God Help the Outcasts: A Disney Crossover Fanfic

Chapter Six: Escape

Her mother began to laugh, a sharp, cackling kind of laugh that reminded Drizella of stories about witches at midnight.

"How long will you listen to this nonsense, Your Highnesses?" She stooped and tugged Drizella to her feet. "She simply loves drama...causing it, being in the limelight, what have you."

Drizella wrenched away from her mother and ran to Anastasia, clinging desperately to her sister's arm.

"It's all a lie, your Highness! Tell him, Anastasia! Tell him, Cinderella!" She glanced back and forth between her two awestruck sisters, searching for a sign that either understood her. She spotted a small bruise on Anastasia's cheek and ran with her chance. "Tell him about how she slapped you!" She turned to Cinderella. "And how she made you work as a slave in your father's own home!"

The prince looked questioningly at Cinderella, who lowered her gaze, unable to look her husband in the face.

"Is this true?" he asked softly. Cinderella, glancing briefly at her stepmother, turned back to the prince and nodded, only once, and very quickly. He then turned to Anastasia, who turned her cheek to the light, frowning down at the ground.

"You see, Your Highness, it's true!" Drizella insisted. The prince directed his stunned gaze at the Lady Tremaine, who appeared to be shocked.

"You can't believe them, Your Highness," she said, taking slow steps backward toward the door. "They're lying. And besides, even if it were true, where would Drizella go?"

"We could take her in." Anastasia replied. The baker nodded his agreement. "We have room for one more."

Her mother leveled a devastating glare at her, but Anastasia didn't so much as blink.

"Please, Your Highness," Drizella begged.

The prince stood motionless for a moment, glancing between the retreating Lady Tremaine and her desperate daughters.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to grant your daughter's request, madam," he said finally. "She's old enough to take care of herself, and if her sister is willing to offer her a home, no one can stop her." Drizella released the breath she'd been holding, and then looked fearfully at her mother, who was frozen in her tracks.

The Lady Tremaine folded her arms slowly and drew her thin lips up into a smirk.

"I won't leave without her."

Drizella looked fearfully from the prince to her mother, wondering what would happen now. Cinderella caught her eye briefly and then spoke.

"Perhaps we could go into the kitchen and talk things over—"

"Do not presume to tell me what to do," Lady Tremaine snapped. Cinderella drew back at the sharp cut-down. "You may be the princess, but don't think for one second that I've forgotten about what you've cost me."

The prince suddenly stepped forward, anger evident in his movements.

"You will not address my wife so rudely," he commanded. "Stepmother or not, I think it's high time for you to leave."

Drizella watched her mother pale for the first time; shivers wriggled up and down her spine. She'd never seen her mother so distressed, not since Cinderella had slipped her foot into the second glass slipper.

"But I won't—"

"Now." At that word two guards entered the hallway outside the door and took hold of Lady Tremaine's arms, ignoring her protests. As she was dragged down the hallway the prince followed her out, leaving Drizella alone with her sisters.