Cinders & Ashes

Prologue

        Broken. That's what I am.

        A slave to lies and secrets when all I've ever wanted was the truth, freedom, and air. I wish I could fly away unto a land forbidden. A beautiful land of white sands and cool blue-green waters. Calm waters.

        That's what I need. Relaxing, cool water. Water that is fresh and soothing; and the big, lush, green forest full of natural sounds. There would be no dirt paths, just moss covering the floor. No insects to climb up the mountain that is me. No trash littering the natural peace. Just the animals living in their homes, birds in the trees, the occasional shy deer peeking out of the woods. That would be perfect.

        But alas, I digress. This letter is one of great importance my children, and for that I am terribly sorry.

         My anger bested me, anger and pain. I must warn you of a curse in your presence, a curse that is my fault. I was the one who hired that wizard to curse Prince Charles. I had no idea at the time that I would be cursing you as well. Once again, I stray from my true point, to explain how this curse came about.

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        It all started the day "Charming" Charles heard of my stepmother's riches. He was under the misconception that I would one day inherit those riches, being the eldest of the family. You see, the kingdom was in great debt after the war of Bouldiver and needed money, money he thought I could provide.

        Prince Charles was wrong however, because my stepmother had been nothing but cruel to me since the untimely death of my father. She turned me into her maid, and had me slave away at the smallest of specks on her new dancing slippers. My stepsisters, Ursula and Agatha, followed suite, and had me doing other arduous tasks at their slightest whim. They stood by and laughed as I jumped from the chimney to the floor, trying to catch the dust motes in the air or did some other ridiculous, embarrassing thing.

        All of the Hags, as I will refer to them as frequently, hated my very existence. But I was a tool. So they used me to their advantage. I scrubbed the stairs from dawn to dusk, tending the fires in between. Before the sun came up, I was tending to the livestock, a time I secretly looked forward to because it was with the only living beings that loved me. It was a miserable life but I made do.

        The Hags spent so much money on their outings, I thought that there would not be any of the inheritance left! If there was, it most certainly wouldn't go to me. That was a fact no matter how optimistic I was, a fact that the prince was blind to.

        Therefore, Prince Charming invited the Hags and I to the upcoming royal ball, the invitation to which named me specifically. I was so excited, I spent hours upon hours making my dress. this naturally took time away from doing the tasks they set me, so if it wasn't caring for living beings, it didn't get done.

        I was punished grievously for this: the Hags pulled apart my dress piece by piece. I was devastated when I realized what had been done. I looked through tears at the wreckage, trying to find something salvageable. In between the cloth scraps, I found Agatha's pearl and diamond bracelet. Slowly, a plan formed in my head.

        The next morning, as I went to 'sell eggs' (I really just gave them to the poor, the Hags don't need the money anyway), I brought the bracelet with me. I traded a pearl for some itching powder and the rest of the bracelet for a gown. The woman at the shop also gave me a tiara to match the dress. I thanked her with a few eggs and was off, to carry out my plan.

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        It was the night of the ball, and, as I expected, the Hags made me prepare them for the event. As I was tightening their corsets, I sneaked the itching powder into their dresses and hair. Then, I got my gown on and left in the royal carriage for the palace.

        I had arrived, much to the distaste of my itching relatives, in a beautiful gown of flowing purple silk studded with diamonds. The dress was accompanied by the crown in my brown, half-way-up hair. It was a glorious night, full of sparkle and music. I danced with Prince Charles and he told me I was beautiful.

        I fell instantly in love.

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        We met many nights afterwards, in the royal gardens or -with Charles under a cloak of course- in the village. It was spectacular, and went on like this for many months. That is, until the day he proposed.

        We were in the village by Fountain Park when he got down on one knee and pulled out the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. It was a circular diamond set in a golden band that shown from miles away. He told me that all he wanted was to be with me forever. I said that I would absolutely marry him, but wouldn't let him put the ring on my finger.

        I think it took him a moment, but Prince Charming finally realized his mistake. I told him about the things the Hags made me do and how they spent every waking moment coming up with new ways to torture me. He stopped me in the middle of my story with a strange look on his face. He told me that the kingdom needed money and if I couldn't provide it, we couldn't be married.

        I believe that part of me knew that the past few months were too good to be true, but to hear it out loud was too much. In a blur of tears, I stormed off with him calling after me. I told him that I never wanted to see him again.

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        Weeks later, my rage had subsided to misery. I was back to scrubbing the floors and tending the fires with no distraction.

        Though my soul was no longer enraged, I still burst into frequent bouts of hysteria which I quelled with long walks in the village. During one of these walks I picked up a copy of the newspaper. On the front was a picture of a blonde lady in a simple but elegant, pale blue dress dancing with the prince at the last ball. Over the top was the headline: Prince Charles Engaged at Last! I took a closer look at the picture and saw the same ring that he was going to give me on her finger! Rage over took me again, rage and pain.

        I rushed through the town to the wizard, Galf. I told him of my plight, and said that I sought revenge on the prince. In turn, he cast a spell on the prince that made it so all of his future children would keep on disappointing their true love, to the point of them never wanting anything to do with them. Thinking that my revenge was taken, I thanked him and ran off.

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        Weeks later, after Galf had visited Prince Charles, he had noticed that he was not truly happy. He warned me that if the prince didn't marry his true love, she would be cursed as well. And so the curse would go on, until the two families were united in holy matrimony.

        So now my children do you see what I've done? Prince Charles was my true love, and I have cursed you for eternity.

        I'm terribly sorry,

        Cinderella

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