Fairy Tales Turned Grim: Cinderella Edition

Chapter Eight: Back to Earth

     "Cinderella, here are your chores for today. The entire list shall be completed at no later than five o'clock sharp, after which you will assist the girls with their ball preparations. Should you fail to do so, the consequences will be extremely dire. Am I making myself perfectly clear?" Lady Tremaine's tone was even, but the dangerous note in her voice felt like a knife against Ella's spine. 

     "Yes, Lady Tremaine," she replied hollowly, barely suppressing a shiver as she approached her stepmother. Ella took the list from her, careful not to brush her fingers, and immediately began to skim over it as she stepped back. It was definitely bigger than yesterday's list had been, which wasn't surprising considering her stepmother's horrible mood. Holding in a sigh, Ella realized that she would have to ask Reina for help. She hated asking anything of her, but she also knew that there was no hope of her getting everything done on her own before five o'clock. If that happened, she wouldn't be able to meet Charles again tonight, and Ella shuddered to think of what punishment Lady Tremaine would have planned for her.

     Her family continued to plan their marriage to the prince for a few unbearable minutes before they finished their breakfast and left the dining room. When the sound of their footsteps had faded away, Ella rushed outside in search of Reina. She dearly hoped that Reina would be able to help, but she also wanted to tell her about the wonderful night she had with the prince. Ella found her outside the servants' housing, watering her cornflowers. Breathless, she called her name once she was near enough, causing Reina to turn and smile as she approached. 

     "Ella, dear! How did everything go last night? You never came to tell me about it before bed, but I don't blame you," she laughed, "I bet you were exhausted from all of that dancing!"

     Ella blushed and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she answered, "There were some complications, but overall, it went really well. I was invited to go again tonight." She smiled, then bit her lip before she continued, "Actually, I came to ask for your help for that exact reason."

     Reina's face turned compassionate, and without hesitation she responded, "You need a hand with your chores, dear? Let me have a look at that list, and we'll see what we can do." Ella obediently handed it over, and upon reading it, Reina burst into laughter. "My, my, she was definitely upset about something. She has you cleaning every nook and cranny of the manor!"

     Ella's eyes widened, fearing that the list was more detailed than it had seemed. "Really? Let me see!" Ella snatched the list back from Reina, who still had not recovered from her fit of laughter after seeing Ella's shocked face. She quickly read over each task and groaned as she realized that Reina had spoken the truth. The chores outside the manor were about the same as usual (rather lenient given Lady Tremaine's mood), but inside she was responsible for sweeping, dusting, and otherwise cleaning almost every room in the manor. If she worked fast, she could handle everything inside by herself, but there was no way she would have time to finish the outside chores.

     Reina, having finally sobered up, offered a solution with a warm smile. "I can handle the animals and the gardening for you, dear. It's really no problem."

     Ella simultaneously felt relief and gratitude wash over her, and she threw her arms around Reina with a bright smile. "Oh, thank you so much, Reina!"

     Reina's arms instantly closed around her, returning the hug with just as much strength and warmth. "Of course, dear! Anything for you."

     Ella lingered in Reina's arms for just a few moments longer, attempting to soak in her motherly love as a sponge would do with water. When they finally broke apart, Ella flashed another brilliant smile at Reina as she said, "Now, would you like the details about what exactly happened last night? I'm sure I have enough time to help you with the horses while we talk."

     Reina looped her arm around Ella's as she turned them toward the stables, returning Ella's smile with one of her own. "Please, do tell. I want to know everything!"

     And so Ella recounted the night's events, sparing no detail. She told Reina everything she had learned and seen, from the beauty of the castle to her admirer's true identity. Reina seemed as excited as if she could relive the memory through Ella's description of it, but she was very concerned about how Ella intended to reveal herself to the prince. It was a question Ella herself had thought heavily on, and she had decided that tonight would be the night, provided all went well. She couldn't keep up the charade forever, not if she wanted to have any kind of real relationship with Charles. 

     As they finished grooming the horses and regrouped in the hallway, Reina captured Ella in a warm hug. "Don't worry about your status so much, dear. The Calenhad name still carries some weight, and anyone would be a fool not to see just how special you are."

     Ella hugged her back fiercely, feeling herself once again be overcome with love and gratitude for the woman who had always treated her as no less than a daughter. After a moment, she broke the hug and gave Reina a soft smile as she replied, "Thank you, Reina. For everything."

     "Of course, dear. Now, you'd better hurry on inside to get started on those chores. You wouldn't want to miss the ball tonight," she winked. "If everything goes well, maybe I'll see the palace for myself someday."

     "What do you mean?" Ella asked, wrinkling her brow in confusion.

     Reina looked at her as if she'd suddenly grown a second head. "Well, the ball is to find the prince a wife. Once you got married, you would move into the palace."

     Slow realization overcame Ella like a tidal wave; as she began to connect the dots, a plan started to form in the depths of her mind. Her vision up until this point had been too short-sighted, thinking only of love and acceptance. She hadn't put much thought into what would come after: freedom from her family, and justice for her father. If Ella were to marry into the royal family, she would be in a position to reveal Lady Tremaine's crimes to the world without fear. She already had the prince's favor, so she had one foot in the door -

     "Ella? Are you alright, dear?"

     Reina's voice snapped her back to her senses, and Ella's vision refocused on her now-worried face. Guilt instantly began to form a pit in her stomach, and she quickly plastered on a smile and replied, "I'm fine, Reina. I have to go start on my chores, so I'll see you later, okay? Thank you again for your help." Without giving her time to respond, Ella turned and hastily began to make her way back into the manor. 

     As she cleaned, Ella's mind continued to be plagued by the idea that Reina had unintentionally given her. She had already been worried about deceiving Charles, but this would mean that she was outright using him. Ella knew it was possible that everything would work out on its own, but she also knew that she needed to decide which was more important: doing what was right, or securing her freedom. If it came down to it, how far would she go to make sure that she was chosen? What lines would she cross, and would she be able to live with herself if she crossed them?

     By the time she had finished with her chores, Ella was filled with a hollow resolution. Her feelings for Charles were genuine, so she would try her best to let things progress naturally first; however, she could not simply ignore this opportunity that fate had granted her. She was loathe to treat Charles as a pawn in her game, so she would push her plan to the back of her mind unless necessity called for it. Hopefully it would never come to that, but as she made her way toward Anastasia and Drizella's bedroom, Ella resigned herself to doing whatever she must to escape.