You try your hardest to gain control of your actions, but other than a few twitches and whispered pleas, you remain seated, awaiting your fate. Next to you, May seems to bounce between enthusiasm and apology, leading you to suspect that she is also fighting compulsions of her own. Whatever force is making the two of you go along with this scenario had thankfully refrained from brainwashing you completely. Still, your body and behavior betray you with every action, or in this case, inaction.
“I realize this is hard for you, and I really don’t want to do this to you,” May confides. “But something is compelling me to play this part, and I get the feeling that if we satisfy the necessary events of the story, it’ll let us go.”
“How can you be sure?”
“I…just know. It’s not much to go on, I admit, but it’s all I have. If you cooperate, it might get easier.”
To your surprise, you manage to reach up and pinch the bridge of your nose in exasperation. Perhaps you are allowed actions that don’t interrupt the story. “Maybe, you’re right. This doesn’t mean I have to kiss the prince or anything, right?”
May bites her lip. “M-m-maybe?” Just great.
All too soon, the carriage pulls up to the castle steps. Endless rows of empty carriages sit nearby. Clearly, other guests had already arrived, leaving the huge courtyard out front empty.
“Fashionably late it is, I suppose,” May sighs. “Alright, Cinderella dear. Time to make your grand entrance.”
At this moment, a man in servant’s livery appears and opens the carriage door. Odd, the door had not been moveable back at the carnival. At least, it makes exiting in your voluminous skirt much easier. Taking the man’s gloved hand, you step lightly to the ground. Automatically, you give him a smile and a soft “Thank you, kind sir.”
His face reddens a bit, but he simply nods. “Of course, miss.”
You gracefully ascend the stairs, walking easily in your heels despite never having done so beforehand. At the castle entrance, you are met by an older gentleman with a few more tassels on his uniform. Bowing deeply, he greets you. “Welcome, young lady, to the grand ball. Please, if I may have your name, I will announce your arrival to the king and-”
Sudden shouting interrupts the man’s words. Turning, you see the servants running about in a panic as the unicorns pulling your carriage act on their own, guiding the vehicle over towards where the others are parked. Meanwhile, the other horses, sensing that these creatures are more than members of their own kind equipped with decorative horns, raise a ruckus that threatens to become a full-blown stampede. The older gentleman grows pale, and he quickly bows again. “Forgive me, m’lady. Please wait here a moment.” Quickly, he hurries down the stairs to try to salvage some order from this chaos.
Left alone, you hurry inside without waiting. Somehow, you feel that you would rather not be announced.
Once out of sight of anyone, you find your pace slowing. While your compulsion drives you onward, your unfamiliar surroundings force you to pick your way carefully so as not to get lost in this luxurious maze. High vaulted ceilings shimmer above you, and ornate furnishings line each hallway. It all makes you feel even smaller and more out of place.
At last, you reach the grand ballroom and step into what seems like another world. Bright colors swirl around you. Crowds of young women preen and chatter everywhere you look. Here and there, a servant winds his way through the guests, offering refreshments and drinks. Keeping to the walls, you slowly make your way farther into the ballroom. Great columns surrounding the vast open space in the middle provide some convenient cover, and while some of the other girls give you curious glances, nobody approaches you.
Well, it sure beats being the center of attention. Perhaps, you can blend in with the crowds until the party ends. Even as this thought crosses your mind, you walk around yet another pillar and blunder into a guardsman. The uniformed gentleman recovers quickly and catches your arm to help stabilize you. You feel grateful for the assistance, since the combination of your heavy skirts and narrow heels would have easily laid you flat.
“S-Sorry,” you stammer. “And thank you.”
The guardsman bows graciously in response.
And that’s when it happens. Behind the guard, you finally see what he had been protecting: a raised dais on which sat the royal family. There could be no mistake. The voluminous robes and crowns worn by the middle-aged couple, along with the high-backed plush thrones on which they lounged, identified their status even to an outsider like yourself. Next to them, a handsome young man stood resplendent in a decorated suit every bit as majestic as any robe. His dark hair is perfectly in place, and his back is ramrod straight. However, his deep blue eyes wander over the far walls and balconies, restless and maybe even bored.
Not good. You backpedal as quickly as you can, trying to retreat behind the pillar before…
The prince turns his head, curious about your little disturbance. Then, your eyes meet.