Ashes of Cinder

6

For the first time since ages, you had free time on your hands. It started as another normal day of doing chores, chores, and more chores, but the process was soon interrupted when luck came in to rescue you. A tailor visited the household today - a young woman that wore clothing with fashionable frills everywhere. She sauntered into the house with a large luggage that probably contained her fine sewing kit and since your stepmother didn't want to embarrass herself with you, she made you hide. You only saw this new stranger from far away, but you were actually glad you didn't have to meet her; she would turn up her nose at the sight of you for sure.

An excited smile on your face, you scurried through the hallways. Your daily hair combing for your stepsisters was interrupted and now you had hours left of free time. Reaching the one dirty room that you resided in, you shut the door behind you. Stepmother never installed a lock on the door, but it would have to make do. If your precious sisters had something important going on, she wouldn't bother to check on you. Your bare feet stepping over the ashes that stained the tiled floor, you crossed the small space and went to rummage through the big pile of unused, forgotten junk.

It was the perfect place to hide your treasure.

Having found what you were searching for, you pulled the material out from the dark gap your arm had squeezed through. What came out was an old, wooden coat hanger that was draped of mismatched fabric. You didn't have a mannequin, so you had to be creative. A mixed array of red and pink colors, the fabric did not come close to looking like a dress at all. You had been too busy lately to work on this - which meant you had to make up most of it today.

There was only a month left until the ball arrived. Within this time frame, you had to gather the courage to ask for stepmother's permission to go...as well as finish up a decent-looking dress.

Humming a sweet, soft tune under your breath, you pulled out a small sewing box from the pile. Your finger carefully maneuvering around, you picked up the small needle that glimmered coolly between the sunlight. Slipping a pink thread through the hole of the end of the needle, you gracefully tied the knots that secured it.

You looked at the mess of tatters in front of you with a determined face; it was time to get started.

An hour passed. Another few. Fabric coming together, the torso part of the dress was slowly beginning to look like a dress. The warm shade of pink wrapped to where your waist would've laid and the long sleeves were stitched together with enough space inside to fit your arms. Red fabric darted the edge of the sleeves, picturing up pretty details of flowers. A red flower brooch was also stuck onto the front of the dress, sitting where your heart would be.

Admiring your art for a few moments, you flinched when you heard the sound of your nickname from the distance. "Cinder! Where are you?! Why haven't you started making supper, you insolent child?!"

Relieved that she chose to call for you instead of barging into the room, you shoved your work in progress back into its hidden place. Brushing yourself off and straightening yourself out, you quickly got out of the room.

When the kitchen appeared, you were in for a surprise. Standing in the dining room were Rosa and Delphine, twirling and giggling together. Each of them wore ballroom dresses that magnificently reached the floor. Exquisite lining, laces, and patterns dotted each of them. Rosa wore a pink-orange dress, while Delphine wore a midnight blue gown. The two of them looked like princesses to you.

Your heart twisted in envy. The two sisters then paused in their celebration, looking over at you in surprise. As they did that, it made you feel like the true outcast that you were. The happiness from earlier that came from working on your own dress was gone; all you wished to do now was disappear.