The Slipper And The Lily Chapter 9: One Dozen Roses, a slipper and the rose: the story of cinderella fanfic

Hi, so here is another story from me, my first for this fandom that i discovered I loved after watching the movie.

I am going to keep this short and sweet-I am including the songs here, I am not great with spelling and grammar and I am planning to make this about twenty chapters long.

There is going to be some swearing-it wouldn't be a story without that from me so if that offends you stop now.

I tend to do a mass update of my stories all at once so please keep that in mind.

Disclaimer-Nothing is mine.

Please Read and Review.

The Slipper And The Lily

Chapter 9-One Dozen Roses

The Ball. Part 2.

The music started and she watched as the Prince pulled the Princess Incognito into a dance. The look on his face was etched on the face of everyone suddenly. It didn't matter that some had lost and this woman had won. There was such a look of pure love on their faces it was too touching to watch.

"Guess he did find the love he wanted" Glen said finally.

But she nodded hardly hearing what he was saying. John had entered the dance now and was using the excuse of the Princess's arrival to dance with Caroline and the two of them together were looking at the two woman who were looking back with such looks on their faces that it made her want to cry. She was not a woman to be overcome by a sentimental moment—after all the Dowager Queen was right to say that sentiment had no place at court but the truth was that she was oddly sentimental about it. It reminded her of the little memory that she had off her parents, of John and her and the looks that they would share and the giggles when they were being soppy.

"Hey" came a voice to her side and she turned to see Glen watching her. He reached out and touched one strand of hair that had fallen down by her front and he tucked it back behind his ear and she felt him add in a flower.

"Glen—"

"You don't deserve that bastard" he said quietly. "I…God Lili…I know I have nothing to offer but…" he stopped speaking as if suddenly strangled by the weight of what he could and could not say.

She stared at him and then.

"Oh"

Oh.

Oh.

Suddenly it was right in front of her. Right in front of her glaringly obvious to see, her own feelings and his.

"Oh" he echoed back.

The music was still playing and Lili took one breath and then another, they had sprayed the whole gardens with a musky kind of flower that seemed to make her heady. Or maybe it was this conversation that was doing that, to be honest at times it was hard to tell. It was not like she had realised that she was in love before now. Or that someone had told her that he was in love with him either.

But now looking at him there in a good shirt that was clean looking at her with that burning look on his face and knowing the terrible risk that he had taken to be here with her in this moment just to see if she was alright…well…Lili might not be an expert in maters of the heart but she had to admit that she thought that it did in this moment and in all the other moments, felt a little bit like love.

"Come on" she said smiling and she took his hand and pulled him down the steps into the garden where they were hidden by sight (so she thought) by the hedge. Another hedge separated them from the fountain and she whirled around the dress swirling around her ankles to look at him.

He was watching her with a soft smile.

"Lili—"

"Is it the same for you as it had been for me?"

"You mean loving you?"

She swallowed. Damn…she had not expected him to say it. Maybe he knew that because his expression was very gentle and very old for a boy who was only a year and a half older than her.

"Yes I err—"

"Don't say it back to me now" he said holding out his hand. "I have loved you afar for two years, honourably and rather dishonourably when you crop up in my dreams. I know that nothing can come of it and so do you. So maybe all we have is unspoken words and a dance here and now and if so then I will make that enough"

And with that he held out his hand as the music changed. The Waltz was continuing.

And Lili began to dance with him.

She was not the best of dancers that much had to be said and he had no formal training whatsoever but together they kept up with the music coming out of the ballroom. They held hands and twirled together and spun around and sometimes trod on each other's feet sending them giggling. Above all he looked at her…really looked at her and she looked back and it did in that moment feel a little bit like love.

John had regretfully let go of Caroline to help escort the Dowager Queen out for some air and she was just taking in the cold breeze when.

"Ah" he caught her wry expression and followed her gaze and then.

"Oh bloody…sorry Ma'am"

The older woman laughed. "Ah John I have known you since you were a boy. I have lived through three great wars and three greater revolutions, I doubt very much you can say something that will shock me in the end"

There was a pause and then.

"She's dancing with the stable boy"

"He's very good at his job John"

"I know Ma'am I just…I wasn't ready for this"

The older woman chuckled.

"Oh my dear boy nobody is ready for this, you have been a father and a brother to that girl and a best friend for so long that you don't know what to do if she is not in your life everyday"

The reality of it hit him and he found he was blinking back tears suddenly even though it was pointless to cry. Little girls left home…he knew that. It was just…hard to imagine it.

Hard to imagine Lili his sweet little sister he once used to hook on his hip being a mother.

Harder to imagine her being a wife.

Especially hard to imagine her…well…you know.

"I don't have favourites" the Dowager Queen said suddenly. "With my ladies you know, it wouldn't be proper."

"I know Ma'am"

"But if I did…I would walk away now and let the girl have this one night"

John smiled and then even though it was totally against royal protocol he bent his head and kissed her on the cheek.

"John…don't be going getting an old woman weepy"

"What old woman?"

She smiled. John kissed her hand in a sign of utter respect.

"Ma'am do you think his hand is particularly low?"

The older woman laughed.

"Oh Lord. We shall let John your sister have this moment shall we?"

John really didn't want to but she was the Dowager Queen and she commanded respect. Out of everyone in the palace she was the only one who could command the utmost respect. The court might be divided by factions but the universal acknowledgement was that the Dowager Queen was sacred.

The Dowager Queen saw all of this in his face and more no doubt and she smiled.

"Come on son" she said gently. "Take an old woman out on the dance floor"

And so that was just what he did.

The Prince was out in the courtyard with his Princess and they were singing.

But even to her (and that was saying something) it didn't sound too soppy.

There's a secret kingdom all my own
With no castles, and no vassals, and no throne
Just two subjects, you and me
In my private monarchy
Where the king is love and love alone.

She turned to face Glen and he was there watching her and she looked up at him and he looked down at her and God help her this was what love was. She knew that this was what love was.

In that secret kingdom that you see
Should the make-believe become reality
With no scepter in your hand
No dominion to command
Could you be content with only me?

Gently his hands found her face and she looked up at him and she knew that he could ask her for anything right now and she would give it to him.

He wouldn't though. He would rather die than dishonour her.

And she knew that too.

What is a song that's never sung?
What is a heart that's never thrilled to being young?
What is a dream that can't come true?
What is my life to me without my love for you?
If that secret kingdom's ours to share

I could never wish for more, for you'd be there

Just two subjects, you and me
In our private monarchy
All alone together
We would love forever
In our secret kingdom, far away, somewhere

For a second everything seemed to shimmer in shivering silence. The four of them out there in the garden…six really because John had just took Caroline into a back passage way and was kissing her with all that he had and maybe even eight because the King and Queen had taken to the dancefloor and for all the way they spoke to each other and conducted themselves and their affairs when they were on the floor together they only had eyes for the other.

"I have nothing" Glen said suddenly. "Absolutely fucking nothing. And I know how this is going to end. Believe me I know how this ends. I just…tonight…tonight was the night where it seemed that everything was possible you know? Where it didn't matter who I was or who you were or who we would end up with it just mattered that we…that we together. And then I heard what had happened with that rich prick and I thought—" he looked at her and desperation was written on his face.

"I thought that it was now or never so…so there we go"

For a moment she was silent and then.

Oh God help her then…

Then she started to sing.

There's a secret kingdom all my own
With no castles, and no vassals, and no throne
Just two subjects, you and me
In my private monarchy
Where the king is love and love alone.

It was insane to do it here but she couldn't help it.

Glen smiled at her and then slowly in the same whisper as her own voice he began to sing back and he took her hand and pulled her close and she smiled back at him.

In that secret kingdom that you see
Should the make-believe become reality
With no scepter in your hand
No dominion to command
Could you be content with only me?

"Yes" she said suddenly.

"Yes"

Glen watched her and his eyes were very soft.

And when they sang next they sang together.

I could never wish for more, for you'd be there

Just two subjects, you and me
In our private monarchy
All alone together
We would love forever
In our secret kingdom, far away, somewhere

And then his mouth was on hers and she surged up to meet him. It was her first kiss. The first kiss she'd ever had and the only kiss with a man that she loved. The clock above them chimed for midnight and she kissed him with everything that she had and she wished that this moment didn't end.

And then the clock struck and—

"WAIT!"

It was the Prince and he was shouting in anguish. Lili pulled back and stared at Glen.

"You have to go" she said through numb lips. "Glen you have to go you cannot…you cannot be seen here by him you…" she pushed him backwards and could have killed herself for it because she saw the light leave his eyes and for all the world she would reach forwards and kiss the smile back on his face but she could not.

She pushed him backwards and then he took off and she turned and ran back up the steps and then down them again chasing after the Prince who was shouting at the top of his lungs.

She staggered to a stop just as he picked something up from the floor. He turned to look at her eyes wide and she saw in his hand he was holding a perfect glass, crystal and diamond slipper.

"Lili—" he turned to look at her and then.

"She's gone"

"Sir?"

For a second he stared at her seeing but unseeing and then she took a liberty few would get away with.

"Edward?"

For a second he stared at her and then he crumpled somewhat and she caught him before he fell into her embrace shuddering and sobbing into her shoulder the glass slipper still in his hand and Lili didn't know what else to do other than to hold him and rub his back and pray that whatever had happened would be resolved soon.

The night that had started out so glittering could not be spoilt now?

Surely not?

Surely?

And there you go, hope you enjoy and see you soon.

Next Chapter-The halfway mark. Lili wakes up after the ball, the prince is on the hunt for his princess and John has to have 'the talk'.