She was not sure what she was getting herself into when she finally agreed to go to the ball, but she had gotten herself into something; that was for sure. Miss Goose had dragged her to the back of the shop where a tub of warm water was waiting. She was soon stripped of her rags and plunged into the water. Miss Goose poured bottles of sweet smelling substance into her hair and began scrubbing fiercely. This slightly worried her, if her stepmother noticed she had clean hair, this could spell trouble. However, her stepmother usually paid little attention to her, so she didn't really need to worry.

Miss Goose then handed her a soap bar and ordered her to scrub well before leaving the room. She obeyed the best she could. It had been years since she used proper soap and had her hair rightly washed. When she took her monthly bath at home, she was usually just given a rag, a tub of lukewarm water, and a quarter of an hour. She had nothing like Miss Goose was providing her. After, she was done being scrubbing herself with soap, Miss Goose dumped a bucket of water on her and washed the soap out of her hair.

Finally, she excited the tub and was given a towel to dry with. Miss Goose wrapped her hair in a towel and began to furiously rub it, to get it to dry faster. When her skin was dry, but her hair still damp, Miss Goose gave her lotions and perfumes to rub over her body. She recognized the scent, lilac. Her mother had planted lilac in their gardens and Lady Isodara had kept them, one of the few plants that was not moved from the garden in order to make way for the new.

It seemed like she had to wait forever for her hair to finally, dry. Miss Goose brushed it as it was drying. Gabrielle began to worry if she was going to be late for the ball, but when she voiced these concerns Miss Goose just laughed, and told her to relax more. Finally, after a while Miss Goose declared her hair dry enough and now it was time to dress her.

Gabrielle didn't want to show it, but she was excited for the dress. It had been so long since she had a dress without patches, and had never been in a ballgown. When she saw it, her eyes widened. It was mainly white, it was embodied with butterflies of purple and silver wings. She could see a bit of sparkle in the silver of the wings. The bodice was white, but laced through with purple ribbons with silver at the edges. The sleeves were lightly puffed, but not nearly as much as Rosella's had been. The sleeves ended at the elbow and had a long flourish to them.

"Oh..." Was all she could say when she first saw it. She turned to Miss Goose.

"You shouldn't have made something so beautiful for me."

Miss Goose, let out a giggle, "That's fine, dearie, because I didn't make it for you."

Gabrielle's face well a bit, "But then why..."

"I made it for your mother." The plump woman turned to the dress. "This was her favorite dress, of course I modernized it a bit."

Gabrielle touched the fabric, "It is just so beautiful. How did you get it?"

"When your stepmother had her big sale after your father's wardrobe. I managed to buy a good chunk of your mother's old things."

Gabrielle gave a gasp, "You have things that belonged to my mother." Miss Goose nodded,

"Yes, I wish I could give them to you, but under your current circumstances..." Miss Goose, looked away sadly

"It's okay." Gabrielle put her arm on her shoulder, "I understand. I am just glad her things are in good hands." Miss Goose smiled, brightly at her.

"Enough talk, let's get you into that dress." Miss Goose helped her with her underclothes and finally into the dress. It felt so strange to be in a ballgown, in a way she felt awkward in it after being in rags for so many years. She almost felt as if it was too grand for her. As she was thinking such thoughts, Miss Goose lead her from the washroom, where Aaron was waiting. When he saw her his eyes lite up.

"You are gorgeous, Gabrielle, you look much more like a noble than your stepsisters."

The blonde blushed, but she gently reprimanded him, "It is not nice to talk about other people like that and my stepsisters are both nice looking."

"Yeah, but you are definitely prettier." He insisted, before Gabrielle could say anything, Miss Goose directed her to a vanity, where she began to do her hair. She could see Aaron watching from her mirror. Miss Goose let her hair down, but at the top, she styled and plaited it. Then she moved onto make-up and Gabrielle would admit that Miss Goose was better at make-up than she was. She applied it perfectly and added just the right touches to her lips and eyes.

"Done and lovely as ever." Miss Goose gushed.

Gabrielle could, hardly believe what she was looking at. She looked so different from the dirty, and rag covered woman she usually was. She stood up, and looked around to see the approving faces of Miss Goose and Aaron. She bowed her head, humbly.

"Now for the final touches." Miss Goose then pulled out two boxes. Gabrielle opened the first to see a pair of glass slippers.

"Oh, they are too lovely for me." She cried,

"If they were lovely enough for your mouth, they were lovely enough for you." Miss Goose said, as she placed them on the floor, where Gabrielle slid into them. Aaron gave a clap, that caused her to blush.

"Now since this is a masquerade ball..." Miss Goose opened the last box to reveal a purple and silver butterfly mask and handed it to Gabrielle, who then preceded to put it on her face.

"Wow, you look so different, Gabrielle." Commented Aaron. This comment made Gabrielle happy, if Aaron didn't recognize her, then their would be a good chance that her step-family would not be able to recognize her.

"I can't thank you enough, Miss Goose." She said, happily, but with an undercurrent of nervousness.

"Yes, but I must warn you. You need to come home, by midnight to outrun your step-family and to get changed." Gabrielle nodded, she could agree to that. Then Goose, then pointed out to the window, there was a carriage. "It is for you, my dear." Gabrielle still wondered if she was in a dream and would wake up in an instant.

She excited the store, with Miss Goose and Aaron following behind her. She gave them one last look, before she was helped, by a footmen, into the carriage. The door closed behind her behind her and their was no turning back. As the carriage began to move, her stomach began to turn to butterflies. Oh, what had she gotten herself into? Was it to late to turn around? Her mind began to wonder of the possibles if she was caught. Technically, she was a noble, so there was no reason for her not to be there, but if her stepmother or Rosella...she didn't want to think about that.

She tried to occupy her mind, she started singing to occupy her mind. She sang the ballad of Barbara Allen, over and over. If singing got her through chores, maybe it could help her arrive to the ball with her sanity. She felt so nervous. It had been so long since she was at a ball and she had never attended one as a woman of marriageable age and what if she made a fool of herself? What if she was caught? She tried not to think of these things. Finally, the carriage, arrived. She took a deep breathe, as the footmen opened the door and helped her out. She thanked him and then slowly made her way into the ball.

She entered it and stood on top of the stairs. She looked at the ballroom before her. There were so many people, more than she had seen in years. Many gorgeous gowns and masks at the ball. She slowly made her way down the stairs and finally stepped on the ballroom floor. She looked around the room. She could see where the food was and where people were just mingling. The blonde also noticed an open glass door to see a lite garden, but it didn't look like anyone was out there.

She walked further into the ballroom and was almost overwhelmed by all that was going on around her. In the stories she had read, when a girl entered the ballroom it was suppose to be magical and wonderful and make her feel all good inside. None of the tales described what she was feeling now.

"Excuse me, Miss." She jumped a bit, but then composed herself, as she turned to a man wearing a fox mask.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to startle you, my lady."

"It's fine. It's just been a while since I was at a ball, not your fault at all." She couldn't tell what his expression was, but he nodded.

"Would you join me for a dance?" Asked the fox man. Gabrielle hesitated, but nodded

"Yes, I must warn you, it's been a long time since I've danced." She had not told a single lie since she got here.

"That's fine, Miss. I will lead." He took her by the waist and hand and they started to waltz. Gabrielle remembered the basics of dancing and she was able to follow somewhat decently. Another worry, came to her, what if she was caught because of her lack of dancing grace. However, the fox man did not seem to comment on her lack or grace of dancing skills and they just made small talk.

"What's your name?" He asked her, she hesitated for a moment.

"Cinder." She replied, not daring to use her real name.

"What an unusual name and I mean no disrespect to your parents, but it doesn't suit you."

"None, taken." She responded, as he twirled her. They continued dancing till the song ended, where she politely thanked him for the dance and walked away. She wasn't doing so bad so far. Gabrielle wondered to the foot and picked up a small treat. It had been so long, since she had a dessert. She bit into it happily, tasting the sugar and chocolate. As she was enjoying the treat, she saw something that almost made her heart stop. There leaning against the wall, was Estelle. She was wearing her sparrow mask, even that couldn't hide the fact from Gabrielle that she was obviously bored. She turned her back to her quickly.

She wondered away from the food, and looked at the ball and that's when she saw an unmistakable glittery pink, it was Rosella. She was on the dance floor and it seemed like she had a line of men waiting to dance with her. She immediately decided not to dance for a while, not with Rosella was nearby and her stepmother was likely near. That didn't mean she didn't get other offers to dance, all she politely turned down.

She was deeper into the crowd when a trumpet was heard. Everyone, including Gabrielle, turned their attention to the stairs.

"Presenting his royal highness, Victor of the Kingdom, heir to the throne, Prince Adrian." A man in white walked out, on his face was a wolf's masks. The Prince looked around the ballroom, and then it happened. Gabrielle would regret looking up, but the prince's eyes meet hers. They held this for more than she was comfortable with. Then his neutral face turned into a smirk. Gabrielle heart began to beat so fast, she swore the whole ballroom could hear it. As the prince started to make his way downstairs a group of girls, that included Rosella, made his way to him. However, Gabrielle was going in the opposite direction.

She made a split-second decision and rushed out into the open gardens. She looked around to see no one was there. She decided this would be the perfect place to calm her nerves and more importantly hide. She started traveling the mazes of the garden it was beautiful here, she must admit. Gabrielle loved gardens. Most of her childhood memories were reading in the garden. She wished she had a book here to read by the soft lights that glowed here. Then she heard it. The soft sound of flowing water. She turned a corner to find a fountain with tea lights floating in it. She smiled happily at this.

She went to the fountain and sat on the edge, looking into the water, just enjoying the peace. She found for the first time that night, that she was truly at ease. She let her gaze fall into the water. She gave a relaxed brief, she was not sure how long she had been here when she heard...

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Gabrielle froze, that voice it sounded familiar. She looked up, hesitantly, to see a wolf looking back at her. The blonde was too stunned to say anything, but the prince took his seat across from her.

"However, not as lovely as you...or your song." Gabrielle felt her throat become dry. She didn't even realize it when the prince took one of her hands into his own.

"Such rough hands for a noble woman." He commented. Gabrielle blushed, and gently pulled her hand away, "More like the hands of a servant...or someone made a servant."

Her eyes widened, "Forgive me, your highness, but I do not know what you are talking about."

"Oh, really now. I take it you have heard of the rumors of the songstress that saved that man's life." Gabrielle gave a weak nod,

"Well, the tale is true and her name was Gabrielle."

"That's very interesting, your highness." Her stomach was dropping to her stomach.

"However, something bothered me...or perhaps another word is haunted me, by that voice. It was a trained voice, something only a noble woman could get training for, yet this girl was one of the most pitifully dressed woman I have ever seen. Her clothing looked entirely made of rags. Isn't that strange?"

Gabrielle didn't have the stomach to reply to him, but she just gave a weak nod. He leaned a bit more over to her, but she did not dare lean back. Their lips were closer than she liked.

"Gabrielle, it isn't exactly a rare name, but not that common either. I had my researchers give me a list of noble women named Gabrielle and when I received the list, I could almost dismiss everyone as not the Gabrielle I was looking for; except one."

He paused a moment, as if he was giving her a chance to say anything, but she couldn't find the words.

The prince continued,

"A young girl who hadn't attended any balls or social gatherings in years since the death of her father. According to her living stepmother she has become a hermit and hates to refuses to get outside the house. Don't you find that interesting, Cinder?"

It took her a moment to respond, then she remembered that she had given her name away as Cinder.

"Why, yes your majesty, I do."

"I also found it interesting that she looked confused for a moment when I called you Cinder and didn't respond immediately, like it wasn't your real name."

She wanted to curse herself for ever giving up that name, why did he have to be this sharp.

"How did you even know my name, your highness?"

"A little fox told me." He said, with a smirk, "But, still who would name their noble daughter Cinder? Something dirty like that. I find it hard to believe, as in I don't believe it."

The blonde looked down. How had he figured it out so fast? How...just how.

"Will you please remove your mask, Gabrielle?"

She looked at him, he already knew there was no denying it. She slowly undid her butterfly mask to reveal her face.

"Much better." He took his gloved hand and gently cupped her face for a moment and leaned over, for a moment; she thought he was going to kiss her, but he didn't, instead he let go.

"Are you going to tell my stepmother about me?" She asked, worriedly

"No, so is this your first time sneaking to a ball?" He asked,

"Yes, it is." She confirmed. He then stood up, and offered her his arm,

"Let's go back inside. I don't plane to expose you, I have no desire for my fun to be ruined." Gabrielle wondered what kind of fun he was talking about. She decided to not disobey. She put back on her butterfly mask and took his arm and together they walked through the garden maze and back into the ballroom. When they entered the ballroom, all eyes turned to them.

"Shall we dance?" He asked, but Gabrielle did not feel it was much of a choice. She nodded, and he took her in the center of the ballroom where they started to waltz. Now, she knew all eyes were on her. Here she was a girl no one recognized, dancing with the prince of all people. It was almost out of a tale, she realized, but she would love to be out of it.

The prince held her close, as they danced. It felt far more intimidate than her dance with the fox earlier. He was able to make up for any mistakes she made during the waltz with her, correcting a few of her mishaps. When the song came to an end, she felt relieved. However, he kept her hand around her waist in a firm grip. She realized he was going to dance with her again. Her thoughts proved true when the next song started and they went back to waltzing. This was almost unheard of. The prince would usually get so many offers, that he couldn't have more than one woman at once.

However, here she was doing the second dance, dancing together close as usual. There would certainly be talk of this in the town. More gossip was not what she needed now. When this dance came to an end and her eyes widened. It was a quarter to twelve.

"I have to go, now." She pulled away, breaking his strong grip.

"But, why it's so early."

She shook her head, "I have to go." Gabrielle turned and practically ran away into the crowd. She knew the prince tried to follow her, but he was stopped by a crowd of girls, wanting to dance next. As She ran up the steps, she tripped and felt her one of her slippers come off. She was in such a panic to get up that she didn't bother to go back and get it. She ran outside and went straight for her carriage.

"Go now." She ordered her driver. When the carriage started, she finally let out a breath that she had been holding.