CINDEREKI
fanfic by: Sora Vasconcelos
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🔥—Chapter 6—❄
—o—
A week had passed since the meeting between CindeReki and Prince Langa. The whole kingdom was doing well at the time, but the same was not happening in the castle.
Since the night of the ball, Prince Langa had had a very drastic change of attitude. He was more energetic and more cheerful. He even started to take an interest in skateboarding, which was unusual for him. Although snowboarding and skateboarding are similar to some point, they were also very different.
So it was every day, in the palace gardens, Prince Langa spent the whole day practicing on a skateboard that he asked the servants to make for him.
But apparently that skateboard didn't help him, since he always fell and hurt himself all the time. Prince Langa needed someone to keep on teaching him....
Since he felt very happy skateboarding with that boy in the ball, he wanted to continue feeling that, but when he managed to advance and make an ollie he no longer felt that same emotion, for some reason now he felt empty...
It was then that prince Langa managed to understand that maybe... he needed that boy to have fun again like that night...
There was only one problem, Prince Langa did not know what the red—haired boy's name was, nor where he lived, he only had the glass slipper as a reminder that he had visited him on the day of the ball... and that he had dropped it on his escape.
One evening, Prince Langa was admiring the glass slipper in his room and looking at it closely in case he found any clues, but there were none. Suddenly, while holding the glass slipper an idea occurred to him.
——🔥❄——
The next morning began in a hectic way for the King and Queen.
The two were sleeping very peacefully in their room, but their son suddenly came in very rudely ——FATHERS! — Langa shouted as soon as he entered the room, waking up his parents who jumped up in fright.
—WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON! —Oliver asked alarmed by his son's scream.
—I need your help to find someone —Langa climbed on the bed, sitting on his knees and with his serious expression, but the kings could notice a gleam of emotion in his son's eyes.
—Do you want to find someone? —asked Nanako who had already woken up from her daze, but now she was confused by her son's attitude.
—Yes, the owner of this shoe..... —The light blue—haired boy showed his parents the crystal shoe that CindeReki had left behind.
—And why do you want to find the owner of that shoe? —asked the King, who knew nothing, looking very confused at the crystal shoe.
—Because... the owner of this shoe was with me all night at the ball, and I want to see him again and be with him infinitely —answered the prince, looking at the shoe with a tender smile.
—Infinitely? —asked the Queen, very interested in the subject.
—Yes, all my life, forever —whispered the prince, a little flushed with emotion.
—Son... I want you to be sincere with me... —the queen put her hand on the prince's in a maternal way —Do you like this person?—she asked in a tender way.
—Eh? —The prince was surprised by his mother's question, however he thought about it a little and knew what to answer —Well... yes... —The prince was ashamed to give his answer.
—Well, son... —the King spoke this time, —If you want to meet this person, well... we are going to do everything we can to find him.
The prince was very happy to have the support of his parents and to know that he could find the boy he could not get out of his head since he met him.
So... from that moment on, the kings released a very important communiqué that was heard throughout the kingdom.
That communiqué said:
——👑👑——
By order of the King and Queen.
All people, loyal to his majesty, are hereby notified by this notice regarding a certain crystal shoe. A search for the following is hereby declared on this day:
Every unmarried maiden in our beloved kingdom shall be required to try on the aforementioned Crystal shoe. Said owner to whom it shall fit shall be proclaimed as the one and only true companion of our noble prince, and said prince shall humbly petition the parents of said maiden for his hand in marriage.
——👑👑——
The announcement went immediately through the whole kingdom and was made known to all the citizens, really soon everyone were talking about it.
Just as quickly all the maidens began to prepare in their homes, anticipating the visit of the prince's servant and equally to receive the honorable presence of prince Langa himself.
——🔥❄️——
Meanwhile at CindeReki's home, the red—haired boy was sweeping the kitchen. CindeReki's mind for days was somewhere else, he almost always spent it in the clouds and that was because he didn't stop thinking about the boy he had met in the palace gardens.
Since he met him, CindeReki's dreams had changed, now he always dreamed about that guy and him skating all night long. In the dream were the two of them laughing, smiling, and enjoying each other's company. It is because of that night that CindeReki would like to see that mysterious boy again, and he also hoped to be able to give him the skateboard he had been making all this time, especially for him.
The skateboard he had made thinking about the boy and the tastes he had, seemed to have the shape of a snowboard skateboard, plus it was a nice blue color, with a snow monster drawing that CindeReki had designed on the back of the board.
He had made that skateboard in secret from her stepfather and stepbrothers, because if they saw the skateboard they might know he went to the dance and met someone, and he didn't want them to break the skateboard like
CindeReki didn't know that kid very well, but since he had mentioned to her that he used to snowboard, and that he enjoyed doing it, he tried to make him a skateboard with the characteristics of a snowboard.
—God... that boy... —Without realizing it, CindeReki let out a lovesick sigh as he finished sweeping.
As he was cleaning up he heard Shadow's voice.
—CINDEREKI, CINDEREKI, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN! —asked the grown up from the main room, calling him desperately.
—Here I am, sir —CindeReki came out of the kitchen to enter the room.
—Well, it was about time —Shadow looked at CindeReki in annoyance, but he didn't have time to scold him, —Where are my children? —asked as he went up the stairs.
—I think they're still sleeping, sir —the red haired replied, confused by his stepfather's strange behavior.
—Damn —The man continued climbing up the stairs, and saw the redhead in annoyance —WHAT ARE YOU STILL STILL STANDING THERE? GET THE BREAKFAST UP FAST! —the older shouted and CindeReki did as he was ordered.
—What's wrong with him? —CindeReki wondered, not understanding the man's attitude.
Meanwhile Shadow went to his children's rooms to wake them up. First he went to the pink haired.
—CHERRY, GET UP! —shouted the man, entering the room and opening the curtain, —GET UP! —Shadow shouted as he entered the room and opened the curtain, his son was waking up very slowly.
When the man saw his eldest son stretching he went to lift Miya.
—MIYA, MIYA WAKE UP! —he entered the room and opened the curtains to let the light in, but Miya didn't wake up, so Shadow started to move him until the kid responded.
—What's wrong, father? —Miya asked waking up, annoyed with his father.
—The whole Kingdom is talking about the same —Shadow began to explain as Miya got up, and Cherry entered the room yawning. —He shouldn't be long now —Shadow began to search in Miya's closet for his son's best clothes.
—Who? —asked Cherry yawning, having followed his father into Miya's room to see what business his father was up to
—The prince, he's been looking for him since early in the morning —Shadow answered his son —That boy, the one who lost his Crystal shoe at the ball. —As Shadow spoke, CindeReki was entering the room with breakfast on a tray, —Everyone says the prince is in love with him.
—The prince? Are they talking about the prince again? —CindeReki wondered in confusion. CindeReki began to piece together everything he was hearing his stepfather talk about. He himself had lost his Crystal shoe at the ball, but he had never seen the prince. CindeReki just spent the whole night teaching that boy how to skate.... Unless... that boy is the prince!
—(Wait, that boy was the prince, and I didn't know it?) CindeReki thought with a surprised expression.
There was no doubt about it, the only one who knew that he had gone to the ball was that handsome boy. He hadn't talked to anyone else, and that boy was the only one who could find his glass slipper. Now, his stepfather was saying that the prince was looking for the owner of the glass slipper, which was him.
So everything pointed to the fact that the boy he was at the ball with, and the one he taught to skateboard... was the prince, and CindeReki never knew it!
—So, he was the prince... —whispered CindeReki still impressed, putting a hand to his chin. The red haired boy was so engrossed in his thoughts that he forgot he was holding the breakfast tray and that caused him to drop it.
The sound of coffee cups smashing were heard by Shadow, who got mad by seeing what CindeReki had done. —How clumsy and foolish you are!
CindeReki, realizing what he had done, quickly bent down to pick up the things from the floor.
—Pick that up and help my children get dressed.
—Yes sir— CindeReki was cleaning the floor, but he was still paying attention to what his stepfather and stepbrothers were saying.
—But father, if the prince is in love with that boy, what do we have to do with it? —asked Miya without understanding since neither him nor Cherry could dance with the prince.
—Listen very well, both of you, —not only the step—siblings were paying attention but also CindeReki who was still finishing to clear up the floor —Even one of us can marry him.
—What? Marry him? —asked Miya impressed.
—Dad, explain yourself, —demanded Cherry who couldn't contain his astonishment either.
—Listen, no one, not even the prince, knows the name of that boy, —CindeReki was listening to everything without believing it —The only clue they have is the glass slipper, which the King has ordered every maiden in the kingdom to try it on. —CindeReki was standing up with what he had thrown before, —If they find a boy that fits the shoe, then, by order of the Queen, that boy will be the prince's husband, —Shadow finished explaining. Miya and Cherry were left with their mouths open, as well as Cindereki.
—His husband... —whispered the redhaired in awe.
—His husband! —shouted the step siblings excitedly, and approached CindeReki.
—SLIME, HELP ME FIRST! —Miya took the tray he was holding, and grabbed CindeReki's arm.
—Are you crazy? HE'S GOING TO HELP ME FIRST! —Cherry took the other hand of the boy.
—Miya pulled CindeReki's arm towards him.
—Nooo, me— Cherry did the same to his side.
Both boys were hurting CindeReki badly, shaking him and fighting to have him.
—KIDS! —Shadow stopped them, and CindeReki was thankful for that as it was indeed hurting him the way they were treating him —We don't have time to waste, CindeReki will help Miya first, while I'll help Cherry with his outfit, FAST !—Shadow yelled at CindeReki and Miya dragged the redhead near his closet, and Cherry went to his room with Shadow.
——🔥❄️——
Elsewhere, in the village, was Prince Langa with his faithful servant Tadashi.
Tadashi was a tall and slender man, he always dressed in very formal and elegant suits. He had black hair with beautiful green eyes. A nice mole under his right eye and he always showed a calm and serious face. Always demonstrating a professional and calm attitude.
—Prince, do you really want to find that boy? — asked Tadashi in his typical neutral speaking tone.
—Yes Tadashi, I want to see him again, and skate with him... —Prince Langa had the Crystal shoe in his hands and looked at it with a certain sadness, since he didn't know if he would see that boy again.
—But your highness, you don't even know his name, or where he lives, so looking for him will be a bit difficult— When Tadashi saw the prince he was surprised, as Langa had a melancholic face.
Tadashi had only seen the prince with a serious or bored expression, it was the first time he saw him sad.... —Do you at least remember his face?
—Mmmmm, his face was strange —answered Langa, remembering the face of the boy he was with at the ball.
—Strange? —asked Tadashi, really confused.
—Yes, his face was strange, unique, but what I remember very well were his eyes. —The prince sighed —His eyes were a wonderful amber color, and they were very bright.... Mmm... It's hard to explain, but when I see his eyes again, I'll know it's him— The prince's voice sounded very confident, something inside him told him that he was going to find this boy.
—Very well, I guess we have a clue of what he looked like —Tadashi let out a tired sigh.
—And now we have the Crystal shoe —Langa continued with the garment in his hands, —I'm sure that when I see him I will recognize him...
For the first time Tadashi could see a smile on the prince's face, so he accompanied him to each house to look for the boy.
As expected... many boys had the shoe left, but they didn't have the amber eyes that the prince remembered. No matter who the Crystal shoe fit, no one had that boy's amber eyes. There were still many houses to see, but Prince Langa was not giving up.
——🔥❄️——
At CindeReki's house, things weren't going so well for the redhead. Miya, at all times was complaining while trying on outfits. He blamed CindeReki that the suits were too small, too big, or made him look fat.
When Miya was able to choose a suit CindeReki had to fix Miya's hair as well, but he kept insulting him all the time.
—You're pulling my hair, you dumb SLIME, —Miya complained mad at him..
—But, I haven't even touched you yet, relax, —said CindeReki with the brush in his hand.
It was like that for a few minutes... When Miya was finally ready, he went to Cherry's room. Luckily, the pinkhaired boy already had his outfit on, all that was left was to comb his hair. CindeReki let out a sigh, his older stepbrother was very delicate with his hair.
—If you pull my hair, I'll kill you, —Cherry threatened looking at the redhead over his fan angrily.
Five minutes passed, which were the longest of CindeReki's life. Cherry, just like his brother, did not stop complaining, nor moving and hit CindeReki in the hands, all the time, with his pink fan.
By the time they finished, the two step siblings were ready and looking very beautiful. They both went to the main room of the house to wait for Prince Langa and his faithful servant Tadashi so they could try on the Crystal shoe.
—Children, this is your last chance, don't waste it, —Shadow said as he watched his children walk down the stairs, and they were followed by CindeReki.
Shadow, seeing that the red haired boy was staying in the main room, approached him very angry. —Listen to me very well, only my children are going to try on the shoe. You don't! —Shadow grabbed CindeReki's arm very roughly, —Did you hear me, you little runt? —Shadow was squeezing his hand tighter and CindeReki let out a whimper of pain.
—Ah...! Yes, I heard you, sir. —When CindeReki answered Shadow let go of the boy's arm. It had hurt the red haired boy badly and he couldn't help but let out a few tears.
Shadow approached his sons again to tell them how they should act in front of the prince, but CindeReki wanted them to give him a chance to try on the shoe.... CindeReki was sure he was the person they were looking for, so he was saddened as he knew his stepfather and stepbrothers would not let him check it out,
But... what the red—haired boy feared more... was that the Prince wouldn't notice him, since many people ignored him because of his dirty appearance and his old and ashy clothes...
CindeReki hoped that, when the prince arrived, he wouldn't ignore him and that he would invite him to try on the crystal shoe.
It was more than obvious that CindeReki would keep the shoe, since it was his since it was created, it had been created especially for him... but if anyone had a doubt that CindeReki was the boy who was with the prince, the redhead could show the second glass shoe that he had very well hidden....
For the moment, he just had to wait for the prince's arrival.