Aurore le soleil: A Cinderella story.

Chapter 12

“I congratulate you your highnesses on this fine occasion. However, Prince Edmund, I only wonder how much you care for the girl?” I saw a flicker of anger in Edmund’s eyes and gently touched him on the arm. He calmed himself enough to say

“Her name is Your Highness to you, and I care for her deeply. If you wish to question this I have a lovely cell infested with rats where you can stay for the night.”

He laughed a cold, high laugh and waved his hands.

“I was merely curious Your Highness.” And after that he walked into the throng of ladies and lords. Only a short while after that we were called to the table so we could drink from the ceremonial goblet. It was a family heirloom of Edmund’s, and this tradition of drinking from the goblet as one was centuries old. We danced until the night was up, twirling and spinning on the dancefloor.

When I entered the bedroom I gasped. The furniture, it must have been worth a lot of money. The velvet drapes that hung over the bed were a deep blue that contrasted perfectly with the delicately carved wooden furniture. The warm was spacious and had many connecting chambers. I wondered at the furniture, it was so beautiful and detailed. I eventually saw the white nightdress sitting on the bed.

“Don’t look” I muttered as I pulled off the wedding dress, I now only had on the soft white petticoat, my underclothes and the corset. He laughed when he saw me struggling to unlace the corset. He came over and quickly undid the string that was constricting my stomach.

“Why isn’t there a maid or something here?”

“It is traditional to leave the bride and groom alone on their wedding night.” My throat tightened as I realised what that meant.

"Aurore, I will not pressure you into anything you are not ready for."

I nodded.

“Turn around.”

He turned so his back faced me and I took off the petticoat and undergarments, and pulled on the nightgown. I walked silently right up to his back and whispered in his ear, in a sing song voice.

“You can look around now.”

He jumped at my proximity, and turned around and kissed me. I smiled and threw his nightgown at him, so he could change. I lay on the bed with my back to him, and after a while I heard him climb in next to me and put his arms around me. I slowly drifted off to slip with him holding me in his arms.

Over the next few months, I began to get used to palace life. Edmund was the eldest of his siblings, only having his two little sisters who had been my bridesmaids. Ladies in the court were kind to me, because, when his father died, Edmund would be King and I his Queen. A month after our wedding, I was sewing in my chambers with a few ladies form the court and Edmund’s sisters, Gabrielle and Marie, when Edmund burst in. I rose immediately, afraid of what he may want.

“My father has decided it is time for you to decide what punishment your stepfamily will suffer.”

I nodded, and my face paled. It had been almost half a year I had seen them last, and, while I knew they could not hurt me, I was still afraid. I reminded myself that this time, I was in control, I decided their fate. I held my head high as Edmund and I entered the throne room and took my place on the golden throne. The grand oak doors opened and a hooded prison guard led in Ivy and Ethel. They were bound in chains and wearing rags. There was a crazed look in Ivy’s eyes that indicated she was suffering from alcohol withdrawal. She was no longer the beautiful girl from years before, but a stooped ugly mad woman. Ethel had considerably thinned during her stay in the prison. I nodded to the guard, indicating he could go and stand on the edge of the chamber, and he stumbled away, muttering something about finery. My hands trembled as the words spilled from my lips.

“For many years, you treated me badly. You hit me, and you injured. You killed my father and you nearly killed me. Have you anything to say?”

My voice was uneven but still contained a note of defiance.

“We killed your father for the money he possessed. We hated you and we still do. We wish you to die, and any bastard spawn you may have.”

Edmund looked like he was about to attacked Ivy as she spoke, but I conveyed a look that said, They are mine to deal with. I descended off the throne until I was right in front of them.

“Ethel and Ivy Chandel, you are accused of the murder of Edward Courtwell, and the attempted murder of Ella Courtwell. How do you plead?”

“Guilty” They murmured in unison.

“The normal punishment would be death; however, I shall be merciful. You are to work in the palace kitchens with the cook. You must work hard, for if cook reports that you do not, you will be executed. Am I clear?”

They nodded and I motioned for the guard.

“Take them to the kitchens. And for heaven’s sake get them some clothes.”

When they were gone, Edmund leaned over toward me.

“Are you sure that is what you want to do?”

“Aye, I am sure.”

“I know of your suffering but should you not have put them to death? They did murder your father.”

“My father once told me that life is too precious to waste. Maybe, just maybe, they will be able to start again.”

He nodded and held my hand in his.

More months followed that. Chantelle and Camille were important ladies in the court, and Camille had made a good amount of money trading, and, a year after my wedding, she married Lovell. She looked lovely in her white wedding dress, and I was so happy for her. Alice also married a knight-captain who had won the recent sparring championship. Life had finally been kind to me, and I wanted it to stay that way.