Midnight

Two

Chapter two:

*Picture attached is of Ella's mother's wedding dress.*

••••••

"Cinderella!"

I winced at Drusella's shrill yell as I entered the house. She was sitting with her sister in the living room, looking rather annoyed at me. My stepmother was there also, fondly petting Lucifer who sat on her lap.
"Pray tell, child, where have you been?" My stepmother demanded to know. I swallowed nervously, but the excitement still radiated off of my face.

"Excuse me Madame, but I've just been to market." I told her, my fingers nervously playing with the sides of my dress. "The men from the palace were there, they said the King had arranged a ball to take place three weeks from now."
"And?" My stepmother asked, still angry with me. "He does this every year, what's different about it this time?"
"Well Madame, the Prince has invited every maiden to come, even the commoners!"

My stepmother quickly sat up from her lounged position, sending Lucifer off her lap with an angry yowl. My stepsisters gave excited shrieks and bounced up in down in their chairs.
"I will trick the Prince into loving me, see if I don't!" Drusella screamed happily, clutching her sister. I smiled at the three's reactions, waiting for the right time to tell my stepmother about Kit. My stepmother quickly knelt in front of my stepsisters, grabbing their hands and taking a deep breath.
"Calm yourselves, girls." She breathed. "Now listen carefully. One of you must win the heart of the Prince! That way, we will be free from the debt in which we ensnared the moment we came to this backwater!"

I frowned slightly at my stepmother's unkind words towards the house, but ignored them like all the rest.

"I, a princess?" Drusella asked, placing her hands on her heart.
"Or I, a princess?" Anastasia stood on her chair and unfolded her pink fan, gently wafting air into herself.
I couldn't help but giggle at them, but when my stepmother turned around to me, my smile faded.
"Having delivered your news, why are you still here?" She asked sharply.
"You must return to town right away, and tell that seamstress to run up three fine ball gowns!"
The pale lady moved to the mirror hanging over the fireplace and began to fix her hair.

"Three?" I questioned in surprise. I hadn't even asked her yet, and she still thought of me. "That's very thoughtful of you!"
My stepmother turned from the mirror to scrunch her eyes at me.
"What do you mean?"
"To think of me!"
"Think of you?"
From the couch, Drusella gave a mocking laugh.
"Mommy, she thinks the third gown is for her, oh poor, slow Cinders, how embarrassing!"
I frowned slightly, not understand what they were talking about. Was the third gown not for me?

"Let me be very clear." My stepmother said coldly, walking towards me. "One gown for Anastasia, one for Drusella, and one for me!" She gave a cold laugh as she saw my disappointed countenance.
"But the Prince ordered that all the maidens must attend. And I only want to see- my friend." I finished quietly. My stepmother gave a chirping laugh and hurried me out of the room.
"You're too ambitious for your own good. Now go! Before the seamstress is drowning in work!"
I nodded as I ran back out of the house to fetch Elspeth again. As I swung into her and rode her back to town, I couldn't help but think that maybe I could go to the ball.
If my stepmother wouldn't have a fourth dress made, then I could just run it up myself. My mother had worn a beautiful gown on her wedding day that I would surely be able to find. It would need some mending but it was nothing I couldn't do myself.

My ride to town was quick and, like my stepmother had predicted, the seamstress's shop already had a line of maidens outside of it with fabrics and orders waiting.
Elspeth waited patiently by the stables as I stood in the line and gave the seamstress my stepsisters and my stepmother's requests.