Adrianna’s Fairy Tales: Erotic Retellings
A Collection of short stories
By Adrianna White
Published by Adrianna White at Smashwords
Copyright 2012 Adrianna White
All right reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission from the author.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Written in Canada.
Adrianna’s Fairy Tales:
Adrianna’s collection of novellas take the classic story of fairy tales that we’re all accustomed to and throws it out the window in an erotic retelling of our beloved princes and princesses. The characters are hot and the action is steamy, these stories will titillate both the mind and the nether regions. Be warned, these stories rarely end as we would hope.
Naughty Cinderella:
The story of Cinderella is far more adult than you were lead to believe. A lady of the night, she spends her days working the streets and her nights living in poverty. Her stepsisters controls her every decision and she is forced to live under her stepmothers iron fist.
Her entire life is thrown into an uproar when the majestic Prince Jacob visits, inviting all to his masquerade ball. Cinderella’s only problem is that she has no way of getting to that party; that all changes when she discovers a power hidden deep within her, and takes matters into her own hands.
Riding Red Hood:
The story of Little Red Hood and the Big Bad Wolf begins with our hero in the woods, only Red doesn’t even know he’s there. The road is treacherous and she finds herself running from a band of cannibalistic tribesmen. That’s where she meets the misunderstood wolf and is spared from the life of a slave, or worse.
A steamy journey of lust, longing and desire is headed towards Red, as she tracks down the wolf responsible for saving her life and stealing her heart. Complications arise when her betrothed, Fredrick, learns of her encounter and will stop at nothing to end the wolf’s supposed reign of terror and bloodshed.
Beauty and the Beast with Two Backs:
Isabelle Dorsey finds herself in a precarious position when her father makes a deal for a soul that he doesn’t possess. He commands her to find him in the forgotten land of Tarn, where he has planned to hand her over to a beastly man named King Edmund.
He was the ruler of an empire that has been long since buried, only his people didn’t stay that way. As if rising from the ashes of their fallen empire, they find a way to enter our world and take what they deem fit. A storm is brewing and if the beast king wants to keep his sanity, he needs to find a way to break the curse before his kingdom crumbles for a second time.
Warning: This eBook contains graphic violence, coarse language and sexual intercourse. Adults only. Word Count: 38,812.
Adrianna’s Fairy Tales
Erotic Retelling 1:
Erotic Retelling 2:
Erotic Retelling 3:
Beauty and the Beast with Two Backs
Contact Me:
Naughty Cinderella
Prologue
“Oh, god!” screamed a man, as he panted and heaved in the dark and gloomy alley. “You’re… so hot!”
The fat, burly man clenched his buttocks, driving himself deeper into a woman he had pressed up against the wall, as she moaned sweet nothings in his ear.
“I’m cumming!” shouted the bulbous man, his cock erupting like a volcano inside the woman.
She stared across the alleyway, with a blank look in her eyes as she tried to count as many bricks as she could; anything to get her mind off the disgusting, overweight man stabbing away with his sweaty member.
The man groaned in ecstasy as he pushed himself off the wall, and backed away from her. He ran his hands through the woman’s dark auburn hair, smiling as he reached down into his pockets.
“You were fantastic,” the man said. “Not like any of the others.”
He pulled several coins from his pocket, looked back at beauty, and said, “There you go. 10 coppers, just like we agreed.”
“Well… aren’t you the gentleman,” said the woman, masking her sarcasm with a warm smile and seductive eyes.
He handed the prostitute the coins, and pulled up his pants as he quickly hurried out of the alley and back into the busy streets. Stopping, he turned back to the woman as she was pulling up her panties. He grinned at her, and said, “I forgot to ask your name.”
“Cinderella,” answered the prostitute, adjusting the fit of her dress. “My name is Cinderella Traugott.”
Chapter One
Cinderella walked out of the dark alleyway, covering her eyes as she adjusted to the bright sun beaming down from the heavens. Her eyes sparkled in the sunlight as she watched people pass by, each stopping for a moment to look at the stunning tramp, positively glowing from her promiscuous activities.
Merchants hocked their wares, while joyful children played in the bustling streets. They were a peaceful people, in a peaceful time. Life was uncomplicated and carefree.
“Hey, Cinderella!” shouted a young girl, running up to her. “I’ve got a new doll, see?”
The young girl beamed with glee as she proudly held the toy up for Cinderella to see. It was a raggedy doll with a bright blue dress and fiery red hair. It was a simple toy, with rough edges and irregular stitching, but the young girl loved it dearly and couldn’t wait to show it to her friends.
“It’s beautiful,” said Cinderella, admiring the girl’s doll. “Did your mother make it for you?”
“She did,” the young girl replied.
“It’s very lovely,” said Cinderella, handing the doll back to the little girl.
The girl smiled, and ran back towards her friends. Cinderella waved the sweet young girl goodbye, and she continued down the bustling cobblestone street.
“Ah… home at last,” said Cinderella, exhausted from a long days work. It was a relatively well maintained home, in an upscale district. She approached her home and unlocked the door.
Kicking off her shoes, she collapsed in the closest chair she could find, sighing in relief as she warmed herself by the burning fireplace.
“…Like I said, sitting at home with her feet in the air,” said one of her stepsisters, opening the front door.
“Yup, you’re right,” replied her other stepsister. “I don’t know why I suspected anything different.”
Her two stepsister were gorgeous, and the talk of the town. They were used to a life beyond their means, living high on Cinderella’s hard work.
Dorothy was the younger of the two, with golden blonde locks the curled down her backside, all the way down to her waist. She had the cutest dimples when she smiled, which successfully masked the devilish grin underneath the surface.
Mary was the older sibling, with long brown hair, milky white skin and radiant blue eyes. She had an innocent look about her, but unfortunately for Cinderella, it was all just an act.
“Where’s our money?” asked Dorothy, holding out her hand impatiently.
Cinderella looked to the floor, and timidly reached into one of the pockets in her dress. She looked up at her stepsister, and reluctantly said, “Here you go.”
Dorothy rummaged through the coins, and with a look of disgust, threw them on the ground.
“Damn it, Cinderella!” yelled Dorothy, staring her down. “You serviced ten men today, and all you’ve got to show for it is 80 pence? There should be at least 100 pence in my hand!”
Cinderella mumbled her words together, trying to gather the courage to defend herself.
“What?” Mary asked. “Speak up!”
“I said… I would like to save some of that money,” replied Cinderella, sheepishly. “If that’s not too much trouble.”
“Of course it is!” shouted her step-mother, coming down the stairs. “Your father walked out on me, leaving me with barely enough to survive. You’re going to pay back all his debts, if it’s the last thing you do!”
Her step-mother, Mable, was a cranky old lady, born of hate and prejudice. Cinderella never blamed her father for leaving Mable; she only blamed him for not taking her with him.
It was her step-mother that forced her to work the streets, saying that was the only job suitable for a bastard child like herself.
Cinderella reached down in her pocket, and threw the rest of the coins on the ground.
“All right, fine!” screamed Cinderella, turning red with vehement rage. “Take everything!”
Cinderella rushed out the house, while her stepsisters cackled behind her back.
“Jeez, what’s her problem?” asked Mary, picking up the coins. “She better get her attitude straight, or I’ll straighten it for her, I will.”
Chapter Two
Cinderella exited the house, wiping the sweat from her brow as she watched the busy people scurry about the streets.
“What’s going on here?” asked Cinderella, to villagers passing by.
“The prince is coming!” one of the villagers shouted, continuing down the road in a hurried pace.
“What prince?” Cinderella asked, still unsure of what was going on.
“What other prince is there?” asked the villager, with a confused look. “Why it’s Prince Jacob!”
Cinderella had heard of Prince Jacob before, theirs being the closest village to the castle. Everyone had heard of the prince. Men wanted to kneel before him as royal knights, and women wanted to kneel before him in lust.
“Out of my way, whore!” shouted Dorothy, opening their front door as she and her sister pushed Cinderella out of the way.
“Prince Jacob is coming,” Mary said. “I wouldn’t bother going though, a prince like that demands a certain quality from his supporters. Prostitutes aren’t welcome.”
Cinderella’s lip curled as she watched her two stepsisters hurry with the hordes of people, heading towards the village square. Deciding not to allow her stepsisters have the satisfaction of denying her this pleasure, she began walking to the village square.
It had been a long day, and Cinderella was exhausted from all her hard work, but she finally made it to the middle of the city. The entire village had gathered to see the prince. Young men flexed their muscles, hoping to draws the knights’ attention; and young women pressed their breasts together, hoping to entice the prince to their beds.
“I love you, Prince Jacob!” screamed one of the women in the crowd.
Cinderella guided herself through the sea of people, trying to catch a glimpse of Prince Jacob. Heading to the local blacksmith, she hoisted herself up on the nearest anvil, and peered past the droves of people.
“Marry me, Prince Jacob!” squealed another woman.
Prince Jacob was gorgeous, sitting atop his glistening royal steed, and the very sight of him sent quivers down Cinderella’s legs. She almost fell from the anvil, but was finally able to catch her balance.
The prince had shoulder-length brown hair that waved in the cool breeze. With his chiseled cheekbones and dimpled smile, he was the most handsome man in the kingdom. The fact that he was a prince just made him all the more desirable.
“Good citizens of Westing Shire, I come to you; not as a prince, but as a faithful servant!” bellowed Prince Jacob, raising an open palm to the crowd. “I ask not money, nor tribute. All I ask is that you attend my masquerade ball. I wish to celebrate my birthday with all of you.”
The crowd roared in approval. Cinderella, of course, knew that there was very little chance of her going to the ball. Like most of the villagers, she simply didn’t have the clothes suitable for such an extravagant night. It mattered not, the villagers were simply happy to be noticed.
Westing Shire was the closest village to the castle, but away on his many travels, the prince rarely visited, outside of royal tours of the land.
“As you all know,” Prince Jacob continued. “I have reigned over the land for five years now, and I have still not found a woman suitable for marriage. I have seen all the princesses, and I have seen all the duchesses, but alas, they are not for me. This masquerade ball is my way to reach out to the common people, and to mingle like one of you.”
The crowd cried out for him, praising his name, and his lineage. He understood them, and their plights. Of course, nothing had changed in years, but then again, the people could not remember the last time something actually had changed.
The prince turned his horse around, and started to leave the square. Women chased after him, but the knights kept them at bay. He stopped, and looking back to the dispersing crowd, he said, grinning from ear to ear, “Who knows, I might even find a wife.”
Chapter Three
“Oh, I just cannot wait. I want to go now!” shrieked Dorothy, opening their front door. “I cannot wait to see what kinds of dresses are available!”
“I already know what I want,” Mary smirked. “I’ve been eyeing it for some time now. It’s the most exquisite black sequin dress, and simply to die for. ”
The two sisters ran upstairs, and into their mother’s room. Clawing with desperation, they grabbed at a chest underneath her bed.
Walking in the door sometime after them, Cinderella found her two stepsisters on their mother’s bed, counting all the coins she had earned.
“Mother’s not going to like that,” stated Cinderella, pointing a stern finger at Dorothy and Mary. “You’re stealing—!”
“They most certainly are not stealing,” interrupted Mable, barging past Cinderella and into the room. “Oh, how I have longed for this day. Your beautiful sisters are going to make us royalty. They deserve this. I deserve this. They can take anything they need. And if you shut up and stop complaining, maybe we’ll let you clean the stables when we’re rich.”
“We have enough money for two of the most expensive dresses in the city!” shouted Mary, gleaming in the eyes.
“Is there no money left over for me?” asked Cinderella, tears streaming down her face.
“Well, we could get three nice dresses,” Dorothy smirked. “But we need to look our finest, if we want the prince to notice us.”
“Don’t you want your sisters to look their best?” asked Mable, staring back at Cinderella in disgust. “As a family, we have to put our best foot forward, and that’s Dorothy and Mary. I’m sorry, Cinderella, but there just isn’t a chance someone like you, could get a man like that.”
The tears streamed down Cinderella’s face, but she would refuse them the satisfaction of seeing her pout. She turned around, and began to leave the room.
“Stop this instant, Cinderella!” Mable hollered. “You have one more job tonight.”
“What? You cannot be serious?” asked Cinderella, balling her fists in anger. “You take all my money, and now you’re sending me out again?”
“…If you want your supper tonight, you will do as I say!” yelled Mable, slamming her fist on the table.
Cinderella stopped in her tracks, in fear of her stepmother. Mable was always keeping Cinderella down, and her greatest tool was fear.
Looking to the ground in trepidation, Cinderella said, “I will do as you say.”
She started to walk out the room, when Mable called her back, and said, “And if your attitude doesn’t improve, you can find yourself homeless.
Cinderella ran out the room, as Dorothy and Mary screeched in delight.
“Hurry up, Cinderella!” Mary shouted. “We’re going to need some earrings to go with our dresses!”
Chapter Four
Henry was a relatively good looking man, with ash colored hair and bristly beard. He had been calling on Cinderella for the last couple weeks, finding her insatiable and not so easy forget.
Henry ran his hand down her soft cheeks, as he pressed his body against Cinderella. Entwined, they clawed at one another, peeling their clothes off one by one.
“You’re so hard,” said Cinderella, grabbing Henry by the crotch, her smooth hands caressing his throbbing member.
“You make me feel like such a man,” gasped Henry, on his knees, as he pulled down her silk panties.
His warm hands cusped in inside of her thighs, running up until he reached her moist tender regions; he looked at Cinderella, and said, “Of all the women, you taste the sweetest.”
His tongue circled her clitoris as his fingers entered her, delving deep as he explored her insides.
She moaned out in satisfaction, as she had been trained to do. Henry was unlike most of her callers, however. He respected her. He treated her like a lady.
“Take me,” Cinderella gasped. “Take me now!”
Henry grinned, as he rose to his feet, and picked her up. She wrapped her sinuous legs around him as he carried her over to the bed, and laid her on her back.
Henry mounted Cinderella, and slid his hard cock deep inside. Rolling back his eyes in ecstasy, his hands began to shake, and he tried to steady himself.
Cinderella rolled him over, and slithered on top of him. Straddling him, she moaned out in pleasure as his cock penetrated both deeper and faster. His dick rushed against the walls of her pussy, as the cum dripped down her thighs.
“Oh god, yes, that’s the spot!” Cinderella screamed, interweaving their hands as she continued to groan in pleasure. “I’m cumming!”
The warm stream of cum enveloped Henry’s hard cock, sending all the right impulses to his brain. He erupted like a volcano, filling her up as it cascaded out and down the shaft of his cock.
“You… were… fantastic,” groaned Henry, crumpling to the bed in delight.
Cinderella smiled, giving her legs a shake as she reached down behind her and caressed his balls gently, and said, “You weren’t so bad, yourself.”
She rolled over to his side, and curled up beside him. He was warm, someone she could feel close too, and she snuggled up closer in appreciation.
“…You’ve never mentioned your wife before,” said Cinderella, pointing to one of her dresses in the open closet. “May I ask what happened?”
Henry was not comfortable with the topic, and fidgeted around on the bed.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you,” said Cinderella, releasing his tension and placing her hand on his shoulder.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about, I’m just not used to talking about her,” Henry replied. “It was several years back, lost her at sea, I did. I spent a week searching for her, but could not find her and the crew forced the ship to sail back, in fear of hunger, on account of rapidly depleting rations.”
“That’s awful,” said Cinderella, sliding her hand down to his. “I’m sure she was a wonderful woman.”
“She was,” said Henry, rolling off the bed, and fumbling through his dresser.
He drew a pouch from the drawer, and poured some into his hand. He looked over to Cinderella, and said, “Here’s 15 pence. I know you only ask for 10, but I also know that your stepsisters take that from you. The extra is for you, hide it from them.”
“Henry, you’re too kind. You’re a generous and gentle man,” Cinderella said. “However, I was wondering if there could possibly be some other way, in which to be paid.”
“Oh? And what would that be?” inquired Henry, his interest piqued. “You just name it.”
“I couldn’t help but notice that dress in the closet,” said Cinderella, pointing to a beautiful ball gown.
It was a sparkling white, with golden lining, made from some of the finest muslin and lace that she had ever seen. The dress came with a matching porcelain mask, with canary yellow feathers.
“Yes, what of it?” asked Henry, cocking his head. “If you would like the dress, it is yours.”
“You mean it?” asked Cinderella, jumping from the bed in jubilation. “…But it’s worth so much more than 15 pence!”
“Well it’s going towards a good home,” Henry grinned. “I’m sure my wife would have wanted that.”
She grabbed Henry, and pulled him close. She peered past his eyes, directly into his soul, and said, “This one’s on me.”
Cinderella tossed Henry on the bed, and mounted him. She licked her lips, looked him deep in the eyes, and said, “Take me one more time.”
Chapter Five
“Look what I’ve received!” shouted Cinderella, bursting through the door, with her new dress in hand. “You’ll never believe it!”
“What is all the commotion?” asked Mable, coming down the stairs.
“Look what Henry gave me,” said Cinderella, showing her the beautiful gown. “Isn’t it gorgeous—?”
“Well, gorgeous isn’t the word I would use,” snickered Mary, following her mother down the stairs.
“Don’t be silly, Mary,” said Dorothy, entering from the kitchen. “She finally found a dress as plain as she is. We should be happy for her.”
Her stepsisters joined the mother, as the circled around Cinderella, and her new dress. She didn’t expect them to be happy for her; she just wanted to announce to them, that she planned to arrive at the masquerade ball, with or without them.
“Well I for one, do not care for this treachery!” stormed Mable, stomping her foot on the floor. “You were supposed to come back with coins…that would be useful to me; not some silly ball gown. Give me the dress!”
Cinderella paused, unsure where her stepmother was going with this.
“Now, Cinderella!” shouted Mable, holding out her hand. “I mean it.”
Hesitantly, Cinderella handed her stepmother the gown, refusing to look her in the eye.
“You deserve this, Cinderella,” said Mable, walking over to the fire place, which was already smoldering. “This is what happens to filthy whores that try and cheat their poor family!”
Mable tossed the gown into the flames, and Cinderella watched, as the only chance she had of going to the masquerade ball went up in a blaze of hatred and ignorance.
Dropping to her knees, she cried, cursing her family and the misfortune they had inflicted on her. They had ruined her life, and now were refusing her a chance to dig herself out of the poverty they had inflicted upon her.
Chapter Six
The water rushed into the large iron bathtub, as Cinderella poured herself a bath. The day had worn her down, and she needed her sweetest release.
The rest of her family had left for the masquerade ball, leaving Cinderella home by herself. She looked forward to these times, when she could be alone with her thoughts. This time, the she would have given anything to be with them now, even her life.
The cold iron tub sent shivers down her back, as she gracefully slid into the warming water.
“They don’t deserve you,” said Cinderella to herself, closing her eyes as she lowered her head underneath the water.
The hot water soothed her aching bones, one of the few pleasures she was allowed to have. She lifted herself from the water, and reached over to the table beside her.
Striking a match, she lit a candle and draped her arms over the sides of the tub. She thought, for just a brief moment, that she was one of the lucky women who would be attending the ball.
She could just picture the beautiful scenery, and lavish dinging. Guests mingled, while servants would tend to their every desire.
Cinderella danced under the stars, her dress gracefully swayed with her as she moved across the ballroom floor. She would take the hand of a young gentleman, as their bodies entwined in a moment of passion.
The moment was over all too suddenly, and she once again remembered her surroundings, and her horrible life.
“I’m not going to live like this anymore,” Cinderella stated. “Things will be better soon.”
She ran her hand up the wooden table beside her, and without looking, grasped a sharp knife that she had placed there.
“Your life will be better on the other side,” Cinderella said out loud, sighing as she drew the knife closer. “On the other side, you will not be afraid anymore.”
The blade cut deep, slicing through Cinderella’s skin, from wrist to elbow. The blood poured down her arms, and mixed into the tepid water. Soon the entire tub was blood red, and Cinderella started to phase in and out of consciousness. Becoming very weak, Cinderella lowered her head in the bathtub, and waited for it all to end.
Chapter Seven
“…Wake up!” shouted a woman, with a shrill and nasally voice. “Wake up, I say!”
Cinderella opened her eyes, as she slowly came back to conscious. Her vision was blurry, but could make out the silhouette of an elderly woman standing over her.
The woman sparkled in her purple gown, with bursts of light exploding all around her. Streams of energy danced around her body in a graceful and majestic fashion, the most beautiful thing Cinderella had ever seen.
She was old; that much was clear, with a wrinkly face and the rosiest red cheeks Cinderella had ever seen.
The woman’s eyes felt like they could pierce through Cinderella’s very soul and it sent shivers down her spine. Unsure how to respond, she stared blankly back at the old woman.
“Hello? Is anyone in there?” asked the woman, prodding Cinderella on the shoulder.
“I—I’m dead?” inquired Cinderella, adjusting her vision as the room began to clear. She looked at herself in the blood red water, trying to understand why her wrists had been healed. It was as if the wounds had never been there in the first place. “Is this heaven?”
“…Heaven?” asked the old woman, cocking her head and placing her hands on her hips. “Silly girl, this isn’t heaven. You’re still very much at home… and very much alive.”
“W—who are you?” stuttered Cinderella, drying her face off with a towel. “What do you want?”
“Well, quite simply, my name is Agatha, and I am your Fairy Godmother,” smiled the old woman, offering Cinderella a comforting hand. “…And the real question is, what do you want?”
“I don’t understand,” said Cinderella, grabbing Agatha’s hand and pulling herself out of the tub. “How did you come to be?”
“Well…I’ve always been,” said Agatha, staring vacantly at Cinderella, as she handed her a towel. “Since before you, I might add.”
“Well, how did you come to be here?” Cinderella asked, covering herself with the towel.
“Here?” Agatha asked. “I’ve always been here… and there; I’ve been there, too.”
“Here!” shouted Cinderella, pointing to the floor as she stopped her feet.
“Oh, here,” Agatha said with a smile, lost in her own little world. “Well, you called me here.”
“…And by the looks of it, you didn’t mean to call me,” said Agatha, dipping a finger in the bloodied water.
“You’re not making any sense,” Cinderella said. “How did I call you here?”
“Blood magic,” Agatha said.
“Blood magic?” Cinderella asked.
“Blood magic, yup, that’s what it’s called,” replied Agatha, circling around Cinderella. “…And you used it to call me here, whether you’re aware or not. Now tell me, Cinderella, what do you desire more than anything else in this world?”
Cinderella thought about it for awhile, while her Fairy Godmother hummed patiently in front of her. She probably could have asked for wealth and power, but the only thing on her mind, the thing she wanted more than life itself, was to attend Prince Jacob’s masquerade ball. She wanted to be one of the beautiful people, if even just for one night.
“I wish to attend the prince’s birthday party,” Cinderella said. “Can you make that happen?”
“Can I make it happen?” Agatha asked. “Of course, I can make it happen!”
Agatha pulled a wand out from her dress, as she continued to circle around. She eventually stopped in front of Cinderella, and said, “Not only will you go to the ball, you will have the most beautiful dress at the party.”
Cinderella’s dreams became reality as her Fairy Godmother waved the wand at her, sending a burst of light towards Cinderella.
The blinding white light enveloped Cinderella, as it tore through her towel and into her body. When the light subsided, and she was able to open her eyes, she looked down to the dress of her dreams. It was a scarlet red gown and matching mask, with golden insets, radiant white lining, and the most exotic red feathers in the land. With intricate lace and stitching, it looked more expensive than anything else in the home; perhaps the entire home itself.
“A dress like that wouldn’t be complete with proper shoes, custom fitted to your exact size,” Agatha grinned, handing her two crystal slippers. They shimmered in the candlelight as Cinderella’s jaw dropped and she graciously accepted the mesmerizing gift.
“Their beautiful,” gasped Cinderella, looking at herself in the slipper’s glossy reflection.
“No,” said Agatha, placing her hand on Cinderella’s shoulder. “You’re beautiful in them.”
Chapter Eight
Cinderella opened her front door, and walked out to the cobblestone street. She picked up the bottom her dress, as she walked out to the damp road. She looked around, while her Fairy Godmother stepped out of the house behind her.
“What’s wrong, dear?” Agatha asked. “Is there a problem?”
“How exactly am I supposed to get there?” Cinderella asked
“Where’s there?” inquired Agatha, looking up and down. “Are we there, or are we here?”
“The prince’s masquerade ball!” shouted Cinderella, waving her arms in the air. “I have to get to the masquerade ball!”
“Oh, there,” said Agatha, placing her hand on the tip of her chin. “Well that’s easy!”
Agatha gently grabbed Cinderella’s hand, and looked very intently at it. She took one of her fingernails and ran it down the palm of Cinderella.
The blood squirted out of her hand, but Cinderella knew better than to squirm. In for a penny, in for a pound, she continued to tell herself, until the pain slowly subsided.
Agatha grabbed hold tightly on to Cinderella’s hand, and blew into the blood. It swirled in the air, as it trickled off her hand and into the night breeze.
Cinderella couldn’t believe her eyes, as she watched the blood take the form of a carriage, horses, and travelling companions. They were more than lifelike. They were majestic, as if born from the finest family in the land.
She smiled, running towards the carriage door, which the driver had opened for her. With a hand on the door, she looked back at her Fairy Godmother, and said, “You’ve made me the happiest girl in the kingdom! How will I ever repay you?”
“Dear, you already have,” smiled Agatha, as she waved goodbye. “Oh, I almost forgot! You better get home before midnight!”
“What happens at midnight?” asked Cinderella, hanging out the door as the carriage began to take off.
“The spell unfolds, and you will return to your normal self,” replied Agatha, with a stern look. “Do not let that happen.”
Cinderella waved goodbye as the horses picked up speed.
A few children tried to keep pace with the grandiose stagecoach, hoping to capture a better look of the beautiful woman riding inside. She blew them a kiss, as the carriage carried on, leaving the children far behind.
“You might want to keep yourself inside, miss,” said the driver, whipping his reins. “…What with all the signs and streetlights overhead.”
Cinderella smiled back at the driver, and laughed at her ignorance as she quickly entered the cabin, and sat down. It would only be a few hours now, and she would find herself in the prince’s castle, dining with his dinner guests and mingling with the socialites. She closed her eyes and imagined the wonders in store for her tonight.
Chapter Nine
“Well I’ll be...,” gasped Cinderella, as the carriage approached the larger-than-life castle, a colossal testament to the kingdom’s wealth and power. Large grey walls swept over the landscape as she neared the castle entrance.
Everywhere she looked, stately men and stunning women lined the courtyards, gathering amongst their peers as they waited for the night’s festivities to commence.
The carriage rounded the main entrance, and slowly came to a stop, just outside the front steps.
She could hear a thump, as her magical driver jumped down from the carriage, and walked over to her cabin. Opening the door, he gracefully bowed, and motioned for Cinderella to exit. He treated her like royalty, to the awe of all the guests nearby.
They marveled in Cinderella’s beauty as she stepped down from the carriage. Her driver looked at her, and said, “You are the belle of the ball, milady.”
“Thank you, good sir,” said Cinderella, looking around the main courtyard. Everyone was staring at her, but rather than hide in the shadows like she was accustomed to, this time she glistened in the spotlight.
“…And remember, milady, we must make haste by no later than the stroke of midnight,” said the driver, tipping his hat to Cinderella as she began to walk up the steps.
“…Look at her,” said Dorothy, in the distance.
Cinderella would recognize that voice anywhere, and looked up to see her two stepsisters standing by the main gates. Hoping they would not recognize her, she readjusted her mask, and continued up the steps at a brisk pace.
“She must be a royal,” remarked Mary, as she looked Cinderella up and down. “I thought they weren’t allowed to the party.”
“They’re not supposed to be here,” whispered Dorothy, as Cinderella came closer and into audible range. “But now that I’ve actually seen one, I can understand why the prince doesn’t want them around—.”
“Hey, lady in the red mask!” shouted Mary, pointing towards Cinderella as she passed by.
Cinderella stopped, and pretended to look around, as if she had not already been fully aware of their presence. Cautiously, she turned around and looked at her stepsister, hoping that she had not been discovered.
“You’re not actually going inside are you?” Mary asked. “Prince Jacob isn’t even here yet. Forgive me, but what’s the point? Don’t you want him to notice you?”
Cinderella paused, contemplating her next move. If she were to speak, surely her stepsisters would figure her out.
“Afraid to talk?” asked Dorothy, her hands on her hips as she impatiently awaited an answer. “If I looked like you, I’d be afraid to speak, too.”
Ever the bullies, Cinderella thought, ready to take off the mask and storm over to her stepsisters.
That’s when she was saved from her wicked sisters, for the prince had finally arrived. Dorothy and Mary dropped the conversation, and ran screaming down the steps, like hyenas to a fresh carcass. Cinderella grinned, and counted the diversion among her many blessings tonight as she continued to the ball room.
Cinderella wasn’t going to give her stepsisters the satisfaction to getting to her; she knew that they were doing. They probably had torn apart a dozen women before they had seen her, and they would most likely tear down another dozen by the end of the night.
Her stepsisters were afraid of her, like she had suspected for a long time. They saw the beauty both inside and outside of her, and they held her back, in fear the she would shine far brighter than them. And shine she would, tonight, in front of the finest common people in the land.
“Oh my, you’re stunning,” commented an elderly woman, as Cinderella passed by in the halls.
“Why, thank you very much,” Cinderella replied. “You’re too kind—.”
“She’s not that stunning,” said another woman, standing across from the other. “Now my two daughters, you should see them!”
Cinderella had enough, and found herself storming over to the woman. She could see past that mask any day. The woman was her stepmother, Mable. Only, she didn’t seem to recognize Cinderella, she was far too vain and self-centered to realize her own family standing in front of her.
“Can I help you?” asked Mable, with a vacant expression.
“No, you cannot help me!” shouted Cinderella, jabbing at her stepmother with a finger. “Nor can you help anyone else of value. You, ma’am, are a pariah among our village, and you should be ashamed to even call yourself a commoner, because what you so clearly lack is any common sense at all!”
Cinderella stormed away, with both poise and confidence. She had made her point and decided to continue on, before she did something she would regret.
“Well, I’ll never…,” gasped Mable, looking around to all the other aging women as she pointed at the woman in red, walking away. “Can you believe that…the audacity of that woman!”
Chapter Ten
“It looks so beautiful,” Cinderella said to herself, as she walked down the dining table. She looked around, and noticed many young women, doing the same as she was.
They all circled around the long table, commenting on how pretty all the food was. Everyone was observing the food, but no one was trying the food. What silly ladies these all were, Cinderella thought.
Deciding she was not going to just be an observer, she reached for a plate, and took three samples.
They were the oddest food she had ever seen, with exotic colors and the most interesting designs. If they hadn’t been put on plates, she may never even have known they were food.
“Awful!” shouted Cinderella, as the other ladies turned to look at her. “…It’s just dreadful.”
She rolled the food around in her mouth, simulating chewing for her giggling audience. Never had she tasted anything so putrid, and she brought a napkin to her lips and spat the food back out.
Cinderella waited for the women to stop staring, and when they did, she placed the napkin and plate back on the table, and coyly walked away with her eyes shifting back and forth across the room.
Trumpets rang out across the ball, and Cinderella looked over to the entrance. Prince Jacob had arrived, and following him were at least a hundred women, all beckoning for his attention.
The prince raised his hand, and the entire room went silent, awaiting his introduction.
“Good evening, dukes and duchesses of the common people,” said Prince Jacob, walking towards the center of the room. “I am so glad you could attend my birthday, it means the world to me. I have travelled the land, and seen a land of wonder. Yet, I am not content. And right now, nothing would make me happier, than sharing my wealth with you all. Shall we all dance?”
Prince Jacob brought the mask to his head, and grabbed the lady nearest to him. As soon as they began to dance back and forth, the orchestra started. They were elegant and harmonic, as they matched the tempo of their prince, beat by beat.
All the other women rushed to the edges of the ballroom floor, waiting to get picked by a handsome suitor. They tossed their skirts around, as they swayed to the music, hoping to catch the prince’s eye.
And so, the gentlemen each made their way over to the women, trying to pick the prettiest lady of them all.
Cinderella decided that was not for her, and she would pick her own man. She looked over to a lumbering oaf, standing high above everyone else, alone and in the corner.
He was at least eight feet tall, with bushy brown hair and whiskery beard. An unsightly man, he likely wouldn’t attract any of the young ladies at the ball, if it wasn’t for Cinderella’s good nature.
“Would you be so kind?” asked Cinderella, holding out her hand.
“T—that is not proper,” stuttered the oaf, looking down upon her. “The gentleman must ask the lady.
“Well… ask me now,” said Cinderella, looking around, noticing the odd couple gawks from a few snooty people.
“My name is Gunter,” said the oaf, holding out his hand. “May I have this dance?”
“You may,” replied Cinderella, taking his hand, and gently guiding him to the dance floor.
Cinderella had practiced these dances since she was a child, and knew all the steps well. She placed her arms on Gunter’s shoulders, as they danced to the music’s rhythms.
“So what is your trade?” Cinderella asked, trying her best to dance with her slow and clumsy partner.
“I work for the prince,” Gunter replied.
“What does he have you do?” Cinderella asked.
“I clean the stables,” said Gunter, trying his best to mimic the motions of the other patrons. “I’ve known him since we were little boys. Prince Jacob gave me a job, when others said I was no good, on account of my gigantism—.”
“Ouch!” pouted Cinderella, as Gunter’s enormous feet came crashing down on her.
“I—I’m sorry, miss,” stammered Gunter, dropping his head to the floor. “I’m really no good at this—.”
“My nose!” cried Cinderella, raising her head to look at Gunter while he had quickly lowered his head in shame. The two collided, and Cinderella was sent crashing to the ground.
“Miss!” bellowed Gunter, dropping to help her up. “I did it again, didn’t I?