So some of you left reviews (thx a lot they are always welcome and appreciated) and it was reported to me that it'd be interesting to see the Fairy Godmother meet Lady Tremaine and I'll see to it in the third chapter, I promise! Lady Tremaine is the character that really fascinates me and sometimes I almost forget that the story doesn't just revolve around her relationship with Cindy and that there actually ARE other cool characters :p


"Letting go, because this newfound freedom is agony"

Lady Tremaine had been sitting in her room for the past 20 minutes, passing on dresses and judging their effect on her stepdaughter. She was now looking at her from the bottom upwards, still unconvinced. It was the fourth dress Cinderella was putting on and though she was pretty in it, as always, there was something off about each dress. They were either too old-fashioned or too daring for the innocence of a young lady such as Cinderella. "What do you think of this one Stepmother?"

- I'm afraid it just won't do my dear. You don't have a flat chest, and yet it seems too flat for that dress. Turn around for me.

She stood up and removed Cinderella's hair from her back, and gently helped her take it off. "Here, try this one. Your father gave it to me on our wedding night. It should look great on you."

- Oh it's beautiful Stepmother, thank you.

When Cinderella put on the dress, Lady Tremaine looked at her the same way she'd looked at her when she was going down the stairs earlier, parading in front of her and her daughters. But this time, Cinderella looked like a woman, like a Queen. That made her reconsider her offer. Giving her that dress would make the girl's head grow big and she didn't want that to happen. Cinderella was rather humble than vain and it was something about her nature that she thought shouldn't change. She wasn't aware of her beauty, and Lady Tremaine thought it remarkable. What she hated about the girl though was her tendency to live in her dreams instead of seeing reality for what it truly was. "It does look great on you child, but as lovely as it is, I can only let you borrow it. Your father had it made by one of the greatest designers of all time for me. It may as well be my best piece of clothing. However I can let you wear it tonight at the ball, if it isn't too late to go."

- That would be wonderful Stepmother. And I really wouldn't want you to think that I don't appreciate your lending me one of your dresses to wear. I didn't want to make a scene downstairs about the torn pieces of fabric earlier. It's just that my dress' value is rather sentimental than monetary.

- Oh?

- Yes, you see, it is the only thing I have left of my mother.

- I hadn't realized. How unfortunate.

- Do you really think it's ridiculous? I've been trying to picture my mother in it for so long. I'm sure it looked great on her.

- Perhaps. And it only looks ridiculous now because you've added some unnecessary and grotesque accessories to it, among which some didn't even belong to you.

- I'm sorry. Drizella and Anastasia had thrown them on the floor and I figured they wouldn't even need them anyways.

- The point remains; they did NOT belong to you Cinderella.*sigh* Very well. I suppose I can allow you to keep the dress of your mother, you won't have to throw any of its pieces away. However, I expect you to not ever steal again.

- I promise. Thank you thank you Stepmother.

- But if you keep this dress, you will not have one of mine.

- But-

- No buts, she raised her eyebrow and went on; children never appreciate anything once they're spoiled. Look at Anastasia and Drizella! Those miserable girls have more dresses than I and they kept complaining that they didn't have anything suitable to wear tonight. I want you to learn to cherish what you have, instead of only knowing greed.

- But if I can't even borrow one of your dresses, how can I go to the ball? I can't possibly have my mother's fixed in time. What am I to do?

- Well then give up on your dress, donate it to charity, and then I'll give you one of mine.

- I can't!

- Then you've made your decision. You will stay here. There are still chores to do you won't get bored.

- Why are you doing this?

- I beg your pardon?

- You are being so... insensitive, and cruel!

- How dare you be so insolent!

Lady Tremaine was now walking slowly towards Cinderella with a fierce look on her face.

"You know what this dress means to me, and you know what going to the ball means to me as well, yet you're making me giving up on one of these things and I just can't believe you!"

- You will shut your ungrateful mouth this instant or I will-

- No! You stop-

Cinderella suddenly heard and felt the impact of Lady Tremaine's hand on her left cheek before she could finish her sentence. She was on a roll, but this sure had put an end to whatever venting tirade she was performing. She turned around and reached for her face, trying to appease her skin, and whispered: "You slapped me."

- You forced my hand, and I must say I have been very patient until now. But you left me no choice.

- You've never slapped me before. God knows you've hurt me through the years, but you never touched me.

- Turn around, and stop mumbling! Turn around at once and face me Cinderella!

- Oh Stepmother, do you know how long I've waited for you to touch me? It wasn't a caress, it was a strike, but at least, you were able to touch me tonight, first in the hall and now here in your room.

- I-I was punishing you!

- And as twisted as it sounds, I think I almost enjoyed it. I've been longing for any kind of gesture from you, physical contact that would make me feel like I existed as part of your world!

- My poor child you are not making any sense! I won't listen to this!

- After all these years of pain, agony and humiliation, I am finally having this conversation with you.

Cinderella couldn't believe herself. Was she really the one saying all that? How could she dare? Well it was too late to back down now.

"I will not tolerate more of your arrogance! How dare you imply that you've been mistreated? You were staying under MY roof! If it weren't for my kindness and pity, you would be in the streets as we speak!"

- Maybe that would've been best.

- You idiot! You have not the slightest idea of what you're talking about do you?

She pulls her by the hair and drags her in front of the window, now taking her face by one hand and turning it, forcing her to look outside. "Look! Look outside, what do you see? It is dark and cold, and no one is outside, except maybe for prowlers and criminals! Not one rich passer! They are too busy celebrating in fancy restaurants, ballrooms or some other extravagant event that only serves their own people's interests." Still holding her face with a solid grip, she turned it to have Cinderella look at her. Lady Tremaine was now looking deep in Cinderella's eyes, and was wrinkling hers a bit, to show how serious she was and how aggravated this whole situation was at the moment. "Do you know what happens to pretty girls like you who end up on the street Cinderella? Do you? Well let me enlighten you. They try to get people's sympathy and beg them for money. Until one day, at night, they cross the path of strangers, or more specifically, travelers. And do you know what old drunkards who've been drinking all day long want at night? It's simple. If they are hungry, and there is no restaurant open or nearby, they'll be looking for some fun elsewhere do you understand? And if one pretty girl happens to be on their way, do you know what they'll do? First they'll stop her, then steal whatever she has from her, and then they'll rape her, maybe during all the rest of the night, one by one! And if she survives, she'll end up pregnant with a child she won't be able to support. What will she do then? God only knows, maybe she'll engage in prostitution.

(She stopped holding Cinderella's face although still gazing at her, and caressed her cheek with one finger to rest under her chin and hold her face again. "Do you wish that to happen to you?"

- No.

- I assumed just as much.

- But sometimes they live like gipsies with their friends and chosen families, and manage to make some living for themselves by using their talents! They have enough and they are happy. And to be happy, and free, it is all that I'm not! And it's my dream to cling onto. It is all I have.

-Your dream?! You little ungrateful rat! Happy... and then what you'll grow pumpkins and join the circus? You want to know what you are Cinderella? You are a silly, ungrateful girl, a dreamer indeed who lives in her fantasies. And do you know how you get to experience such a luxury? For the same reasons that you have a bed to sleep in, and a roof over your head, all which I happen to be providing you! Oh you may be pretty Cinderella, but once you end up alone in the public square, you'll be nothing more than everyone's propriety, that no one will dare to neither defend nor protect! No prince charming like in one of your fantasies will come and rescue you on his white horse. There is only a thin wall separating you from the ruin that's awaiting you out there, and that wall is me! No prince, no father, only me. So as long as you live under this roof, you shall obey to me, and respect me. Is that clear?

- Oh Stepmother, if you'd only considered me as one of your own, I would have done much more than only respect you! I was willing to even love you. If only you'd loved me once in your life, but you never showed me affection. And without Father, I found myself so lonely and in desperate need for affection, that it has destroyed me.

Cinderella fell to her knees, and started crying at her stepmother's feet. "Child, get up. Love is overrated. Don't waste your energy on it. Haven't you been listening to a word I've said?"

- I know you're strong, maybe you don't need love. But I do, and I wish you loved me, so that I could try to make you proud.

- Quite ambitious. No one's ever achieved that. You will learn that life as well as people from our entourage is often so disappointing. Even ourselves. We usually cannot help it. Do you think I like to hurt you? It is you who likes to provoke me! You crave for me to punish you! You are one troubled girl! I don't like to resort to that but you push me Cinderella.

- My only crime was to be born without a mother, to a father who fancied you enough to make you his second wife. It's my only crime Stepmother. I never chose any of this. In fact, I never had any control whatsoever over my existence. But you have. You have a talent for it I must say. Maybe I should just kill myself! I may not have chosen how to live my life, but I will at least choose how to end it!

- Stop this, come to your senses and get up!

Lady Tremaine forced Cinderella to get up and once she had her standing, couldn't let go of her arms. Cinderella seemed too weak to stand on her feet by herself. She kept her grip firm and stared at the girl, this time with genuine grieve and regret. "Look at me Cinderella, look at me!"

- God it hurts, Stepmother. It hurts so much. I-I don't know wha-

- Shhhh shhh please stop crying child. Stop crying. You are going to make yourself ill.

Lady Tremaine started shaking her a bit, until Cinderella looked at her as if to say she was sorry and couldn't control her emotions. Lady Tremaine sighed and by a slight tilt of her head indicated that she understood. She too had tears forming in her reddened eyes, but she would not allow a single one of them to drop. "Cinderella. Now I want you to calm yourself down and listen to me. Sometimes, one has to make sacrifices, in order to survive in this world. Because it isn't an idyllic place to be, believe me. And a parental figure has to make those sacrifices too, and make responsible decisions for children who don't know how to take care of themselves, be the voice of reason. That means bringing the child back on earth when he or she is living on a dangerous cloud that could pop at any time. It is only a parent's duty to be as harsh as life can be, and especially with a daughter who has a lot more potential than most young women. I want you to be the best you can be, because you can! And it's when life is tough that you'll learn to overcome anything and be that better version of yourself Cinderella!

- Stepmother, do you mean it all?

- Yes, and I mean it when I say that crying like this will make you ill.

- But you see, I'm not a child anymore. I am becoming a woman, and I haven't done anything.

Lady Tremaine put her hand on Cinderella's cheek. She started thinking to herself: "Do you think I haven't noticed you've grown into the most charming and beautiful woman? But you are not aware of how dangerous that gift can be if you meet the wrong people and use that beauty instead of your humble heart to achieve a good standard of living. After all, you are the one on my will who's inheriting of everything. I am giving you the gift of freedom. I am making you financially independent and you will be an intellectual who doesn't need to marry in order to survive. When my other girls will be married off, I will give you the right education to become just what you deserve to be." But that she couldn't tell her. Not now. Cinderella went on. "I haven't seen the world, I haven't experienced what people call "love" and "romance" and I know your opinion on the matter but, if I cannot try or feel anything, I'll never make mistakes, and I'll never really learn anything. Life could be great but I wonder if this life as you describe it is worth living.

Lady Tremaine suddenly felt like letting go of Cinderella. She let her arms fall limp and looked at the girl, stoically. "That's how you feel?" Cinderella hesitated before nodding. "Very well, from now on you will not have to obey me; you will not even have my attention at all. Do as you please. And if tomorrow morning, you still feel the same way and don't wish to work and follow my rules, I expect to not find you here. I will want you gone, for good. You are now free to leave.

Cinderella was now sobbing but wiped her tears and nodded. She started to undress. "Keep that dress, you may even take it with you I don't wish to be reminded of the man whose daughter betrayed me and seeing this dress would only be rubbing salt in the wound."

- O-okay, stepmother.

- You don't have to call me that any longer. As you can see I'm very tired, I'd like to go to bed now.

- Of-of course. Goodnight.

Before shutting the door on her way out, Cinderella gave a last stare at her Stepmother. Though Lady Tremaine tried to look impassive, she could decipher pain in her eyes. Cinderella closed the door and ran up the stairs to her room.

Half an hour later, Lady Tremaine was already in bed, fondling Lucifer, and thinking about her conversation with Cinderella. She'd been hard on the girl. She never was fair to her. She started questioning her own methods. There was something twisted to their relationship, and it was all her fault. She'd always denied it, but she was finally admitting it to herself. Still she had to remain impassive and strict with the girl. "Someone has to."

Meanwhile, Cinderella was crying on her bed. Her heart was crushed. Why was that? She finally had the permission to go, as far as she wanted from all of this and be herself. What was stopping her? What was this unpleasant feeling like a painful lump in her throat? Why was she feeling so miserable? Maybe because this life was all she'd ever known. Yes she'd wished for it to get better, but she never really hoped to start over somewhere else. And her stepmother was the only "parent" she had. She'd even said it herself. Lady Tremaine herself had told her about what she thought a good "parent" should do for a beloved "daughter"! How could she have missed that? Her stepmother had finally talked to her like one of her own, and now she had to walk away on it because she'd been foolish, selfish and greedy for freedom? She couldn't, she couldn't bare the pain. She couldn't stay after what had happened, but she couldn't bare the idea of walking away and leaving her stepmother and the manor and everything that made her life HER life behind her. She sat quietly in her bed, staring at nothing in particular, thinking for hours. Drizella and Anastasia were not back yet. The whole house was quiet. Suddenly there was no expression on her face, as though the sparkle in her eyes had gone to be replaced by... nothing. She looked at peace. She stood up and went downstairs. She went to the kitchen. She opened a drawer, and took a piece of paper as well as pen and ink. She started writing something, starting with "Dear Stepmother". It took her about ten minutes before she went and opened the kitchen cabinet and took two medicine bottles...