A CHARMING FOOL
A Cinderella Story
RACHEL CLARK
A charming country estate emerged from behind a grove of ash trees. As my bay horse trotted along the dirt path, I spotted golden brown hair peeking over the stone wall. A woman worked in the garden by the side of the house. She drew water from the well and sprinkled it over the flower bushes. Back and forth, she trudged with a wooden bucket. As I neared, she set down the bucket and wiped the sweat from her forehead. Her eyes met mine, and she smiled lively. It was infectious, and I couldn’t help but smile back.
“Isn’t it a little too hot to be working outside?” I called from my side of the wall. The woman put a scarred hand on her hip and used the other to block the sun from her eyes. “A hard day’s work never ends, sir. Doesn’t matter the weather.”
I stopped beside the wall. “Is anyone helping you? Where are the other servants?” The estate clearly belonged to an aristocrat, but I couldn’t be bothered to remember which one. What an oddity to find it scarce of workers.
“Usually no one helps me,” she said, a friendly bearing still about her. “Don’t worry, though. I’m strong enough to do it myself.” She held up one of her arms to show off her muscles.
A loud laugh escaped me. “I can see that.” I glanced back at the path behind me and beyond the hills at the royal hunting grounds far in the distance. “Would you mind if I offered my services?”
“What are you, a gardener?” she said incredulously. The woman picked up her bucket and turned away She shouted over her shoulder “You look too tidy to even associate with me. Might as well move further down the road and proceed with your business.”
I didn’t want to leave. This was the most interesting thing to happen all week. “Can I at least continue talking with you? I won’t hinder your work.”
“Are you bored or something?” I nodded readily The woman sighed, seeing my obvious request. “Get in here, then. Enter through the side gate.” She pointed toward the west wall of the garden.
I hopped off my horse. Taking the reins and guiding him along the wall, I came to the side entrance. I hoped no one from the noble family saw me sneaking inside as I followed a path in the garden.
After I tied my bay horse to a pergola covered with trailing plants, the woman tossed me a rake. I barely caught it in time; it nearly smacked my face. When I gave a confused look, she raised her eyebrows. “If you want to stay, you have to work. You offered, right?”
The woman took her own rake and went to a corner of the garden where ash trees grew. At the end of autumn, the leaves were a bright red on the brink of withering. Many had already fallen to the ground, creating piles of crimson. I stared at the woman as she began raking. I hadn’t noticed before, but the scars on both her hands were from burns. I wondered at the tragedy she must have endured. I didn’t think about it too long. My mind, instead, went to my own interest in our meeting. Was it the way she spoke to me as if I was anyone, without influence from my station?
I placed the thought aside and followed her lead. I raked a few leaves into a pile and felt prouder of myself than I should have. I’d never done work like this in my life. Why did I decide to now?
“Where do you come from anyway, sir?”
I glanced at the woman, who focused intently on her task. A gentle, determined air surrounded her. “No place interesting.”
I was envious of the simplicity and clarity that entered my own mind as I diligently attended the assignment given to me. I wished to experience this everyday. But all my wants and feelings didn’t matter. After raking the autumn leaves, I needed to depart. My responsibilities existed outside this garden, beyond the charming estate.
The palace was bustling with preparations for the upcoming masquerade ball, an event my father planned without my consent. He wanted to find me a bride as soon as possible, so I could start producing heirs. I understood his concern, but I was not ready ~2~
for marriage. I certainly didn’t want to marry some nobleman’s daughter after meeting her for the first time at a ball. Whatever happened to falling in love?
I supposed there was no room to complain. My obligation lay with politics and the betterment of the kingdom, not my selfish desires. Arguing with my father wasn’t productive anyway.
A servant finally entered my bedchamber with the navy blue suit I’d wear to the ball for the first night. I was dressed up in finery with a silver tassel brooch and cufflinks. The last touch: a dark blue mask embellished with silver stars.
By the time my father came to fetch me, the ball had already started. The royals liked to leave their guests waiting for a grand entrance, always at the center of attention.
The ballroom doors burst open, and the orchestra played an introduction tune. Every aristocrat in attendance whipped their heads, gawking as our arrival was announced. “King Basilius and Prince Regulus,” the attendant roared. Applause erupted as we made our way down one side of the curved double staircase. When I reached the floor, I was immediately pounced on by noble ladies wanting to begin a conversation. Boring conversations, no doubt, with desperate women trying to increase their station for nothing more than greed and pride. Then, would come the dancing. Oh, how I loathed dancing. It was going to be a long night.
Around eleven o'clock, I escaped the throng and headed outside. My father would lecture me later, but I needed the break. I went into the hedge garden and sat down on one of the many stone benches. I stretched out my legs, seemingly far too informal for such an important event.
The night air kissed my cheeks as I scanned the deserted garden. However, movement in my peripheral caught my attention, and I straightened as I realized the garden wasn’t as empty as I’d originally thought. Sitting on a stone bench deeper in the hedges was a beautiful woman dressed in a light blue ball gown with matching gloves. The bodice was embroidered with lace that trickled down the skirt in swirls. Her hair was braided and decorated with white pearls. A simple mask of billowing sky blue and white adorned her face. ~3~
As we locked eyes, a wave of fascination washed over me. Before I could move, the woman stood and gracefully sauntered over. “May I sit?” she asked, her voice richly woven like velvet.
“Of course,” I said, too shaky for my liking. “What brings you to the gardens, my lady?”
The woman sat down beside me and smiled. There was something familiar and warm about that smile. “It felt stifling inside the ballroom. I needed a chance to breathe.”
I nodded. “I feel the same. Too many people. Too much pretense.”
She giggled softly. “This is my first ball. In the past, I thought I must be missing something by not attending, but now I see it’s not the spectacle I believed it to be.”
“It is a spectacle nonetheless. Don’t let the posturing nobles deceive you. This is a spectacle of fools.”
“You are here, aren’t you?” She peered left and right, jokingly. “Are you a fool?”
“I’m a witness. Without my observations, these peacocks would flaunt themselves unceasingly Who else would challenge them?”
“I see, so you are a hero keeping their egos in check.”
“I suppose,” I said, knowing this woman was flaming my own ego and proving me a fool. After a short silence, I asked, “Do you plan on attending the next two nights?”
“It depends. Will they be as tedious as this one?”
I wanted to see this mysterious woman again. If her presence made these events bearable, I might be glad for the opportunity to attend them. “Perhaps I can keep you company. Then, it won’t be as dull an evening.”
“Do you claim your company is interesting?” Her audacious mood radiated ruthlessly
“Aren’t you captivated by my charms at all, my lady?”
The woman thought to herself for a moment. She placed her gloved hands in her lap. “You're a humorous fool. I’ll give you that. It is possible you might win me over yet.” She glanced at a pocket watch hidden in her skirt and stood. “I’m afraid our ~4~
arrangement will have to wait for tomorrow. It is time for me to bid you goodnight, my lord.” She curtsied deeply.
“Why must you leave? The night is still young.” I wanted to continue our conversation. I needed to see her smile more.
“I must make it home before my sister and her mother.” With a wave, the woman left me alone in the garden. I watched her stride up the steps of the palace. Didn’t she come to the ball with her family? Why would she need to leave before them?
I slapped my cheeks and stopped those useless thoughts. The desire deep in my heart to learn more didn’t dare to surface. I didn’t even know who she was, or if she’d really show up the next night. It was best to push my hopes down.
The full moon gleamed on this cloudless night. I stood on a balcony overlooking the palace courtyard, watching as guests arrived for the second night of the ball. Many carriages came and went, but I didn’t spot the mysterious woman.
Tonight, the suit and mask I wore were both pitch black. It helped me blend into the shadows of the balcony, unnoticed by the nobility gallivanting below The tailor had been aghast when I requested the dark color. A prince should always appear approachable, but I wasn’t in the mood to socialize. I didn’t want to entertain my father’s hopes that these balls would work.
“Do you plan on standing there all evening, or will you at least greet our guests?” My father emerged from the bright interior of the palace onto the dimly lit balcony. When I didn’t answer and continued gazing at the sky, he added, “I shouldn’t even ask. You’d happily ignore everyone and stay here until the sun rises.” The king sighed, an unfitting sound he’d never repeat in other company. He moved beside me and leaned on the balustrade.
My father was a handsome man even as he aged. He possessed a dignified sharpness to his features, and I supposed I resembled him in that regard. However, I was often told I took after my mother in personality. She was a stubborn woman according to my father, a troublemaker who never quite fit into the conformity of noble life. I wished I could remember more about her. All I knew was what others told me,
and how should I know if that was true? People either idolize or demonize the deceased. In reality, they were never that amazing or infamous, but people can only hold on to those extreme memories. Their trivial memories faded away long ago.
“Do you have to force me?” I ask into the darkness. “Can’t you let me find happiness in my own way?”
Father stared at me with great intensity. “I take your happiness seriously, Regulus. These balls aren’t meant to force you into anything. I’m just trying to give you options.”
“I don’t want any of these options.” I glowered down at the nobles slowly entering the palace.
“You haven’t given them a chance. How can you know?”
My head whipped to look at my father. “I do know. I’ve talked to most of these nobles at one event or another They’re all the same pampered narcissists.”
“You have responsibilities to consider.” Father turned his stern tone up a notch.
“I would never force you into a marriage, but a prince needs to look at his options. Stop daydreaming and get serious.”
All of his words were things I’d told myself a million times. Why was I pushing back so hard now?
When I didn’t reply, my father said, “I expect to see you in the ballroom tonight conversing and dancing with our guests.” With that, he left me alone on the balcony.
I peered toward the palace gates as the last carriage approached. It seemed to be a straggler. I promised myself I’d go inside once this last aristocrat disappeared from my sight.
A silver heel planted itself on the cobblestone, and a gorgeous woman emerged from the carriage. I squinted for a better look. From the distance, it was hard to tell if it was the mysterious woman from the previous night. She was dressed in a sparkling dress of silver. The moonlight bounced off her, and the subsequent reflected light gave her a shining aura. The woman walked with poise toward the palace.
I wanted to see if it was her, so I left the balcony behind. When I entered the ballroom, my father had already been announced. I barely heard my own name echoing ~6~
off the walls as I spotted the moonlight woman on the other side of the ballroom. I ignored the countless people shocked by my sudden entrance. As I reached the bottom of the staircase, the quiet ballroom parted, creating an aisle for me to walk through.
Murmurs cut through the crowd, intrigued and confused. I didn’t let them sway my decision. The woman shining like the moon stared at me beneath her crystal, glittering mask. As I approached her, I extended my hand. “Would you care to dance, my lady?” I said while trying to conceal my shallow breathing.
I saw her hazel eyes, for the first time since I entered the ballroom, glance away from me. When her gaze fell upon my face again, she whispered so no one else could hear, “I don’t know how. I’ll only embarrass you.”
Leaning in closer, I said, “Do you want to know a secret? I may know the dances by heart, but I have two left feet.” I chuckled, “Might as well have a lovely dance partner by my side to distract from my inadequacy.” I gave her a small smile. As desperate as I wanted this woman’s company, I didn’t want to scare her away either. If she didn’t reciprocate, I’d back off.
To my surprise, she returned the smile. “It won’t be much of a secret once we start dancing.” The woman placed her gloved hand in mine. “But I’ll give it a try.”
After praying for my palms to stop sweating, I nodded toward the orchestra. A little bewildered by the scene, the conductor scrambled around for a music sheet. He tapped his stand, the musicians stiff with attention. The crowd of people quickly moved from the center of the ballroom, hugging the walls.
As the music slowly began, I gently placed my right hand on her waist and moved our already clasped hands into position. The woman hesitated for a moment, her eyes once again scanning the ballroom before putting her free hand on my shoulder.
The music swelled, and we began moving. I guided the resplendent woman through the steps of the dance. We twirled around the ballroom and the outside world seemed to fade away. As I looked into her eyes, nothing else mattered. I wished deeply to take off her mask and see the face underneath. I needed to know who she was, whether I would recognize her or not.
When the song came to an end, our ragged breathing was the only sound in the otherwise silent room. The woman peered up at me. “I thought you said you were bad at dancing. That was rather impressive to me.”
I smirked, probably too proud of myself. “I said I had two left feet. Who could guess they would do so well.” Suddenly fixating on all the places we were still touching, I released her from my hold. I bowed to her, and she curtsied in kind.
From across the room, I spotted my father, who was standing grimly with his arms crossed. Since the performance was over, people changed from their whispered comments to a burst of conversation. I lost sight of my father as a wave of people went to speak with him, presumably to gossip about the mysterious woman and I.
Someone bumped into me from behind, and the jerking motion caused my mask to fall off my face. The servant, who had been trying to squeeze through the crowd with a tray of drinks, apologized profusely I picked my mask off the floor and retied it. A masquerade was an occasion for people to hide their identities for an evening, but for the prince of a kingdom it hardly mattered. Everyone here already knew what I looked like; the mask was more for partaking in the event.
As I focused my attention back to the woman, I found she was walking away. It would be unbecoming for a prince to chase after anyone, but the fool I was did so anyway. I caught her by the arm, her glove silky. Startled, she turned toward me.
“I apologize,” I said, dropping my hand. “I wanted to speak with you some more, my lady.”
The woman frowned, a reaction I wasn’t expecting. “I should be the one to apologize, my prince. I did not realize who you were until this moment.”
She went to turn away again, but I stepped in front of her. “Why should that be a problem?” My stomach began to stir as I discerned what she was implying. It was something I feared most from our encounters. I knew she didn’t recognize me the first night we met, so I was hoping she’d continue to be oblivious. I wanted her to keep viewing me, not as the prince, but as a person.
She sighed. “I am unworthy of your attention. Please, don’t waste your time anymore.”
At this, I grabbed her gloved hand without thinking. “What does that mean? I have cherished the opportunity to speak with you. I thought we felt the same about these foolish balls.”
“I am the fool,” she muttered to herself. Then with a forceful gaze, she said to me, “Am I only entertainment for you, your highness? Are you using me to quell your boredom?”
“No, of course I am not using you to quell my boredom. I’m interested in getting to know you.”
The woman glanced at the golden clock hung like a chandelier. “You would not like who I am behind this facade.” She pulled her hand out of my grasp and left. Again, I pursued her, not a single care for the haughty eyes watching.
As she rushed down the palace steps toward an awaiting carriage, I yelled, “At least tell me your name!” The woman didn’t even glance back. The carriage departed as swiftly as it came.
The third night of the ball arrived, and all the nobles were anxious and eager They didn’t have any luck the previous nights, but tonight would definitely be the time their daughters could court the prince. Or so they would think. Being the prince myself, I knew better than them, in more ways than one. If their daughter wasn’t the mysterious woman, they wouldn’t be receiving even an iota of attention from me.
I was lying rather shamelessly in a chair, my legs sprawled over the sides, when my father approached, a look of disdain on his regal face. “Have you forgotten all sense of propriety? We are entertaining guests.”
Indeed, I glimpsed over his shoulder and scrutinized the nobility in attendance. All night they’ve been trying to slide into my good graces, and all night I’ve shown them my worst. I was done playing perfect prince. I could still handle those responsibilities I was worried about without marrying one of these vain ladies. I refused to tolerate the peacocks any longer.
“I am entertaining them. Don’t they look entertained?” The nobles were dissecting my behavior. A benevolent father would think I’ve gone mad and keep his
precious daughter away from me. These fools don’t care about their daughters, though. All they care about is status. Who cares if the prince is brazen and defiant? A prince can do anything in their eyes as long as it benefits them.
“Stop throwing a temper tantrum like a little boy, and act like a prince.” My father was my greatest adversary. A king needed to prepare his heir for a bloodbath, throwing him in the deep end. If I don’t swim, I sink. But if I sink, I’ll be mauled by a hidden coup. For this guidance, I was grateful to my father. However, if he wanted me to be responsible, then he needed to let me take responsibility
“I’ll make a deal with you,” I sat up straight in my chair. “I’ll stop acting like a child, if you stop treating me like one.”
My father seemed taken aback by my statement when he didn’t answer I didn't expect an answer to begin with, but I didn’t want to wait either. Rising from the chair, I stalked out of the ballroom.
Lounging on the palace steps, I wished I’d grabbed a bottle of wine from the kitchen on my way out. The stillness of night and the shimmering stars calmed me down. Nothing besides the breeze to disturb me.
My respite was over when a lone carriage drove through the courtyard and stopped at the palace steps. Why was someone arriving so late to the ball? What a nuisance.
The negative thoughts spinning around my mind halted as a woman dressed head to heel in gold stepped out of the carriage. The bodice was embellished with flowers that trailed down the dress like hanging vines. Her hair was swept back in a bun with a gilded headband on top. The mask adorning her face was made with golden feathers. She resembled the sun incarnate.
As she steadily ambled up the palace steps, I couldn’t stop myself from gawking. Especially against the dark landscape, she appeared out of place. My own plain, white suit was dull in comparison.
I stood quickly, almost losing my balance, and said, “My lady, we meet again.” I couldn’t think of anything else. When she didn’t reply and instead gazed at me vehemently, I added, “Why are you arriving at this hour? It is nearly midnight.” I had ~10~
noticed during the previous nights that the mysterious woman always seemed to leave before the clock struck midnight. She mentioned that she needed to be home before her family I wondered if there might’ve been a different reason as well.
“I wanted to speak with you one last time before this grand event is over. I left on bad terms, and I regret it.” The woman moved closer and placed her gloved hand on my sleeve. “All our talk of fools, and I’ve come to a realization. Selfishly, I’ve looked forward to these balls even though I shouldn’t. Our conversations have been more meaningful than anything I could’ve imagined. I was wrong to think you only spoke with me for amusement. I see now, I was just scared. Scared you’d see me for who I really am beneath these layers of finery and elegant speech.”
I was taken aback by her sincerity I only met this woman two nights ago, yet she seemed to be the puzzle piece missing from my colorless life. “I’m glad you no longer misunderstand my intentions, but what is this all about?”
Her voice sounded defeated and pleading as she said, “I have a wish that will not come true.” She took a deep, steadying breath. “My dear prince, I’m afraid this is the last time we’ll be seeing each other.”
As the woman turned to leave, I grabbed her hand, stopping her in her tracks. “Earlier, you said that you had come to a realization,” I spoke quickly and without much thought. Anything to make her stay. “What was it? What did you realize?” In my heart, I knew what answer I wanted. I wished for her to face me and say the words echoing in my mind.
A sob broke from the woman. “It can never be.” She yanked her hand from my grip, but her glove came off. Revealed was a familiar scarred hand I recognized. The woman’s eyes widened before she ran down the palace steps. The carriage was waiting to whisk her away, but I couldn’t let that happen. Not even as the shock threatened to overtake my senses.
“Guards! Stop that woman!” I chased after her. A group of guards followed me out of the palace. She was inside the carriage in a flash, and it took off toward the gate.
“Close the gate!” I yelled, but it was too late. The carriage was already through and racing down the road.
Partygoers exited the palace to catch a glimpse of the commotion. My father hurried to my side and demanded to know what was going on. In the blurred chaos and confusion of the people around me, I held the glove close to my chest and murmured, “I am a fool in love.”