Chapter 6

"Making the Best of a Bad Situation"

Stepping onto the docks of Portsmouth, I could feel the sensation of the brisk French air being replaced by the cold and raw English weather. Right away, I began to feel the fact that I was missing my life in Bordeaux, the fact that I had spent a majority of my life as a servant, a slave to my stepmother and stepsisters only to have this form of luck befall upon me.

But the fact that I was feeling a hint of depression was enough to make me think of my father, whom I still greatly missed even at this moment in time.

"You're thinking about him aren't you, Cinderella?" Chris asked as he noticed me looking out the window of the carriage. "Your father?"

"He loved it here, Chris," I answered. "If only he and my mother wanted to stay here."

"But he didn't and that's how we met one another."

Yes, Chris had a point that we would never have met had it not been for the decision that my parents made before I was born. My mother was British and wanted to live her life away from this magnificent kingdom. Now, it seemed a sense of confliction befell my mind…the fact that I had now found myself away from the small cemetery where my father was buried….the same cemetery that I was forbidden from ever visiting by my stepmother.

"Do you think he would have wanted to fight…if he was still alive?" Chris asked again.

"It's possible, Chris, but it probably wouldn't be possible. He and your father would be the same age. Imagine, two old men fighting Napoleon?"

"I think my father would get a kick out of it," Chris chuckled at the thought briefly. "But I certainly wouldn't want to fight again…not after the horrors I had to experience in Italy."

Suddenly, I began to get a suspicion that Chris was one who never told me his story of being in the French army.

"Chris, what was it like? Fighting in Italy?" I asked curiously. "And you don't have to get into the details."

"It was awful, Cinderella," Chris began. "Forcing the Kingdom of Sardinia to accept us as their protectorate at the expense of so much blood and guts. I was in the fusiliers and I didn't know whether I was going to live or die. I was there…in the front lines."

"And did you do anything to protect your comrades?"

"Everything that could be done, Cinderella. Everything."

The fact that Chris was more than willing to explain the horrors of war to me was somewhat surprising. He didn't want to reveal the horrors to his father, King Maximillian, who seemed to be a war hero himself.

"I felt that Napoleon was doing more harm than good, Cinderella. By the time we got to Klagenfurt, I had enough and wanted to leave."

Just then, Chris rolled up his sleeve and I felt nothing but horror for what was on his left arm. There was a branded "T" on it.

"Chris!" I gasped in a horrified tone. "I didn't know that…"

"Yes, I was branded a traitor out of accusations that I was deserting the army. But I couldn't take anymore pain, Cinderella. I had to get out, but not before receiving this parting gift."

Now it was becoming more and more clear why Chris was angry with his father about hosting the ball where we first met. He was in pain but his father wanted nothing more than to have grandchildren rather than focusing on his son's own mental health.

"Chris, I'm sorry that this happened to you. But why did you join if you knew that this would happen?"

"Because Napoleon would take my father's kingdom if I refused to join, I had no choice, Cinderella. Given that my father is important to me, and he is, the only way I could protect him and Bordeaux was to join Napoleon's forces."

Sighing deeply, I placed my hands on my husband's and gave him a reassuring look that he was going to heal in some way. Perhaps evacuating to England was good for him, at least for the time being, perhaps.

…

Eventually, it was sunset by the time we arrived at our destination…Windsor Castle, a majestic castle that put the castle in Bordeaux to shame. Immediately, we were greeted by several castle servants that helped us out of the carriage and there we were greeted, not by the Duke of Wellington, but a middle aged man dressed in a brown suit and top hat.

"Welcome, your highnesses," he said, tipping his hat to greet us. "Welcome to Windsor Castle."

"Yes, thank you," I said, curtseying to him. "And who are you, if I ask?"

"General Thomas Picton, Princess Cinderella. I am one of the Duke of Wellington's officers. I command one of the Foot Regiments. Anyway, I trust you have been made aware of the accommodations that his majesty has left you during your stay here."

"Yes, we are aware, General Picton," Chris said as we were led into the castle and towards the State Apartments.

Stepping into the castle's state apartments, I couldn't help but feel more enraptured at the idea of being here on behalf of the King of England. Eventually, we were brought into an apartment right by the stairwell.

"It's wonderful," I remarked, taking in the atmosphere. "Really wonderful."

"His majesty also wishes me to inform you that you are free to go anywhere you like in the castle except the royal vaults and the king's private quarters."

It was then that another instinct of home came into my mind.

"Um, General Picton," I said, turning around to face him. "Is there by any chance that is there any help needed in say…the kitchen, perhaps?"

Picton's eyes widened like saucers upon hearing this.

"Your highness, I must say that you are a guest here and…"

"I insist, General," I interrupted. "You are speaking to someone who spent most, if not, their entire lives in the kitchen among other areas."

"I won't take no for an answer."

"It's true, General Picton," Chris remarked. "You should see her in the kitchen sometimes at the castle."

Although it was against General Picton's judgment, he ultimately relented. But he wasn't prepared for our little friends as they came into the quarters.

"Good lord, what's this?!" he cried, letting out a small yelp. "Mice?"

"Our friends," I chuckled, helping my friends onto my hands. "This is Jaq, Gus Gus and Mary."

"Nice to meet you," Jaq said, tipping his hat.

"Uh, hi," Gus added.

"Hi there," added Mary.

Nearly feeling like he was going to faint, Picton decided to leave us alone to get settled into the accommodations.

"Oh, and you are invited to a welcome reception tomorrow where you will meet his majesty and his grace, the Duke of Wellington," he said hastily, wanting to get away from our mouse friends.

"Thank you, we shall attend," Chris said, much to Picton's relief as he quickly took off from our quarters.

"Well, that was interesting," I remarked.

"I'll say," added Jaq. "What is wrong with him, Cinderelly?"

"Apparently, he doesn't like it when I offer to help in the kitchen," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "But, if we are going to be here, we might as well make the best of our situation and that includes a princess being in the kitchen. Jaq, Gus, Mary, prepare my servant dress. I've got some cooking to do."

"Right away, Cinderelly!"

It seemed that for a moment, Chris felt his worries leave him and the idea of me going into the kitchen was important because this would be more than a distraction for me, but for Chris too.

And I was right, we were going to make the best of our situation.

…

…