Chapter Text
The mystical beings of the woods made a promise to the people of the kingdom long ago when they first settled. If you harbored a wish underneath the tree where the vow was made, someone or some thing would come to your aid. While the promise itself has been all but forgotten by the residents of the kingdom, remnants of its effects remained.
When Cinderella's father bought the land it came at a heftier price because of the rumored good luck associated with it. As a budding merchant, he would never turn down a beautiful property with luck attached, especially since his wife was under the weather as of late. Unfortunately, both of Cinderella's parents passed and she came under the care of Lady Tremaine and her two daughters.
Cinderella didn't mind though. That is until Lady Tremaine revealed her true colors and relegated her to a glorified scullery maid. She held out hope that one day things would change. Those hopes culminated one day when her friends helped her make a beautiful dress out of one of her late mother's gowns. Despite the grueling chores she managed to do everything and get ready. Cinderella had long been used to things raining on her parade but she allowed herself little things. She made friends with the mice. She learned songs when her sisters would hum them in the halls and sometimes gave them her own spin. She took walks in her family's garden when her mother and sisters weren’t home. She had gotten quite good at figuring out how to keep her heart happy by managing her hopes.
This time, however, she miscalculated.
Lady Tremaine promised that if she finished all the chores she could accompany them to the ball tonight. With her friends, the mice, handling the dress and her handling the chores she could surely fulfill her end of the deal. In just the nick of time she managed to make herself presentable enough to stand before the prince and company.
While she was nervous under the scrutiny of her family, she couldn’t help but feel happy at this chance to experience something more than what she has lately. Lady Tremaine stopped the sisters’ protests, letting them know the promise she made. Cinderella couldn’t believe it. She even dared to smile a bit.
"These beads....they give it just the right touch." Lady Tremaine said.
Even though it was a rare compliment, Lady Tremaine’s words did little to set Cinderella at ease. Quite the opposite actually. But the lady said it herself, she doesn’t go back on her word.
"Don't you think so Drisella?"
"No I don't. I think she's-" Drisella griped, crossing her arms before taking another look at the beads. Her eyes widened as she scrutinized them.
A shiver went down Cinderella’s spine as her sister’s face grew more incredulous. She wanted to be wrong but she had a really bad feeling about what was about to happen.
"Ah! Why you little thief! They're MY beads! Give them here!" She screeched as she stomped up to Cinderella and snatched the beads off her neck.
The string binding the beads painfully dug into her neck before breaking apart, leaving Cinderella stunned and hurt. Her skin stung, painful lines left where Drisella clawed at her.
"Oh and look! That's my sash. You're wearing MY SASH!" Anastasia hissed as she snatched it off of Cinderella's waist. Leaving a bruise and torn cloth where it once laid.
The girls proceeded to tear things off of her one after the other until she stood in a pile of what was once her only keepsake of her mother's. Her breath came out in pants as she stared at that very keepsake hanging in rags around her body. Her eyes stung as she processed what just happened. She looked up just as the girls walked haughtily out the door, proud of what they'd done. Not a jot of remorse in their walk. She looked at Lady Tremaine, hoping maybe for a glimpse of humanity. Lady Tremaine only looked at her with her usual cold refined gaze and bowed her head gracefully to Cinderella.
"Good night Cinderella." She said as she closed the door on her.
As if the the click of the door activated something she broke. A single sob escaped her before she ran somewhere, anywhere that could give her more room to breathe. As she blindly ran, the walls felt like they were closing in, her body ached with the various scars and bruises her sisters gave her and the cold stare of Lady Tremaine permeated the halls of the mansion. She ran and ran until she found herself in the clearing by the fountain in the backyard.
The cool air stung her skin and the stars seemed too distant and cold to help how she felt. Another sob and with it tears flowed against her will down her face in wave after wave. A light breeze drifted through the holes of her mother’s old dress. Her mind ever searching for a solution went back to the room, maybe with the pieces she could fix-?
She stumbled over to the bench willing her mind to stop. There was no fixing this. Maybe the dress, maybe even the hopeless feeling threatening to swallow her whole but not this. What this said. What they’ve done. Underneath the willow tree, she succumbed to the sadness and cried her heart out.
Normally, in moments like this she'd blame herself. If only she didn't use their stuff then she would've been able to go. Or maybe if she asked permission first. Or if she asked for money to buy her own materials. But she knew better, it was too obvious this time. They never cared about that stuff. It was evident in the way they tore it to shreds. They just cared about t putting her in her place once again.
And in that moment Cinderella felt something she hadn't allowed herself to feel until now.
Rage. Bitterness. Spite.
For a moment, more than anything else. Cinderella wanted payback.
And that very wish, was the one that was heard.
"I'll grant your wish human." A deep voice rumbled.
A clawed hand gently raised her chin and she gazed at a creature she'd never seen before. Four arms, dark markings, and so tall it blended with the darkness of the tree itself. All she could glean were cold red eyes looking down at her. The clawed hand gripped her chin a little harder, causing her to wince, his eyes narrowed.
"I-..." Her voice failed her. His cold red eyes pinned her down sending a cold sweat over her skin.
"Pathetic." He said.
Ah. That’s what it was. Mrs. Tremaine’s cold eyes.
She jerked her chin out of his grip and stood up. She wasn't brave enough for words but she glared as much as her existing bravado would allow. For a long few moments, the two stared each other down. Eventually, the creature smiled, his fangs catching what little light remained underneath the leaves.
"Your revenge starts tomorrow." He said before disappearing into the night.
Cinderella stood for a moment and when she was sure the creature was gone, she collapsed, her heart pounding. She tried to think of anything unusual she did to invite the creature. It wasn't her first time crying in this garden. So what just happened? She remembered the creature's words and shivered.
What happens tomorrow?