Cinderella crossed the courtyard with her messy gown, a few stray curls clinging to the damp air. She had just left the servants' quarters-where her family is kept in exile-and her steps slowed when she noticed two figures waiting ahead.
Adrien, prince of the realm, looking rather un-princely with his cloak unfastened and hair a mess from the wind. Rowan, dignified as always, as though someone had carved him from etiquette.
Rowan cleared his throat, the universal signal for: We are definitely here for Important Talk.
"Lady Ella," he greeted with a polite incline. "A word, if you would."
Cinderella blinked, wary. "Both of you?"
Adrien looked guilty enough that she suddenly suspected this was not about dance invitations or borrowed books.
They moved to a quiet stone alcove near the gardens, hidden behind a sweep of trimmed hedges. Rowan took up guard by the entrance- while Adrien faced Cinderella.
"I, uh-" Adrien started, then exhaled. "This is about your family."
Cinderella kept her chin steady, but her hands tightened around her shawl.
"What about them?"
"I want to learn about your family," Adrien said. "How they actually are."
His expression softened. "What YOU feel."
Cinderella blinked once. Then twice. "...Me?"
Silence curled between them like smoke. Finally, Cinderella spoke-quiet, but firm.
"My stepmother and sisters are not perfect. They have sharp tongues and sharper tempers. But they took me in when Father died. They gave me a home. Food. A bed. Not everyone gets that." She swallowed. "And whatever chores I did were not so different from what any house needs. It's not slavery-just work."
Adrien frowned. "But you were forced to do every chores, all alone-"
"They didn't force me," she cut in.
"we can't afford maids so someone has to do the daily chores. Besides, Anne and Drizzy tried to help me in their way and took initiative to resolve our misunderstanding. And even if mother was a little rude, she didn't threw me away or physically torture me after my fathers death. I'm grateful for that. We are... family in a way."
Rowan watched her closely, assessing. It was hard to tell if he approved or simply catalogued her sincerity for later government use.
"And the punishment?" Adrien asked quietly.
Cinderella's breath hitched. "I am asking-no, I am begging-that you remove it. My sisters are really good. If this gets out then our family's reputation will be...You will ruin them. And I do not want that."
Adrien looked pained. "The law isn't meant to ruin people-"
"No," Cinderella interrupted, "but sometimes it does anyway."
Rowan finally spoke. "Your defense is unusual, Lady Ella. Most would relish revenge."
Cinderella gave a hollow little laugh. "Revenge is for people who have the energy for grudges. I was too busy sweeping floors."
Adrien almost smiled at that, but it faded as quickly as it came.
"You love them," he murmured, not quite a question.
Cinderella hesitated-then nodded. "In my own way. And they have loved me in theirs. A messy kind. A loud kind. An often upsetting kind. But it exists."
The courtyard wind tugged at Adrien's cloak, and somewhere behind them Rowan pretended not to be moved.
Finally, Adrien spoke-determined now.
"I will reconsider the punishment. Exactly what they deserve."
Cinderella held his gaze. "Then I will take it. But promise me you won't destroy them over misunderstandings."
His jaw set, princely once more. "I promise to be fair."
Cinderella nodded, though worry lingered in her eyes. She bowed politely, then slipped away -back into her other world.
Rowan waited until she was gone before turning to Adrien. "Your Highness. This complicates matters."
Adrien sighed. "Everything about these sisters is complicated."
Rowan's brows rose. "Including Lady Anastasia?"
Adrien didn't answer-though his silence was louder than words.
The following morning, the household braced for doom when the maid in charge-stern bun, louder voice-arrived at the servant's wing. She carried a clipboard, which meant bureaucracy, and bureaucracy rarely meant mercy.
"All right, ladies," she barked, "it's time. Collect your dignity and follow me."
Anastasia and Drizella exchanged a look of dread. Lady Beatrice rose in a regal silence that said,
If I must perish, I shall perish beautifully.
But halfway down the servant's corridor, the maid stopped abruptly and announced, "Correction. The prince wants to speak with you first."
Three shocked gasps echoed like someone had opened a window to cold weather.
"The... prince?" Drizella squeaked.
"To speak?" Anastasia added.
Lady Beatrice blinked. "Are we being upgraded to execution by aristocracy?"
The maid swatted the air. "Don't be dramatic. Walk."
They walked-awkwardly, stiffly, and with enough tension to snap thread. They were led to a small receiving room where Adrien and Rowan waited, polished and extremely official.
Adrien cleared his throat. "I have reconsidered the punishments issued for you."
And just like that, all three women were paying attention as if their lives depended on it.
"Firstly," he continued, "as Lady Ella reports both improved relations and genuine attempts at kindness, all charges against Lady Anastasia and Lady Drizella are dismissed."
Drizella let out a hybrid gasp-cough-sob. Anastasia stared like she'd misheard.
"We're... not being shipped off to scrub floors in exile?"
"No."
"Not even a little bit?"
"No."
Drizella whispered, scandalized, "I told you exile involves manual labor and terrible weather."
Rowan's shoulders trembled with suppressed laughter.
Adrien then turned to Lady Beatrice. "As for you-your situation is more complex. While negligence was implied, Lady Cinderella insists you are neither cruel nor incompetent, merely..." He hesitated.
Rowan offered, "Overwhelmed."
"Yes. That."
Lady Beatrice sniffed. "Overwhelmed is the polite term for 'widow with taxes and daughters.'"
"Precisely why I have altered your penalty." Adrien lifted a parchment. "You are not to be stripped of your reputation. Instead, you will work as assistant to the Grand Stewardess."
Three mouths fell open.
"Paid," he added, almost as an afterthought.
Lady Beatrice's eyes flickered-not soft, but relieved. "Paid is an acceptable term."
"It is compensated fairly," Rowan confirmed, "considering the paperwork."
Drizella gasped. "Mother is gainfully employed-how unhinged!"
Beatrice straightened, regaining her usual hauteur. "Employment is not madness. Employment is control."
From the doorway came Cinderella's voice, light and warm: "Father always said you enjoyed organizing other people's chaos."
She entered with a basket of morning rolls. The scene softened immediately.
Lady Beatrice accepted a roll without critique-no comment on crust, no sigh over flour. This was practically maternal affection.
Drizella took two rolls. "So we're free?"
"Yes," Rowan said, signing the parchment.
"And not destitute?" Anastasia added.
Cinderella smiled. "Not even close."
"And Mother won't perish from boredom?"
Beatrice sniffed. "Stewardess office work is not boring. It is bureaucratically rich."
Rowan nodded solemnly. "Rich is the important part."
Drizella gasped. "You've spoken the magic word."
Cinderella approaches Anastasia offering her the rolls. She gave an apologetic look and whispered enough for Anastasia,
"I'm sorry!!"
Anastasia glanced at Cinderella's puppy face and then at the rolls.
"I'll only except this only if prince confirms that he will not consider this as treating you as servant." She said with an aristrocatic voice."
"Only thing I can see is a sister's love.... Other wise I'm blind."
For the first time in days, laughter filled the room-honest, warm, human.
Adrien and Cinderella shared a glance: relief with a hint of new beginnings.
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SIDE NOTE: Drama came to an end, the only thing that remains is the romance. I'm so excited, I hope you are too.
If you like my story then give it a star and share it with your friends, this will help me to keep motivated and write new stories.