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SOUNDS WERE ALL SHE HEARD. The battering of her heart against her chest, the soft pants of Archie's own, her footsteps against the throne room flooring, Archie's footsteps against the throne room flooring, the thuds of the grand duke and Cinderella's own footwork, the swishing of Isadora's emerald gown. Sounds, sounds and sounds, until they approached the throne and half of the commotion in Isa's ears halted abruptly.
Save for the wild beating of her heart and Archie's soft breaths, Isadora didn't hear half the things she was hearing before as they collectively stopped behind the grand duke.
Isa didn't raise her eyes, instead she fixed them at the back of the grand duke's feet, her hand holding her son's firmly.
After all the years of being trained in the four walls of the chateau on the etiquette of facing royals, Isadora would rather line up every meagre thing she had learned for the present and be done with this. Once there had been a time she couldn't wait to curtsey in front of a prince, or a king. And now that she was in a prince's and two kings' presences, she would rather take her son and go home.
"Your majesty," The grand duke bowed, addressing King Reginald. "I have been successful in my endeavor, thanks to your gracious trust in me. Allow me to introduce the maiden from the ball last night, who fit the glass slipper."
Elaborately, and still bowed at the waist, the duke scurried to a side, gesturing for Cinderella to step forward.
Isadora glanced briefly at her stepsister, as the anxious girl walked up front and dropped into a shaking yet seemingly appropriate curtsey. Isa dropped her eyes to the ground, slowly breathing in and out as she waited.
She felt eyes on her. Of course she did. She was the odd one out in the throne room. Her presence here was purposeless, for which slipper did she fit except the ones she owned and wore on her feet? One could suggest that she was here in support of her stepsister. But that was an utter falsehood.
Isadora Tremaine had never been one to reach out a hand for any of her sisters. Their bond was like a damaged bird-a creature pitied for it's apparent uselessness, it's living dead-ness.
Instead, Isa could only wait for her turn. Wait to be acknowledged once the future princess of the kingdom of Valence was met with.
"Cinder-ella?" King Reginald's tone was curious, an amusement lurking underneath. "My, child, that is an odd name."
"Father," Prince Charming blurted, his eyes narrowed at the king before he snapped his gaze back onto Cinderella-the prince's eyes lighting up like a constellation completing itself in the sky.
He seemed to be holding himself at bay, preventing himself from leaving his father's side and running up to her.
"I prefer it, your majesty," Cinderella replied, shyly breaking her gaze away from the prince's as she looked at the king.
King Reginald's comment hadn't bothered the girl in the slightest. A cruel childish jest turned permanent, her name had been a normality to Isadora for most of her life after Lady Tremaine had married the Baron. Cinderella had been bothered then, until she was not. Seemingly, nothing else would ever bother Cinderella in the slightest, from now onwards.
"Well, if you prefer it," The king waved a hand dismissively, an ease in his manner.
He eyed Cinderella then, before a smile broke over his face. It seemed to Isadora that Cinderella's dish maid attire was a mere inconvenience, as both King Reginald and his son's eyes chose to ignore the information the girl's clothes were giving them.
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𝐀 𝐒𝐖𝐀𝐍'𝐒 𝐋𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐘 - Cinderella AU
Historical Fiction(Completed) "Want, Isadora? I don't want you. I need you," The royal neared her, his dark jaw set tight as his sharp brown orbs bore into hers. "I need you to be mine," He husked, his voice etched with firm desperation. "I could raze this entire ki...
