I watch in dismay as Prince Charming’s carriage drives away. It seems that the grime and soot from my daily chores created enough of a disguise that he didn’t recognize me. The dress my fairy godmother had so graciously provided had long since vanished. Without any way to prove that it was me that had danced with him, he had no choice but to move onto the next house. Looking for me.

Worst of all, my Stepmother was suspicious of my insistence that the prince might recognize me. I was supposed to be at home, doing chores while my step sisters enjoyed themselves at the ball. She couldn’t prove I actually went, but the cruel look in her eyes wordlessly told me that a particularly nasty slew of chores would be heading my way.

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Two weeks later, Prince Charming announced he would be hosting another grand ball, encouraging all who attended before to return for another night of mirth, stating that the previous one was so enjoyable it would be a shame to not host another. In reality, everyone was aware of the real reason for the second party. He wanted to coax out the mysterious woman he had spent most of the first evening with. The town hummed with rumors about who this mysterious woman was, but no one seemed to know for sure. As the night of the second ball approached, the town’s tailors found themselves in high demand as almost every eligible woman in town tried to commission a dress styled after the one worn by the mystery woman.

I, however, was stuck indoors. The watchful eye of my stepmother always looming as chore after chore was assigned to me, each one worse than the last. When the night of the ball approached, my stepsisters were sent off in their band new dresses, imitations of the one I had worn before. I was tasked of scrubbing every inch of the floor of the house. My stepmother only provided the smallest of brushes, and watched me closely the entire time, leaving me no opportunity to slip out to the ball. The grand clock tower slowly announced each passing hour, Prince Charming fruitlessly searching for the one maiden who was not in attendance.

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It’s been almost a year now since the first ball. Many more have followed, each more extravagant than the last. The royal reserves have been almost fully depleted by this point, despite the increased taxes levied by the crown. Prince Charming has taken to inviting women from surrounding kingdoms to these events, hoping in vain that she will show up. That I will show up. But my stepmother sees to it that I’m never given the chance.

Normal household chores are no longer a good enough punishment in her mind. These days, I spend most of my time locked in the basement, alone and in the dark. I don’t know when exactly she figured out that I was indeed the mystery woman, but she does everything in her power prevent another chance encounter. I was even quietly removed from the local census. Now, official records show that the only residents here are her and my two stepsisters. It seems she’d rather see the kingdom fall into ruin than let me have any happiness.

At night, when I’m alone, I find myself thinking. If only there was some way that Prince Charming could have identified me. Then, one night, in the silence and dark of my basement prison, a soft voice answers. I recognize it, although it’s been almost a rear since I’ve heard it. It’s my fairy godmother.

“Oh my seeet child. It seems things haven’t turned out quite right… do you want to try again?”

I nod my head, already formulating what to do differently. How I can leave some sort of clue to Prince Charming that I’m the one he’s searching for.