15
When I opened my eyes again, I was lying on a messy pile of straw.
A bucket hit my head, and Madame Tremaine’s opportunistic face appeared before me.
“Lazy bones, sleeping here in broad daylight! You filthy thing, don’t even think about eating until you’ve washed all these clothes!”
I knelt on the ground, scrubbing the shiny hardwood floor with a rag.
Madame Tremaine and my two stepsisters sat at the dining table enjoying breakfast. Victoria’s face was full of excitement.
“Have you heard? The prince is holding a ball at the palace tonight. All unmarried girls in the city can attend, whether they’re commoners or nobles.”
Isabelle pouted unhappily.
“Why invite those filthy commoners? It’ll just dirty the palace floors.”
timidly raised my hand.
“Mother, may I go too?”
“Heavens, what did I just hear? The dirty, lowly Cinderella wants to go to the palace? You’re not fantasizing about dancing with the prince, are you?”
<
the prince, are you?”
Madame Tremaine shrieked dramatically. Hearing this, my two stepsisters put down their breakfast and rolled up their sleeves as they walked towards me.
One grabbed my hair, the other slapped my face.
“You really think you’re that pretty?”
“Pah! Look in a mirror, you ungrateful wretch. We’re already generous giving you food to eat, and now you dare dream of attending the ball?”
The two sisters beat me up, then pushed me into the attic and locked the door.
“Stay here tonight like a good girl. You can pretend those filthy rats are princes, they’ll dance with you.”
“Hee hee hee-”
The mother and daughters laughed smugly as they left.
I hugged my knees, sitting in the dark attic, saying nothing.
W
www.wwwil
At half past eleven at night, the attic door opened, and a pair of hands reached out to me.
ا اله الله الله الله الله الله ان الراء
It was a strange middle–aged man with a mustache and intelligent light shining in his narrow eyes.
“Come out, Cinderella.”
I smiled genuinely.
“Thank you, Lord Chancellor.”
*******
16
