed some of her true nature. Darkness, pitch black, yes, all that.

What really gave her away was the clothes she wore. Today it was a deep purple dress that for others would have been an evening dress. This was normal attire for Ruthia. She loved to catch the eyes of others.

Eline reached the bottom of the stairs, where Ruthia was waiting. Eline swept a deep curtsy, mumbling, "My Lady," and taking off Ruthia's dark fur coat and depositing it in the closet packed with more furs.

Ruthia looked at her with disdain. "I trust you've completed the list."

Eline looked up into her eyes. "Yes, it is-"

"I don't have time for this. The floors are looking a bit dirty, and the mantle in the parlor could do with a dusting. Supper would also be greatly appreciated at seven. Why are you not cleaning yet?" She walked off to find her daughters.

Eline quickly got to work, and resolved to use a little magical help with dinner. She would be caught if she used it on the floors.

As she worked she thought more about the marriage. Perhaps it could be postponed at the least. She knew Evander really didn't want to marry. He had told her he was waiting for the right girl. Eline scrubbed thoughtfully as she thought of her own Prince Charming who would come one day. In her dreams, anyhow. She knew that, once Evander was married off to someone (or Francesca), he would be so busy that they would lose touch. There was a good chance that Felicity might never marry, and so it would be Felicity and her, alone in an old manor that needed more people. There was the stablehand, but he never came in, and Eline never saw him. She would be a spinster, cooking and cleaning for Felicity until she was gray and old.

Right then, on the marble floors of the great hall, Eline made a decision to, once she was of age, earn back her true family name, and perhaps convince her father to come home. She never saw him, but she did love him. The story of how her mother and he had met was so romantic to her.

Her mother had been a lonely girl living alone in a cottage in the middle of a huge forest not far away. She had been forced to live there by a jealous woman, who wanted her beauty. She was an orphan, so she had no family to help her. Having only animals for company, and only three windows, she had befriended them. They came to her faithfully, and one day her curious father had followed them. He saw her mother with the animals, and was confused by the sight. They talked, and soon their talking became weekly, and they grew to love each other. He helped her escape, and she became lady of the manor. Even then her father had frequent trips, and soon the trips grew closer and closer together until his entire life became work. Eline had not seen him in two years.

There came a knock on the door then. Eline looked up, startled. She went to the door quickly, and answered it, to be practically thrown backward by a trumpet thrust forward and blown. Ruthia came to the door then, and put on her best 'gracious host' face. A royal decree was read aloud by a pompous and stout man. He came forward, and said, "To All the Members of Nobility An Invitation is Cordially Extended to a Ball in the Prince's Honor. His Bride will be chosen There."

He folded up the decree, and suddenly an ear-splitting screech was heard from directly behind Ruthia. Francesca stepped forward, and said, "Surely you have read that wrong! The PRINCE is MARRYING ME! I am the LADY of this house, and I order you to CHANGE THAT!"

Ruthia gave a small lady-like cough.

Francesca sighed huffily. "Fine, Mother. My MOTHER IS THE LADY OF THIS HOUSE, and SHE orders you to CHANGE THAT!"

The little man shook his head kindly at her. "I am sorry, Miss, but this is the law of the King and Queen. It is above you. You still have a chance at being the Prince's wife, however."

Francesca slammed the doors shut, and stormed upstairs. She ran into the sewing room.

Ruthia opened the door again, and apologized briefly for her actions. She gave her an icy stare that meant, 'Get back to work.' She complied, going back to the hallway, where her mop and things were against the wall.

Francesca only wanted the title. Eline hope she didn't think that she was really in love. She couldn't be.

Eline went quietly up the stairs, taking my cleaning items as an excuse, and heard Francesca sobbing and dropping every stitch she herself had sewn just two hours earlier. She neatly left the pieces of fabric on the sewing table, and dabbed a small piece of cloth to her eyes. The house cat had come and was sitting next to her feet.

She looked nearly human.

It was the only time Eline had ever seen her break out of her cold icy demeanor.

Could her cold heart truly hold feeling? Eline was sure she loved Ruthia. They were the same. Ruthia had taught Francesca everything she knew, and was greatly disappointed in Felicity. But could she love someone else as well? She could not love him. She only loved the title and Evander's outside. 'She doesn't know him,' Eline resolved, and went down the stairs again to begin tackling the mantle.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- A/N - Okay, two chapters in three days! That's impressive for me. I hope you enjoyed, another chapter coming soon, and REVIEW!!!!!