Dancing on Glass

The Golden Goose

"But you still went. You know what happens, the order of things. What are the order of things?"

"I'm honestly not sure," Cinderella said, smiling, "Usually the guests would arrive and be announced to the room; they would then greet the king and queen before moving off to socialise and wait for other guests to arrive and the entertainment to start. But I highly doubt that will be the case this time. There will be simply too many people. I mean, courtiers alone, they can make up to around a thousand individuals – depending on how many are at court at the moment. Then there are the foreign guests and their companies then every eligible lady and her family and then the extra male guests. It's impossible to announce and greet that many people in one night; they'll still be there by the end of next week. I suspect all that will happen will be you arrive and hand over your invitation. Your name is crossed with the guest list and you enter the festival. Only those in the inner courtyard, where the royal family are will be introduced and... are you alright, you look slightly pale."

Dia was staring at her and Edgar suddenly laughed.

"She's just slightly overwhelmed," he said.

"It's all very simple and boring," Cinderella promised quickly, smiling.

"What if I do have to meet the king and queen though?" Dia asked in horror, "Do you just curtsy? Do you say something? Can you look at them? What if I humiliate myself?"

"You almost certainly won't meet them," Cinderella said, smiling again, "But if you do, you curtsy, you don't have to say anything unless they ask you something and of course you can look at them."

"You'll ride with me, won't you?" Dia asked, gripping her hand again, "I don't want to go alone."

"It will be fine, Dia," Cinderella said, "It really isn't as scary as you fear. But I will ride with you. We can take the pony and trap."

"Won't we be laughed at for turning up in a trap?"

"Every eligible lady, Dia, from maids to duchesses. All manner of transportation will be seen there – it will be quite the sceptical really and if people do stop and stare, pay them no mind. Head high, expression proud, whatever nerves you are battling underneath."

"Spoken like a true lady," Edgar said, nodding proudly.

"Well it's all very well and good if you don't suffer from nerves like Cinderella," Dia pointed out, "I'm not as confident as that."

Cinderella smiled. "Neither am I," she said.

Dia opened her mouth when Edgar held up a hand, looking above them. He let out a sigh and took the cards from the girls.

"Seems our guest is on the move already."

"Not even an hour?" Dia said, surprised.

"Clearly no witches planning some gruesome crime," Edgar replied, making his way to the steps and pushing the trap door open. Dia passed him up the lantern and climbed out.

"See you soon," she whispered back to Cinderella.

"See you soon," Cinderella replied, before the door was closed on her once again and she was returned to darkness.

She sighed and dropped back against the wall, gently brushing away a spider she could feel crawling over her fingers and looking down the tunnel.

Originally it had been an escape route for the family – from a time years and years before – so that they might escape into the forests beyond the estate should they ever be in danger.

There was an exit, a very distant exit that was locked and barred up. Cinderella had found it once when her stepmother had been rushing to hide her away and forgot to chain her up.