Essie ran over and threw her arms around Cinderella. "Oh, Cinde, I'll wear the white if it distresses you so. Please. Please do not cry. There have been enough tears, non?"
Cinderella returned her hug with a fierce intensity. "It's not that," she muffled against her shoulder. She straightened and set herself apart, and nodded to Manette.
The rich green silks cascaded over Essie's body. Cinderella watched Essie's reflection in the mirror with a sad smile. Yet, a sudden thrill rumbled through Cinderella. Essie would look her most stunning when they entered the ballroom.
Oui, it was time.
While Essie's attention was absorbed in donning the green dress, Kira slid the glorious white masses over Cinderella's head before. Tingling, shimmering particles touched the atmosphere.
As her head came through the wide neck, she caught Pricilla's suspicious narrowed gaze, sweeping in to astonishment as the final transformation settled around Cinderella. The heap of cream fabric in the softest Chinese silk fell around her slight body. And as each fastener, stay by stay, molded her form, she wished for…for what?
The shimmers in the air morphed to a phosphorescence glow that could only be described as magical. Cinderella's body prickled with chill bumps, making her feel both light-headed and dizzy. Panicked. She glanced about the chamber for a crack in the floor.
Pricilla's quick sharp gasp brought Essie's head around sharply. Her gaze shot straight to Pricilla's focus-Cinderella. Silence deafened her, well, except for the blood pounding furiously through. Heat flaming her cheeks, Cinderella turned to the mirror in a slow thick motion. She met Pricilla's accusing and Essie's confused gazes in the glass.
"Je suis désolée. I'm sorry, I-I could not find a way-this must appear. Non. I-I should have told you." Tears streamed down her cheeks. But a sudden moment of resilience gripped her. Cinderella threw her shoulders back, tilted her head up, spun and looked at Essie. "I love him, you know. Me."
"But…but how?" Essie whispered. "How did you do it? You were at the ball. You are the mysterious princess."
Cinderella slid to the floor on knees that no longer supported her. She covered her mouth with trembling fingers and closed her eyes against the hate and ridicule she would see in their expressions. A deathlike hush settled over the chamber. She gathered her courage and lifted her eyes to face their wrath.
But it wasn't anger that met her. Essie's mouth hung open, and Pricilla studied her with an intense practicality.
"I h-had a fairy godmother," she stammered. "She did it to me."
"A fairy godmother?" Pricilla echoed in disbelief.
"She did not do everything. You look-beautiful," Essie choked out. "They are going to know. The minute we walk into that ballroom, they are all going to know. We cannot hide it!" Essie was stunned. But then a light lit her steady unblinking eyes. "That's right; they are all going to know! How could I possibly marry Prince now?" Her relief would have been comical any other moment.