Morning was soon to come up as the sun started to rise. Everyone in the chateau was still asleep until Madison was the first person to wake up. Her eyes were slowly opening and fluttering her eyelashes a few times. She let out a small yawn and then groaned a little as she slowly sat up. Looking at the window, it was a little dark outside but also some light is coming soon.
Madison looked at her Bearded Dragon as he was still asleep. Snoring and twitching like last night. She smiled and gently got off the bed as she was trying not to wake her friend up. She got close to window and saw the sky of dawn. It was beautiful with some pink that will turn into a sky blue. She walked away from the window and heard towards the vanity. Sitting down on a small seat, Madison grabbed her hairbrush and brushing her hair until she heard something that coming from the attic.
It was Cinderella. Singing one of the iconic songs in the movie. Madison smiled on hearing "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" and decided to hum along with her as she kept on brushing her hair and then starts putting her hair up like she had on yesterday. Suddenly, she heard the sound of a clock bonged that was coming from outside at the village. That got Zor waking up from the sound.
"Oh, that clock! Old killjoy." Madison spoke with a smile as she was now using Cinderella's lines from the film. "I hear you. 'Come on, get up!' they say. 'Time to start another day'."
Zor chirped as he looked at her and then let a stretch and squeaky yawn. Madison turned around to face him and smiled more.
"Good morning, Zor. Sleep well?" she asked as she came to him and petted his scales.
Zor squealed and chirped as a reply that he slept fine, but also let her keep petting him. Madison giggled but the stopped as she grabbed her dress and head to the changing board. The Bearded Dragon waited for his mistress to get changed until he heard singing from the attic and then humming from his mistress.
Madison was now dressed in her blue, casual dress as she straightens her dress and put her blue slippers on. She gently picked Zor up and put him on her shoulder.
"Come on, Zor. Let's find the kitchen and see what we can eat."
Zor gurgled as he looked concern when he was looking at the door.
"Don't worry. The Tremaines won't notice you. Besides, those three are still asleep except... Cinderella." Madison was now in thought as she realized that the maid will be coming down soon. "Well... I'm sure she'll appreciate you."
Zor smiled a little but was still a little concern. Once Madison starts opening the bedroom door and leave, she quietly walked past the doors and then down the stairs. To the side across from the stairs was a door. To Madison's guess was that behind there must be where the kitchen is. She starts going in and to her and Zor's surprise, it was the kitchen. Now she just have to find something what she and Zor could eat, but as she entered the kitchen, the notice a dog sleeping on the rug.
Madison knew that the dog is Bruno and the only dream that he's having, is chasing Lucifer. She looked at Zor as she placed her finger on her lips. As a sign for to be quiet. The Bearded Dragon nod his head and Madison starts tip toeing past the dog. She now started to find something that she and Zor could eat, but also trying not to make a sound for Bruno to hear. Zor was already off of his mistress's shoulder and starts crawling around, trying to find something until he heard something.
Even Madison heard it as well. She quickly picked him up and hid by the corner as the door opened. The two saw that it was Cinderella entering the kitchen but behind her... was the cat, Lucifer. Zor started to growl but his mouth was covered by Madison's hand. She shook her head and her expression meant like he has to wait. Zor let out a growl of disappointment but then realized he made a sound.
"Hello? Someone there?" Cinderella's voice spoke.
Madison looked at Zor with look of expression and the Bearded Dragon shrugged. She sighed and got out of the hiding spot as she was now facing Cinderella with a surprised look.
"Lady Madison..." Cinderella spoke and then curtsied to her.
"Please no need for that. Not while Lady Tremaine is around." she said to the maid.
"Quite surprised that you're up already."
"I'm always up early on most days."
Cinderella nods her head but notice something on Madison's shoulder. The Bearded Dragon looked at the maid and starts crawling on Madison's arm to her hand.
"Hello there." Cinderella spoke to her, and Zor chirped as a reply. "Is he a friend of yours?"
"He is. This is Zor."
The Bearded Dragon looked at the maid with a smile on his face. Cinderella lifted one of her hands and gently petted Zor's head, causing him to purr. She giggled.
"He's really friendly."
"Yes, he is." Madison smiled until both of the girls heard the sound of whimpering and growling.
The two looked to see Bruno still asleep with his legs moving around like he was running. Cinderella quickly brought some light from the door and then looked at her dog as he was still dreaming.
"Bruno." she spoke to him as she was trying to wake up.
But the dog kept on howling, growling and chasing as grabbed onto the carpet and chewed on it.
"Bruno!" Cinderella spoke again and then the dog finally opened his eyes.
He was now awake as he spits the carpet out of his mouth, but then turned around and smiled as he was facing his mistress but also looking at Madison.
"Hi." she softly spoke to him as she petted his head and scratching behind his ear.
Bruno actually like that scratch, but then starts licking Madison's arm, which caused to giggle. The dog started to like her already, but then turned to Cinderella as she kneeled down in front of him.
"Dreaming again? Chasing Lucifer?" she asked as she scratched Bruno's ears and the dog nodded. "Catch him this time?" she asked again and the Bruno nods again. "That's bad!"
The dog looked stunned as he heard her say that.
"Suppose they heard you upstairs? You know the orders." said Cinderella as she was getting the firewood set including the teapots, "So if you don't want to lose a nice warm bed, you'd better get rid of those dreams. You know how?"
Bruno shook his head as he was still smiling.
"Just learn to like cats."
Zor growled to himself on hearing that, even Bruno was fed up. But then the two along with Madison turned to see Lucifer coming by, starts giving the poor old dog a hard time. Zor starts glaring at him, but he was calmed down by his mistress.
"Be patient, Zor. Not the right time yet." she whispered to him.
"No, I mean it." Cinderella continues to speak as she was about to put the stove on, "Lucifer has his good points too. For one thing, he..." she stopped as she was trying to remember what the cat has done, "Well...Sometimes he..."
The cat smiled and waited for what Cinderella was saying. Wanted to know how great he was until he heard those words from her.
"Hmm... There must be something good about him."
Lucifer starts glaring at him while Bruno starts laughing, even Zor too. Madison covered her mouth as she was hiding her smile and trying not to laugh until she saw that cat had a devious smile on his face as he was lying down on the floor and then...
He scratched Bruno's nose. The dog starts growling at him and Lucifer meowed in fake agony, which actually got Cinderella's attention as he was pouring milk in a bowl.
"Bruno!" she shouted as she looked at her dog.
Bruno had his head down and his eyes looked sad and innocent as Cinderella got closer to him. Madison knew it wasn't his fault, but it was the devil cat that set him up.
"Oh, Bruno. Come on now, outside." Cinderella spoke as she escorted the sad dog outside, "I know it isn't easy, but at least we should try to get along together."
Zor looked at Bruno, feeling sorry for him, but then turned to look at Lucifer, glaring his eyes as the cat was smiling so deviously. He swears he could breathe fire and burned the fur off him, but then looked at his mistress, knowing that he still has to be patient and wait for her command.
"And that includes you, your majesty." said Cinderella as placed the bowl of milk in front of the cat and then put on her clogged shoes.
Madison started to follow her outside as Cinderella brought out a basket of feed.
"Cinderella... It really wasn't Bruno's fault. It was the cat. Zor and I saw the whole thing." said Madison and Zor nod his head. "Surely, you could bring him back in the kitchen, right?"
"I wish I could. But I can't let him unless if the two would get along. Otherwise... my stepmother will permanently kick him out."
'If only the stepmother is more of a dog person but nope. She's only interest in evil cats that named after devils.' Madison said to her thoughts until she heard Cinderella shouting for the animals' attentions.
"Breakfast time! Everybody up! Hurry, hurry! Come on, everybody. Breakfast, breakfast!"
Madison looked around and saw a bunch of chickens and some geese coming out as Cinderella was spreading corn around the ground. She even looked to see Bruno coming out but also saw Cinderella's horse, Major, as his head popped out of the stables. But the one thing she knew about the part, were the mice be coming soon but also remembered the Jaq, the leader of the mice group, will be distracting Lucifer.
"They'll be coming soon, but in a few minutes later, we have to go back to our room. Otherwise, the Tremaines will find it suspicious for me to be out with some animals." she said softly to Zor as she watched Cinderella brought Major out from his stable.
Zor squealed and gurgled in concern as he looked at the maid.
"Also, there will be trouble for her as well. With extra chores too." she replied and then whispers to him, "Which is why we're secretly helping her with that. Not letting her or anyone know that I have magic."
The Bearded Dragon nod his head as he agrees to his mistress.
A minute later, Madison and Zor were looking at the animals but also listen to Cinderella's humming as she was still feeding them corn. Suddenly, they all heard shouting and turned to see four mice at the cart, hollering for Cinderella as they called her 'Cinderelly'.
"Oh, there you are. I was wondering. All right, breakfast is served." she said and tossed the pieces of corn to them.
Madison watched as the mice starts gathering their food as much as they could until the chickens came and start eating. The little critters quickly retreat but the plump one, Gus, was way behind as he was trying to grab a piece of corn from the chickens.
"Uh... take it easy, cluck-cluck." he spoke to one of them and then ran off, but the chicken made him trip by stepping on his tail. Making poor Gus to let go of the corn. "Uh, duh... let go! Let go now! Let... go..."
Gus tried to get the corn from the other chicken like a tug of war until Cinderella and Madison stopped them.
"Stop that. Shoo, shoo, shoo. Go on! Shoo, shoo, shoo!"
"Go on, scram. You already have your food." Madison shouted as she and Cinderella shooed the chickens away and then looked at the plump mouse.
"Poor littIe Gus. Here. Help yourself." the young maid spoke to him and then placed a pile of corn in front of him.
Gus smiled with delight and starts stacking up some corn. Madison and Zor looked at him as they smiled to see so many corn in the small one's arms. It was quite a lot but the mouse could handle it as he scurried his way to the kitchen.
"It's quite a lot that he's carrying. He must be really hungry." said Madison as she was talking to Cinderella.
"He must not have eaten anything since he was in a trap. That reminds me, I do want to thank you for setting Perla free from a mouse trap."
"Perla, huh?" Madison acted as she looked at her. "Is that what her name is."
"It is. I hope you don't think I'm crazy."
"About...?"
"For naming, talking, dressing up the mice. It's just that the animals are the only friends I have left ever since my father was gone."
"I don't think your crazy, Ella. If that's alright if I call you that and also... I don't blame you that you have animal friends. Take Zor, for example." Madison pointed as she looked at her Bearded Dragon, "Whenever I'm in my room and back at my home, I always chat with him. Of course, whenever I'm out adventuring with my friends, he has always been there for me."
Zor chirped and felt with pride and Cinderella giggled.
"Thank you for understand me, Lady Madison."
"Please, call me Madison or Maddie. Now that we're friends." she said to her until both she, Cinderella, and Zor heard a bell ringing.
"Cinderella!" a voice hollered.
It was one of the stepsisters and it was time that the Tremaines are already up.
"Alright! Alright! I'm coming!" the maid quickly replied as she and Madison are back in the kitchen.
"I guess it's time for me to go back to my room." said Madison.
"I think you should. I don't want my stepfamily to see you around with me. Go on quickly. I'll bring your breakfast."
"Actually, I'll carry it to my room. Don't worry about me, right now you need to deal with them." said Madison as she picked up her tray of food.
She did have a feeling that Cinderella is surprised to see a noble lady carrying her own tray, but to Madison she is not those kinds of ladies that don't laze around like the stepfamily that holler Cinderella's name a lot. With grace and balance, Madison carefully goes up the stairs with her tray and finally made it to her room. Luckily, Zor had helped her out as he used his tail to open the door. Madison was relieved that she and Zor are finally in the room and set the tray on a nightstand beside her bed.
"Well, Zor. Breakfast is served." she said as she sat down.
Zor chirped as he looked at the tray but saw nothing that he could eat.
"Hold on a moment, Zor."
Madison waved her hand around her palm and to Zor's surprise, was a small plate of chopped meat.
"There you go." she said and the two starts eating until...
"AAAAAHHHHH!"
A scream startled the two and that can only mean one thing.
"Oh boy... Trouble has just begun." she said to herself as she and Zor heard Anastasia's voice screaming for her mother. "Stay here, Zor. I'll be right back."
Madison slowly got up from her bed and walked towards the door. And as she exits the room, she saw both Anastasia and Drizella peeking through the keyhole of their mother's room. She held her head high and walked with grace as she was coming towards them.
"What is going on here?" she spoke.
The girls jumped as they were startled and looked to see her standing.
"Lady Madison..." Anastasia spoke as she and Drizella curtsied to her.
"I heard screaming and shouting. What was happening?"
"Oh milady, it was dreadful! That no good maid of ours put an ugly mouse under my teacup." Anastasia explained.
"And we told our mother about it. And now..." Drizella spoke as she and her sister had a smug look on their faces. "Now she's going to get it."
Madison listened to them giggling and watched them peeked through the keyhole again. She even heard Lady Tremaine's voice as she was talking about more chores for Cinderella to do. Hoping that this will be easy and a lot of work on helping the maid in secret.
To Be Continued...