Category: Fairy Tale, Humor, Happy Ending
Rating: PG
Word Count: ~800
Summary: The ending of the Cinderella story, rewritten. What if the shoe had fit one of Cinderella's stepsisters?
Prince Charming looked up at her, his beautiful blue eyes shining with happiness. He stood swiftly and swept her up into his arms, spinning her around.
"It's you! I'm so glad I found you!" he cried, fairly glowing with delight. The girl laughed and smiled, sharing in his joy. The shoe had fit. The new princess was found.
"But..." said Ella. She still stood in the back of the room, unseen by its happy occupants. Her stepmother gloated, Josephine beamed, and Carmen smiled a sickly jealous smile. The prince and his steward were entirely focused on Josephine, with hardly a care for the servant girl in the corner.
But that's supposed to be me, she wanted to say. But... he was supposed to be mine.
Things moved quickly then, while she stood shell shocked and frozen. The prince gathered up his new bride and her family. He met her eyes once, and he stared right through her. There was no soul-deep recognition, none of the gentle charm from last night. Just the Prince instantly dismissing Cinders, the scullery maid.
Ah. So that was how it was.
Fine then.
Ella waited until everyone was gone, until the royal servants had come and left with her step-family's belongings. Then she retreated to her kitchen, and called her fairy godmother. Godmother shimmered into being and smiled pleasantly at her charge.
"He didn't pick me. You set me up with a complete and utter idiot!" Ella shouted, clenching her fists and glaring at the woman in front of her.
"Did I, dear? I don't recall setting you up with anyone," said the woman, smiling brightly. She always smiled. It made Ella nervous.
"It's what I wished for," Ella said, crossing her arms and frowning.
"No, dear. I have your wishes right here," Godmother said, pulling a pink piece of paper out of thin air. "Item one, an invitation to the ball. Check. Item two, proper clothes and conveyance to the ball. Check. Item 3, someone to love you forever. Still in progress."
"Oh," said Ella, deflating. "I see. Still... still in progress?"
"No need to sound so sad. Think for a bit, dear. It'll come to you," said Godmother, then promptly poofed out of the room.
Think about it. Right. Stupid sparkly nitwit.
__________
The next day, Ella's stepmother came to visit. She arrived in a sumptuous carriage, wearing her best dress and most contemptuous expression. She sniffed at the house and Ella's tattered gown, and refused to sit down.
"Obviously, my daughters and I have been elevated to much better accommodations. We have no use for this... house any longer," she said. Ella ground her teeth – the way Judith said 'house,' she might as well have said 'hovel.' Judith saw the expression on Ella's face and smirked. "In any case, I have chosen, out of the goodness of my heart, to leave it to you, according to your father's wishes. Use it as a sort of remembrance for the kind of man your father was... And all the things he couldn't give you."
With that, Judith swept out and back into her carriage. Ella waited a moment, then strode into her kitchen. She took a deep breath, then screamed, long and loud. Ella's father was a wonderful man, who gave her everything she ever needed. Food, clothing, thiswonderful house, and all the love in the world. Ella's father did better in the short time she had him than Judith could ever hope to do in her daughters' entire lifetimes. Hell, even Ella could do better than her. She'd shower the children in love, and they'd never be neglected or forgotten...
Oh. That's an idea. Ella grinned.
Ella clapped her hands, and when the glitter-bedecked woman appeared, she said,
"Godmother? I've thought about it. We have some work to do."
__________
Ella converted the house into her Home for Children, with help from her godmother. Around twelve children live there, while dozens more visit constantly. Word among the younger set is, Miss Ella makes the best treats, and her friend the sparkly lady tells the best stories, and every child is welcome. Ella still cooks and cleans all day. She doesn't mind so much now.
She is surrounded by love, and that's exactly what she wished for.
__________
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