ELLA"Ella!"I heard Giselle call me from outside the garden and I cleaned my hands going to attend to her. My punishment had just started, I didn't want anything that could make my stepmother have extra days for my torment."Yes, Giselle..." I said as I got to her."I found this in the shopping bag and it doesn't fit! Who did you get it for?" She demanded and my brain turned over in confusion."Giselle, I don't know what you speak of..." I said.She was putting on a short bedroom robe that barely covered her butt. She dipped her hand in the pocket of the robe and brought out a red pants."What is this!" She screeched and my eyes almost fell out of my sockets.If my stepmother saw this then I would be in even more trouble than I was a few days ago. After the beating, my stepmother gave me I was so tired and shaken up, that I forgot to pull out the red lacy lingerie I got for myself in Mary's shop."Giselle, please don't shout like that. Give it to me, " I begged as I searched around u
ELLAThat night I couldn't sleep. My heart was shattered. I had finally realized why none of my father's friends came to visit me a few months after my father's death. My stepmother told them I was dead!"Why?" I cried into my pillow. Why did she have to be so cruel?I didn't even want the Prince, all I wanted was to be free from her clutches!I had prayed every night for one of my father's friends to come to take me away. And now I understood why none of them ever came back for me. My stepmother had lied to them. She had lied to the entire kingdom about me.Everyone thought I was dead!As I cried into my pillow, I felt Ricky's feathers behind my neck as it tried to console me. I took sniffed and raised my head and it flew in front of me chirping in a beautiful melody I recognized as one of my mother's songs. The song was about determination and not giving up in the face of trouble."Oh, Ricky, you are so thoughtful, " I exclaimed wiping my tears with the back of my sleeves. There wa
KIERANThe palace was very lively. Workers moved in and out as everyone hurried to put in the last touches on their assigned tasks for the main event.The ball was tomorrow and try as I may, I couldn't get my mind off it. I knew I would finally get to meet the angel I met in the market a couple of days ago and then —maybe I would be lucky to find the one person that could give me the pleasure I craved for."What can a man do to have a smile as bright as yours?" Erik's voice drove me back to reality and I stared at him from my seat in the throne room."Erik, I thought you were out of town for a few days?" I asked him "Oh, one of my wives fell ill, I had to come to take care of her. So are we still doing this because of that strange maiden in the market or is it something else?" Erik asked and from the corner of my eyes, I could see my father straining his ears to pick up my answer to the question."Erik can you at least try to keep your voice down?" I whispered hoping my father woul
ELLAIt's finally the big day —the day of the ball."Cinderella!" My stepmother screamed as I scurried through the cottage with a large pile of hats in my hands."Yes, mama!" I responded my voice sounding muffled under the pile that threatened to push me over."Where are the hats!?" She screamed even louder, thankfully I was already in her room."It's right here, mama!" I replied dumping them on the bed for her to choose.She held the first one with two of her fingers, making sure her hand didn't brush it."Good. You may leave, " she said dismissing me with a wave of her free hand as she started testing the pile of hats on the bed like they had worms attached to it.I had to run into the basement searching for all the hats I could find only for her to go through the pile like she didn't need them. I could have protested if I wanted trouble. But I needed to be on my best behavior so she would take me with her to the as she had promised."Thank you, mama, " I whispered as I ran out of h
ELLAMy stepmother drew closer and stopped right in front of me. She started going around me, circling me like a predator.My heart was beating so loud, that it almost flew out of my chest."What do we have here, " she whispered to herself and I held my breath."Cinderella, isn't this the bedspread I asked you to thrash last season?"This time, my heart stopped.But before I could answer, I heard the sound of tearing fabric and I looked around me wondering where it came from until I saw a large piece of my dress in her hands."You never trashed it, did you?"Again, she tore through another piece and my dead heart went with it."Mama, what are you doing?" I whimpered as I tried to protect my dress."I am doing what I should have done long ago!"She started tearing out my dress from my body bits by bits."Mama, please stop!" I begged as tears spilled from my eyes but everything I said fell on deaf ears.I fell to the floor in tears and she continued to tear through the pieces till I was
KIERANErik was pacing around on the high table as he moved up and down checking the entrance. I narrowed my eyes at him and signaled for him to come to me."Why are you so restless?" I asked him.His eyes enlarged in shock as if I asked the dumbest question. "How can you ask me that?""What?" I shrugged utterly confused at what he was trying to implyHe slapped a hand to his face and turned to stare me straight in the eyes. "I am waiting for your special maiden to arrive! I have to be on alert! Other lords might get her before we do!"I released a laugh, causing other lords at the table to stare our way."What makes you think that? I have the right to make the first choice before any of these blokes!" I whispered and Erik smirked "I still have to be on alert!" He said and walked back to his position.I laughed and settled back in my seat.A lot of maidens had dropped in and I have even danced with a few but none was the maiden from the market.They were all beautiful but none affect
ELLAI got to the ball in good time, I was afraid I might have missed all the good people but it seemed to just be starting as I got there. My prayer was that I could find at least one good man that could take me away from my misery but I got much more than I planned.The moment I stepped into the ballroom everyone turned to stare at me. Even the music stopped and I wanted to drop my head and hide but my fairy godmother's teachings came to me. I held my head up high and moved around like I wasn't the one they were staring at.I noticed the maidens were all moving in one direction and I wanted to join them but as I made to turn, I saw Giselle and Anastasia at the forefront."I would rather try my luck on the other side of the room, " I whispered to myself as I started for the opposite end of the room."And where is such a beautiful maiden going to?"A deep voice that sounded very familiar spoke from behind me and I turned to look at who had spoken."Hello, I am lord Erik, you must have
ELLAI felt butterflies deep down my stomach as it flipped with excitement at his words."I have found you, Ella," he whispered again.Kieran offered me his hand and he led me to the bed. I was tensed up but I didn't let it show. I calmed myself by focusing my attention on the bridge of his nose but my traitorous sight moved down to his lips and that was when I lost my resolve.How could one man be this handsome? - and to think he wanted me."I have searched everywhere for that one woman who would make my heart beat at the mere sight of her... " He held my hand and I felt the sizzling sensation again.I couldn't believe what he was saying. He wanted me, -an orphan. An ordinary girl from the village.My heart thumped so loud I was afraid he would hear it and think I had a medical condition. Tonight I wanted to pretend I was this important lady that could marry a prince.I locked eyes with him. I got pulled into his orbs and slowly we moved closer and closer. The distance between us wa