“Two dances back to back?”

“Has the Prince gone mad for good?”

“This is unthinkable!”

The court gossipers were fuming in their fancy outfits, equally surprised and outraged that their monarch could throw away protocol like it were nothing only to satisfy the whims of his royal cock. Rules and regulations existed for a reason and while those in power had some leverage when it came to circumventing them, it was expected that they didn’t when the future of the kingdom was at stake. He ought to know better and do better as well if he were to continue in the good graces of both rich and poor.

Prince Phillip approached the beautiful and mysterious stranger once again, and even the orchestral sounds froze for a moment, suspended in the anticipation of what the new moment would bring for them.

“Your Highness?” Ellen gasped. “I didn’t expect the pleasure of your company so soon.”

“Neither did I, but it seems I can’t keep myself away from you for long, Lady Sin.” He took her by the right hand, drawing her closer to his puffed chest. “You have the most peculiar effect on me.”

“I can definitely see an effect,” she glanced at his growing bulge and laughed “though I thought things like that were natural phenomena and had nothing peculiar about them.”

“Your sense of humor is definitely out of this world, My Lady.” His fingers clawed into hers as he pulled her to the dancing spotlights again.

“That’s because I’m not of this world, My Lord.” Ellen followed his lead.

“What world are you from then?”

“My own, of course.”

“Yet another unusual answer...”

“You better get used to them. There are plenty more where that came from.”

“How about straightforward ones? Do those exist in your world as well?”

“Yes, but they’re certainly not as fun as the others, so you should ask yourself if that’s something you really want or not.”

“And if I say ‘yes’, will you indulge me?”

“That would depend on the question.” Ellen adjusted her mask and, for a moment, he could see past it, a fleeting glimpse of her breathtaking and yet worn-out beauty, eyes that had seen far too many hardships. Was she speaking from experience when she had told him about the crushing weight of the world a few minutes prior?

“I have but one.”

“Which is...?”

“Are you sad?”

“Sad? Now you’re the one being odd...”

“Please forgive me. I mean no offense. It’s just...”

“Just what, My Lord?”

“I thought I saw a dark cloud over you right now, a feeling of incompleteness...”

“Even if that were true, how would a man in your position recognize such a feeling? Surely, with all of this at your fingertips, you never wanted something you couldn’t have.”

“You would be surprised.”

“Oh? What secrets are you hiding, My Lord?”

“Why should I tell them to you if you’re so keen on keeping your own?”

“You shouldn’t. Not until trust is earned for trust is the key to all mysteries.”

“That’s something we can agree on and trust is something severely lacking inside the palace walls.”

“Not a rose garden then?”

“Far from it unless the only thing you like in roses are thorns.”

“Is that something you should be saying?”

“No, it isn’t, so I’m counting on your tact to not repeat my words around indiscreet ears.”

“My lips are sealed though that’s an awful lot of trust to place on someone you’ve just met.”

“I suppose it is, but I’ll stand by it. Even though you hide behind a mask, you seem to be one of the few genuine persons around here.”

“And why do you say that, My Lord?”

“Look around...” He spun her in the center of the ballroom, a whirlwind of ravenous faces locked on them. “Most people around here have only gathered out of her own personal interests. They all have an agenda to play even if few will downright admit it. They don’t really care about my birthday or any of the things I might aspire for in my personal life because, deep down, to them, I’m not really a person but just a crown and a title, put on this earth to satisfy their desires. Loyalty is a myth, but deception isn’t. They’ll smile at you left and right, tell you everything they think you want to hear, and then backstab you the moment you do something they don’t agree with. That’s the world I was born into. The garden has always been decayed and that won’t change soon.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, but that doesn’t explain why you think me different from the rest.”

“Because you are. I can sense it. You tease me with your innuendos and challenge my perceptions with every answer you’ve given me so far. I believe you when you say you’re not of this world because if you were, you would be a sycophant like everyone else.”

“Unless my attitude is part of an elaborate ruse to trick you... have you considered that?”

“I’ve considered many things since our first dance and the thing that struck the most was how much I wanted this second chance and then a third and a fourth... I’m ready for the unusual, Lady Sin. Are you ready for me?”

Ellen looked up and saw the Fairy Godmother winking at her. Cinderella couldn’t be happier with the way things were going, a true breath of fresh air in an otherwise string of recent poor results. With every dimension she visited, every new retelling of all girl’s secret fantasy, there was less enchantment in the air, fewer possibilities of happy endings. The aura of sinister cynicism pervading the world faded whenever the young girl smiled and blushed.

“I do not know yet what you seek, Your Highness, but I’m willing to help you discover it.”

“Good. And please... call me Phillip.”

“For real?”

“Yes.”

“In that case, call me Sin, and let’s leave all titles and pretenses behind while the music plays...”

“I like the sound of that.”

Tatiana couldn’t say the same. After cups of mead. keeping as far away as possible from prying eyes, the stepmother was back to her more subdued, conniving self, all the while Prudence and Drusilla pondered what to do next. The game of seduction was already hard enough without the stranger’s meddling. As the minutes went by, it was starting to seem absolutely impossible to win.

“Don’t you dare think that!” Tatiana snarled. “The night is still young.”

“But he only has eyes for her now, mother!” Drusilla said. “How are we supposed to compete?”

“Not by staying on the sidelines! Why are you still here, giving her all the advantage? I thought I taught you better than that!”

“Who is this woman, anyway?”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to find out. So far, I’ve got nothing, but there may be someone who knows. Now, where did that son of a bitch run off to?”

Ears burning, the Count of Montparnasse exited one of the many bathrooms on the second floor of the palace and rejoined the festivities from the same spot where he had left them. Though he had done his best to tidy his attire on his own, the signs of disarray were there for anyone that dared take a closer look, the more obvious ones being a single speck of glistening cum on his wig and a rose button-shaped stain on his frock. He was immediately met with the disapproving gaze of his owner that said:

“Stay still.”

He gulped and waited for her to navigate the crowd of guests once more. That was a sure sign of trouble and he already had plenty of spare.

“You had to do it, didn’t you?” Tatiana towered over him and slapped his chin.

“Do what, Mistress?”

“Don’t play innocent. You disobeyed me!” She whispered in his ears like a venomous snake about to strike. “I specifically said you had to be in your chambers to jack off, but you just couldn’t keep your hands away from your stupid cock!”

“I’m sorry, Mistress, but the flesh has needs and...”

“The hell with you and your selfish needs! They’re not important! You got rid of a problem for me and now you’ll do it again. Who is she?”

“Who’s who, Mistress?”

“Her! That bitch the Prince is so enamored with! I’ve never seen her in my life and she comes in and steals all my thunder? Where did she come from? Who is she related to? Tell me everything you know about this Lady Sin!”

“Nothing, Mistress.”

“What do you mean, nothing? You helped with the guest list, did you not? You know every nobleman and woman from here to the Americas! You must know something about her!”

“I really don’t,” The Count observed Ellen’s gracious figure on the dance floor, thinking for a moment just how good of a wanking material she was. “I’m guessing she’s a last-minute addition to the list for someone with that name would never go unnoticed.”

“You guess? Is that really all you have to say?”

“Neither my knowledge nor my influence in the court is limitless, Mistress. There are always surprises in store and I guess this is one.”

“I hate surprises, so this is what you will do for me. The moment the music stops, go talk to her and keep her as far away from the Prince as you can. I don’t care what you need to do or how many favors you need to collect this time, but I don’t want to see that masked bitch anywhere near him or my daughters for the rest of the evening. Do you understand?”

“I do, but Mistress... people will get suspicious!”

“Not if you play your cards right. The Prince still has his responsibilities to attend to so I’ll gently remind him that. I’m giving you a chance to prove yourself worthy once more after the mess you just made. Will you take it or not?”

“It shall be as you say...” He scratched his fake hair and felt his fingers come out sticky. “I’ll do my best.”

“It better be more than that and it better be enough! My failure is also yours.”

“Yes, Mistress.”

Meanwhile, Ellen and Phillip continued to enjoy each other’s company, rubbing hands and thighs in lavish demonstrations of sensuality unlike anything else the court had ever seen. Twice, the musicians signaled the intention to stop the music and start another movement, and twice he told them to keep going, dragging the melody and the patience of those attending the celebration.

“You’re enjoying this a little too much, Phillip,” Ellen noted.

“Guilty as charged. This life isn’t as glamorous as everyone thinks it is, but it does have its perks.”

“We’ll need to stop soon.”

“Why? Isn’t the company to your liking?”

“On the contrary, but my feet are killing me. I need to sit and take a breather and you need to go back to your princely duties.”

“Do I really? Can’t I just have this moment to myself and savor it while it lasts?”

“Yes, but don’t overdo it. If you get too attached to just one moment in life, you’ll always compare it to all the others and end up liking neither.”

“You’re doing it again, Sin.”

“Doing  what?”

“Musing about things no other woman does. All my potential brides care about are the color of their dresses and the size of the jewels around their neck and here you are making profound statements about the meaning of life.”

“I’m not waxing philosophical if that’s what you mean.”

“I mean anything but that.”

“What do you mean, then?”

“What I said before. Your clothes are shiny, but that dark cloud over you is still there. You’ve seen and experienced some pretty bad things over the years, haven’t you?”

“And if I did? Does that change anything?”

“Perhaps not, but still... I would like to know. What troubles you, dear? Why does your heart ache so much?”

“Have you ever had a dream so beautiful and so intense you didn’t want to wake up from it?”

“Of course. Those are simultaneously the best and the worst of them all.”

“Yes, they are. They’re everything you might want but in the end, they’re just dreams and must fade.”

“Is this what you think this is? A dream?”

“I know it. And when the clock strikes midnight, so will you.”

“What happens at midnight?”

“You’ll see.” Ellen finally broke free from his warm embrace and went looking for a place to rest. He was right: she wasn’t complete. Not yet. Not until the memory of Tatiana’s brainwashing mantras completely vanished from her mind. The confidence she had experienced earlier when confronting her now flickered like a candle in the wind and, if it were to go out, what would become of her? Worry wrinkles formed on her forehead, and the veins in her hands grew sharper. Something was not right.

“Cinderella? I... I don’t feel so good. What’s happening to me?”

Before her supernatural companion could come to her aid, Ellen was already being approached by the weaselly Count. At the command of his Mistress, he was a man with a plan and nothing to lose except his last remaining shreds of dignity, and that made him a more dangerous opponent than anyone could expect. With one hour left until the twelfth stroke, Ellen’s problems at the Royal Ball were only just beginning.