Midnight

Thirteen

Chapter thirteen:

Would who I was, who I really was, be enough? My heart beat in my ears as I slowly followed the Captain back down the first flight of stairs, through the halls, and then down the second flight of stairs. My hand shook with worry and excitement so I gently held the sides of my soft dress to calm myself. I could almost hear my mother's soft words in my ear as I tapped down the second flight of stairs.
Have courage and be kind.
I smiled down at my feet as I came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs. I looked up at the Captain, who was quite a bit taller then me, and he motioned me into the parlor.

Kit was in there, I knew. I also knew that he was fully expecting me to fit the glass shoe he had waiting for me to try on. Pushing my down my nerves, I slowly walked into the parlor and stopped at the doorway. Kit was standing with his back facing me, one hand gently holding my glass shoe, and I could see his blue eyes light up in the mirror when he saw me. He recognized me perfectly, just as the Captain had. The King turned when he saw me and his smile made me want dance just like I had been not long ago.

I walked into the large room and curtsied when I reached him. Kit's eyes followed me to the floor and back up before he spoke.
"Who are you?" He was curious. Although he knew my name, that was practically all he knew for sure. I gave him a small smile that revealed some of my nervousness.
"I am Cinderella, the servant girl." My fingers played with the sides of my dress as I spoke. "Your Majesty...I am no Princess. I have no carriage, no parents, no dowry. I don't even know if that beautiful slipper will fit. But if it does, will you promise to take me for who I am? An honest country girl who loves you?" My words were slow and thoughtful, my voice somehow remaining steady throughout my nervousness. It felt odd, telling someone that I loved them. It felt even odder when I remembered that I was speaking to the King.

"Only if you promise to take me as I am." Kit said, his smile widening. "An apprentice still learning his trade."
My cheeks blossomed pink as I nodded and I felt my heart rate pick up as Kit motioned to the chair next to him.
"Please."
I crossed over to the chair and slowly took a seat, smoothing my dress over my legs. Kit knelt down in front of me and gently took my foot in his hand. He did not seem surprised when he was able to slide the slipper onto my foot, fitting it perfectly, although I could tell that he was happier then I had ever seen him.

The King looked up at me, his blue eyes radiating happiness, and I smiled. I reached down for an instant and slipped the shoe off before taking Kit's hand and standing with him. He gently pulled me into his chest and placed his hand in the small of my back. I remembered how he had held me when we were dancing and my reaction this time was no different. Even though we were to be married, I was still shy.
Kit looked into my eyes as if they held all the secrets to the world, and I could almost feel the relief flooding off of him at the fact that he found me.

Almost without warning, Kit brought his other hand up and cupped the back of my neck. I was easily pulled closer to him as he brought his lips down to touch mine.
The action surprised me and almost made me pull away. But I soon felt how wonderful it was to be kissing him and gladly kissed him back. I was also slightly aware of the Grand Duke and the Captain in the other room seeing this all happen. I blushed as I kissed Kit, but I couldn't have been happier.

"Cinderella!"
"Ella!"

Kit and I broke away as my stepsisters ran hurriedly into the room. My blush deepened as they too saw what we were doing. I could have sworn I saw Anastasia smile a little.
"My dear sister." Drusella said softly. "I am sorry. For everything."
Anastasia nodded in agreement and the two of them slowly lowered themselves in curtsies. I found myself not angry at them, nor upset. I found myself forgiving them for everything they had done, as they had only been following an example set to them by their own mother.
I gave them both a smile as they rose. Then I turned back to Kit, who had reached down to hold my hand.

"Shall we?" He asked, nodding towards the door. I nodded happily and together we walked out of the large parlor and passed my two stepsisters who looked pleased, actually, at the fact that I was to become Queen. We passed the Grand Duke and the Captain, the latter giving his friend a wide smirk that seemed to say 'I told you we would find her'.
But I felt a presence in the room before Kit and I were able to exit the house. I stopped and slowly turned to see my stepmother on the stairs behind me, looking stiff and very embarrassed. I didn't say anything for a while, I didn't know what to say. Finally, I knew what I should say and what my mother would tell me to say if she had still been alive.

"I forgive you."

The words brought a startled look to my stepmother's face as she tried to keep her elegance about her. But I didn't wait for her response before turning and walking with Kit out of the house that I had grown up in, never to return.
Kit led me to his horse where he swung me up to sit in front of him in the saddle. The Captain mounted his horse soon after and turned to Kit and I.
"Your Majesties." He said jovially.
"Shall we return home?"

Kit laughed and spurred his horse forwards, his arms wrapping around me to make sure I didn't fall off. We rode with the Captain and the rest of the King's men back to the Palace where the wedding preparations would start almost immediately.

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The day of the wedding soon arrived, and if I had thought I was nervous before I tried my glass slipper on, then it was nothing compared to what I felt before I walked down the isle.
Kit as standing on the other side, his uniform white and blue, just like my white and blue dress I was wearing.

My hair was pinned up neatly and there was a veil clipped in my hair that was made out of silk. It floated all the way to the floor where my dress's train was. I walked the isle side by side with the Captain of the Guard, as he was acting in place of Kit's father. There were three flower girls behind me, a few years younger then I, who had also been with me as I was preparing for the wedding.
"You look beautiful." One of them had said softly. I had smiled at her gently placed my hand on the top of her head.
"Beauty comes from within, dear." I told her. When she had looked up at me in confusion, I had only smiled again.
"True beauty is having courage when you are scared, and being kind when no one else is able to."
The girl seemed to understand. She had blushed deeply at my direct speech to her and nodded.

Kit took my hand at the alter and led me to stand with him in front of the crowd inside the huge church we were in. The priest said the vows and we repeated them to each other. When we kissed, there was cheering and clapping from everyone in the audience.
Then Kit and I walked back down the isle, hand in hand, to go celebrate with our subjects.

We stood out on the large balcony above the courtyard of the Palace that was full of people wearing white and waving streamers of the same color. My hand was on Kit's arm and I gasped when the people begun to cheer as we walked out.
"Are you ready?" I asked Kit. He turned to me and smiled in a manner that told me his answer before he even opened his mouth.
"So long as it's with you."
And for the second time, Kit took my face in his gentle hands and kissed me.

I closed my eyes and leaned into him as the crowd below us erupted in cheers and laughter.