A/N: Thank you for all of the reviews!

And here's the second chapter, hope you'll like it. Enjoy!

2.

Rella stretched happily while waking up next morning. The sun was low and few rays reached her face through a small crack in the curtains. She glanced at her husband's sleeping form and got up from the bed. She always woke up earlier than Falad, probably because of her past. But she also liked it. Everything was quiet and peaceful and fresh. The day had not yet send anything to complicate things.

Rella walked to the wardrobe and started rummaging through her dresses for today. She was feeling like green today, she decided as she held one of her green dresses in front of her. But a darker shade, Rella put the dress back in the wardrobe and took a dark green dress instead. Rella dressed and moved to the sitting room and smiled happily when she noticed that the other one of their two servants they had brought with them had made her breakfast. She sat down to eat and to think about the day.

They were going to the palace today after some circling around in town. Falad had said it would be nice to get to know this kingdom when Rella had suggested that they'd spend their morning that way. She wanted to see how the city had changed, if it had.

After she had eaten, she pulled out some papers and started to look through them while waiting for Falad to wake up. They were drafts of contracts and trade agreements which would be the goal of these negotiations. They were almost done, just in need of a little fine tuning.

Rella smiled to herself. It was peculiar, she would have never thought she would like forming contracts and agreements this much. Even though it had not been her own choice, she had always like cleaning and doing things with her hands. To switch from a work of a housemaid to writing complex bargains was a big change. But Rella liked it as much as she liked cleaning. She still sometimes rose up at the same time as the other maids in their house and helped them make breakfast. At first they had been very confused about it but eventually gotten used to it and even started to like it. When Falad had learned of it, he had been very confused as well, but decided to let her have her way. He very rarely could deny anything from Rella.

He was also very patient with her strange customs and her issues, a trait of which Rella was extremely grateful. She didn't know what she had done to deserve a husband like him. While he was stubborn as a mule he was also incredibly gentle and open minded, which was probably one reason why he never thought much of her own ways. He had a bit of a temper too, which had spooked the hell out of her the first few times he had exploded to something someone had done. But on a normal day when everything went as usual he was always calm and collected and took care of Rella more than anyone had ever done. It had been quite odd at first, but she got used to it and it just made her love him more every day.

Rella raised her head slightly when hearing movement from the broom. Falad had apparently finally woken. Rella reached the pot that was full of a hot drink they drank in Dherr'eshaan, they called it coffee. When she had tasted it for the first time she had almost spat it out immediately. It was horrible, she thought but her adopted sister, Nenya had showed her how to make it taste differently by adding lots of sugar and cream or milk and if preferred; some spices. When she had tasted that version it had been much better. Still it had never been her favorite drink, but Falad, he couldn't function at all in the mornings if he couldn't have his morning coffee. So, when Falad walked from their bedroom rubbing his eyes, Rella had a cup of coffee ready. She passed it to Falad as he sat down and Falad took a long swig of it before nodding his thanks to Rella.

After an hour in which Falad slowly woke up and ate his breakfast, they started to make plans on where Rella wanted to visit. Falad didn't care much since he would be happy to visit anywhere, but Rella wished to see few particular places. First she wanted to go and see the market place, she had known many of the sellers well. She also especially wished to see the baker, she and the baker's family had been very good friends.

She had thought about seeing the Tremaine Manor too. She just wasn't sure if she could do it. It would probably be good for her if she did, with closure and all, but what if they would see lady Tremaine or Drizella. Rella didn't think she could take that even though the odds of them recognizing her were extremely slim. It was eventually Falad who said that they should see how things went and if she felt after seeing everything else that she could do it, then they would. After a bit of hesitating Rella decided it was the best course of action and they made ready to leave. The ambassador had given them a permission to use anything in the house so they borrowed his carriages. When Rella watched the familiar yet changed scenery from the window of the carriage, she had a distinct feeling that this was going to be a tiring day.

…

Rella stood in front of the carriage and stared at the bakery. Things had been alright at the market place, if a bit different. Half of the sellers she had known had moved somewhere else but those who were still there had been happy to see her after surviving from a slight shock of how she had changed. Falad had also been happy to be there, it was different from the market places in Dherr'eshaan and he had thought it very interesting. What had been the most strange thing to him was the absence of the higher class in the market place. In their home, the nobles as well as merchants and riff raff shopped in the bazaars side by side. In here there didn't seem to be any nobles around. Rella had explained that the higher class mostly sent their servants to do the shopping for them, a market place was not a place for people of high rank as them. Falad had shook his head and muttered something about how they then knew what they wanted if they never saw what was on market? They had been a quite a sight in there.

Now they were going to the bakery, Falad was talking to the driver, telling him to wait until they were done. Rella glanced at him as he stepped next to her.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yes, I just hope they'll recognize me", Rella answered.

Falad smiled reassuringly and offered his arm. Rella took his arm smiling back and they stepped into the building after Falad had opened the door. A small bell rang above the door. Rella looked around her studying the shop. It hadn't changed much. They had painted the walls with a warm rusty orange, but other than that, it was like it had been six years ago. It was almost as if she had never left. The bakery smelled delicious, just baked bread and muffins. Falad was looking around interestedly and was looking at the cupcakes with little hungrily.

"What are those?"Falad asked.

Rella giggled. "Cupcakes."

"Are they good?"

"Yes", Rella said laughing some more. Falad had a big sweet tooth she had noticed.

"Well, why don't we buy some when we head out", he said.

Rella was about to retort when a friendly looking, plump woman appeared from the back. She was wearing a large apron that covered almost everything else she was wearing. She had a brown, slightly grey hair with brown eyes and she always smiled a lot. Or at least that was what Rella remembered about her. She had been like the mother she didn't have to her. She had a bright smile on her face although a bit confused perhaps. The bakery was also a place where the higher class rarely ventured.

"Good morning", the woman said.

"Good morning, Mrs. Lane", Rella said smiling hesitantly.

Mrs. Lane blinked several times and looked more closely at her. "I'm sorry, dear, but who…?"

"You probably don't remember me", Rella said. "I used to come here every time I was in town, but it has been six years. Lady Tremaine deported me."

Mrs. Lane's brow creased as she studied the young woman before her closely. After a few minutes her eyes widened.

"Ci- Cinderella? Oh Lord, is it really you?"

Rella smiled and nodded. "Although, I changed the name to Rella."

She missed the slight crease that appeared in Falad's forehead when he heard her previous name. Mrs. Lane looked at her tears forming in her eyes.

"Oh, dear. You have changed so much. I didn't recognize you at all", she said. "But you look amazing! What happened to you, we were so worried?"

"I ended up in Dherr'eshaan and got sort of adopted into a merchant family there", Rella said.

"Oh thank God, I was so afraid that you were in some dreadful place with nothing and no-one. I had nightmares about it", Mrs. Lane said and pulled Rella into a tight hug. Rella wrapped her arms around the short woman and breathed deeply. Mrs. Lane hadn't thought badly of her and it made her very happy. After a minute they pulled apart and Mrs. Lane noticed Falad, who was discretely moved further from the ladies and was still observing the baked goods.

Mrs. Lane leaned towards Rella and asked almost whispering: "And who is that gorgeous young man?"

Rella blushed slightly. "Um.. My husband."

Mrs. Lane's eyes widened. "Your husband!" she exclaimed. "That's it. You are coming with me to the back and have some tea while you are going to tell me everything."

She grabbed Rella by her hand and gestured Falad to come after them in a way that clearly stated that it would be better to do as she said. Falad looked at the older woman slightly warily and Rella giggled. Right now she was happy she had come here with Falad.

Very happy.

Perhaps she would meet the rest of her friends too at some point.