Cinders: The Untold Story of Cinderella

by Finley Aaron

  “Yes, all of that happened, save for the bloody pulp bit. I didn’t care to wait around for that.”

  Henry exhaled with loud relief and sat next to Ella on the pallet. “I rode all through town and checked every square, all the stocks. I was afraid of what I might find. How did you get out?”

  “I tried to work myself free—my wrists are a mess, you’ll see that in the morning. But finally a little old lady came along and popped the lock and set me free.”

  “Oh, you’re a lucky one. She’d face a fine if they ever found her.”

  “I don’t think she approved of what they’d done to me.”

  “So, he did beat you.”

  “He tried. You know me. I gave it to him just as well. You didn’t see his head, did you?”

  “He was wearing a mask, like everyone else.”

  “He’ll have a bruise near his right eye.” Ella was fully awake now. “But how did you even learn all this? Is he going around boasting of what he did?”

  “I was looking for someone else,” Henry admitted. “He’d danced with her earlier and I thought when I saw him, maybe she’d be nearby, or he’d know where to find her. I never got to ask, though. He saw me and told me exactly what he’d done. He hates you, you know. He’d kill you if he thought he could get away with it.”

  Ella knew the threat was real, but she laughed to chase the fear away. “He couldn’t get away with it. The crowds like me—you know that. Not all of them of course, but I’m very entertaining, and that means so much to them. If he tried to hurt me, he’d lose esteem in their sight. He can’t afford to lose that.”

  “He’s losing esteem already. I think that’s why he talks of taking to the eastern circuit.”

  “Is he going to do that, do you suppose?”

  “It would be a relief to me if he did, which may be the only reason why he hasn’t done it yet.” Henry shook his head. “But look, what are we doing sitting here? We’ve got to get packed and going.”

  “Going? What time is it?”

  “It’s the middle of the night. Might be dawn in two or three hours, but we don’t dare wait for sun’s light.”

  “What do you mean?” Ella asked, as bewildered as she’d been when he’d first awakened her.

  “Don’t be dense, Allard. Richard intends to beat you to a bloody pulp in the morning. He’s told all his friends, and he won’t disappoint them. Do you think slipping the stocks is going to stop him? He’ll only be more furious. He knows where our tent is pitched. I wouldn’t be surprised if he showed up here any minute.”

  Ella leapt to her feet. The only threat worse than being beaten was the knowledge that, if she survived it, Henry would haul her off to the medical tent, and then all her secrets would be uncovered. “Why didn’t I think of that? Yes, let’s pack and go!”

  Chapter Eighteen

  They tore down the tent by torchlight. Henry insisted they put on their armor, since Raedwald could arrive at any moment. Ella didn’t argue with him.

  Jerome had returned earlier. They awakened him and he helped them. None of them could bring themselves to awaken Sigismund, who was in a sausage-induced stupor, so they loaded him on his pallet into the back of the cart, atop their other belongings, and sneaked away just as the light of dawn colored the sky.

  “If we’re lucky,” Henry predicted, “Raedwald won’t go looking for you until later in the morning. If he tries to run after us too soon, he could very easily catch up to us.” He used the name Raedwald instead of Richard, because the route to the next tournament took them through town, and though most people were still asleep, anyone might overhear them at any time.

  Jerome assured them, “If Raedwald comes after you, run on ahead. I’ll keep track of the cart and meet you in Reims ahead of next week’s tournament.”

  But Henry frowned. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that. If they can’t catch Allard, they might take out their anger on you and Sigi.”

  Jerome made a whimpering noise. “Then what are we going to do?”

  “Stay ahead of them. I do think Raedwald will head for the eastern circuit, and they’re not going to waste a week looking for us,” Henry guessed.

  Ella hoped he was right, but she had hoped for many things in her life, and knew that the best way to see a hope fulfilled, was to make practical plans toward it.

  And she wasn’t nearly prepared to risk Sigismund and Jerome’s safety on a hope.

  Certainly not when Raedwald was involved.

  “If they catch up to us,” she determined, “I should part ways with you.”

  “Whatever do you mean?” Henry asked, sounding alarmed.

  “He’s upset with me,” Ella clarified.

  “He was upset with me first.”

  “Yes, but never so much as he is with me, and he knows he dare not hurt you. If I leave, he’ll feel victorious about running me off. It will appease his anger a bit, and save Jerome and Sigi from getting caught up in his anger.”

  “What do you mean, leave?” Henry pressed.

  “I mean I’ll go home and take time away from the tournament circuit, either until he goes east or his anger blows over, or he finds someone else to hate—someone unaffiliated with you.”

  Jerome offered his opinion, “I think that’s a fine idea.”

  “It’s a terrible idea,” Henry corrected, using his most authoritative voice. “And it won’t come to that. Raedwald’s going to go east and we’re going to stay together. End of story.”

  Ella didn’t challenge Henry further. She wanted to doze on her horse, but their pace was a bit brisk for that (they were still riding through town, and the cobbled roads there allowed the cart to roll much more swiftly than it could on the rutted dirt roads of the countryside, and Henry insisted they take advantage of the opportunity for speed).

  Henry rode beside her, and he was eager to talk. “Allard, you never told me you had a cousin.”

  “I have a cousin,” Ella echoed, yawning and hoping that Henry would take the hint and let her doze. “How did you learn of her?”

  “I met her at the dance last evening.”

  “I thought it was a masquerade. How did you learn of her identity?”

  “The two of us shared an immediate connection.” Henry sounded awestruck still. “I looked at her and she smiled at me, and it was as though everyone else in the room disappeared.”

  “My cousin?” Ella didn’t have to fake the surprise in her voice. What she did have to hide was her rising heartrate. She’d never heard Henry speak of any girl this way.

  “Yes, your cousin, Cinderella. You should have introduced her to me.”

  “I didn’t think you cared to be introduced to girls.”

  “Usually I don’t. Nor do I commonly care for dances, yet I enjoyed my time there more than I ever could have imagined. The girl is a delight. I feel almost as though I already know her, and she understands me. I’ve never experienced that before.” Henry spoke with conviction. “I need to see her again.”

  Ella stayed silent, berating herself for creating such a mess, while at the same time, trying to think how she might pull off an introduction.

  As she was mulling this, she heard the pound of hoof beats over the sound of their horses and cart.

  “There they are! This way!” A masculine voice shouted.

  Ella glanced back to more than half a dozen men on horseback, Raedwald and the Ulster brothers among them.

  She pulled her chain mail over her chin and looked at Henry, ready to shout goodbye and flee.

  But he had recognized the men as well. “Stay and fight,” he ordered her. “We can take them.”

  “They outnumber us—vastly,” Ella informed him.

  Jerome tossed them both their lances from the cart. Ella wore her sword at her side, and pulled it free of the scabbard.

  “I’ve seen you win against more,” Henry reminded her, turning Bastian around to face those who approached.

  “Only in a fair fight.”

  H
enry ignored her, and addressed Jerome. “Take the cart—get Sigi out of here. I’ll catch up to you on the road to Reims.”

  Jerome nodded and took off, encouraging the cart horse to a faster speed.

  The men were bearing down on them rapidly. Ella turned her horse to face them and got her lance into position.

  Bastian broke into a gallop. Ella reluctantly let Mirage have her head, and the mare raced forward, quickly closing the gap between the oncoming rush of men (Ella counted a total of nine on horseback, plus a few more on foot behind them, though these were more likely to be interested in watching what proceeded, than participating in it).

  Ella unhorsed the first man to reach her—the one who’d spotted them first and called to the others to give chase. The blow pulled her lance to the side, leaving her open as Raedwald bore down on her, his lance trained at her chest.

  She had no time to move her weapon or defend herself, so she ducked backward, lying nearly flat on Mirage’s back as the lance skipped by just above her head.

  With a thunder of hooves, several horses raced past her.

  Ella sat up. She was tempted to try to flee, but four men on horseback had created a blockade across the street, so she’d have to go through them to escape.

  Behind her, the remaining horsemen did the same.

  The only good news was that none of them went after Jerome and Sigi.

  That was small encouragement, considering that the horsemen glared at Ella with murderous intent.

  “Ha!” Henry goaded Bastian forward. He didn’t have near enough momentum (or room to create momentum) to knock any of the men off their horses with his lance, so he engaged the nearest man with his sword.

  Realizing they’d have to fight their way through, Ella surged forward, ready to lock swords with the nearest man in front of her.

  She heard hoof beats behind her an instant before a lance clapped across her back, sweeping her sideways in the saddle.

  She gripped her horse with all the strength in her legs and tried to right herself, though the blow had knocked the air from her lungs and sent spears of pain shooting through her body.

  A second blow hit her in the leg, half-lifting her from her horse as it peeled her free of her saddle.

  Ella had just enough presence of mind to land on one foot, bringing her other leg around and staggering forward, rather than landing on her back on the cobblestones.

  The men were upon her in an instant, grabbing her by the arms and legs this time, holding her off the ground and turning her around to face Raedwald as he approached.

  She’d never seen Raedwald looking so pleased, and yet livid with fury at the same time. It was a similar look to the bloodthirsty expression he’d worn the very first time she’d saved Henry from his sword.

  But Henry could not save her as she had saved him. He’d been unhorsed as well, and three men held him back, though he struggled to break free.

  “Allard of Caprese,” Raedwald snarled the name as he approached.

  Ella braced herself. She couldn’t kick—the men had hold of her legs this time (they’d obviously learned their lesson). She couldn’t break away or even move, and anticipated a blow at any time.

  But when Raedwald’s hand snapped forward, it wasn’t to punch her. Instead, he grabbed her leather helmet and snatched it from her head with a rattle of chain mail. He flung it aside.

  Ella still wore her cap. She glanced over at Henry, who was still some distance away, but was being held so that he was forced to watch everything.

  “Allard,” Raedwald repeated, extending his hand a second time. His fingers wrapped around Ella’s cap and yanked it from her head.

  Her braid was still pinned high in the same updo she’d worn to the ball the night before, but as Raedwald pulled off her cap, the tail of her braid came free.

  “Is a girl!” Raedwald declared victoriously.

  Some of the men laughed, but most of them were too stunned to make a sound. Here was the man who’d defeated them in battle, who’d bested Raedwald and even unhorsed him.

  And he was a girl.

  A very pretty girl.

  “And what,” Raedwald continued haughtily, “do we do with girls?”

  With as little noise as he could manage, Henry (who’d been holding completely still this entire time to lull his captors into thinking he wasn’t going to struggle, and had waited for a moment of distraction such as this) sprang forward, pulling his arms free with such a sudden jerk that the men failed to hold him. He leapt upon Mirage’s back and bore down upon the men who held Ella.

  Bastian, sensing his master’s prompt, and not to be outdone by a mare, thundered forward as well.

  The men were still half in shock to learn that their feared enemy was a girl, and I daresay there was enough sense of chivalry in some of them, they didn’t feel quite so comfortable holding their prisoner for a beating now that they recognized her as the lady who’d danced so beautifully at the masquerade the night before.

  Whatever it was, as much fear of being trampled as anything, I suppose, they either leapt out of the way or at least loosened their grip, and Henry got hold of Ella’s arm just as they’d practiced so many dozens of times over their travels, and he hoisted her onto Mirage behind him.

  They galloped away down the streets.

  It took a few moments of scrambled surprise for Raedwald and his men to find their horses and mount them. They tried to ride after Henry and Ella, but Henry steered Mirage (with Bastian following) around sharp corners, through narrow streets, and down every bending byway, so that the path behind them was a trail as tangled as a knotted string.

  Ella couldn’t see for her tears.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she told him when she could finally find her voice.

  “Sorry for what?” Henry slowed the horses once he was sure they were no longer being followed. He found an alleyway whose entrance was nearly hidden by vines, and ducked into the hiding place. There he dismounted, and pulled Ella down after him.

  “I lied to you. I’m not a boy.”

  “I have suspected,” Henry confessed, “ever since you tried to curtsy to me the day I first met you. At times I was nearly certain of the truth. But then, I thought, if you were a girl, surely you’d tell me.” His eyes searched her face.

  Ella opened her mouth to speak, to explain to him why she’d never trusted him with the truth, but she had no explanation to give.

  Henry continued. “I always tried to make you feel safe.”

  “You did,” she acknowledged, seeing clearly now all the ways he’d protected her secret from everyone else.

  “I’ve never come out and asked you straight, but I’ve tried to discuss subjects that might lead you to tell me, especially when you first joined me on the circuit, and again when I danced with your cousin last night. You are Cinderella, aren’t you?”

  “I am,” Ella admitted through her tears.

  “Can I find you at Caprese, as you said?”

  “That is my home.”

  “Go there. Someday soon, when I can slip away and I’m sure I’m not being followed, I’ll visit you there.” Henry reached into his pockets and found every coin he carried, which didn’t amount to a princely sum, but would at least be more than enough to buy food and lodging, even if she took a roundabout route home.

  He pressed the coins into her hands.

  Ella shook her head, but Henry insisted.

  “Go now,” he told her. “Ride hard. If they catch up to you, you’ll have the fight of your life on your hands. I’ll circle back around and try to make sure none of them follow you.”

  “Don’t try to fight them alone!”

  “I won’t. If I can, I’ll watch them without letting them see me, just enough to make sure they’re not following you. Then I’ve got to catch up to Jerome and Sigismund. I don’t know how long Sigi will be able to look after Jerome without me.”

  Ella laughed in spite of herself, knowing that eight-year-old Sigi was the mor
e responsible of the two, and the much elder Jerome would likely be the first of the pair to get into trouble.

  “Cinderella,” Henry whispered, tucking back the loose bit of braid before cupping her cheek in his hand. “You are the most remarkable girl I’ve ever met. I owe you for my life. Still. I’m forever in your debt.”

  He leaned closer.

  It occurred to Ella that he might be about to kiss her.

  She wasn’t opposed to the idea.

  But Mirage must have guessed his intentions, and did not approve. She nudged him away quite suddenly, then shook her mane, blowing out an impatient huff of air.

  “That’s right,” Henry acknowledged. “You need to be on your way. Stay safe. I shall see you again.”

  Ella felt her throat choking up, and she didn’t trust her voice, nor her sleep-deprived, over-emotional mind. The one thing she wanted to say more than anything was I love you, but she couldn’t tell him that, not after she’d let him down and caused so much trouble, besides lying to him all that time about who she was.

  She climbed into Mirage’s saddle.

  Henry peered through the leafy vines that covered the alleyway. “The way is clear. You go left, I’ll go right,” he instructed as he mounted Bastian. “Do you know your way home?”

  Ella nodded, still not trusting herself to speak.

  “Godspeed, Cinderella,” Henry told her, and goaded Bastian away to the right.

  Ella turned and went left, alert to every sound, afraid Raedwald or his men might catch up to her at any moment.

  She fled Paris without incident, and made her way back in the direction of Caprese. She bought a new cap before she even left the city, and tucked all her hair out of sight, since it wasn’t at all appropriate for a girl of her age to be traveling all alone across Europe.

  She ate little, and slept on the hard ground many nights, inns being difficult to come by, and oftentimes overfilled with rowdy men and even fleas, making them no more pleasant than hayfields. Mostly she pondered her regrets, and wondered what she could have possibly done differently.

  Going to the masquerade, which seemed to be her worst mistake (for surely it must have been there that Raedwald first began to suspect her true identity) wasn’t something she could bring herself to regret. It had been too lovely, and her memories of dancing with the prince were her greatest treasure.