Cinderella by Mike Klaassen

Author:Mike Klaassen [Klaassen, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bookbaby
Published: 2017-11-27T14:25:02+00:00

Ella entered the ballroom, her silvery gown and slippers shimmering under the light of the chandeliers. She could see that the dancing had already begun.

The man in the red sash looked her way. “Your name, please.”

Ella’s heart pounded. She wished she had arrived earlier so she could mingle with the other guests and discreetly sneak off to the side. If she gave the man her name, he would announce her arrival, and she feared the attention that might draw. Fighting an urge to turn and run, her mind raced to consider options. After a moment, she focused on him. My name needeth thee not. Let me pass shall thee.

The man winced and reached toward his forehead. After a moment, he bowed and, with a sweep of his arm, indicated that she might proceed.

Relieved to have avoided an embarrassing moment, Ella walked toward the center of the room. There, Prince Willem danced with a brunette in a rust-colored gown with a low-cut neckline that framed a sparkling necklace. To Ella’s left, three young women waited to dance with the prince. Ella eased her way through the crowd and took her place at the back of the line.

She watched as the prince finished the dance and escorted the young woman to the edge of the dance floor. He returned to the line, where he greeted the next woman, a heavyset freckled redhead in a forest-green gown.

Ella’s nerves tingled with anticipation, and she realized that after a couple of more tunes, she would be fulfilling her dream of dancing with a prince. Her excitement felt almost unbearable. To distract herself, she studied the other guests standing around the ballroom.

She noticed a squat young man with a thick neck and a nose mashed as if broken. In uniform with a sword hanging at his side, he glanced across the room, scanning the crowd from left to right and then back again. Curious, Ella focused on him and discovered that his name was Wolfgang and that he held the rank of lieutenant in the king’s small army. He had been a childhood friend of the prince, and he feared that someone might spring from the crowd and attack Willem. The young lieutenant had vowed to risk his own life, if necessary, to protect his friend.

Surprised that anyone here might wish the prince harm, Ella studied the guests with renewed interest. Sensing no imminent danger, she figured the lieutenant was just being cautious.

On the opposite side of the dance floor, another young man in uniform bore remarkable resemblance to Wolfgang, except for an unbroken nose. Ella quickly learned that his name was Eric and that the two young officers were twins.

Her gaze continued around the room and settled upon a gray-haired man standing to the left and slightly behind the king’s throne. A jagged scar ran diagonally across his face from high on his forehead to one side of his chin. He, too, wore a uniform and constantly studied the crowd. Ella was pleased that even though the man was at the far end of the dance floor, she could read his mind.

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