The story behind Cinderella

Once upon a time, there was a pretty young maiden named Cinderella. Everyone loved Cinderella because she was good, sweet & kind. But Cinderella's widowed father believed she needed a mother. So he married again to a woman with two daughters of her own. Soon he died and she was left to live with her mean stepmother and two jealous stepsisters in the attic of their house. Cinderella had to do all of the cooking and cleaning. She had no nice things and wore only tattered old clothes, while her stepmother and stepsisters had very nice ones and lived very comfortably. But no matter how mean her stepmother and stepsisters were, Cinderella was always cheerful. Even the little animals loved to be near her. She made friends with the mice and birds, making them little outfits to wear and caring for them. Two of Cinderella's best friends were Jaq and Gus. One day a invitation came inviting everyone to the palace for a ball. Cinderella's stepmother said that Cinderella may go, but only if she finished her work. Cinderella happily washed, ironed, and scrubbed the floors all day. Meanwhile, Cinderella's little friends went to work making her a lovely gown. And when she saw what they had done, she was very touched. She put on the beautiful dress and ran downstairs to join her stepsisters. The birds and mice had used sashes and ribbons and beads that belonged to Cinderella's stepsisters to make the dress look nice. But when her stepsisters saw the gown, they tore it to shreds. Cinderella ran to the garden in tears. "Now I can't go to the ball!" she cried. "Don't cry, child," said a gentle voice. "I am your fairy godmother, and I have come to help you." Then the fairy godmother waved her wand. Four mice became four proud horses, and a big, round pumpkin became a glittering coach. Again the fairy godmother waved her wand and turned Cinderella's torn dress into a beautiful gown. "You must leave the ball by midnight," she warned. "After that, the magic spell will be broken." At the ball, the Prince danced with Cinderella all evening. She felt as if she were floating on a dream! The King and the Grand Duke were delighted to see them falling in love. But as the clock struck midnight, Cinderella ran from the palace. She was in such a hurry that she left a glass slipper behind. The Prince ran after her, but it was too late. The next day, the Prince sent the Grand Duke door-to-door to find the young woman who had lost her slipper. When they got to Cinderella's house, both stepsisters tried on the glass slipper, but their feet were much too big. Cinderella's stepmother told the Grand Duke that there were no other ladies in the house. She had locked Cinderella in her room upstairs on purpose. But Gus and Jaq stole the key from the stepmother's pocket, opened the door, and freed Cinderella just in time. When Cinderella appeared and asked if she could try on the slipper, her stepmother was furious. She tripped the footman who was holding the slipper on a pillow. It fell to the floor and shattered. But Cinderella reached into her apron pocket and pulled out the matching one. It was a perfect fit! The Grand Duke was happy and relieved that he had found the slipper's owner. The Prince would be married at last. And Cinderella's dreams would all come true. And they lived happily ever after.


Not!
I'm “Cinderella” if you want to use that name. But that's not how my story goes. I wasn't some poor pathetic maiden who was of needing a prince to come and rescue me. I didn't need rescuing at all at least not from a evil stepmother and stepsisters. I had better things to worry about. Like someone trying to kill my prince.

Once upon a time in the far away kingdom of Bansula there lived the beloved princess Emmyelle.  The princess was a imaginative girl. One with her head in the clouds. You see, Princess Emmyelle believed in magic. Every time she went outside you'd swear that she had been locked in a cage her entire life and it was her first time ever outside . She'd ran and dance gracefully in the grass. She'd lay on the ground and listen to the flowers. She always said that they whispered great secrets to her. And she never picked them because she said that it was the same as killing them and that a flower is always the home of a fairy.
Emmyelle was a fairy child. Lots of the village boys admired her. She had reddish-gold curls that were all the way down to her waist. She also had large sky blue eyes framed by gold eyelashes. The princess was small for her age but people rarely noticed that
Princess Emmyelle had a golden monkey for a pet. The monkey was very clever and very mischievous which is why she called him Mischief.
Her best friend was a prince from the neighboring kingdom of Lansdale. The famous Prince Edward. Prince Edward was the exact opposite of the princess. His head was always behind a book. While Emmyelle could do things in the spur of the moment Edward liked to think and plan for anything that might end up happening.
The children had known each other since the prince was four and Emmyelle was two.
The two were very rarely separated when they were together and rarely ever fought. Where ever one was, there the other.
As the children got older their feelings for each other began to develop. They were beginning to fall each other. The two were a great match for each other from the princess' imagination to the prince's down to earth personality.
Because of the two's fondness of each other, Princess Emmyelle and Prince Edward's parents had decided to have the prince and princess betrothed to each other so that one day there would not be just Bansula and Lansdale but one country's united. And the children would make this possible. They planned it for six months after Prince Edward's 15th birthday.
But just before you think that everything is perfect in the lands of Bansula and Lansdale there was one problem.
Cilia.
Cilia was Emmyelle's older cousin from a land far, far away.  She wanted the throne of Lansdale for herself. And was going to get it to, that is until Emmyelle's parents told her about their plan to unit the kingdoms together. Now that her kingdom was threatened Cilia would stop at nothing to insure that she gets her kingdom. No matter what.

Emmyelle grabbed Edward's hand the day that she and Edward would find out their betrothal. She quickly pulled him behind a pillar in the ballroom.
“Why are we hiding, Emmy?” he asked her.
She pressed a finger to his lips. “Shh, Edward or they will find us.”
He lowered his voice. “Who?” he wispeared.
“Our parents. I heard my mother talking to your mother. And they have some kind of surprise for us.” Emmyelle replied.
“A surprise? But are not surprises good?” Edward said in a matter fact kind of way.
“Usually they are, but my mother said that she thinks we will not like this surprise.” she explained. Then she looked around, taking her hand out of Edwards. “Where is Mischief?” She was asking about her pet spider monkey.
Edward looked around with her. When he spotted him, he pointed him out to Princess Emmyelle.
“Oh no!” the princess said. On the table was food, tarts, dates, cake, cookies, chicken, pork, sausage, meat pies, fruit, cheese, crackers, wine and standing over a couple of pans of the head cook's famous banana pudding was the monkey. He was standing on the table reaching for a spoonful.
“Mischief!” Emmyelle cried.
Mischief turned from the pudding and looked at Emmyelle sadly.
“I am sorry,” she told him. “But the pudding is for the ball tonight.”
Mischief jumped off the table and scampered over to the children. On his way, he tripped over a pillar. It fell over easily. The vase of flowers on top of it crashed to the ground. He turned and looked at Emmyelle seeing how she would react.
But Emmy along with Edward were to busy staring at where the pillar was once standing. Where the wall was suppose to be there was none. Instead there was opening. Purple grass mixed with flowers were all that they see.
“Whoa...” Edward said in awe.
“Come on Edward.” Emmyelle said in excitement grabbing Edward's hand again.
“Emmy, we can not go in there. We do not know what is in there.” he protested.
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on Edward. We could have a adventure.” when he still didn't give in she added, “And at the first sign of danger, we will leave. I promise.”
Edward thought for a moment then nodded. “OK.”
They ran to the opening and crawled in. Mischief followed them going straight to some banana bread flowers stuffing them into his mouth as fast as he could. Edward and Emmyelle looked around taking it all in as fast as they could. There was the purple grass everywhere and the flowers. The banana bread flowers, lolli-flowers, chocolate and white chocolate roses, and Emmyelle's favorite, blue-sliver wishing flowers. The sky was a light orange with huge fluffy pink cotton candy clouds. There were beautiful butterflies fluttering in the air. The entire meadow was surrounded by strawberry, chocolate and vanilla wafer fence. And in the corner was a pond made of a fizzy, bubbly substance that was a dark brown. Emmyelle watched as some of the lolli-flowers opened and out flew fairies in every color that she could think of. They were all about three inches tall with clear wings. There were maiden and boy fairies. Emmyelle clapped her hands in delight.
“It is so beautiful here,” she told Edward. 
Suddenly soon the pillar went back to where it was standing before Mischief had knocked it down.
“Edward!” Emmyelle cried. The prince hurriedly went over to the wall and pushed where the pillar was suppose to be moving. It moved and they could see the ballroom again.
He laughed at the fact that it was Emmyelle not him who had freaked out first in the new world. She rolled her eyes and stalked off. He hurried after her. “Emmy, come on, you can not be mad.”
“But I am.” she replied shortly.
He ran in front her. “I am sorry for laughing, Emmy. Really I am.”
Emmyelle smiled at him. “I am so good!” she cried trimputly shoving her fist into the air.
“Wait,” Edward asked. “Was that all a act?”
The princess raised a eyebrow but didn't say anything.
“It was!” he cried. “Emmy, your going to pay for that!”
She laughed and began running, calling, “Only if you can catch me!”
Edward shook his head then ran after her. He caught up with her by the pond. He tackled her the first chance he got. They fell into the soft grass as Edward began tickling Emmyelle.
Between laughs, she choked out, “Mercy...mer-cry.”
He stopped tickling her and she caught her breath. “OK,” he said. “Under one condition.”
“What is that?” she asked.
“I can do this,” he told her. He leaned forward, hesitated for a moment then kissed her on the lips. She was about to wrap her arms around him when she suddenly pulled away.
“That was not very prince-like, Edward.” she said as if she were disappointed in him.
He got up, hanging his head down ashamed. “I know, I am sorry, Princess Emmyelle. I had no right to do that”
She got up too and put her hands on his chest. He looked up at her. “I like it.” she said before kissing him.

Each took the news of their betrothal well. Things were weird between them because of it and also because of what had happened in the meadow for a few weeks. Then once again they became inseparable.
As they got older they became almost rarely seen together by the public. Princess Emmyelle was always surrounded by her ladies in waiting when they saw each other at the vacation castle and she stayed at her parents side at balls. And Prince Edward was always preparing to take the throne with tutors and trips around his fathers kingdom. In public the two began acting like acquaintances and nothing else. But they saw each other every day they could in the meadow. But one day everything changed.

The night of her 14th birthday, Emmy slipped into the ballroom. She was in her night gown, but covered with a blanket of her fathers. “Edward?” she whispered loudly. Her voice echoed.
“Over here, Emmy.” he called.
She took tiny steps so that no one could hear her. Mischief who was beside her stumped his feet loudly, chattering happily.
The pillar was already out of the way.
She crawled into the meadow where Edward was waiting with a box wrapped in red with a gold ribbon that went around the box and made a bow at the top and a wishing flower in a pot in his hands.
He smiled when he saw her and gave her a quick kiss.
Emmy smiled up at him. “So wanted to see me?'
Edward nodded. “Yeah.” he handed her the box and the pot.
She hugged him. “Thank you, Edward.”
The emergency bell began to ring. The two turned to each other their eyes wide as saucers. They both got up and scrambled out of the meadow.

The next day the king and queen of Bansula received a note saying that Princess Emmyelle was going to be killed. The king went to a fortune teller asking what was in his daughters future.
He was told that until the day that she wed Prince Edward of Lansdale she would be in danger of dying as long as she was in the palace.
So the king and queen of Bansula declared that their daughter was dead to the two kingdoms. The king and queen of Lansdale were the only people that Emmyelle's parents told the truth.
Prince Edward never got over it. He refused to be betrothed to anyone else and refused to court anyone swearing that he was going to stay loyal to the princess.
Emmyelle was sent to live with a nobleman named Lord Worthwyre who lived in the outskirts of the palace in Lansdale. Lord Worthwyre who was once married but had lost his wife in childbirth, loved Emmyelle as if she were his own daughter.
To make no one suspicious, he had Emmyelle's name changed to Ella. Everyone knew the princess by her hair so she wrapped up in a scarf and pretended that she had been born with no hair.
Emmy never forgot who she was or the prince. She lost her joy and happiness.
Over time the Lord decided that princess or no princess, Emmyelle needed a mother. So he remarried. Emmyelle's 'stepmother' came with two stepsisters. Evil ones. They saw that their new 'stepsister' was a pushover and used that to their best advantage. And while they walked over her, pushed her around, Pincers Emmyelle didn't care. She didn't try to stop them or anything. She just let them. When Lord Worthwyre was gone, Emmyelle became the girls lady in waiting. She did everything for them. There were servants in the house but the girls said that the servants wouldn't do they would only have Emmy or no one.

THREE YEARS LATER
The door burst open and the two stepsisters ran in leaving mud all over the floor that Emmyelle had just scrubbed with a toothbrush.
“Mother, come quickly! We have the most wonderful news,” Samantha cried excitedly ignoring Emmyelle on the floor.
Lady Pamela hurried in. “What is it?”
“The prince!” Silva cried.
Emmyelle turned from the floor with interest.
Silva fawned just thinking about him before continuing. “He's throwing three balls. The 1st a mask ball, the 2nd a 'Kings and Queens ball and the 3rd nothing but a ball. And he's going to pick his bride at them!”
“Finally, right. Ever since Princess Emmyelle died everyone thought that chapter was over before it had even began. But now...” Samantha twirled around excitedly.
Lady Pamela shook her head sadly, “But we won't be getting invites, girls. You know that Lord Worthwyre isn't wheathly enough.”
Emmyelle rolled her eyes. For them nothing was ever enough.
“That's doesn't matter,” Samantha answered. “There's no invitation needed. Every maiden in the kingdom is invited!”
Silva bounced up and down. “It's in three weeks. Can we go? Huh, Mother?”
“Can you go? What kind of question is that? Of course you can go!” Lady Pamela replied. “We must get the tailor started on your new dresses right away. You'll need a hairdresser, so tomorrow we'll go into town and make an appointment. This is wonderful news.”
Emmyelle stood up slowly and timidly asked, “What about me?”
Lady Pamela, Silva and Samantha looked at her stunned that she had asked. Lady Pamela shook herself out of it first. “What about you, Ella?”
Emmyelle stared down at the floor, “I was wondering if maybe I could go to the ball.”
They all stared at her a minute before Silva and Samantha burst into laughter. “Can she go to the ball? Cinderella wants to go to the ball!” Samantha hotted with laughter at the nerve of Emmyelle.
“Who does she think she is? A princess?” Silva joked between laughs.
You have no idea, the princess thought. 
“Yes,” Lady Pamela replied after a moment.
“Really?” Emmyelle asked excited.
The girls cried, “But Mother!”
Lady Pamela held up her hand.
“If you have this entire house cleaned first. That means the laundry our rooms, the dishes, the windows, the floors, the dusting, cleaning the attic.” Lady Pamela told her.
Emmyelle's mouth hung open for a second, but she closed it, curtsied and said, “Yes, Lady Pamela.” She left the room leaving the sound of Silva and Samantha's laughter behind her.

“Mother, this is absolutely absurd,” Edward announced when he stormed into his parents private dinning room for breakfast. “I do not need to hold a ball to find a wife. I do not need or want a wife.”
“Edward, dear,” the queen said cutting her cheese and tomato omelet into tiny bite size pieces. “It is for the best. The people of Lansdale simply will not want a king who has no wife to keep him stable and from making rash decisions.”
The prince sat down at the table as a servant placed his usual breakfast of fried toast in syrup, a orange and a bowl of sweet cream and blueberry's. “But a ball. And not just one, but three. All those stuffy clothes and boring women.”
“Edward!” cried his mother.
King Tristan shook his head. “Actually, Anneliese he's right. All balls are royal bores.”
“See!” Prince Edward cried.
“But,” the king interrupted. “that's how I met your mother, Edward.” he smiled at the queen. “And you see how well that turned out.”
“Besides, it's been 3 years. It's time for you and the kingdom to move on.” Queen Anneliese said quietly.
A look of pure pain entered Edward's eyes for a second but he quickly turned his face emotionless. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“You'll be crowned king of Lansdale soon, you need a wife.” the king told him.
Edward clutched his jaw. “For the country, then.” he said.
But because I have to, he thought. I'll never forget Emmy. No matter what.

THREE WEEKS LATER
Emmy woke up at seven in the evening after her afternoon nap. If she wanted to go to the ball she had to start cleaning everything today and though out the night, and morning and hopefully finish in time for the ball.
She cleaned through the evening, through the night and into the day. But when she finally finished Samantha, Silva and Lady Pamela were already done.
Sad and disappointed Emmy went to the garden to think.
Emmy sighed. “Oh, I wish I could go to the ball.”
One of the wishing flowers that she had gotten before she had left her old life behind, opened and silver magic dust flew into the air. A pale pumpkin that had been fed milk all it's life started to grow until it turned into a white carriage. A few ants that were picking up scattered pieces of corn became horses and a blue jay became a footman dressed in light blue.
Emmy's eyes widened.
“OK,” she thought. “If I can wish for that...” her voice trailed off. “I wish that I had the perfect mask and ball gown for the ball tonight.”
Another one of the wishing flowers opened and magic dust once again got into the air. It swirled under Emmy's sooty peasant dress and began to to surround her entire body lifting her into the air. When she was set back down she was squeaky clean, not a trace of soot on her. She wore a beautiful dark blue and gold ballgown with a gold mask, her hair was piled beautifully on top of her head but hidden by a beautiful gold kissed tiara on top.
She jumped up and down and clapped her hands excitedly. That's when she realized that she was barefoot.
Emmy grinned. She knew just what to do. “I wish I had to perfect pair of shoes for the ball tonight.”
Once again a wishing flower opened and the silver dust flew into the air.
When all the dust was gone Emmy was still barefoot. She was looking around for the shoes when she saw a present wrapped in red paper with a beautiful gold bow on the top. Emmy took off the bow and tied it around her to make a sash. Then she began to unwrap the present. Inside was a box. She closed her eyes and took the lid off the box.
Then she opened them.
Inside the box lay the perfect pair of slippers. They were glass slippers that had a mold sort of thing from gold thread holding the slipper together. Emmy gasped. She took one out and saw a piece of paper flutter to the ground. She bent to pick it up. It had writing on it.
It said,

To my beautiful princess Emmy,
I had the fairies from the meadow make these for you. The gold threads are magic filled to fit your feet. And your feet only. You can never grow out of them. Like I will never grow out of loving you. Happy birthday!
Your prince, Edward

Emmy didn't realize that she was crying until she saw a tear drop fall onto the slipper in her hands.
She slowly pulled out the other slipper and sat on a pumpkin to put them on.
“May I?” Emmy looked up. It was her footman. She smiled shyly at him.
“OK,” she said.
He took the slipper from her and she extended out her foot. Slowly he slipped the glass slipper onto her foot. And it fit perfectly.
Emmy smiled though her tears.

When she got to the palace the footman opened the door to the carriage and helped Emmy out. She smiled at him then slowly climbed the palace stairs.
She took a deep breath and walked into the ball room. Emmy stood at the top of the steps taking in the sights. The royal blue and silver everywhere. She hadn't been in the vacation palace in almost two and a half years. It had changed a lot. She took it all in in small gulps.

Edward was dancing with Cilia when he spotted a beautiful maiden in a navy blue, gold dusted ballgown at the top if the stairs with her hair covered. Everyone stopped and stared at her. Edward stopped in the middle of the dance floor. 
“Edward? Edward?”
He turned to Cilia, “Yes?”
She began to rave on.
He pulled away from her. “Cilia, could you excuse me for a minute?”
She stopped amid her sentence. “What?” she cried.
The prince bowed slightly then began walking away hurriedly up the ballroom stairs to Cilia's dismay.

Emmyelle had still been taking in the ballroom when Edward came up to her. Her breath got got up in her throat as he stopped in front of her.
He bowed, “Miss,” he held out his hand. “would you like dance.”
She was surprised that he didn't say her name or anything. But she curtsied, “I would love that, Your Majesty.”
He led her down the stairs slowly. When they reached the bottom he began to led her into a slow dance.
“What is your name, if I may ask?”
Emmyelle began, “Em-I mean Ella.”
“Ella.” Edward repeated. “It does not fit you.”
Emmy cocked her head sideways, “Does not fit me?”
The prince blushed. “I'm sorry, that most have been a terrible thing to say.”
She shook her head laughing, “I'm joking. But I do wonder now, how does not it fit me?”
Edward looked away. “Your name just is so....” he paused.
“So what?” she asked teasing him.
Prince Edward blushed again. “It is so...plain compared to you.”
“What do you mean 'compared to me'?” Emmy asked.
He turned and looked straight into her eyes. “Your so...beautiful. Ella is but it does not really fit you. It is not beautiful enough.”
Now the princess was the one blushing. “Thank you. That is very sweet of you to say, Your Majesty.”
Edward shook his head, “Do not call me 'Your Majesty' please. It sounds so...formal.”
Emmy pretended to be confused. “But is this not a formal ball?”
Prince Edward laughed. “Yes, but all people close to me call me Edward.”
“Edward.” the princess said slowly. “Does not fit you.”
The prince chuckled.
The music stopped. The two pulled apart. “I would ask you if you would like to dance again but I do not think that my parents would approve of me not getting to know any of the other lady's tonight.”
She smiled at him. “It's alright. I understand.” She curtsied. “Good-bye, Your Majesty, Prince Edward.”
The prince laughed, bowed and watched as the maiden walked slowly away.

Emmy slipped out the palace and into the night. The ball had been magical. Everything she had ever dreamed of and more.
As she got into the carriage she wondered if the prince was falling for her. He could still be in love with herself but still. If he fell for her, she decided, she would tell him the truth.
And she would thank him for the shoes.

The next morning Emmy was humming a tune she had heard being played when she danced with the prince the night before while she scrubbed the floor.
“Your awful happy for the only maiden in the kingdom who didn't get to go to the ball yesterday, Cinderella.” Silva commented suspiciously when she came into the kitchen for breakfast.
That's what you think, the princess thought.
“How was the ball anyway?” asked Emmy. She knew if she acted like she didn't care Silva would make her pay later.
Silva smiled triumphantly, “Wouldn't you like to know?”
Emmy sighed. She hated playing this game, but as a low life servant she was bond to. Her voice became pleading, “Please tell me. Please Silva?”
Silva sat at the table, a maid brought her breakfast on a tray. “I'm to tired right now, Cindy. But maybe later.”
Emmy could hear Silva's smirk in her voice.
Her voice became dissappointed. “OK.” she said looking down at the floor.

As soon as the others had already gone for the ball, Emmy ran into the garden.
“I wish that I could go to the ball, and that I had the perfect 'Kings and Queens' ballgown.” She smiled to herself. No need to wish for the shoes she thought. She had hidden them in the garden.
A wishing flower opened and the silver dust flew out. The carriage, horses and footman from yesterday were there. She was scrubbed clean again and she wore a white ballgown with a long train that was covered in silver and gold dust all over it. Her red gold curls were wrapped on top of her head again and a silver crown covered it.
She hurried to the hiding place for the slippers and once again the footman helped her put them on.
Emmy held up her train and hurried to the carriage.

Edward stood next to his father and mother's throne looking around anxiously for Ella.
“Edward, you've been sitting here since the ball started. I think that you should at least dance with some of the girls here.” Queen Anneliese suggested to the prince.
The prince sighed. “Mother, I'm waiting for-” just then Ella appeared at the top of the ballroom stairs. A smile began to form on his face as he took her in. “her.” he finished.
Edward walked over to the stairs, before Ella reached the bottom step, he was there holding out his hand to her.
She smiled him, “Your Majesty.” she said mischievously.
Prince Edward shook his head and laughed. He couldn't wait to spend the entire night with Ella.
After Emmy had died, Edward thought that he'd never be able to be as happy as he had been with her. But ever since he met Ella he decided that maybe, just maybe he could be happy again.
Ella reminded him a lot of Emmy. Emmy was sweet and kind, everyone loved her. She was very playful and always played tricks on Edward. Ella knew just how to make him laugh, how to get the fun side of him released.
Of course one of the best things Edward had loved about Emmy was her hair. Her hair was a reddish gold color in huge, wavy, curls. Of course Edward wasn't sure about the mystery behind her head but he thought she was beautiful.

Cilia glowered at the prince. He was dancing with the mysterious maiden from yester night again.
Her lady in waiting stood next to her. “Gabriela, who is that maiden dancing with the prince.”
“I do not know, Lady Cilia.” answered Gabriela.
Cilia stared at the maiden. “There's something about her. Something familiar. But what?” What is she hiding? she thought to herself.

After the prince ended his dances with the mystery maiden, Cilla followed her home. She got dropped off by a bunch of houses and followed the carriage to it's destination which was only a few feet away on foot.
She followed the maiden into a garden and hid in some trees. Cilia peeked from behind them.
The maiden took off the crown and shook down her long red-gold hair. She smiled at her reflection in a small hand mirror left on the garden bench. “Who knows,” she told it. “tomorrow I might be able to be Princess Emmyelle again!”
Cilia almost gasped and gave herself away. The maiden was the princess. The princess was alive! This ruined everything.
Suddenly the princess called out, “I wish that I had my old clothes back on.”
One of the silver-dark blue flowers next to Cilia opened and silver dust flew out into the air. It began to surround the princess lifting her up into the air. When it set her back down, her hair was covered with a rag, and she was covered in ashes and soot, her beautiful gown gone and replaced by a sooty, patched up brown peasant dress.
Cilia turned to the flowers and whispered, “I wish I was in disguise.” Another one of the flowers opened and the sliver dust flew out again and covered Cilia.
When it was done, Cilia was old and shriveled up, she had a dark cloak on with the hood hanging a few inches above her eyes. She slowly walked around the trees to where the princess sat on a pumpkin with a stupid grin plastered on her face. She looked up in surprise at Cilia.
Cilia opened her mouth and croaked out, “If you want to see your precious prince alive to see 40, you better leave the ball on the morrow at exactly midnight,” she smiled evilly at the princess. “or else.”
Then she disappeared into the night leaving no trace of having ever been there at all.

Emmy was shaking as she went into the house. Why would someone not want her to be with the prince? It made no sense. All her hopes and dreams of ever getting her old life back had vanished along with her mysterious guest.
She had to obey.
Or Edward would pay.
She shivered taking on last look at the garden before slipping into the house before her step family came home. 

All the next day Emmy was thinking. Would it be safe to go to the ball or not. There was no question about her even staying a minute behind midnight.
Emmy knew now that this was going to be her last night with Edward. Probably forever. And it was that very fact that scared her most.

“You seem awfully quiet,”  commented Edward that evening.
Ella glanced up at him. “Oh I do. Well, I just have something on my mind.'
“Anything you want to talk about?” he asked happy to help.
She shook her head. “I-no.”
Edward stared down at the ballroom floor. Ella had had a sad expression on her face the entire night. He figured it was because she thought that she was never going to see him again. He grinned at the floor. That's what she thought.
That's when he saw a glimpse of her slipper.
It was a glass one. With gold threads inside. Exactly like the one he had given Em-
His eyes grew big. It was all coming together. Why Ella never had her hair down (Emmy's hair was of unique curls and hair color. No one in the kingdom had hair like hers). Why when he thought of Ella, Emmy always came to mind.
Edward grabbed Ella-or-Emmy by the hand and pulled her outside on the balcony and closed the doors.
“Emmy?” he whispered unsure.
Her eyes grew big. He knew! So she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Oh Edward, I am so happy to see you!”
He pulled her to him tightly never wanting to let her go. “Emmy, Emmy, I thought you were dead.”
“I know. I sorry. I thoug-well I thought that my parents would have told you but I guess not.” Emmyelle said looking outside though the glass shielding the balcony from the night skies.
“It does not matter now.” he pulled away. “What matters is that we are here together now.” He looked her over. She was still small and petite and her face still had that childish look in it. Her hair was flowing free to her waist in huge beautiful red-gold curls. “”You have not changed a bit, except that you have gotten more beautiful.”
Emmyelle rolled her eyes but blushed. “Thank you, Prince Edward.”
He held out his hand. “Would you like to dance?”
She smiled mischievously at him. “Oh, would I?” She took his hand and stepped into his arms. She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes and felt that after a long time of feeling home sick she was finally where she belonged.
In Edward's arms.
Time flew by while they danced in silence both never wanting the night to end. Suddenly the palace clock stroke a minute before midnight. “Oh no,” Emmy said. She let go of Edward.
He looked at her concerned. “Emmy, what is wrong?”
She took her hands out of his. “I must go.” She turned to leave but he grabbed her hand.
“Emmy, wait.”
She turned back. “Edward, what is it?”
He got down on one knee, reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out  a ring. The princess gasped as Edward grabbed ahold of her ring hand.
“Emmyelle, I have loved you since the day that I first met you. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Princess Emmyelle or Ella, I love you. Will you  marry m-”
Then the clock stroke twelve.
Emmyelle hurriedly pulled her hand out of the princes, threw open the doors and run out.
He got up quickly. “Emmy!” he cried. He ran after her. On his way after her he bumped into Cilia.
“Oh!” she cried. “Edward, I am so sorry. I did not mean-” That's when she saw the ring. “Oh my-oh my.”
“What?” he began then he realized that Cilia was looking at the ring still in his hand. “Cilia, no. It is not what you thi-”
“Oh yes, Edward. Yes! I will marry you!” and she jumped into his arms to his dismay.

The princess was racing down the steps to her carriage. she was in such a hurry that she dropped one of her glass slippers. She hurried down the steps, into the carriage.
“Uh, miss-” the footman began.
“Hurry!” Princess Emmyelle cried.
“But, miss-” the footman protested.
She ignored him and told the horses, “Giddy-up!”
The footman turned away from the slipper on the steps to the palace and to the horses who were beginning to gallop away.
When the carriage reached the lords mansion Emmy jumped out. Her bare foot hit the jagged rocks in front of the  mansion. “Ouch!” she cried. She looked down at her foot in surprise. “Where is my slipper?”
The footman shook his head. “On the steps of the palace, miss.”
“The palace!” the princess cried. “Why did you not tell me?”
The footman rolled his eyes. “I did. But you were in such a hurry that you did not hear me.”
“Well, I guess I am never going to see that slipper again.” she said sadly as she limped to the door. “Thank you!”
The footman drove off. The princess opened the door, went straight to her room.

Edward pried Cilia's arms away from him. “Cilia,” he said, “I have to go. But we'll talk as soon as I get back.” he took off.
Ciila stared after him with a triumphantly smile on her face.

Edward stood at the top of the palace stairs looking out. The only people around were a few gardeners. Emmy was gone.
He was about to turn away and walk back into the palace when he saw moonlight bouncing off of something.
When he reached it he realized what it was.
The glass slipper that he had given to Emmy on her birthday all those years ago.
Kneeling down, Edward picked the slipper up. The only thing he had left of Emmy. He vowed that he was going to find her. No matter what.

Emmyelle threw herself onto her bed in sobs as soon as she closed the
She had become so close. So close to getting everything back that she had lost. And then lost it all over again.
She wasn't ever going to get home. She just needed to get that through her head and move on.
There was no Princess Emmyelle.
All there was was Ella, the stepsister to Samantha and Silva. A servant.
Nothing more.

The next morning Edward raced down the to his parents private dining room. He burst into the room. Then stopped in surprise.
His parents were there like usual but sitting next to his usual chair was Cilla.
King Tristan looked up from his breakfast place. “Good morning son. Congratulations on your engagement!”
Queen Annaliese smiled at him. “Yes, Edward. It is the most wonderful new.”
The prince looked confused. “What engagement?” Then he remembered yesterday night when he started chasing after Emmy. And Cilla had saw the ring and assumed it was hers. “Oh right. That. Listen Mother, Father there's something I wanted to talk to you about. In private.” he said kind of glancing meaningfully at Cilla.
Cilla smiled sweetly up at him, “Edward, anything you say to them you can say in front of me. We are all going to be family soon.”
He laughed a bit. “Well this is more of a family matter. Besides I think it'd be better for you if you didn't hear this.” he turned to his parents so qiuckly that he didn't see the angry expression on Cilia's face which she quickly made vanish. “Mother, Father, shall we step out for a moment?” he asked them politely.
Queen Anneliese glanced at the king then got up.
Once they were in the next room Edward turned to them. “She's alive.” he said. “Princess Emmyelle. She's alive.”
His parents looked at each other.
“Son, what are you talking about?” King Tristan asked not seeming all that surprised. Edward figured that it was because he thought he son was going off the deep end.
“The maiden I've been dancing mostly during all the balls. Ella. She's really Princess Emmyelle.”
His mother said thoughtfully, “So that's who she was made into.”
“What?” Edward cried. “You mean you knew about this?”
Queen Anneliese nodded. “King Stefan and Queen Annabelle told us that they had sent Emmyelle into hiding after the fortune teller told their tale. but they didn't tell us where she was or her new name.”
“We're you ever going to tell me the truth?” he exclaimed.
“As soon as the princess could come back into our world safely, they would've announced that she was alive to the people of Lansdale and Bansula, we were going to tell you.” King Tristain said.
“So she was here?” Queen Anneliese asked.
The prince nodded. “Yes.” he pulled the tiny glass slipper out of the pillowed pouch that was slung over his shoulder. “She left this behind while she made a mad dash to get away.”
The queen took the slipper from his and gazed at it.
“Well help you find her,” the king declared.
Anneliese glanced up from the slipper in her hands. “But Tristian, Cilla.”
“I never proposed to her, Mother.” Edward explained, “it was all just a misunderstanding.”
“Very well,” she said after a moment of deep thought, giving her consistent.
King Tristan called the Royal Duke into the room. “Make this proclamation known to all the maidens of Bansula and Lansdale: The prince will search every cottage, home and palace in the kingdom until he finds the girl whose foot fits into the glass slipper.”

Cilia's eyes were wide as she listened to the conversation.
Edward knew.
He knew about Emmy.
She knew that she might was well give up. But she refused to.
“I'm going to get my kingdom.” she muttered to herself looking down at the flowers. If it's the last thing I do.”

So the proclamation went out into both kingdoms. From town to town and street to street.
Emmy was out by the street merchants when the royal carriage stopped in the middle of the street.
“A message from the king: All maidens in both the kingdoms of Lansdale and Bansula shall expect a visit from Prince Edward and the Royal Footman of Lansdale. He will ask for all maidens of the house and have them try on a slipper. The wearer of the shoe, becomes the princes wife.”
Emmy dropped the basket of threads, bread, chesses and fruit.
Edward was coming, she thought. She started to laugh happily as all the girls in the area began getting excited and rushing home to tell others the news.

So Emmy waited.
And waited, and waited.
She knew now that Edward wasn't going to give her up. That he still loved her. That's why he was going house by house no matter how long it took to find her.
She knew that the person who had threatened her would probably be angry if they found out about Emmy and Edward getting together. So with the help of the wishing flowers she wished that the person would get the thing they wanted most in the world.
And afterwards she went back to waiting.


A FEW WEEKS LATER
         One day Samantha and Silva began bouncing up and down from the window, where they had spent the last weeks. “Mother! The Royal Carriage! It's here!” Silva cried excitedly.
Emmy's eyes widened, but she quickly made her voice sound bored, “Lady Pamela, would you like me to answer the door?”
Lady Pamela scoffed. But she did it quickly, “No my dear, are you tired?” before Emmy could answer the lady hurried her into the servants quarters and locked the door.
Then she hurried to answer the door. When she opened it, the Royal Footman stood there.
“M'lady, I am here-” the Royal Footman began.
Lady Pamela waved his words away. “I know why your here, she opened the door. “My daughters are right this way.”
They walked into the main room. The Royal Footman followed the prince with the glass slipper laying on a velvet pillow with gold tasels.
The prince looked around as if he were looking for something or someone. “You do not have any more ladys in the house?”
Lady Ritter shook her head and started to say no but the front door burst open and Emmy ran in.
“Emmy!” cried the prince.
“Cinderella!” Samantha and Silva cried in anger.
The prince went straight for Emmy pulling her into his arms. They stayed standing there just like the last night they had seen each other for minutes that seemed like seconds to them.
The Royal Footman cleared his throat, “Sire, there is still the matter of the slipper.”
Edward pulled away from Emmy. He took her by the elbow and led her to a chair. She sat down. He turned to the Royal Footman who handed him the glass slipper on the velvet pillow. Then he knelt down and slipped the slipper onto Emmy's foot.
She held her breath.
It fit.
He didn't say anything. Just pulled her to him and hugged her.
When he pulled away Emmy removed the rag from her head and shook her red-gold curls down.
Silva and Samantha gasped. “Cinderella?” they cried again.
The princess turned and glared at them a sign of life flaring in her eyes. “That is not my name! My name is Emmyelle, Princess of Bansula.”
They gasped again.
Lady Pamela's eyes were wide with surprise.
The door flew open and Lord Worthwyre hurried in. “Ella, Lady Pamela, Silva, Samantha, come qu-” that's when he came into the room and saw the Royal Footman next to the prince who was kneeling on the floor to Emmy whose hair was out and free, Silva and Samantha whose mouths were hanging open while Lady Pamela looked on calmly.
He grinned, “Guess I came just in time for the wedding!”

The wedding bells rang one last time as Princess Emmyelle and Prince Edward hurried to their carriage arm in arm while children in the streets threw  handfuls of bread, rice and flower petals that Queen Cilla of a neighboring kingdom had given them with the flowers that Emmy had used to give her what she wanted, in the air.
After helping the princess in, the prince climbed in his self and took the reins in one hand. He kissed his princess on the nose before using his free hand to wave good-bye to his, the people of Lansdale and Bansula and the princess' own parents.
The carriage rode off.
When the palace was out of view, Emmy stopped waving and turned to Edward. “So where are we going for our honeymoon?”
He smiled knowingly.  “You will see.'
When the carriage reached the vacation castle, he helped her out. Holding her hand he began to run, “Hurry!” he called back to her.
And when they reached the inside, right outside of the ball room he picked her up. He carried her into the ballroom, all the way to the wall with the pillar against it. When they were standing in front of it, he pulled a button in the back and the floor turned and they found themselves in the meadow.
But now next to the pond was a small cottage.
Emmy smiled and clapped her hands in delight. “Edward, I cannot believe you did this.”
He smiled down at her. “It was nothing.” he told her carrying her to it.
Emmy reached out her finger and a butterfly landed on it. The butterfly whispered something in her ear and Emmy began to grin mischievously.
“OW!” she cried.
Edward was startled. “What happened?” he asked her concerned. He set her down on the ground.
Emmy scrunched up her face and began to wail like a infant.
“Emmy, I am so sorry. Did I hurt you? Can you speak to me? What is wrong?” he said worriedly.
Suddenly her face changed.
“How many times are you going to fall for that?” she asked him with a smirk on her face.
She was already running away when she called back to him, “Catch me if you can!”

OK, so maybe we did live happily ever after.