6بخش

Oh, hello again.

Thank you for your help.

It really was like a dream.

Better than a dream.

Ella couldn’t wait to write down all that had happened, so that she might remember every single bit of it just as if she were telling her mother and father about the palace ball and her time with the prince.

Above all, the prince.

Oh, you’ve come.

Good.

Oh, Father.

Don’t go.

I must.

You needn’t be alone.

Take a bride.

The Princess Chelina.

What if I commanded you to do so?

I love and respect you, but I will not.

I believe that we need not look outside of our borders for strength or guidance.

What we need is right before us.

And we need only have courage and be kind to see it.

Just so.

You’ve become your own man.

Good.

And perhaps, in the little time left to me, I can become the father you deserve.

You must not marry for advantage.

You must marry for love. Find that girl.

Find her.

The one they’re all talking about.

The forgetful one who loses her shoes.

loses her shoes.

Oh, be cheerful, boy.

Thank you, Father.

Thank you, Kit.

I love you, son.

I love you, Father.

Once the time for mourning had passed, a proclamation was sent out.

Hear ye!

Hear ye!

Hear ye!

Know that our new king hereby declares his love for the mysterious princess as wore glass slippers to the ball.

And requests that she present herself at the palace, whereupon, if she be willing, he will forthwith marry her with all due ceremony.

Are you looking for this?

There must be quite a story to go with it.

Won’t you tell me?

No?

All right then.

I shall tell you a story.

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl who married for love.

And she had two loving daughters.

All was well. but, one day, her husband, the light of her life, died.

The next time, she married for the sake of her daughters.

But that man, too, was taken from her.

And she was doomed to look every day upon his beloved child.

She had hoped to marry off one of her beautiful, stupid daughters to the prince.

But his head was turned by a girl with glass slippers.

And so.

I lived unhappily ever after.

My story would appear to be ended.

Now, tell me yours.

Did you steal it?

No.

It was given to me.

Given to you?

Given to you.

Nothing is ever given.

For everything, we must pay and pay.

That’s not true.

Kindness is free.

Love is free.

Love is not free.

Now, here is how you will pay me, if you are to have what you desire.

No one will believe you, a dirty servant girl without a family, if you lay claim to the prince’s heart.

But with a respectable gentlewoman to put you forward, you will not be ignored.

When you are married, you will make me the head of the royal household.

Anastasia and Drisella we will pair off with wealthy lords.

And I shall manage that boy.

But he’s not a boy.

And who are you?

How would you rule a kingdom?

Best to leave it to me.

That way we all get what we want.

No.

No?

I was not able to protect my father from you, but I will protect the prince and the kingdom.

no matter what becomes of me.

Well, that is a mistake.

No!

Why?

Why are you so cruel?

I don’t understand it.

I’ve tried to be kind to you.

You?

Kind to me?

Yes.

And though no one deserves to be treated as you have treated me.

Why do you do it?

Why?

Why?

Because you are young, and innocent, and good.

And I.

No!

No!

May I ask where you got this?

From a ragged servant girl in my household.

The mystery princess is a commoner.

You could imagine when I discovered her subterfuge how horrified I was.

You told no one else?

Not even my own daughters.

No one need ever know the truth.

You’ve spared the kingdom a great deal of embarrassment.

And I should like to keep it that way.

Are you threatening me?

Yes.

So what do you want?

I should like to be a countess.

And I require advantageous marriages for my two daughters.

Done.

And the girl?

Oh.

Do with her what you will.

She’s nothing to me.

Where?

Abandoned on the side of the road.

And have you found her?

The girl?

No, she’s disappeared.

There must be some reason she vanished.

Perhaps she has been prevented from speaking.

Do not lose heart, Kit.

On the contrary, lose heart and gain wisdom.

The people need to know that the kingdom is secure.

That the king has a queen, and the land may have an heir.

They want to face the future with certainty!

Agreed!

Then let us be certain.

I am king.

I say we shall seek out the mystery princess, even if she does not want to be found.

I have to see her again.

But if she’s not found.

then for the good of the kingdom, you must marry the Princess Chelina.

For the good of the kingdom.

Very well, agreed.

But Your Highness.

But you will spare no effort.

Your Majesty, of course.

You have my word.

Next.

The slipper traveled the length and breadth of the kingdom, visiting every maiden both high and low, and every sort in between.

Oh, Lord!

You first, madam.

Well, I’ll give it a go.

Right.

I say.

Where do you want me?

Oh!

Up!

Up I go.

Oh, careful, my foot’s a bit swollen.

I’ve been.

It’s the yeast.

The Grand Duke was true to his word.

He spared no effort to demonstrate to the prince that the mystery princess was not to be found.

It fits!

It doesn’t fit you.

It does fit!

It doesn’t fit.

It’s mine!

I am the mystery princess!

Give back the shoe.

Take the shoe away from her!

Don’t take the shoe away from me, please, please!

Please, it’s my shoe!

Make way for the slipper!

Can I try the other foot?

I don’t think so.

But whatever they tried,the magical slipper refused to fit even the most eligible of maidens.

We found the mystery princess for ya!

What’s wrong, Captain?

We haven’t found the girl.

I’m disappointed for our king.

Oh, come on, now!

Don’t lose heart.

There’s one more house.

We must leave no stone unturned.

Horses!

Horses!

Mother, it’s our chance!

Let them in!

Gentlemen!

What a wonderful surprise.

A moment of your time, good lady.

Of course, Your Grace.

Please.

This way.

Ella did not know who was downstairs.

Nor did she care.

For surely no one had come to see her.

Jacqueline, stop it!

It shrunk.

Try again.

Oh, enough!

Though Ella was sad,her spirit was not broken.

She knew that the ball, and her time with the prince, would become beautiful, distant memories, like those of her father and mother, and her golden childhood.

It fits me!

Bad luck, miss.

Very well.

Our task is done, Captain.

But fate may yet be

kind to us, girls.

Indeed, madam!