Fairy Tales - No Holds Barred

Inside a Carriage pulled by six horses, guided by a Coachman, with a Footman holding on at the back, sat a young lady. Twenty-three years of age, with hair that drifted between golden-blond and soft brown, dressed in a luxurious blue silk dress with crystal tiara and glass slippers. Her name, Cinderella. Returning home after a truly wonderful night at the ball at the King's Palace, but home was where she needed to return to. And with good reason.

Her Dream to be able to get away from her torturous existence - where she had been reduced to a Servant inside of her own home, since her Father had tragically perished 16 years before, forced to live in the cold attic, with only the barest of rags to wear, always at the beck and call of her Stepmother and her Stepsisters - had been exactly that. A dream.

And she was under no illusion. The Carriage was a Pumpkin. The horses, mice that she'd secured from a trap. The Footman, a lizard that she had managed to secretly keep as a pet. The Coachman, Major, the Horse kept in the Stables. Her dress, made out of possibly nothing since they had torn her dress off of her, piece by piece, leaving her with nothing to wear. All made possible by a Fairy Godmother who had taken pity on her, and allowed her a chance to spend the night at the Ball. And only the night.

While the night ended and dawn broke, the spell would fade, like the dream. As such, she had been forced to slip out without anyone noticing her absence, the lack of anyone chasing them suggesting that either she had succeeded or they weren't bothering, yet.

Looking out the window, she could see that the sky wasn't quite as dark as before, and the interior didn't feel quite as fine and soft as it had been. Turning to see the Footman - the lizard she'd named Donald - she could see him giving her a toothy smile and nod of appreciation, with a face that had started to crack and sharper teeth. The Magic was fading.

And now she faced a choice. They could leave the road and try to go through the forest on a more Direct Route to get back sooner, and avoid being seen as everything return to as it had been before. Or the carriage could be abandoned and they'd head back on foot through the forest. But since this part of the road would be clear, with no other houses in view, it could well be safer sticking to it and going faster. In any case though, she didn't believe that she should stay inside the carriage in the event it reverted to a pumpkin early.

That's why she'd already slipped out of the carriage, letting Donald see her do so, to be at the front. Sliding carefully onto Major's lap, who gave her a wider smile with a face that had pushed out ever so slightly as he shifted himself a little bit to make her more comfortable. Her legs over to the left side, she looked forwards and up to see a sky that was less black as she made her decision on the course of action to take.