me the next
dance?" He stood and held a lofty hand out to her.
She blushed, "I do not know
how."
"Trust yourself." She took his
hand and together they walked, arms linked, towards the ballroom.
As they entered, neither of the two particularly noticed the
encroaching stares from those around them. They were instead
immersed in the simple touch of a hand through an offered arm.
Cinderella had stars in her eyes as the Prince led her into the
fray of dancing couple, swinging her into a wide arc, putting her
hand in his, ready for the opening bars of the waltz. As the music
rose they spun in choreographed moves, the Prince taking complete
control of the dance, sweeping Cinderella this way and that,
covering for the moves she did not know. "To live without dance is
to live without soul;" He quoted with a smile.
"Oh, I love to dance but my...my
education was limited."
"That is a shame." He released
his hand from her back and took the hand that was clasped within
her own, lifting it above her and encouraging her to spin. She
laughed, twirling. For a single moment everything was perfect, the
Prince was grinning that broad boyish grin down at her, her head
felt light with mirth and the song was alive with electricity.
Then, on another spin she caught sight of her family, turning away
from the dancing couples and towards the door. Alarm rang through
her, if they were leaving then so would she be compelled. Her body
stiffened as the waltz closed, giving the Prince a hurried bow and
taking off in the other direction, without a word. She heard naught
of what he said, nor did she see the mass of people that descended
on the Prince, offering their greetings and asking each other who
he'd been dancing with.
Cinderella, sick with panic,
gave no thought to which entrance she was exiting, her only thought
being that she had to return home before her stepmother. Her
stepmother would most definitely take her anger out on her two
daughters if she did not, and Cinderella would not allow that to
happen. She ran out onto the path, somehow finding herself next to
the royal stables.
"Stop!" she spun on the spot,
the Prince stood between her and the entrance to the ball.
"I must go"
"You've said that before," he
remarked, talking lazy steps closer. She spun around looking for an
easier way to leave, time was of the essence, her stammering heart
reminded her.
"I really must go." He seemed to
notice the panic in Cinderella's voice as he came closer, a dent of
concern marking between his brow.
"What's wrong?" She looked away
from him. She didn't have time for this, her brain yelled. She had
to leave.
"Your horses," she pointed at
the stables, losing all sense of rational though. "Can I borrow
one?" He stared at her speechless, beginning to laugh before
stopping himself at the wild and helpless look in her eyes.
He took her hand, "Come with
me." Together they ran into the stables, the guards and stable
hands moved away when they noticed that it was the Prince who
entered. He untied one of the steeds, "She's my best horse. As
quiet as a mouse and very kind too." He brought over a stool so
that she could hook her leg over the side in a thoroughly
unladylike manner. "Do I have your word she will be returned?"
"Yes, thank you." The Prince led
her, atop his horse, out of the stable.
"Good luck." He reached out to
release a portion of her dress that had been caught under the
riding habit. Pulling it up only slightly, but it was all that was
needed for him to see a small golden shoe with glass carvings.
"Wait!" The Prince caught hold of her ankle. He looked up.
Realising what he'd discovered, Cinderella's eyes widened, acting
upon instinct she quickly tightened the reins and urged the horse
to run. Leaning over the horse as it began to gallop her ankle slid
out of the baffled Princes hand, taking her shoe off in the
process. As she sailed through the trees she dimly heard him call
out her name, but by then it was too late. The clock tower
dance?" He stood and held a lofty hand out to her.
She blushed, "I do not know
how."
"Trust yourself." She took his
hand and together they walked, arms linked, towards the ballroom.
As they entered, neither of the two particularly noticed the
encroaching stares from those around them. They were instead
immersed in the simple touch of a hand through an offered arm.
Cinderella had stars in her eyes as the Prince led her into the
fray of dancing couple, swinging her into a wide arc, putting her
hand in his, ready for the opening bars of the waltz. As the music
rose they spun in choreographed moves, the Prince taking complete
control of the dance, sweeping Cinderella this way and that,
covering for the moves she did not know. "To live without dance is
to live without soul;" He quoted with a smile.
"Oh, I love to dance but my...my
education was limited."
"That is a shame." He released
his hand from her back and took the hand that was clasped within
her own, lifting it above her and encouraging her to spin. She
laughed, twirling. For a single moment everything was perfect, the
Prince was grinning that broad boyish grin down at her, her head
felt light with mirth and the song was alive with electricity.
Then, on another spin she caught sight of her family, turning away
from the dancing couples and towards the door. Alarm rang through
her, if they were leaving then so would she be compelled. Her body
stiffened as the waltz closed, giving the Prince a hurried bow and
taking off in the other direction, without a word. She heard naught
of what he said, nor did she see the mass of people that descended
on the Prince, offering their greetings and asking each other who
he'd been dancing with.
Cinderella, sick with panic,
gave no thought to which entrance she was exiting, her only thought
being that she had to return home before her stepmother. Her
stepmother would most definitely take her anger out on her two
daughters if she did not, and Cinderella would not allow that to
happen. She ran out onto the path, somehow finding herself next to
the royal stables.
"Stop!" she spun on the spot,
the Prince stood between her and the entrance to the ball.
"I must go"
"You've said that before," he
remarked, talking lazy steps closer. She spun around looking for an
easier way to leave, time was of the essence, her stammering heart
reminded her.
"I really must go." He seemed to
notice the panic in Cinderella's voice as he came closer, a dent of
concern marking between his brow.
"What's wrong?" She looked away
from him. She didn't have time for this, her brain yelled. She had
to leave.
"Your horses," she pointed at
the stables, losing all sense of rational though. "Can I borrow
one?" He stared at her speechless, beginning to laugh before
stopping himself at the wild and helpless look in her eyes.
He took her hand, "Come with
me." Together they ran into the stables, the guards and stable
hands moved away when they noticed that it was the Prince who
entered. He untied one of the steeds, "She's my best horse. As
quiet as a mouse and very kind too." He brought over a stool so
that she could hook her leg over the side in a thoroughly
unladylike manner. "Do I have your word she will be returned?"
"Yes, thank you." The Prince led
her, atop his horse, out of the stable.
"Good luck." He reached out to
release a portion of her dress that had been caught under the
riding habit. Pulling it up only slightly, but it was all that was
needed for him to see a small golden shoe with glass carvings.
"Wait!" The Prince caught hold of her ankle. He looked up.
Realising what he'd discovered, Cinderella's eyes widened, acting
upon instinct she quickly tightened the reins and urged the horse
to run. Leaning over the horse as it began to gallop her ankle slid
out of the baffled Princes hand, taking her shoe off in the
process. As she sailed through the trees she dimly heard him call
out her name, but by then it was too late. The clock tower
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