Contrary to popular belief, Cinderella did not live a fairytale life.
Several months after her marriage to the dashing prince, Ella finds herself left home alone while her prince dashes around with everyone else. But Ella meets a lady-in-waiting with whom she clicks, and they sneak out together to spend some time by the river.
Can the two find their own happy ever after?
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One afternoon she sat in her drawing room looking at all the drawings she’d started in the week past. Lady Kathereen, one of the young ladies-in-waiting in the court, entered the room.
“Good afternoon, your Highness. I’ve brought you more parchment for your drawings. You work so quickly that the king has had to have several trees cut down to make more paper. I can’t remember anyone working as fast as you.”
Lady Kathereen looked around at all the drawings spread out around the room. “I especially like that one of your hand. It’s so lifelike!”
“Really?”
“Oh, yes, your Highness.”
“I have to admit that I traced my hand to make sure it was the right size.”
“But it’s perfect!”
“Oh, Kathereen, it’s not! I have no idea why I even have a drawing room. I’ve never been artistic in my life. Actually, I hate drawing!”
“But your Highness!”
“And I hate that term, too.”
“But you’re higher than everyone else. You’re the third most important person in the whole kingdom.”
“Then what am I supposed to call everyone? Your Lowness? Are you your Middleness? That seems ridiculous.”
Kathereen broke out laughing. “Yes, I guess it is. Would you rather I call you your Grace? Or your Majesty? Then what should I call you?”
“Ella!” Ella said. “That’s the name my mother gave me.”
“Oh no, I could never be that presumptuous.”
“Sure you can. You call me Ella and I’ll call you ... what? Do you like Kathy?”
Kathereen shook her head.
“Then Kat?”
Again she shook her head.
“Reen?”
Kathereen grinned shyly. “My mother called me Reeny, but I’ve always wanted to be called Reno.”
“Reno? I like that. From now on I’ll call you Reno.”
“But…what will everyone say?”
Ella thought about it for a moment. “It will be our little secret. No one else has to know.” She gave her friend a big smile.
“That sounds wonderful ... Ella.”
“Yes, it does, Reno. Now, let’s get out of this drawing room. And I do not want to go to the sewing room, or the music room, the dining room, the reading room, or any place else where you have to do something specific. What I’d really like is to go outside. I haven’t breathed good open air in weeks.”
“But we have to get so dressed up to go out in public!”
