For a month after King Frederick’s death, a general sadness hung over the kingdom. But after a while, the time for mourning came to an end. And when it did, a proclamation from the palace was sent out.
It happened by chance while Ella was in the market, where she had first heard news of the ball. Now she was with her stepsisters, helping them shop, which entailed carrying their bags. Ella drifted toward a commotion in the town square, her sisters following.
The royal crier was once again standing on the edge of the fountain, reading from a large scroll. “Hear ye! Hear ye!” he cried. “Know that our new king hereby declares his love for the mysterious princess who wore glass slippers to the ball, and requests she present herself at the palace, whereupon, if she be willing, he will forthwith marry her, with all due ceremony.”
For Ella, it was as if time had stopped. The prince loved the mystery princess? Kit loved her? After believing that the magical night at the ball would be the last time she ever saw Kit, Ella’s hope sprung anew. Kit was declaring his love for her. A blush crept up Ella’s cheeks, and she felt her heart come alive.
Without a word to her stepsisters, she turned and raced back toward the house. She needed to get to the palace as soon as possible. There was no way she was going to be able to present herself in the beautiful gown she had worn to the ball, but she did have one thing that would help her prove her identity—the glass slipper. Ella laughed, thinking about what her fairy godmother had said that magical night: “You really never do know when a little thing like shoes will matter a great deal.” Oh, how right she had been.
(See, loyal reader? Didn’t I tell you fairy godmothers are always right?)
But when she rushed into her room and pried the floorboard loose, she let out a cry. The only thing in her hiding spot was the toy butterfly. And its wings had been ripped off.
“Are you looking for this?”
Ella whipped around. Her stepmother was sitting in a chair, her face half shadowed, her eyes gleaming. She held Ella’s glass slipper.
“There must be quite a story to go with it,” Lady Tremaine said, dangling the slipper off one finger. “Will you tell me?” Ella shook her head. “Then I will tell you a story. There once was a beautiful young girl, who married for love. She had two loving daughters. All was well. But then her husband, the light of her life, died. The next time, she married for the sake of her children. But this man, too, was taken from her.” She smiled at Ella, but it was a cold smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “And she was doomed to look every day upon his beloved child.”
Lady Tremaine stopped, and for a moment, she and Ella just stared at each other. A part of Ella, the part that had experienced the loss of loved ones, felt for her stepmother. But another part, the part that remembered Lady Tremaine’s cruel treatment, felt no sympathy.
Lady Tremaine went on with her story. “She had hoped to marry off one of my beautiful, stupid daughters to the prince. But his head was turned by a girl with glass slippers. And so… She lived unhappily ever after. And so my story would appear to be ended. Now, tell me yours.” She held up the slipper. “Did you steal it?”
Ella shook her head. “It was given to me.”
“Given to you? Given to you?” Her stepmother let out a cruel laugh. “Nothing is ever given. For everything, we must pay and pay.”
“That’s not true,” Ella said. “Kindness is free. Love is free.”
Anger flashed across Lady Tremaine’s face. “You’re wrong. Love costs us everything.” The slipper swayed under the woman’s finger and Ella watched fearfully. If it fell and broke, she would have nothing to show Kit. As if reading her thoughts, Lady Tremaine told Ella what would happen next.
She, a lady, would vouch for Ella. For after all, who would believe a servant girl with no family was the beautiful “princess” who had stolen the prince’s heart? When Ella and the prince were married, Ella would make Lady Tremaine the head of the royal household and ensure that Anastasia and Drisella were married to wealthy lords. Lady Tremaine would be assured a place in society for the rest of her days, and as head of household, she informed Ella, she would control the palace.
Ella’s hands shook as her stepmother outlined the plan. She had tried with every fiber of her being to put on a brave front in the face of her stepmother’s cruelty. She had tended to all the housework, to every whim and desire of her stepfamily. She had lived in the attic of her own home. She had become Cinderella. She had given up so much. But she was tired of it. She wouldn’t let her stepmother take anything more. “No,” she said.
“No?” Lady Tremaine repeated.
“I will not allow you to ruin the palace the way you have ruined my home,” Ella said. “I was not able to protect my father from you, but I will protect Kit, and the kingdom.”
Lady Tremaine’s eyes narrowed and her cheeks grew red. “So you are courageous to boot. That is a mistake.” Lifting her hand high in the air, she smashed the glass slipper against the wall. It shattered, leaving Lady Tremaine holding a single large shard.
Ella let out a gasp. “Why are you so cruel?” she cried. “I don’t understand. I have tried to be kind, though you do not deserve it. Why do you do it? Why?”
The question seemed to unhinge Lady Tremaine. “Why?” she yelled back. “Because you are young and innocent and good, and I…I…I am not.” Without another word she stormed out, slamming the door and locking it behind her.
Ella rushed over. But she knew it was useless before she even got there. She was trapped. And her stepmother was free to do and say whatever she pleased.
Lady Tremaine wasted no time in doing just that. As soon as she was sure Cinderella couldn’t leave the attic, she brought the shard of slipper to the one person she knew she could count on—the Grand Duke.
“May I ask where you got this?” he inquired when Lady Tremaine showed him the shard. Lady Tremaine nodded demurely. “From a ragged servant girl in my household,” she answered.
The Grand Duke looked down at the glass, his expression thoughtful.
“And you came straight to me?”
“Of course,” Lady Tremaine answered. “I have heard that you are the most honorable man in the kingdom.”
They exchanged smiles.
“And the girl . . .”
“Is in a safe place,” she finished.
The man nodded. “You have spared the kingdom from a great deal of embarrassment,” he said.
Lady Tremaine looked pleased. This was just what she had hoped would happen, for now the Grand Duke owed her. When she made that clear, he asked what she wanted. The answer came quickly. “A title for myself,” Lady Tremaine said. “And advantageous marriages for my two daughters.”
“Done,” he agreed. “And the girl?”
“Do with her what you will,” Lady Tremaine said, waving a hand in the air. “She’s nothing to me.”
The Grand Duke tested the sharp point of the shard on his finger. “Well,” he said after a moment, “the young king will take some convincing. He is… willful. But keep this girl out of sight until we may profitably marry him off, and you will get what you desire.”
Lady Tremaine smirked. She would be more than willing to keep Cinderella out of sight— for as long as necessary.
Kit was exhausted. Since his father’s death, he had barely slept, and once he had sent out the proclamation seeking his mystery princess, sleep had been even more elusive. He stared out the window of the throne room. The Captain of the Guard stood nearby, a comforting presence. If only Kit could find the girl he couldn’t stop thinking about . . .
Hearing footsteps, Kit looked up. The Grand Duke was striding across the room, a barely suppressed smile on his face. Coming to a stop in front of him, the Grand Duke held out a glass shard. Kit recognized it instantly.
“Where… ?” he began.
“Abandoned on the side of the road,” the Grand Duke answered.
Kit held the shard in his hand, tracing the edge with his thumb. “And have you found her?”
“No,” the older man said. “She has disappeared.”
“There must be some reason she vanished,” Kit said, refusing to give up all hope. The girl he knew from the woods was strong and courageous. She wouldn’t run away. A dark thought raced through his head. “Perhaps she has been prevented from speaking…”
At the suggestion, the Grand Duke shifted uncomfortably. Kit noticed and was about to press him when the other man spoke, his words a knife to Kit’s heart.
“It pains me to say this, Your Highness, but has it occurred to you that the maiden might not return your feelings?”
He paused, letting the words sink in. “She may see you as our enemies do: the callow, naive princeling of a weak little monarchy. Perhaps… she simply does not love you.” Kit flinched as though struck. “I knew you were cynical , Grand Duke. I did not know you were cruel.”
“The world is cruel, Your Highness,” the Grand Duke replied. “Not I.”
Until then, the Captain of the Guard had been silent. He was surprised to hear the Grand Duke speak to the young king this way, and he didn’t like it. “Don’t lose heart, Kit,” the Captain said, trying to help.
The Grand Duke shot the Captain a look. “On the contrary,” he said. “Lose heart and gain wisdom. The people need to know that the kingdom is secure. That the king has a queen. They want to face the future with certainty.”
For a moment, Kit was silent, the Grand Duke’s words ringing in his ears. The older man did have a point. But on his deathbed, his father had told him that the only way the Grand Duke could ever rule was for Kit to let him. And Kit was not ready to roll over and give up. Not yet.
“Now I am king,” Kit said. “And I say we must seek out the mystery princess. Even if she does not want to be found. I have to see her again.” His eyes narrowed and he focused his next words directly at the Grand Duke. “That is my command.”
The Grand Duke nodded reluctantly. “As you will, Your Majesty. But if she is not found, then for the good of the kingdom, you must marry the princess Chelina.” He knew there was no hope of finding the mystery princess. What harm would it do to let the newly crowned king think he was in control?
Kit hesitated. He did not want to marry Princess Chelina. But if agreeing meant he could continue his search for the girl from the woods, he would say what was needed. “Very well. But you will spare no effort.” His fate, his heart, and his kingdom were on the line.
弗雷德里克國(guó)王去世的一個(gè)月里,整個(gè)王國(guó)都籠罩在悲痛之中。過(guò)了一陣子,哀悼結(jié)束之后,王宮里下了一道詔令。
瑞拉碰巧在市場(chǎng)上,她當(dāng)初就是在那兒聽(tīng)到舞會(huì)的消息的。這次她和姐姐們?cè)谝黄?,幫她們買東西,少不了讓她又提又拎的。瑞拉朝市鎮(zhèn)廣場(chǎng)上一處喧鬧的人群走去,姐姐們?cè)诤竺娓?
傳令官又站在了噴泉旁邊,宣讀著巨大的卷軸?!鞍察o!安靜!”他喊道,“我們的新國(guó)王陛下宣布,他的意中人是那位穿著水晶鞋出席宮廷舞會(huì)的神秘公主,并請(qǐng)這位公主聞詔后進(jìn)宮拜見(jiàn),如果公主有意,國(guó)王陛下將立即迎娶,并舉行盛大的婚禮。”
瑞拉覺(jué)得時(shí)間仿佛停住了。王子愛(ài)那位神秘的公主?基特愛(ài)她?瑞拉本以為舞會(huì)那個(gè)奇妙的夜晚是她最后一次見(jiàn)到基特,現(xiàn)在她的心里又重新燃起了希望?;鼐谷粚?duì)世人宣布自己愛(ài)她。瑞拉的臉上浮起兩朵紅霞,她覺(jué)得自己的心又開(kāi)始怦怦直跳。
瑞拉沒(méi)顧上跟姐姐們說(shuō)話,轉(zhuǎn)身朝家里飛奔而去。她必須盡快到王宮去。雖然她沒(méi)辦法再穿上舞會(huì)那天穿著的那條華麗裙子,但她至少有一件東西可以證明自己的身份——那只水晶鞋。瑞拉笑了,她想到仙女教母在那個(gè)神奇的夜晚說(shuō)過(guò)的話:“你永遠(yuǎn)不知道像鞋子這樣的細(xì)節(jié)有多么重要?!编?,她說(shuō)得太對(duì)了。
(看到了嗎,忠實(shí)的讀者?我是不是說(shuō)過(guò)仙女教母永遠(yuǎn)是正確的?)
但是當(dāng)她沖進(jìn)房間掀開(kāi)那塊地板時(shí),她大叫了一聲。她藏東西的地方只剩下那只玩具蝴蝶,而且翅膀還被扯掉了。
“你在找這個(gè)嗎?”
瑞拉猛地轉(zhuǎn)過(guò)身,她的繼母坐在椅子上,黑暗遮住了她的半張臉,但她的眼睛閃爍著光芒。她手里拿著瑞拉的那只水晶鞋。
“這只鞋一定有一段離奇的故事吧,”特曼妮夫人說(shuō),她用一個(gè)手指挑著水晶鞋。“可以給我講講嗎?”瑞拉搖搖頭?!澳俏医o你講一個(gè)故事吧。從前有一個(gè)漂亮的年輕姑娘,嫁給了她心愛(ài)的男人。她生下了兩個(gè)可愛(ài)的女兒。一切都很完美。但是后來(lái)她的丈夫,那個(gè)點(diǎn)亮她生命之光的人,死了。為了孩子,她又一次嫁人了。但是第二個(gè)丈夫又離她而去?!彼鹄⑿α艘幌?,但眼神里滿是冷酷,瑞拉不敢去看?!岸宜坏貌幻刻烀鎸?duì)著他心愛(ài)的女兒?!?
特曼妮夫人沒(méi)有再說(shuō)話,有那么一會(huì)兒,她和瑞拉互相看著對(duì)方。瑞拉一方面能夠體會(huì)繼母失去親人的痛苦,另一方面又想起繼母對(duì)她的殘忍,一點(diǎn)兒也不覺(jué)得同情她。
特曼妮夫人繼續(xù)講她的故事。“她本打算把其中一個(gè)漂亮的傻女兒嫁給王子。但是王子的心里只裝著一個(gè)穿水晶鞋的女孩。所以……從那以后她的生活就變得郁郁寡歡。我的故事也似乎就要結(jié)束了。好了,該講講你的故事了?!彼e著水晶鞋問(wèn):“是不是你偷來(lái)的?”
瑞拉搖搖頭:“是別人給我的?!?
“給你的?給你的?”繼母冷笑起來(lái),“從來(lái)就沒(méi)有白給的東西。每一件東西我們都要花錢,花錢?!?
“不是這樣的,”瑞拉說(shuō),“善良不需要花錢,愛(ài)也不需要花錢?!?
特曼妮夫人面露怒色:“你錯(cuò)了,愛(ài)會(huì)讓你付出一切?!?瑞拉看著水晶鞋在這女人的手指上搖來(lái)晃去,內(nèi)心充滿了恐懼。如果它掉下來(lái)摔碎了,那她就沒(méi)有東西可以拿給基特看。特曼妮夫人仿佛猜到了瑞拉的心思,她告訴了瑞拉接下來(lái)會(huì)發(fā)生什么事情。
她,作為一位貴婦,可以為瑞拉擔(dān)保。畢竟,誰(shuí)會(huì)相信一個(gè)父母雙亡的女仆會(huì)是那位俘獲王子之心的美麗“公主”呢?瑞拉和王子結(jié)婚以后,瑞拉要讓特曼妮夫人做王室的總管,還要保證讓安泰西亞和崔西里亞嫁入貴族豪門。特曼妮夫人告訴瑞拉,她余生都要得到顯赫的地位,作為王室的總管,她還要控制整個(gè)王宮。
瑞拉聽(tīng)到繼母的如意算盤連忙擺手。面對(duì)繼母的殘忍冷酷她一直努力表現(xiàn)得很勇敢。她包攬了一切家務(wù)活,滿足繼母和姐姐們的所有奇思異想和無(wú)理要求。她住在自己家的閣樓里。她被人叫作灰姑娘。她放棄了那么多。但是現(xiàn)在她受夠了,她再也不允許繼母從她這里拿走任何東西。“不行,”她說(shuō)。
“不行?”特曼妮夫人重復(fù)道。
“我不會(huì)讓你像毀掉我的家一樣再毀掉王室,”瑞拉說(shuō),“我沒(méi)能阻止你傷害我父親,但是我現(xiàn)在要保護(hù)好基特,保護(hù)好整個(gè)王國(guó)。”
特曼妮夫人瞇起眼睛,臉漲得通紅?!八阅悻F(xiàn)在敢造反了?那你可錯(cuò)了?!彼e起水晶鞋,使勁往墻上一砸,鞋被摔得粉碎。特曼妮夫人手里只剩下一大塊碎片。
瑞拉倒吸了一口氣?!澳銥槭裁催@么殘忍?”她叫道,“我不明白。我試著好好對(duì)你,盡管你不配。你為什么這么做?為什么?”
這問(wèn)題讓特曼妮夫人近乎發(fā)狂?!盀槭裁??”她也大叫起來(lái),“因?yàn)槟阌帜贻p,又天真,又善良,而我……我……我做不到?!闭f(shuō)完她沖了出去,用力把門關(guān)上,把瑞拉鎖在了里面。
瑞拉趕緊跑到門那兒,但是她知道已經(jīng)沒(méi)有用了。她被鎖在牢籠里了。繼母現(xiàn)在可以想怎么做就怎么做,想怎么說(shuō)就怎么說(shuō)了。
特曼妮夫人馬上就開(kāi)始這么做了。她確信瑞拉不能走出閣樓之后,就立刻拿著那個(gè)水晶鞋的碎片來(lái)找她唯一可以指望的人——公爵。
“能告訴我你從哪兒找到這個(gè)的嗎?”公爵看到特曼妮夫人展示的碎片問(wèn)。特曼妮夫人莊重地點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭回答:“從我家一個(gè)衣衫襤褸的女仆那里。”
公爵低頭看了看碎片,一副若有所思的樣子。
“那么你就直接來(lái)找我了?”
“當(dāng)然,”特曼妮夫人回答,“我聽(tīng)說(shuō)您是王國(guó)里最值得尊敬的人?!?
他們相視一笑。
“那個(gè)女孩……”
“在一個(gè)安全的地方,”她接著說(shuō)。
公爵點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭說(shuō)道:“你使我們的王國(guó)免于陷入一場(chǎng)丑聞?!?
特曼妮夫人看起來(lái)非常高興。這正是她所期盼的,因?yàn)檫@樣一來(lái)公爵就欠她一個(gè)人情。她把話挑明以后,公爵問(wèn)她想要什么。她不假思索地回答:“我自己要得到一個(gè)頭銜,我女兒們則需要門當(dāng)戶對(duì)的婚姻?!?
“可以,”公爵答應(yīng)道,“那個(gè)女孩呢?”
“任憑您處置,”特曼妮夫人擺擺手說(shuō),“她對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)無(wú)所謂。”
公爵用手指試了試鋒利的碎片尖,過(guò)了一會(huì)兒說(shuō)道:“好吧,我要花點(diǎn)時(shí)間說(shuō)服我們年輕的國(guó)王,他有點(diǎn)……任性。但是你要把那女孩藏起來(lái),直到我們妥善地安排國(guó)王完婚,那時(shí)你就可以得到你想要的了?!?
特曼妮夫人得意得笑起來(lái)。她巴不得把灰姑娘關(guān)起來(lái)——需要關(guān)多久就關(guān)多久。
基特疲憊不堪。自從父親去世以后,他幾乎沒(méi)有合過(guò)眼。自從尋找神秘公主的公告發(fā)出以后,他更是睡不著。他站在宮殿的窗前,看著窗外。侍衛(wèi)長(zhǎng)站在他身邊,這讓他心里好受一點(diǎn)兒。如果能找到他日思夜想的那位姑娘該多好……
聽(tīng)到有腳步聲,基特抬起了頭。公爵正大步走過(guò)來(lái),臉上露出抑制不住的微笑。公爵走到基特面前停了下來(lái),拿出那個(gè)水晶碎片?;伛R上認(rèn)了出來(lái)。
“在哪里……”他問(wèn)道。
“被扔到了路邊,”公爵回答。
基特拿著碎片,用拇指摸了一下它的邊緣?!澳阏业剿藛??”
“沒(méi)有,”這位年長(zhǎng)的男人回答,“她消失了?!?
“她消失一定是有什么原因,”基特說(shuō),他不愿意放棄希望。他在樹(shù)林里認(rèn)識(shí)的那位姑娘既堅(jiān)強(qiáng)又勇敢。她不會(huì)逃跑的。一個(gè)不祥的念頭劃過(guò)他的腦海?!盎蛟S有人不讓她說(shuō)話……”
聽(tīng)到基特的話,公爵不自在地扭動(dòng)著?;刈⒁獾焦舻姆磻?yīng),想要繼續(xù)追問(wèn)下去。這時(shí)公爵說(shuō)話了,他的話像刀子一樣刺向王子的心。
“這樣說(shuō)我也很痛苦,陛下,但是您有沒(méi)有想到她可能無(wú)法回報(bào)您的感情?”
他停了一會(huì)兒,好讓基特明白自己的意思。“她或許和我們的敵人一樣看待您:一個(gè)貧弱小國(guó)羽翼未豐、天真幼稚的王子?;蛟S……她根本就不愛(ài)您?!被叵癖粨糁辛艘粯游房s了一下,“公爵,我知道你憤世嫉俗,但不知道你如此殘忍?!?
“是這個(gè)世界太殘忍,陛下,”公爵回答,“不是我。”
在這之前,侍衛(wèi)長(zhǎng)一直沒(méi)有說(shuō)話。公爵竟然用這種口氣對(duì)年輕的國(guó)王說(shuō)話,他非常詫異,也很不喜歡。他想幫忙,于是說(shuō):“別灰心,基特?!?
公爵看了侍衛(wèi)長(zhǎng)一眼說(shuō):“相反,應(yīng)該丟掉癡心,增長(zhǎng)智慧才對(duì)。人民需要知道王國(guó)是穩(wěn)固的,國(guó)王會(huì)娶一位王后。他們需要面對(duì)確定的未來(lái)。”
基特沉默了一會(huì)兒,公爵的話在他耳邊回響。公爵說(shuō)得確實(shí)有道理。但是父親臨終前說(shuō)過(guò),只有基特愿意,公爵才能夠做主?;噩F(xiàn)在還不想認(rèn)輸或放棄,不想。
“現(xiàn)在我是國(guó)王,”基特說(shuō),“我說(shuō)過(guò)我們要找到這位神秘的公主,即使她不愿意露面,我也要再見(jiàn)她一面。”他瞇起眼睛,直接對(duì)公爵說(shuō):“這是我的命令?!?
公爵不情愿地點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭?!熬桶茨囊馑嫁k,陛下。但是如果找不到她,那么為了王國(guó)的利益,您必須娶賽琳娜公主為妻?!彼阑厥钦也坏侥俏簧衩毓鞯摹W屵@位新即位的國(guó)王覺(jué)得自己大權(quán)在握有什么壞處呢?
基特猶豫了。他不愿意娶賽琳娜公主。但是如果答應(yīng)公爵的要求可以讓他繼續(xù)尋找樹(shù)林里的那位姑娘,他愿意這樣說(shuō)?!昂芎?。但是你必須全力以赴?!彼拿\(yùn),他的愛(ài),他的王國(guó)都懸于一線。
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