Chapter Nine

The screaming from the house was becoming intolerable, and Melanie, the thinner of Cinderella’s two stepsisters, slammed the door shut behind her with a sigh of relief.

It was a madhouse since news of the ball got out. Right now, Serena was crying over the fact that her dresses had to be let out yet again.

Of course, if she walked her fat ass a little farther than the kitchen, that might not be such a common occurrence.

As she was about the pass through the gate, Melanie noticed her stepsister in the garden, and her lip curled at the sight.

Melanie hated Cinderella.

It was a true, abiding hate, past all reason, perhaps past sanity. She didn’t care to examine it too deeply. She’d just known it existed from the moment she first set eyes on her stepsister when they were both six years old and something inside Melanie whispered that she would never be considered as beautiful, as perfect, as deserving as the blonde girl in front of her.

Serena merely played games with Cinderella when boredom set in and she needed a diversion. For Melanie, nothing except ultimately making Cinderella break would be acceptable.

She was about to turn and walk her usual path through the woods when a man blocked her. His hat was in hand and his head was suitably lowered, but something about him caused her to take a half step back. Maybe it was his eyes, so dark there appeared to be no pupil.

“Excuse me, Miss,” he said, and she swore a faint hiss threaded his speech.

“Yes?”

“That path you usually choose,” he said, pointing to her path. “Wild animals are spotted down that way, it’s not safe. The path that way is where it is safe to walk.”

The man pointed to the path that paralleled the river. It was slightly overgrown because few used it, but something inside told her not to challenge this man. Laborer or no, beneath her or no, her nerves sizzled with the need to get away from him. She turned and moved toward the path he had pointed out.

After a fair bit of walking, she considered turning back. It was less than half her usual walk, but the terrain was more difficult. Almost turning around, masculine voices speaking slightly off the path caught her attention. Interesting. No one came to this area. There was no hunting here, nothing of value to take from the land, and no true cover if your purpose was to hide.

Next to her purpose of Cinderella’s destruction, Melanie was ruled by curiosity, and as such, the decision to creep closer to those voices was made without hesitation.

The first man came into view, and Melanie knew him instantly, a duke and first cousin to the Prince, dressed in common clothes. She knew he came to the area for the ball, but why was he here so far from the castle, and dressed like that? Then the other man appeared, and Melanie’s confusion grew.

Henry, the messenger, who was so in love with Cinderella she was surprised he didn’t choke on his feelings when around her, and Cinderella, oh yes, Cinderella loved him as well.

Melanie had done nothing with that information yet while she debated the best course for Cinderella’s ruination. Yes, Henry was beautiful in a way few men were, but he was a messenger and the court ladies probably used his skills as a lover as much as they did as a courier. Those same ladies would not let him stop over such a small thing like his marriage, a situation that would batter Cinderella’s soul, her love keeping company with others. Lately, Melanie had been leaning towards marriage between Cinderella and the man.

Why was a man such as the duke in the company of a messenger?

“Henry, you are right, she was more beautiful a sight than I could have imagined. All these years, I thought your heart and your dick were making you believe things that weren’t possible, but your dick turned out to be absolutely right.”

“Be careful with what you say about your future queen,” Henry growled, but the menace was put on, the affection between the men evident.

Future queen?

The duke slapped his back. “Who would have thought all those years ago, when you had the thought of going out amongst your people as a mere messenger, that you would find a woman to steal your heart.”

“Cinderella isn’t just any woman. Cinderella is everything.” And even Melanie, as much as she hated Cinderella, felt her heart clench at the pure love and devotion that was evident within Henry’s voice, his body, as he thought upon his beloved.

“You truly are going to marry her, aren’t you?” the duke asked, wonder in his voice.

“I am going to marry her,” Henry agreed.

“It’s not the most politically advantageous match, as I’m sure your father will impress upon you.”

Steel entered Henry’s voice. “I am to be king, and I will choose my queen.”

The duke held his hands up. “I am your support always, cousin. Don’t run me through.”

Humor returned to Henry’s face. “I will always do what is best for my country. What could be better for my country than to have a king who is completely at peace in his soul, because he is married to the most wonderful being who ever lived?”

The duke nodded at his words. “Doesn’t hurt that she has that amazing figure, does it, cousin? You will occasionally come out of the bedchamber to rule, right?”

At that, Henry started chasing the duke, who ran, the two of them acting no older than eight year olds.

It was the drip of liquid through her satin shoes that brought Melanie back to awareness. Looking down, she saw her pale pink shoes now had splashes of red. After a moment, she realized the red was her blood. Her hands had fisted themselves around a thorny branch so tightly that the skin broke in several places, and as awareness came upon her once again, the thoughts that she had kept at bay with numbness now started to pour forth. Cinderella was about to get everything. Cinderella already had the love of a king!

It was warm, but Melanie felt her body start to shake. No, she would not give in to emotional weakness, she thought, digging her nails into the cuts into her hands, letting the pain give her something to focus on. She had to think, she had to plan, to calculate. Cinderella would not win. She would not become a queen. She would not marry her love. She would not have happiness, or contentment, or joy. How dare she think she deserved these things that Melanie would never know?

Now was not the time for emotions. Melanie took a deep breath, letting the rage leech out, cool calculation replacing it. Yes, she knew what to do.

It was time to destroy Cinderella.

* * *

Cinderella was humming, the sound warm and happy. Henry had just appeared, wanting to introduce her to his cousin and making her promise she would attend the ball.

Henry... Heat coursed through Cinderella, because suddenly an image formed in her mind, Henry on his back, and she, looking down at his beautiful face, riding him, making him cry out as she took him inside her body, giving him such pleasure that he screamed her name.

What would he feel like inside of her? What would his mouth feel like on her breast, his tongue teasing her nipple?

Cinderella shook her head, but the images would not leave. These new feelings inside herself were attributable to the introduction of Reina and Tiernan into her life.

Both times she had come across Reina and Tiernan had been accidental, but she had not been able to stop watching them. Her curiosity about what happened between men and women took over.

Beyond watching the physical act, she didn’t want to stop looking at their faces, watching the love that was always evident, not just during their intimate moments, but whenever they were in each other’s presence. Tiernan’s eyes took on a special light only when Reina was around, and Reina’s body seemed to come alive when Tiernan entered a room.

Cinderella barely remembered her parents together, but she knew, somehow, that they had that awareness of each other.

A door opened, and Cinderella looked up to see Melanie walking in.

“Hello, Melanie,” she greeted.

“Cinderella,” Melanie answered back. “Where is my mother?”

“Stepmother went to the seamstress with Serena.”

“Ah yes, I forgot that she mentioned that. What will you wear to the ball?”

The question was meant as a subtle putdown. Cinderella only had one dress, older and out of style, but serviceable. Cinderella didn’t mind though. Henry wouldn’t care what she was wearing and would not be embarrassed to be with her.

“I have a dress, stepsister. I will be fine.”

Melanie didn’t leave, though, as Cinderella was expecting. She stood there, looking at her, causing Cinderella’s nerves to stretch taut. Finally, Melanie said, “I don’t like you.”

That was unusual. Melanie tended towards subtlety. It was Serena who boldly declared all emotions.

Before Cinderella could respond to that, Melanie continued, “I don’t like you, but I don’t hate you. I have enough feeling for you that I wish you to have some pleasure from this life, though I admit, I hope it is far from me.”

Wary, Cinderella asked, “Why this sudden concern now?”

“Because you are getting older, and as soon as is acceptable, Mother will cast you from the house. Pretty you might be, but unless you take advantage of that, you will find yourself old and alone with no money and no prospects. You should use this ball to find your place in this world.”

“Find my place?”

“There will be many men of power at the ball. You have no family, no connections, so marriage to any of them will be out of the question. However, you can become a mistress and secure your future. Any man only has to look at you to want you in his bed. You are comely enough for the Prince himself to have interest.”

Cinderella paled, her hand coming up to her throat. “I only want love.”

“Are you a fool?” Melanie gave a laugh shaded with disgust. “Do you live in a Fairy Tale? Love is what poor people talk about when they don’t have enough money to feed their children or buy firewood to heat their homes!”

“I would rather be married to one who loves me than be decked out in jewels and furs and homes and be a mistress!”

Melanie gave her a pitying look. She turned on her heel and walked out of the room, throwing over her shoulder, “Well, then, stepsister, I would advise you to not go to the ball, because the men there are only interested in making you the latter.”