Fairy Tales Turned Grim: Cinderella Edition

Chapter Eight: Back to Earth

     As soon as the carriage came to a stop, Ella rose from the seat and stepped out, finding that Shadow had brought them to the stables behind the manor instead of stopping at the front. With the passing thought that he was remarkably intelligent, she immediately set to work on freeing him from his harness, knowing that her family was likely only minutes behind her. When everything had been removed, she ushered him into the stable and turned to contemplate how to hide the carriage, her mind working furiously. Ella deliberated over what method would take the least time and cost the least amount of magic; after a few moments she decided that shrinking it would be her best option. She wouldn't have to redo the transmutation entirely, and it would be very easy to hide in her room.

     Pointing her wand at the carriage, Ella reached out for her magic and felt it flow through her body like a creek in the forest. She pictured her white light surrounding the carriage, and it slowly growing smaller; before her eyes, her vision came true, and the carriage shrank until it was no bigger than a mouse. When the beam of light faded away, Ella lowered her wand and picked up the carriage before quickly making her way into the stables. She made sure that Shadow was put into his stall properly and gave him a carrot as a reward for all of his hard work. When she was certain that he was settled, she left the stables and hastily made her way into the manor.

     Ella heard her family's carriage arrive just as she made it into her bedroom, and as she quickly began to take off her costume, she peeked out the window to see the Tremaines making their way inside. She pushed herself to move faster, taking her hair down and grabbing a nightgown out of her wardrobe, then yanking it over her head and running to the chest. She hurriedly waved her hand to dissolve the glamour, put her costume and the carriage into it, restored the glamour, and jumped into bed. She had just pulled the blanket over her when she heard footsteps coming up the stairs outside her room. Ella laid as still as possible as she heard the small click that signaled the door opening, controlling her breathing to appear as if she were in a deep sleep. After a few moments, the door closed again, and she breathed a small sigh of relief as she relaxed. 

     When the footsteps had completely faded away, she rolled over, staring out the window as she thought about her evening at the ball. Already it almost felt like a dream, but Ella knew that everything she had experienced was real. A bubbly feeling rose within her as she remembered dancing with Charles, feeling perfectly at ease in his presence. She slowly drifted into sleep, replaying the memory in her mind; and for the first time in a long time, Ella fell asleep with a light heart and a smile on her face.

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     When she awakened the next morning to sharp knocks on her door, Ella was still smiling. She yawned and stretched, feeling a pleasant warmth throughout her body as she realized that, for once, she felt refreshed. As she sat up and began her morning routine, the smile didn't leave her face until right before she walked out the door. She paused in front of it, hand on the doorknob, as she took a deep breath and relaxed her face into a neutral expression. She couldn't afford to rouse her stepmother's suspicion, not after Charles had invited her back to the ball tonight.

     Lady Tremaine was very displeased today. It took great effort on Ella's part to prevent her lips from twitching upwards into a smile as she listened to her stepmother rant about the previous night's events. She was incensed that neither of her daughters had managed to have a moment alone with the prince, but she was even more enraged at the mystery woman that had stolen him away from them. Drizella seemed to share her mother's anger, and was quick to join her in her verbal assassination, but Anastasia only expressed disappointment the few times she spoke. Eventually, Lady Tremaine's fury lessened to the point that she began to do damage control, instructing her daughters on how they should conduct themselves this evening. Ella stood next to the table as passively as she could, attempting to mentally escape from the conversation, but was suddenly startled when she was addressed.