A/N: Hello to all! Here is chapter two! Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Cinderella.
"Let's get started." Metallicana pulled out a long roll of parchment. "We'll start with the royalty. How about Princess Wendy?"
"No! That would be like courting my little sister. Urg. Besides, the younger Lord Conbolt is courting her." Gajeel made a face.
"Okay… so that rules out… hmph." Metallicana grunted and scratched out names.
"How about Duchess Evergreen?"
"No way in hell would I marry that…! She's taken, anyways. Duke Strauss is courting her."
"Lady Minerva?"
"No."
"Lady Flare?"
"No. Way. In. Hell. That woman's just plain creepy."
"Oh! How about Duchess Juvia?" Juvia was the last name on the list. Metallicana was getting desperate.
"Juvia… is courting Prince Gray, of the Frozen Lands." Gajeel said, bored.
"Don't you mean Prince Gray is courting Lady Juvia?"
"No, she's courting him."
"What?"
"She's taken, okay?!"
"Well, what now, brat?"
-o-o-o-
After grabbing the flour and milk from a decent-looking market stall, Levy set off to find paprika. She meandered past flirts and stalled at jewelry displays until finally coming across an old lady with pink hair and spices laid out on her tarp. The exchange was quick and she was moved along with swat of the old lady's broom. Satisfied with her purchases, Levy plodded back to Lady Angel's manor.
Levy entered the house through the servants' doors and was waylaid by Jet and Droy, the stable boy and the gardener.
"Hello, boys!" Levy waved cheerfully.
"'Ello, Levy-chan!"
"Mistress Minerva wants you! She said something about lunch?" Jet called.
"Thanks, Jet." Levy said, "I'll get right on it!" With a mock salute, she headed into the manor.
-o-o-o-
"That's it!" Metallicana yelled, invigorated. "We'll host a ball! No, three! To find my son a worthy bride! Yes, that will do."
"I… I guess so. How, exactly, will this help me?" Gajeel asked. He slouched in his chair.
"They- they'll be masked, and you will ask all that catch your eye to dance, and-and there'll be a grand unmasking, on midnight of the last ball, yes, yes!"
"Jeez, Pops, never knew you were such the romantic pansy." Gajeel snorted. "Gihihi."
Metallicana scribbled it all down on a piece of parchment.
"I'll send out messenger boys tonight!"
"T-too soon!"
-o-o-o-
Levy was reading a book in the library when she heard knocking at the door. She scurried to the door just as the knocking ceased.
"H-hello?" Behind the door stood a young man with a scroll in his hand.
"Ooo! A royal messenger!" Minerva squealed uncharacteristically behind Levy.
"He's brown-hair." Flare mumbled. The two had materialized when they realized who it was.
"A-hem." the boy cleared his throat, opening his scroll. "His Majesty, King Metallicana of the Iron Lands, hereby announces three royal balls. Said balls will take place in two weeks on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It will be held at the Royal Ballroom in the Palace. The ball will start at seven o'clock. This invitation goes out to all eligible young maidens between seventeen and twenty years of age. If Prince Gajeel finds you worthy, he will take your hand in marriage. This as decreed by King Metallicana Redfox the First and Prince Gajeel Redfox the First." The boy handed both Minerva and Flare a scroll. "Good day, ladies." With that, he bowed and ran off to the next house.
"A ball- no, three balls! This is perfect!" As soon as the door closed, Minerva exploded. "Come, Flare! We have a prince to snag."
Flare just gazed at her invitation. "Blue-hair, do you want to come too?" she asked, tilting her head.
But Levy had already scuttled off, mixed feelings growing inside her chest and gears turning in her head.
-o-o-o-
"Prince Gajeel! I heard about the ball!" Sir Jellal Fernandes bowed in greeting. Lady…Sir…Knight? Erza Scarlet was by his side. Erza was a very powerful woman, and the only woman in all of Fiore to become knighted.
"Prince Gajeel! I had a hunch it would turn out this way." the red-haired knight bowed and smiled smugly. "His Majesty planned it with me."
"Che…it's not a big deal." Gajeel scoffed, looking away. Old man… I can hear him laughing…
"Excuse me, Sir Jellal, Lady Erza. I need to grab Gajeel." Pantherlily appeared at the young prince's side.
"What for?" Gajeel looked at his advisor suspiciously. "Don't tell me that I have to meet with those stuffy councilors again."
"It's time for your fittings. You need clothes for the balls. Three suits, to be exact." Lily smirked.
Gajeel groaned.
-o-o-o-
Levy groaned.
Yes, there were three balls coming up. Yes, you needed three different gowns for each of the said balls. But was it really necessary to make her carry all the cloth?
Levy's stepsisters made a trip to the fabric store almost right after the messenger boy came announcing the royal event. After choosing all the taffeta, silk, organza and chiffon that money could buy, they loaded Levy with their huge baskets of cloth and headed off to the seamstress' shop.
The two girls were fitted and the seamstress promised to send over her ideas the next day.
After this they arranged the carriage rentals, bought cosmetics, and prepared for the ball that was still quite far ahead.
After almost two weeks of dress fittings and dieting, Flare and Minerva were declared ball-ready by Angel. By now there was one day before the ball, and all the occupants of the manor went to bed early to look fresh in the morning.
The next day was complete and absolute torture for Levy. She had to basically do everything for the three (Angel was coming as a chaperone) ladies. When they woke, she had to make a tiny breakfast and then feed them, wash them, button up their dresses, etc., etc.
Now there was an hour until the ball started, and Minerva was putting on the finishing touches. Or rather, she was ordering Levy to finish putting on her makeup.
"Yes… perfect." Minerva surveyed Levy's handiwork in her mirror, tilting and turning her head to see her whole head. "Very good. You are dismissed."
Levy was too relieved to answer. Instead, she let out a breath of air and left the room.
Over the two weeks that Minerva and Flare took getting ready, Levy was preparing too. She had got the seamstress to sew her a dress and paid using her last gold coin. She perused the markets to find already worn shoes and handmade cosmetics. She planned to walk to the ball or ride one of Jet's horses. She listened to Milliana's beauty tips and how to give herself "cat eyes" using kohl. Levy did all this in secret. She wasn't doing this to get rejected right before the ball!
So, when it came for her step family to leave she was practically singing with joy. Even new, fresh-off-the-press, first edition books didn't make her this happy!
The first ball was a sort of meet-and-greet. The Prince would meet with all the young ladies. But the catch was that they would all be wearing masks. The thought was that if the Prince fell in love, he should be able to recognize her straight away. Levy almost laughed when she heard this. It was something out of her novels, seemingly normal but unrealistic.
Angel, Flare, and Minerva piled into the hired carriage. Angel handed one of the drivers a pouch of coins and whispered in his ear.
Levy waved good-bye, trying to look crestfallen as the carriage pulled away. But as soon as they were gone, she jumped for joy. Levy ran to her attic bedroom and yanked on her dress. Slipping on her second-hand shoes, she grabbed a mirror and hurriedly started to apply kohl to the corner of her eyes. She fixed her hair, padded on some rouge, and headed down to the stables. She hopped onto Bisca, Jet's prized mare, and galloped off towards the castle.
Thank goodness Father taught me how to ride, Levy thought, even if I never thought it would be useful.
She neared the castle, and saw a line of carriages. Good, I'm getting near. She grinned, and felt a sudden burst of freedom. She whooped. Loudly.
From her mount, Levy could see her stepmother's hired carriage.
Just as she passed it, a bucket of sludge rained down on her. She shrieked, and Bisca got spooked. Suddenly someone was holding Bisca's reins. It was the carriage driver. Levy turned, hearing the rustling of silken skirts. Angel, Minerva, and Flare stepped out from behind a cluster of trees. Minerva walked up to Levy, hatred burning in her eyes.
Levy felt numb.
"I thought she would pull something like this, Mother!" Minerva said disdainfully. "Look at her! I bet she stole your gold to buy that dress. I bet she used my makeup!"
Flare looked at her sadly. "Blue-hair…"
"Enough. Get her out of my sight." Angel turned up her nose, disgusted. "Deliver her to my estate." The carriage driver nodded. "And you," she said, addressing Levy, "I want you to clean the house, top to bottom. By the time we get back. I want it positively gleaming when the Prince arrives."
What makes you so sure that your daughters will snag the Prince? Levy thought viciously, scowling.
"Let's go." The carriage driver said, slapping Bisca's flank. He freed one of the horses for him to ride and instructed the other driver to watch the carriage and the remaining horse.
The ride back to the Angel's estate was humiliating and uncomfortable. Levy felt like crying. All her hard work, all her planning and preparing, came down to it being foiled in the end. And on top of all that, she wouldn't be able to re-use her dress. The beautiful gray silk was ruined from the water. Even the velvet shoes (that, admittedly, were a teensy bit uncomfortable) were crusted with dirt and whatever was in that slop. She pressed the back of her hand to her mouth and suppressed a sob. She couldn't even afford gloves, for Mavis' sake! Why did she think she would be able to attend this ball? And now she had to pay the price. Levy blinked back tears.
They stopped in front of the mansion. The carriage driver looked pained.
"Hey, I-" he whispered, "I'm sorry… I understand what you must be going through… I-I just…"
Levy ignored him, and pressed Bisca toward the stables.
As soon as she got there, Levy broke down. She sobbed and cried and wailed and beat her fists on the ground while Bisca looked on in worry. She may have been just a horse, but she nuzzled Levy comfortingly. After a while, Levy glanced up at Bisca.
"Let's put you away, girl." she grabbed Bisca's reins and shuffled to her stall.
"I wouldn't do that. You'll need her."
Levy gasped. Whirling around, she saw three women standing behind her.
"Hello, Levy."
And then the world went dark.
A/N:
Aaaaand with that, chapter two is finished! This is slightly longer and more angsty, but I hope you liked it! Thanks to all whom favorited/followed/reviewed. That makes my day. Also, the story will become happier and a bit more lighthearted in the next chapter. Stick around to see magic, romance, and three mysterious goddesses!
Questions? Suggestions? Comments? Let me know through a review!
Signing off,
Miss Quiet Writer