Glass Slippers [1st Draft]

17. An Unexpected Encounter

Chapter Seventeen:

An Unexpected Encounter

------

"Estella?" Clara called before she could stop herself, but she immediately clamped her hand over her mouth when she realized what she'd done.

Estella whipped her head around towards her, her back straightening, and Clara was confused to see tears streaming down her face.

"Who's there?" Estella asked, her voice shaky and hoarse. Clara gulped, this was it, she had to do it.

"Me," she answered, stepping out of the shadows. Estella gasped as she took in Clara's appearance, and Clara waited for the exclamation of utter shock. Perhaps stepping out of the shadows had been a bad entrance?

"I'm so sorry, your highness! I thought no one would see me here!" Estella rambled as she jumped to her feet and gave Clara a clumsy curtsey. Clara watched her stepsister curtsey to her in shock before she remembered Gardenia's spell. Estella wouldn't recognize her.

"Are you alright?" Clara asked, deciding it was best not to acknowledge what Estella had called her.

"I'm fine, I just- forgive me, you probably don't want to know," Estella said, looking back down at her hands. Clara hesitated, glancing back at the brightly lit ballroom. Should she? She shook her head, of course, she should, whoever was waiting for her could wait a little longer.

"Actually, I'd be happy to listen," Clara said, moving to sit next to Estella on the bench, silently thanking her lucky stars that her feet would get to rest a little more before she would undoubtedly have to dance."I've been told that I am a pretty good listener."

Estella looked over at her, her face blotchy from crying. She seemed to be having her own inner battle, but eventually, Estella nodded.

"If you say so. It's not exactly something that would make sense out of context."

"Regardless, it can be good to get things off your chest," Clara responded, waiting for Estella to continue.

"Well, um, my mother, she wanted me to do something in order to help someone and I agreed I would do it, but I realized tonight that it probably wasn't for the reason I thought it was for," Estella said, her voice barely louder than a mumble.

"Is the reason a bad one?"

"I don't know. That's the problem. I made a promise to someone at my mother's urges, and I do honestly want to keep that promise, but I don't want the person I promised to think that whatever my mother is planning is something I agree with."

Clara had to put her self-control up to a very high level so as not to let her face show her true reaction. She should've known. Estella must be talking about her promise to her. But if Estella said she did honestly want to help her, then surely it wasn't such a bad thing? Granted, now Clara had to worry about whatever it was that Linette was possibly planning, but at least she knew Estella really wanted to help.

"What if your mother isn't planning anything?" Clara asked, but Estella gave a watery snort.

"Yeah, right. My mother has never done anything without an ulterior motive. She always has more than one reason for doing something, that's why I'm so upset. I can't help but feel I made a deal with the devil and because of it, someone might get hurt. Actually, a few people might get hurt."

Clara was silent. What was she supposed to say to that? She didn't even know what advice to give.

"Perhaps it would be a good idea to tell the person you made the promise to about your mother's plan, or at least what you think your mother's plan is. Maybe the two of you can come up with something together," Clara finally decided to say.