Chapter Text
Lady Tremaine desired two things in life. Wealth and comfort. It’s why she attended the ball alongside her two daughters and, begrudgingly, Cinderella. They did make a bargain after all, and since her daughters didn’t pick up on her hints to wreck Cinderella’s dress, she allowed her to accompany them. Mercilessly, the servant girl broke away from them as soon as they arrived to mingle amongst the rest of the crowd, and didn’t even meet the Prince. Speaking of which, the arrogantly bored youth had disappeared somewhere and since Anastasia and Drizella didn’t have the initiative to find him, she took it upon herself to locate their wayward host. It took no effort at all on her part. When the Prince spotted her watching him and so she straightened her posture, adjusted her shawl, and casually approached him.
“Good evening, your majesty. Quite the assembly you’ve gathered,” she said, letting some sarcasm drip from her voice, while not stopping her stroll.
The Prince did a double take. “Wait, excuse me?” The Prince asked. So, she caught him off guard. Good. She continued her stroll as if his voice was merely the wind. “Madam, I asked you a question,” he said jogging to catch up to her.
“I merely commented on the congregation here in your honor, your majesty. But, with how you have shown a distinct lack of respect for your guests, perhaps someone should respond in kind.”
“I’m not disrespecting-,” he tried to start.
“Are you not hiding?”
“Yes, but, I-uh. These sort of events just make me, um, nervous.”
“Scared sounds more like it,” she taunted him.
“Hey, I’m not afraid of anything.”
“Then prove it. Your public demands entertainment, your highness. A dance is in order.”
“A dance? With you?” The Prince asked sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.
“Don’t think of me as someone easily broken,” she said sticking her nose in the air and turning her back on him. “I shall be expecting you on the dance floor. As a gentlemen, you shall not keep me waiting.”
And Lady Tremaine left the Prince before he could get another word in. He felt his mouth hanging opening and questioned what just happened. This woman was so blunt, commanding, but there was an aura of regality about her that intrigued him…dare he say maybe even attracted him. Her wardrobe was certainly striking. Simple, but effective compared to the more garish outfits he had seen tonight. Especially the shawl she wore. He needed to know more about this woman and marched off to the dance floor to join her. Lady Tremaine didn’t even need to look back to know the Prince would be following her. She knew how to manipulate men such as him and his younger age made him more susceptible. So she moved onto phase 2 of her plan and gently let her shawl fall off her shoulders. She heard his the quickness of his feet running towards her and smirked.
"You dropped this, Madam,” she heard him say. Quickly glancing over her shoulder to see where he was positioned, she took a careful step forward while he was bent down to pick up her shawl.
“Why thank you, your majesty,” she said while adjusting her body language.
The Prince stood up and his breath hitched in his throat as he realized he was directly in her space and saw just how well kept her appearance was beyond her choice of wardrobe. Her properly done silver fox hair. Lipstick perfectly applied. But, most of all, there were her sparkling green eyes. That wasn’t something she could make up. Only nature could give someone something so dazzling. Realizing he was starring, he tried to step back, but her hands reached forward and took his so she could reclaim her shawl.
“I often lose this,” she fibbed and pulled the shawl back, letting her fingers trace over his hands as she took it. “I should be more careful.”
Then the Prince then takes notice that as she was pulling the shawl back, she was guiding his hand to her waist. “Now then,” she said taking his other hand while resting her other on his shoulder. “Are you ready for our dance.” The Prince gulped, but nodded and gave a whistle to the maestro to start up the Waltz. He would show this mystery woman he was worth her time.
To Be Continued...