Chapter Text
The wind had a crisp, cold bite to it as it blew through the night air. Leaves scattered and crunched under two sets of footsteps as they walked a dry dirt road. The child of the two tightly gripped the hand of the cloaked man beside him. As he walked, the young one would glance toward his feet, purposefully stomping on the leaves along their path.
“Malleus,” the man spoke. His voice was deep and commanding, but when the child looked toward him, a gentle smile appeared on his face. Two fangs were easily visible under his smiling lips. “I understand you enjoy stomping on the leaves, but please refrain for now. It’s hard to walk like this.”
Malleus stared up toward the man, peering at his long jet-black hair as it moved with the wind. The man raised an eyebrow toward the child before he nodded, “Okay.”
The cloaked man gripped Malleus’s hand just a bit tighter, “We’re almost there.”
Malleus looked up toward the dark sky. The sun had already set long ago, but small sparse clouds could be seen shifting with the wind among the stars. A stronger wind came through, howling quietly as it ruffled up their cloaks. The child gripped his tighter to his body, tugging at the man’s hand. “Lilia,” he quietly pressed, “how much longer?”
Lilia chuckled, extending his arm forward. “Do you see that light ahead? That’s our destination.”
Malleus looked where he pointed, and indeed saw a humble looking cottage at the end of their path. The child puffed his cheeks to pout. “Why does grandmother need to see me anyway? She never asks to see me.”
“Well, Maleficent has her reasons, Malleus. Besides, does she need a reason to meet with her grandson?” Lilia replied. Malleus did not answer, and they continued to their destination without speaking another word. A few worn stone steps led up to the door of the small cottage. Behind Lilia’s legs, Malleus stood gripping at his cloak. Lilia’s hand slipped out of his coat to knock at the door. A moment later came the sound of approaching footsteps. With a faint creak, the door opened.
“Ah, Lilia, good to see you.” A woman stood inside the cottage, and she spoke with a dignified tone. She stood firm with her shoulders back. There was an elegant air around her, one that demanded authority.
“You’re looking as elegant as ever, Maleficent,” Lilia replied with a smile. He placed his hand over his chest before bowing to her respectfully. Maleficent nodded toward the man before craning her neck to see behind him. “Malleus,” she spoke sternly, but affectionately, “you’re growing up quite nicely. Your horns look almost fully grown. Come in, both of you. I’ll arrange for us to have a cup of tea.”
Malleus stood by the mantle in the main living area. A few logs and some kindling burned in the firepit, bringing a welcome warmth to the young child. He stood on his tiptoes to run his hand along the intricate carvings and design of the fireplace.
“Malleus,” Maleficent spoke from behind him, “I’ve brought you some hot chocolate.” Malleus turned around, seeing his grandmother place a small mug on her short coffee table. Lilia sat comfortably in a lounge chair near the table. He crossed his legs and took a sip of tea from his own mug. With faint steps, the child walked to the mug. He looked toward the brown liquid, happy to see a few marshmallows floating. With both hands at once, he picked up the mug. As he tipped it toward his mouth—
“Be careful, it’s hot,” the woman cautioned.
Malleus looked toward her and nodded. Nonetheless, he put his lips on the cup to drink. After gulping down a few sips, he set it back on the table. “Thank you,” Malleus turned toward his grandmother, a small brown moustache on his upper lip.
“Malleus, you have chocolate on your mouth,” Lilia pointed out. Without any hesitation, the child raised a part of his cloak and used it as a wipe. “Malleus!”
Lilia set down his cup to stand before Maleficent spoke up. “It’s alright, Lilia. It’s a black cloak anyway, and an easily replaceable one at that. Come here, my dear grandson.”
Maleficent sat on her own lounge chair and lightly pat her lap. For a few moments, he stared at her before walking over to climb up and sit on her lap. When he found a comfy position, his grandmother began to affectionately brush her fingers through his bangs. “Soon, you’ll be too big for me to hold you like this,” she commented.
“Indulge in it while you can,” Lilia stated from across the two, smiling toward them.
“While I still can…” Her voice faded. Even as she sat in the well-cushioned chair, Maleficent still sat upright, her movements refined and polished. Malleus leaned against her chest, his eyelids growing heavy as she continued to brush his bangs. Her eyes were filled with that of love for her grandson as she stared at his face.
“Was there something you wanted to give your grandson today, Maleficent?” Lilia asked, quietly setting down his empty cup of tea.
“Oh, yes. Dear me, I almost forgot.” She looked to her side and wrapped her fingers around a small box. “I know you’re tired, my dear.” Maleficent extended the index finger of the hand she used to hold the box to brush his bangs from his eyes.
He sleepily opened his eyes, snuggling closer to his grandmother.
“Hmm?”
“This is for you.” The woman placed the box before his eyes, sliding the top of it open. Malleus peered into the box. With his small hand, he put it in the box and pulled out what appeared to be a small, round mirror. With a bit of struggle, he opened it and saw his own reflection.
“A mirror?” he held it with his hands and looked up toward the woman.
“Yes,” she purred, holding his face and stroking his cheek with her thumb. “It’s not just any mirror. There’s a certain…enchantment on it.”
Malleus turned the mirror in his hands but saw nothing special about it. At a loss, he glanced up toward his grandmother. She merely chuckled and stroked his back. “Do not push yourself too hard, my dear. It’s not an easily visible enchantment.”
“Maleficent, are you sure about giving him something that fragile at his age?” Lilia spoke up. She did not immediately answer his question. Instead, she gently pressed Malleus against her, stroking his back. The child’s eyelids again grew heavy. Malleus leaned his body against her, his hands lowering and loosening their grip around the mirror. In one fluid movement, she grabbed it from his hands and placed it back into the box. The young child’s consciousness gradually faded as he fell asleep.
“Lilia,” Maleficent began. “I’m afraid my time here…”
Lilia jolted, gripping the arms of his chair. “Then, I—” He moved to stand before Maleficent shushed him.
“Please,” she murmured. “He’s sleeping now. Let me enjoy my time I have now with my grandson.”
Lilia sighed and collapsed back into the chair, coming down hard enough for it to slide backward a bit on the wooden floor. He planted his forehead into his palm, staring at the ground in dismay. The only sound in the room was the jarringly pleasant crackling of the fire.
Months had passed since visiting Maleficent. It grew colder through the winter with long nights. In those months, Malleus left his mirror from his grandmother mostly untouched. He found a spot for it on his desk within his bedroom and left it there. As the seasons shifted again and the hours of sunlight extended, the mirror sat at his desk, collecting dust. At this time, the mirror held little significance to him. Malleus still visited his grandmother from time to time, and she pampered him as usual during every meeting. He loved her. At first glance, Maleficent may come off as cold and strict, but he knew how truly affectionate she could be. He always looked forward to seeing her again and struggled to hold back tears whenever parting ways.
Lilia continued watching over Malleus as time passed. Although he was a bit overconfident in his cooking skills, Lilia was a promising teacher to the child. He learned many things from his guardian and felt a sort of affection for him as well. When he was sick, Lilia would be at his side to keep an eye on his condition. When he fell and skinned his knee while playing outside, Lilia would be there to help him calm down and bandage his wound.
One topic always caught the boy’s attention. Throughout Malleus’s life he’d only seen and met other fae. However, Lilia told him of another creature, a kind that Malleus had never heard of before—humans. A different sort of species that varied from his own. Each region mankind resided in would include their own cultures, their own language, their own way of living. The thought of meeting a human some day excited Malleus. He became even more intrigued when he learned of a human kingdom not too far away.
Years ago, a nearby kingdom of humans celebrated the birth a new princess. They invited many citizens of power to the event, but failed to invite Maleficent. Presuming something went wrong with the invitation, she still made an appearance, and even bestowed a gift unto the princess. The people of the kingdom were displeased with her gift and resented her. Malleus could not himself understand the full circumstances, but presuming they were as intelligent as Lilia had suggested, he felt the two groups could eventually come to terms.
One day, Lilia told Malleus that he had urgent business with Maleficent he had to attend to. At the time, Malleus thought nothing of it—it was routine. Expecting Lilia to be gone for a few days at most, Malleus accepted the declaration and told Lilia he hoped to see him and his grandmother again soon. The child was too naïve to realize the how pained Lilia’s smile was when he departed.
A week had passed since Lilia’s departure.
Malleus did not expect for him to be this long. He had never been gone for this long before. The child sat at his desk, kicking his feet that dangled above the floor. Malleus rested his arm on his wooden desk, laying his cheek on top of it. His other arm was outstretched on the desk, spinning the mirror that Maleficent gifted him not too long ago. Truly there was nothing to note of this mirror. When holding it to look at his reflection, he never looked distorted or disfigured. It was just his own face. Nothing would appear behind him in the reflection, nor did it share any new information. The backplate was based off iron, with a decorative design that reminded him of vines. The only factor of this mirror that felt disjointed to him was the fact it had no handle. It was just a normal, round mirror.
Outside the window of his room at the villa, the sky was a deep orange, with few clouds drifting overhead. A few yards away, a few small fairies gathered around a ring of mushrooms. Some used the caps of the fungi as seats and clapped as others danced and sang within the circle. Here and there were still a few patches of snow yet to melt, but one could expect them to be gone by tomorrow’s afternoon sun. “The Fairy Gala’s probably coming up soon…” Malleus mumbled to himself.
Suddenly, there was the sound of a door opening in the direction of the villa’s entrance. At once, Malleus laid down the mirror and hopped out of his seat. The child ran for the door but froze. He turned around to push the chair in under his desk, as Lilia told him to make a habit of pushing the chair back. Returning to his main objective, Malleus ran out his room and into the hallway. He had a sense of who had returned and couldn’t wait to see him. The enthusiasm of the child’s steps could be heard throughout the villa. He turned the corner and saw Lilia’s figure standing in the foyer, shrugging off his cloak. “Lilia!” Malleus exclaimed with a bright smile on his face.
The man jolted. “Mal—” He quickly looked away. His face looked torn as he gritted his teeth, gripping his cloak hard his knuckles turned white. Of course, the child was oblivious to all of this, opting to run to his side and wrap his arms around the man’s leg.
“I missed you,” he mumbled to his pants. After a few moments of silence, Lilia reached down and patted the child’s head.
“I…missed you too, Malleus.”
The boy looked up, resting his chin on Lilia’s knee. “How’s grandmother?” he asked with an innocent, fanged smile. Lilia stiffened. “What’d you have to do with her? Is it adult stuff again?” Lilia didn’t answer, biting his lip. “Lilia?”
Abruptly, Lilia dropped to his knees, wrapping his arms around Malleus, tightly hugging him. “Malleus…” His voice cracked. The man pressed his fingers against the back of the child’s head, holding him close to his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
Absently, Malleus raised his arms, wrapping them around him. “Lilia…?”
The next several days, Lilia seemed to be only a husk of his former self. He’d spend hours on end sitting in the villa’s foyer, staring at the portrait of his beloved master that hung above the mantle. The vampire would slink in his chair, only getting up to use the gentlemen’s room. Maids attending to the villa would deliver him tea and food. He would consume what was placed before him, but it brought him no pleasure. Fine, delicious herbal teas to him were just like drinking hot water. His taste buds could not decipher the difference between a full course meal or a simple piece of buttered bread. When not in his chair, Lilia would be in bed. For a few days he would not leave his room until well into the noon. Malleus, who could not grasp why Lilia acted this way, felt unsure of what to do. Normally Lilia would offer the child a warm smile in the morning with a warm cup of tea. Sometimes he’d come with a prepared breakfast (though the child would always cross his fingers in hopes that it was not made by Lilia). In the afternoon, his guardian would teach him about something new, whether magic, history, or literature. Occasionally he’d tell stories about myths and legends, or perhaps he’d share tales of his youth.
Uncertain of what to do, Malleus would approach Lilia in his chair and ask him about lessons for the day. “Not today, Malleus,” he’d murmur in reply. On another occasion, the child would bring a book to Lilia, asking him to read it with him. It was a fascinating tale about a girl being taken advantage of by her stepmother and stepsisters. The girl dreamed of a better life, but what the book had in store, Malleus did not yet know. After only reading a few pages, he wanted to share this tale with Lilia. He approached Lilia in his chair and lightly tugged at his clothes. Under his arm, the child held the book in question. Lazily, Lilia glanced toward the child. He did not inquire out loud as to what the young boy wanted, instead he stared. Malleus held up his book toward Lilia, smiling brightly.
When his eye caught sight of the book in question, the normally deadpan expression he held twisted into a scowl. The man knew of this book and what the story had in store. “Get rid of it,” Lilia growled. Malleus pulled the book back, holding it tightly against his chest. He looked down, biting his lip to hold a sob before scampering away. The young boy ran to his room, tears falling from his cheeks when he shut the door. He sat down on the cool floor and set down his book, staring at its cover. Why did Lilia not like this book? Did it have a bad ending? Malleus had no way of knowing.
Malleus made the decision to leave his guardian be for the time being. He took the initiative to try and read books on his own and even read some historical texts all by himself. He felt proud of himself, but it left a hollow feeling in his chest. Malleus wanted so much to boast to Lilia about the difficult words he was reading, hoping for him to smile at him and award him words of praise. But he couldn’t. Lilia did not want to be bothered…or at least, that’s all the child could understand from his behavior. However, Malleus still wanted to be present for Lilia’s sake. He knew not what he could do to fix whatever was happening, but he felt a need to do something. One day, he approached one of the maids and asked to help them prepare Lilia’s tea. The task was simple enough for him to handle, and he could be the one to bring him the cup. The maid was hesitant to let someone of nobility perform such a mundane task, but Malleus was insistent. She showed him how to steep leaves for an herbal tea. She was also kind enough to get him a stepstool in the kitchen so he could reach for the tea pot to pour said tea. The maid’s heart fluttered when he smiled and bounced on the stepstool, waiting for the tea to be ready for his beloved guardian. Finally, after the maid helped the young one set up a tray for the teapot, a cup, and a small container for sugar cubes, Malleus’s elbows pointed all the way out as he held up the tray.
“You sure you have a good grip on it, young master?” the maid asked.
“Yes!” he quickly chimed.
She gave him a warm smile as she opened the door leading out of the kitchen. “Good luck then.”
Malleus nodded, staring intently between the tray in front of him and the path ahead. His steps were sluggish but diligent. He had to get the tea to his guardian without spilling a single drop.
He approached Lilia in the same chair he always stayed in nowadays. Lilia’s elbow rested on the arm of his seat, and he held his head up by his fist. Just as before, he stared off into space, in the direction of the Maleficent portrait above the mantle. “Lilia,” Malleus timidly spoke up. Head unmoved, the man glanced at Malleus, awkwardly holding the tray with his elbows up. With a quick “heave-ho”, the child placed the tea tray on the table beside the chair. “Do you want any sugar or honey?” the boy asked.
Lilia’s answer was curt, and to the point. “It’s fine.” Passively, he extended his arm toward the teacup, quickly gulping down his tea, and setting it back on the tray.
Malleus stared at the cup; a bit surprised to see it empty already. “Did you want more?”
“No.”
“…Okay.”
The child couldn’t help but feel a slight knot form in his throat, but he said nothing. Malleus wrapped his fingers around the handles of the tray, holding it up as he did before. He turned on his heel and began his way back to the kitchen. His heart felt heavy, and his feet dragged across the floor as he walked. As the boy approached the kitchen door, he heard murmurs on the other side.
“He made tea for Lilia?”
“Yeah, he looked so cute I couldn’t say no. Plus, I was hoping it’d help cheer him up.”
There was a sigh, “The poor child has no idea… It makes sense Lilia’s upset after what happened to her excellency, but I can’t blame him—”
Malleus slammed his shoulder against the wood to open the door, “What happened to Grandmother?!” he cried.
Two maids stood in shock in the kitchen. The boy set the tea tray on a nearby counter then ran toward them. “Tell me!” he demanded.
“Oh!” one of the maids yelped. “Malleus… Did Lilia like the tea?”
“What happened to Grandmother?” he asked again.
The girls paused, looking at each other hesitantly. One of the two put her hands on her thighs and crouched lower. “We can’t…tell you that, Malleus.”
“Why?! Tell me!” He balled his hands into fists and trembled. Frustrated tears began to well up in his eyes.
In the end, the maids kept their lips sealed. No matter how much he pressed, not a single word would slip their lips. Malleus, frustrated to tears, ran to his room and slammed his door shut. He jumped to his bed and hid under his covers, tightly gripping the blanket in his hands. “Lilia…” he whimpered.
He wanted his normal guardian back. The one who’d sit next to him as he recited old literature and explained it simply enough for the child to understand. The one who’d take him to the forest and show him the different fairies and tell him about their unique traits. The one who’d scold him for trying to ram his horns in a tree and get stuck doing so. The one who’d tightly hold his hand while they walked to his grandmother’s.
Eventually the child cried himself to the point of pure exhaustion and fell asleep for the night. Again, Lilia did not even visit his room once that night to wish his young master sweet dreams. He didn’t smile down at Malleus as he pulled the blankets up to his shoulders to settle for the night. Malleus just felt…alone.
The next morning, Malleus found Lilia had not left his chair that night. Either he had fallen asleep there during the night, or he chose to not leave his seat. Malleus saw a small teacup sitting at the table next to him; a few sips of cold tea remained in the small ceramic cup. Standing at the other side of his chair, Malleus rested his small hands on the chair’s armrest and stared at Lilia’s sleeping face. The vampire’s elbow again rested on the arm rest while his cheek balanced on his hand. A few strands of his dark hair swept over his face unnoticed. Malleus noticed how long his eyelashes were and how pale he looked. Well, it was probably natural for Lilia to have a fair complexion. When awake, there always seemed to be something weighing on his mind, keeping him from his normal habits.
The young boy scampered back to his room, his quick footsteps echoing the hallway. He approached his desk and slipped his fingers under his book, holding it against his chest. Malleus took a step back and leaned toward the door, but a light appeared in the corner of his eye. Sitting there was the small mirror, reflecting light from the morning sun. He reached out and grabbed it. A layer of dust had collected on it as it sat untouched on his desk, so he rubbed the mirror over his clothes.
“Good morning, young master,” one of the maids greeted Malleus as he walked through the hallway.
He glanced up toward her and saw her smile at him gently. “Good morning.”
His footsteps slowed as he returned to the foyer. A nearby window shone a bright ray of sunshine by Lilia’s feet. In a few hours, the ray may migrate closer to Lilia’s face. The mostly empty teacup no longer sat on the table. Malleus approached the ray at his feet, and sat down, crossing his legs. The book laid on his lap with the mirror on top as he scooted back to lean against his guardian’s legs. Lilia stirred a bit, but when Malleus looked behind, he saw his eyes were still closed. Setting the mirror down on his knee, Malleus opened his book and resumed where he had left off.
The royal family of the kingdom invited every available lady to a ball in hopes of finding a potential partner for the young, single prince. Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters were overjoyed to hear of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become a member of the royal family. Great riches would surely be in their future if one of the sisters could marry the prince. However, when Cinderella voiced interest in going to this ball, her family forbid it. They told her she was pathetic and could never be seen as a beautiful woman in the prince’s eyes, let alone a potential future princess. Over and over they’d berate her hair, her face, her lack of etiquette. Truly, Cinderella was not looking to become a princess. Just for one night out of her life, she wished would go to a ball, to wear a beautiful dress, to not break her back doing laundry, cleaning the stairsteps, or clearing out ashes from the fireplace. She wanted a night where she could just be herself.
On the night of the ball, her stepsisters donned beautiful dresses. Their dresses were made of quality silk and dyed in rare, expensive colors. Their mother smiled sweetly at the two, complimenting their appearance. She felt confident one of them would become the next member of the royal family. As they boarded their carriage, Cinderella’s stepmother gave her a list of chores she expected to be done before they returned for the night. Wipe the windows in their bedrooms, dust the vases in the hallway, clean the bathtubs in the bathrooms, and much more. Cinderella, as she stood in her worn tattered clothes, just nodded and said, “Yes, mother.”
Later that night, Cinderella had just cleaned one of the bathtubs and stood outside to dump dirty water to the ground. She sighed to herself, setting the bucket upside down to use as a temporary seat. Her elbows rested on her knees, and she held her head while staring up at the clear night sky. The stars sparkled and twinkled about. “I wish I could’ve gone to the ball,” she murmured.
“But you can, my dear!”
Cinderella immediately rose to her feet and looked behind to see what appeared to be a small fairy.
Malleus smiled to himself at the mention of a fairy. He wondered what the fairy was there for and flipped to the next page.
“Who are you?” Cinderella questioned.
“I’m your fairy godmother!” the fairy exclaimed. “I’m here to help you get to that ball!”
“But I’ve no dress to wear, no way to get there.”
With a wave of her wand, a mist floated from the fairy and surrounded Cinderella. Her tattered clothes transformed into a beautiful crystal blue ballgown. By some strange force, loose curls appeared in her hair. Cinderella was amazed as she looked at the dress and touched her hair.
“But how would I get there?”
“Hmm…” The fairy looked around and pointed toward a pumpkin. “This will be your carriage!”
“But fairy godmother, that’s a pumpkin!”
The fairy again waved her wand toward the gourd, and it grew larger, larger, and larger. It shifted its shape and turned into a pure white horse-driven carriage. “Oh, horses! How could I forget!” the fairy said. With another wave, a thick mist drifted toward the grass and two horses appeared. “Mice can come in handy sometimes.” She winked. “Get into the carriage my dear! The ball has already started!”
Her godmother led the horses to the front of the carriage as Cinderella swung the door open, a smile on her face. But as she stepped inside, her godmother realized something she forgot. “Oh no, you need shoes my dear!”
“Oh,” said Cinderella, “I almost forgot!”
“Allow me!” the fairy waved her hands once more, and clear glass slippers appeared on Cinderella’s feet.
“Oh, how lovely,” Cinderella said.
“Now, you must hurry!” her godmother pressed, holding the door of the carriage. “My spells only work until midnight. When the clock strikes twelve, you’ll return to your normal clothes, and your carriage and horse will revert to normal. Be sure to leave by then!”
“Oh, thank you!” Cinderella uttered; tears welled in her eyes. “How could I repay you?”
“All I ask is you have a wonderful night my dear!”
Her godmother closed the door of the carriage and the horses began to tow the carriage away. Even without someone to guide them, the horses knew the way to the palace and to the ball.
It felt like she was in a dream when Cinderella arrived at the castle. As she stepped out the carriage and ascended the white stone stairs leading inside, she could see the various lights, decorations and beautifully dressed attendants. She couldn’t help but feel a bit out of place as she entered, but others greeted her with warm smiles, easing tension she felt in her shoulders.
Cinderella did not know where to begin. She’d never attended a ball before. Her glass slippers clopped lightly over the marble floor as she admired the grand room. Above were large, intricate chandeliers. Colorful flowers Cinderella had never seen before hung on the pillars that surrounded the ballroom. Her cheeks seemed to feel sore as she realized she was smiling this whole time.
“Is that…?”
A familiar voice caught her attention. Cinderella dared not to look behind her, as she could feel one of her stepsister’s eyes staring at the back of her head. No matter how much her godmother changed her appearance, Cinderella would be unmistakably recognized by her family. Thinking on her feet, she quickly made her way to one of the many balconies.
The air felt a bit brisk, but soothing. A full moon filled the clear night sky, complementing the lights at the ball. Cinderella gazed toward it blissfully as she approached the balcony railing. She took in a large breath, then sighed. Only after arriving moments ago, her heart already felt full. As if to verify she wasn’t dreaming, Cinderella grazed her fingertips over the railing. The stone felt cold to the touch, with a few uneven spots throughout. She looked down to admire the elegant gown wrapped so comfortably around her body. Cinderella had always heard dresses could feel like a chore to wear on their own, but it was nothing like that.
Although she had never danced before, Cinderella felt she should return to the ballroom and try her chances in finding a partner. As she turned around—
“Excuse me.”
Suddenly, there stood a dark-haired man, bowing toward her. He held his hand over his chest as he looked at her with a warm smile. He was a well-dressed man, or at least she presumed so. Her eyes could not move away from his. There was something gentle, enchanting about him, and he seemed to look at her the same way. The young man extended his hand, “May I ask for a dance?”
Without a second thought, she took his hand. His other hand found her waist, and her hand found his shoulder. He led her through a slow waltz, the smile never fading his lips as they danced. The commotion of the ball faded. Time seemed to have stopped. They were enclosed in their own world.
How much time had passed was unclear to the two. Eventually, Cinderella had her head resting on his chest, and they reduced to just a slow sway. She felt such euphoria and wished the night would never end.
Suddenly, Cinderella heard the clock tower chime. She looked around and asked, “What time is it?”
“Midnight,” the man answered, “is something wrong?”
“I…” She walked back from the man, holding up her ball gown. “I have to go!”
“Wait!”
However, Cinderella was already darting toward the castle entrance as more chimes of the clock struck. She quickly ran down the stairs, eyeing the carriage waiting for her. In her hurry, one of her glass slippers fell from her foot. Cinderella continued to run to the carriage without looking back. As she stepped inside, she quickly shut the door and the horses began to run.
The man stood at the top of the stairs, staring out in disbelief.
“I don’t even know your name.”
Then, something caught his eye. There he saw a single glass slipper.
That night, Cinderella returned to her home. At the twelfth strike of the clock, her carriage returned to a simple gourd, the horses turned back to mice and ran off, and her beautiful gown returned to her tattered clothes. Although she felt disheartened that night ended so quickly, Cinderella was grateful to have experienced such a dream-like night. One thing did remain from the night that she planned to have as a keepsake – her glass slipper. The slipper was put in her room, hidden in her closet.
Once her stepmother and stepsisters returned, one of her stepsisters spoke aloud about seeing Cinderella there. Of course, the woman in question denied it. Her stepmother and other stepsister said the idea was ridiculous. Luckily, she quickly dismissed her suspicions.
The next day, Cinderella’s routine returned to normal. She’d clean the ashes at the fireplace, dust the books in the study, and clean the laundry. It was hard work, but her blissful feelings from the previous night lingered. She even hummed as she worked.
That afternoon, Cinderella heard a knock at the door and answered it. They received a letter out of the blue. The letter explained that the prince at the ball danced with a woman wearing a pair of glass slippers.
Malleus snickered to himself when the story mentioned the prince, an innocent smile on his face.
She left before they could properly introduce themselves but left one of her glass slippers. It declared whoever may fit this glass slipper shall be the prince’s bride-to-be. Cinderella was shocked. She’d known she’d dance with a handsome young man, but she never imagined he was the prince!
Inevitably, the rest of the family learned about this letter. They had felt discontent over not attracting the prince’s attention to either of the stepsisters. Though, there were many ladies at the ball and the prince had disappeared for a portion of the night. This was now another opportunity for them! If either stepsister could squeeze their foot into the slipper, they would become members of the royal family! Of course, Cinderella would be another servant attending to the royal family.
The letter explained every woman would be fitted with the slipper, but Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters had no intention of letting her try. When the visitor arrived with the glass slipper, Cinderella was sent to her room. Unbeknownst to her, her stepmother locked her inside. As the vile woman stepped down the stairs to the main room, she could hear Cinderella cry and bang on her door.
Malleus’s brow furrowed, and his grip around the book tightened. It was then the child heard a short metallic clank hit the floor. He was brought back to reality and saw his grandmother’s mirror had fallen from his knee. Malleus reached for the small object but stiffened as he felt fabric brush over his shoulder. A larger hand reached out in front of him, taking hold of the fallen item. As the hand pulled away, Malleus looked over his shoulder. He stared curiously but cautiously toward Lilia.
Until this point, Lilia felt as if he was aimlessly walking beside an ocean coastline. The sand underneath his feet would sink as he stepped forward, andthere was no end or goal in sight. Overhung were dark, grey clouds that seemed to always be on the brink of a downpour, but no rain ever came. The man felt like he was suffocating under the deep, unforgiving sea, but the sea merely brushed against his ankles at most. On and on he’d walk as the saltiness of the sea breeze touched his nose. What laid behind him was sand and water. What laid in front of him was more sand and water. The thing worth mentioning thing that may vary would be the occasional broken seashell. As he continued strolling over the endless coastline, something reflective caught his eye ahead. Tucked into the sand was a small mirror. Lilia stopped beside it; the cold water brushed against his bare feet. He could feel the sand sink further down where he stood. Curiously, he bent down, delicately wrapping his fingers around the object. What it showed was a reflection himself. It was merely a random mirror in the sand, but it felt…familiar all the same. Lilia looked up toward the sky, internally apologizing to his master for not fulfilling his duty.
Suddenly, Lilia felt a slight tug at his legs. Looking down, he saw Malleus’s small hands had taken grip of his clothing. The child’s eyes stared up at him questionably, but he was too scared to speak. Out of nowhere on this deserted beach was a small child, standing at his side. In that moment, Lilia felt a large wave of water hit against his back, soaking him from head to toe. When he blinked, he found himself in the villa, sitting in his chair. In his hand was still the small mirror, and still staring up at him was his master’s beloved grandchild.
Again, Lilia looked at his reflection in the mirror. “…What am I doing…?” he mumbled, setting the mirror down.
He looked back toward the child and put on a gentle smile.
“Lilia…?” Malleus could barely make out his words.
“Come here, Malleus,” Lilia said, patting his lap.
Without waiting another second, Malleus abandoned his book and crawled onto Lilia’s lap. He pressed himself against Lilia’s chest. Lilia responded by warmly wrapping his arms around him, holding him tight. Lilia could feel Malleus begin to tremble in his arms as he began to stroke his back.
“I’m sorry for ignoring you.”
“Meanie stupid head…” Malleus mumbled.
For a few minutes, Lilia continued to hold the child in his warm embrace. Lilia stroked his back as Malleus buried his face in his shoulder. The vampire looked up toward the hung portrait of Maleficent, thinking to himself, “Even without you, I still have a duty to attend to.”
Lilia looked toward the floor and saw the book Malleus had previously been reading. It laid open, with the cover facing up. While pressing Malleus toward his body, he bent down to wrap his finger around the book’s spine and picked it up.
“Hey, Malleus.” Lilia gently tapped the child’s head.
Malleus, still gripping the fabric of Lilia’s clothes, looked up toward the book.
“You were still reading this, weren’t you?” Lilia smiled at him.
Malleus nodded.
“Why don’t you read me the rest of it?”
“But I’m almost done. You’d miss the important parts!”
“Hmm… Then, why don’t you summarize the story so far?”
Lilia placed his hands under Malleus’s arms and turned him around on his lap. He then grabbed the book and placed it in front of the child.
“Okay so… There’s this girl named Cinderella who lives with her stepmother and stepsisters and they’re really really really really mean to her and make her do all the chores around the house, but they never do anything to help out. She’s also like, really pretty and her family is really jealous, so they make her wear tattered clothes but she’s still pretty. One day there’s a letter about a ball that’s gonna be held for single ladies in the kingdom for the prince to marry. The stepmom and sisters are like really excited to go and Cinderella wants to go to but they said no, probably because she’s just too pretty and the other sisters want a chance or something. But I think they’re too mean for the prince to like anyway so they can stay home and not waste people’s time. Anyway, they go to the ball and leave Cinderella with a bunch of chores, but then! Lilia, a fairy godmother shows up! A fairy! Like what we are! It’s so cool! This fairy comes and helps her get ready to go to the ball and gets her this pretty dress and a carriage to get there. She’s so powerful but so nice! The fairy tells Cinderella the magic only lasts until midnight for some reason, and she goes to the ball. She almost gets caught by her meanie mom and sisters but manages to get away. Then a man asks to dance with her, and it’s revealed the man is the prince! I’m a prince too, right Lilia?”
Lilia had been smiling and nodding along as Malleus quickly spoke. “Yes, you are a prince, Malleus.”
“Right?” Malleus exclaimed, excitedly bouncing in Lilia’s lap.
“But while dancing the magic ran out and she had to leave but she left one of her glass slippers! Oh yeah, she has glass slippers which seem like they’d beak easily, but I guess the fairy’s magic is just that cool. Anyway, she gets back and is just happy to have a good night to be someone else. Then the kingdom sends a letter about the glass slipper and it says whoever fits it can be the next prince’s wife! So, Cinderella can be a princess! But her meanie stepmom and sisters have her locked up and that’s where I stopped…”
“Oh, that’s quite the cliffhanger!” Lilia said.
“Yeah! She’s locked up and I don’t know how she’ll get out or what’ll happen next.”
“Well, how about you read me the rest then?”
Lilia gestured to the book on Malleus’s lap.
“Okay!” the child chirped, opening the book.
He flipped through the pages for a few moments until he found the spot where he left off.
As the vile woman stepped down the stairs to the main room, she could hear Cinderella cry and bang on her door. However, her stepmother did not look back.
Cinderella screamed and yelled, but her voice fell on deaf ears. She fell to her knees by the door, her face in her hands as she wept. The woman the prince was searching was her. The one he wanted to marry was her. Cinderella finally had a chance at a different life but…fate was too cruel to her.
Cinderella’s stepmother returned to the main area of the estate, greeting the visitor with the promised glass slipper. The two stepsisters dressed in their most extravagant dresses to impress the visitor and, with hope their future fiancé. The older of the stepsisters was the first to try on the glass slipper. However, her foot was too wide to slip inside. Try as she might to force her foot in, it would not budge. Dejected, the older stepsister surrendered the slipper to her younger sister. Fortunately, her foot could fit into the slipper, but alas the heel of her foot did not touch the back of the slipper. Her feet were too small. The stepmother volunteered to try on the glass slipper next, but their visitor refused and began to get ready to leave.
As Cinderella sat on her knees crying, she heard the sound of a lock and the creak of a door. Bewildered, she looked up and saw the door to her room was no longer locked. Why, it was slightly ajar! She saw a small cloth sitting beside the door, as if someone had placed it there. She was uncertain how it found its way there, but she knew time was of the essence. Cinderella grabbed the cloth and ran out her room.
Malleus gasped. “Do you think it was the fairy?”
“It could be,” Lilia commented, stroking the child’s hair. “Let’s keep going.”
When she reached the main area, she saw the visitor standing in the doorway, about to leave.
“Wait!” she exclaimed, grabbing his attention.
The visitor saw Cinderella run toward him and glanced to the stepmother and stepdaughters.
“You told me you were the only women in this estate.”
Nonetheless, he withdrew the slipper from his bag and began to walk to the frantic Cinderella. However, as he stepped forward, the stepmother had been staring nearby and extended her foot out to trip him. The visitor was able to catch his balance, but it was at the expense of the slipper. The glass item flew from his hands and fell to the floor, shattering into a thousand pieces.
Malleus gasped. “No! What will she do now?”
“Oh dear,” the older sister said, using her hand to cover a smile.
“It seems we can’t have you try it on now,” commented the younger sister.
The visitor stared toward the floor in disbelief. Even if it was an accident, truly the king would have his head.
“Excuse me,” Cinderella spoke up, grabbing the visitor’s attention. “If I may, I have the other glass slipper.”
“No way!” Malleus jumped a bit on Lilia’s lap. “Lilia, she has the other slipper!”
Lilia chuckled, “So she does.”
She gestured to the cloth in her hands, and true to her word, it contained the other glass slipper! The three women and visitor were each stunned.
“How could you have the other glass slipper?” the stepmother snarled.
“Because I wore them at the ball last night when I danced with the prince,” Cinderella replied.
Cinderella removed a worn shoe from her foot and slid on the glass slipper. Of course, it was a perfect fit.
On that day, Cinderella was taken away from her miserable life as a live-in servant and was guided to the castle. When she arrived, the prince was waiting at the castle to meet her. From the horse-drawn carriage she exited, still wearing her tattered clothes. However, when the prince caught glimpse of her, a genuine smile grew on his face. He did not care if she dressed in the finest silk or if she was adorned with jewels. The prince was just happy to meet his first love again, and so offered her a warm welcome into the castle.
Shortly after, the two were wed, and Cinderella stood by her prince’s side until he was the next ruler of the kingdom. She did not know how her door opened that day, or how the slipper made its way outside her door, but in the end, she was able to live a happy life.
“Cinderella and her new king lived happily ever after…” Malleus sighed, shutting the book.
Lilia smiled, ruffling the child’s hair. “You read it so well.”
“Hey, Lilia,” Malleus began, glancing toward his guardian.
“Hmm?”
“I’m a prince too, aren’t I?”
“You are, I told you earlier. You’ll be the next king of the Valley of Thorns.”
Malleus held the book against his chest, wrapping his arms around it. “Do you think…I’ll find someone special like Cinderella?”
“Heh,” Lilia affectionately pinched Malleus’s cheek. “Do you plan on hosting a ball when you’re older to find yourself someone?”
Malleus put his hand on Lilia’s forearm, pushing it away. He looked down the toward the book in his hands, drumming his fingers as he thought. “Hmm… But the prince wasn’t expecting to meet Cinderella like that though. It wouldn’t be as special if I tried the same thing.”
“You think so?” his guardian replied, playfully poking at the tip of the child’s horns.
“Stop it!” Malleus waved his arms. “My horns are pretty sharp you know!”
“Oh, I know. Took a good 10 minutes to get your horns out of that dead tree a while back ago.”
Malleus puffed his cheeks into a pout. “You’re just jealous I have horns.”
“Heheh, sure.”
Malleus sighed. “I think the prince was cool though. Cinderella worked to hard and had such a tough life, and the prince was able to take her away from it to live a better life.”
“I’m glad I taught you humility,” Lilia smiled. The vampire rested his cheek on his fist as it leaned against the arm of the chair. A blissful look of affection was in his eyes as he gazed toward Malleus.
“Isn’t that moisture in the air or something?”
“Hu-mil-i-ty. Not humidity.”
“…Like what humans are?”
Lilia grabbed the bridge of his nose with his finger and thumb, shutting his eyes. “I think we should return to your studies soon, Malleus.”
Malleus gasped and smiled. “Yay! Lilia’s teaching me more new stuff!”
To be continued…