The Sister Of Cinderella- 1

When my mother stood at the wedding altar for the third time, I knew it was nothing but trouble. There she stood, with a heavy veil drawn over her pale face as she lay smiling at her to- be husband, the Duke of Sehreshta. Ella, my soon-to-be step sister, smiled broadly with crimson roses almost falling out of her gold laden bouquet. My face was, however, plastered with an immovable frown. My younger sister, Maya, looked confused about what to do as she fiddled nervously with one of the infinite number of satin laces she had tied onto her sky blue gown.

My shoulders drooped down as I looked at the end number of guests invited to the most prestigious wedding in all of the four great kingdoms. After the kings’, of course. The Duke smiled wide and stepped towards mother, taking her delicate hands into her grasp and slid an emerald ring onto her finger. The ring shone beautifully, reflecting all the dry, hot rays of sunlight and casting a breathtaking light for a moment that made even the prince cover his eyes. 

Then the ceremony went on as usual, with the crowd dispersing towards the deliciously smelling buffet whose holy aroma could have wafted even a thousand miles. I waited impatiently for my mother to signal but she just stared into the Duke’s eyes as if he were a cupcake. Ok. That was a bad comparison. I’m just so hungry that I could think of nothing but large cakes buried in strawberry whipped cream and creamy strawberries overlaid in sugary goodness, native to Sehreshta. My stomach grumbled loudly as my face turned a dark shade of beet red. I picked at the strands of silk, magenta gown as I glanced from one corner of the stage to another making sure no one heard that. Ella walked towards her father and whispered something in his ear.

I edge forward trying to get a peek on whatever gossip she was tuning into her ‘father’. The Duke nodded and kissed her forehead as she smiled broadly like the beautiful summer sunshine and grabbed my hand dragging me towards the food. I stared at her with my mouth agape not knowing what to think of the exchange. ‘Had she heard my stomach grumbling?’ I thought as my face turned into another shade of light red. She must have sensed my discomfort because she turned to chat with the person who was playing with food on his plate. I wondered how she could be so naive and innocent and kind and beautiful and, well, so perfect!