Saturday, February 22, 2020

Shattered ever after



“My other daughter, Cinderella”, the merchant gabbled, bowing low to the Prince and his party. A haughty young blonde strode into the room, sat down in the armchair and crossed her booted legs.  She stared with contempt at her father and step-sisters, huddled together against the back wall.  

"Well?" she demanded.  "Get on with your chores" and she watched them scurry from the room, stammering their apologies.

The Prince sank to his knees before her.  “May I?” he murmured, reaching out with a trembling hand.  She nodded curtly and the Prince slowly unzipped her boot with his right hand, cradling the heel in his left. A moist, warm miasma emerged as the loosened boot was gently lifted free.

“Sorry about the smell.  Been on my feet all day”, Cinderella explained.

“It’s, erm… it’s no problem at all.” gasped the Prince.   “You know, Lord Chamberlain, I think we don’t even need to try the slipper.  This is obviously the right pair of… pair of feet.” and he moved closer, his face hovering just above the damp, stockinged foot. 

“Oh yes.  Yes: these are the feet.”

“Are you sure, your Majesty?” the Chamberlain replied.  “They look a little on the large side to -”

“Well then the slipper must have shrunk!” snapped the prince, not taking his eyes from the foot he held so gently.

“Shrunk, Sire?” the Chamberlain replied, one eyebrow raised.  “The glass slipper?”

The Prince turned on him in fury.  “How dare you question your Prince!  Arrest this man!  I shall decide what to do with him later.”

“Perhaps a few years in the salt mines?” Cinderella suggested. “With hard labour? I’ve heard that can be quite effective.”

The Prince looked up into her blue eyes in shock.  “That’s quite a harsh, erm... well, for a man in his age and condition… I think…” he tailed off, noting a distinct pout coming over the lovely features above him.

“Quite right, my dear, of course.” he continued.  “As you wish.”

Her restored smile seemed to light up the room.  “And we won’t be needing that silly thing” she added, indicating the glass slipper with an elegant finger.  The finger pointed towards a spot on the floor, where the Prince placed it. 

Stand back", she instructed.  And down came Cinderella’s other, still-booted, foot shattering the slipper into ten thousand iridescent shards.

"Oh dear" she smiled.  "So now I suppose whoever's foot fits into that gets to be Queen?", and the Prince raised the boot he was holding in shaking hands towards her gracefully-pointed toes.

And it was a perfect fit.

6 comments:

  1. blissful stuff - bravo
    previous objection raised with management withdrawn, unless opps, it is too late ;)

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    1. Oops indeed, Mr A! You know I had to type the silly little story above while standing up, thanks to your complaint and its inevitable consequences?

      Oh well, to err is male, I suppose. No permanent harm done - and probably some permanent good, as my SO likes to say.

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    2. i feel bad now!

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    3. And so do I. But in a good way.

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  2. It was a love from the first breath!!!

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    1. It was. And love up until his last breath too, which remarkably enough took place in an almost parallel scene. Strange way to die, but...

      Oh sorry, that's the sequel. Mustn't have spoilers!

      S

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