Midnight: A Retelling of Cinderella

Prologue: A Princess No More “You’re not a princess anymore? Ena, what are you saying?” Akihiro, prince of the neighboring kingdom Retyo, stared agape at the girl in the long pink kimono. She ran her hands through her dark hair, pinned up in a bun with silken hana kanzashi (cloth flower- shaped hairpins) and topped with a jewel-encrusted headdress. “Akihiro, I’m saying that ever since my stepmother took the throne when my father died, my kingdom has been in disarray.” “Ena, the kingdom simply needs to pay her taxes to prepare for any surprise attacks. You know Matsu is a kingdom ripe for picking—” “That’s a lie, Akihiro. The Empress just uses it to buy finery, for her and her daughters.” “What?” Ena nodded and gestured to the diamonds dripping down her dress. “Where do you think I got these from? She told me my father left her a big chunk of his money in his will. I only found out the truth yesterday.” “How did you find out about the will?” “Because she never let me look at the will he left. So one day I sneaked into her quarters at “And?” “I read the will. The only thing my father left my stepfamily is the right to rule. That was all. My stepmother had taxes raised shortly after my father’s death, so I put two and two together. It wasn’t hard to figure out.” “But, what’s this about not being a princess anymore?” Ena’s brown eyes stared straight into Akihiro’s. “Akihiro, my father may have loved them, but my stepfamily is horrible, selfish, and cruel in every possible way. I refuse to associate myself with anyone like that.” “But then what’ll you do? If you renounce your title, you’ll have no home, no family…” “Ever since my father died, the only family I’ve had are you and the servants. As for my home, well, I’ll have to find work.” “Work? You’re only eleven – too young to be a servant girl.” “Who said I’d be a servant girl? I’ll work as an apprentice blacksmith.” “An apprentice blacksmith?” Ena shrugged. “If the army won’t let me fight with a sword, I can at least make one.” She stared at her surroundings. “As long as my stepmother rules, I can’t do much for this kingdom as a princess. Maybe I’ll be of more help this way.” Akihiro could see her point. With the empress taxing the villagers so profusely, starved peasants roamed the countryside, tilling as much land as they could to make enough money to get by. The well-built cottages of the past were now replaced with drafty excuses for huts. Akihiro could swear that if he so much as blew on one, it would come crashing down.” Akihiro shook his head. “You always were stubborn as a mule.” “I’m very proud of it.” She sent him a mischievous grin. “I’ll need an alias, though. Can’t have my stepfamily going after me.” “An alias? Ena, are you mad?” “Very much so, I’m afraid.” Another wicked smile played across her face. “What about, instead of Ena, I go as Cinderella?” “Cinderella?” “I’ll be working as a blacksmith. What better alias than that?” “Ena – you’re going to be losing so much now. Are you sure you’re willing to do this?” She took the headdress off of her head and tossed it onto the ground, grinding it into the dirt with the ball of her foot. “I’ve never been more willing to do something before.” She took off her various pieces of finery and set it in Akihiro’s hands. “Akihiro, while I find work…make sure you deliver these to the commoners, please? And, if there’s any left, feel free to give it to the people in your kingdom.” Akihiro nodded. “I will, En – Cinderella.”

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