Twists of Karma— A Cinderella Retelling

Cinderella's father died the second night of the ball, a three-day event for the King's son to find a wife. The woman who captivated the Prince the first day and escaped also ran off the second night to avoid him going home with her. He saw her run up a tree and hollered for Cinderella's father. Her father didn't know it was her when he chopped the tree down. It should have fallen away from him but instead collapsed on him. The Prince told his father it looked like a strong gust of wind blew it at the man.

"There are no winds tonight," the King responded with his arms folded.

"I understand. There isn't another way to explain it, Father. I was the only other person there, and it wasn't me."

"What about the woman you mentioned?"

"She wasn't in the tree or the area when it came down. She must have climbed down before I caught up to her."

"Go notify Lady Tremaine. She's in the ballroom," the King ordered the Duke.

Tears formed a methodical linger down Lady Tremaine's cheeks when people said they were sorry to hear of her husband's passing. After they left, she wiped her face, went home, made minimal arrangements, bought a cheap casket, and planned a Wake to take place a week later.

Rather than stay home to grieve, she and her daughters attended the last day of the ball. They vied for the Prince's attention, but he was looking for Cinderella.

Cinderella went outside after they left, to her bird friends for the same help they gave her the first two nights of the ball. They used their magic to don her in an elegant dress. Despite his part in her misery, she loved her father, yet a sense of peace came over her. Her father's death equaled one less person to enslave her, nor would she be forced to sit back and watch him do nothing when the others ordered her around and put her food in the ashes where she also had to sleep. She was in the gown and gold shoes before her thoughts had finished.

"Thank you," she said to the magical birds and headed for the ball. She had a lovely time with the Prince. They talked and danced until the sky turned black, and the moon shone.

"It's time for me to go home. Thank you for another wonderful night."

He grabbed her hand, "let me walk you home. The night can be dangerous for a woman."

"I'll be fine. Besides, by now, you should know I'm quick."

Before he said a word, she sped off. He smirked because he had his servants smear a sticky concoction on the steps to stop her. The gunk delayed her until she pulled her feet out, went beside the steps, and jumped.

She was gone by the time he reached the steps. When he saw the shoes, he bent down and cut them out of the goop. He ordered his servants to clean and give them to Duke to take to the village. The Prince wanted them tried on every maiden until they found the one they fit.

The Duke knocked on Lady Tremaine's door and explained his purpose. She took the shoes to her daughters. First, to Drizella, whose big toes were too long, so she ordered her to cut off her toes to make them fit. The blade was dull. Confused, she handed her more knives, each blunted.

"I paid the knife sharpener man a few days ago. He ripped me off," yelled Lady Tremaine.

"I watched him, and Cinderella tested the knives before he left."

"How do you explain them being dull? Nevermind! Use one until those toes are off."

Drizella's feet bled inside the shoes. The magical birds told the Duke it was the wrong woman; he looked down to see blood when she removed the golden heels. Anastasia tried them on in her room; they didn't fit. Her mother handed her an ax she bought a month ago, ordered her to cut off her heels. Like the knives, it was dull.

Lady Tremaine bellowed for Cinderella and interrogated her about the ax.

"I swear, I have never used it."

"Go. I'll deal with you later. An ax doesn't dull itself."

Anastasia chopped her heels and put on the shoes. The birds told on her, too, after she came out of the room.

The stepfamily insisted nobody else lived in the house, but the Duke saw Cinderella in the kitchen and slid the shoes on her with ease.

Cinderella married the Prince a few days later. They had a henchman check on Lady Tremaine and her daughters. The birds pecked out the eyes of Drizella and Anastasia, and her stepmother had an unknown illness; It was summer, but she was cold, her skin turned blue. Blankets and fires didn't help. The doctor couldn't make sense of it.

In bed, close to dead, Lady Tremaine awoke from a brief nap. On the wall was a name: Gwenevieve. Eyes opened wide, her mouth fell open as her throat closed and chest tightened. Her sister died many years ago.

Gwenevieve remained in Limbo, held there by her anger and unresolved issues. "Hello, sister. Now it is my turn. It was bad enough you turned our parents against me. You three treated me like trash instead of blood."

"I wouldn't have if you hadn't taken most of their attention after you were born," snapped Lady Tremaine.

"You had them for five years before I came along. I was eight when you turned them against me; I was only a child."

"Why are you here now? You've been dead twelve years."

"I bided my time. I've watched you and my nieces torment Cinderella and turn her father against her."

"It was you… the tree. The knives. The ax."

"Don't forget, killing you," she replied and froze her sister from the inside out.