Cinderella.... The other version

I was waken by the noise from outside my room, and I looked out of my tiny window in the attic which also acts as my room. Its still dark and why am I to be awaken as its only at dawn do my chores begin. But the noise I heard was not any noise but that of my door.

"Cinderella, you git up or I would break down this door right now?" Oh, its my Mother, pardon me; I meant to say my Step Mother. She is a witch I tell you; and a wicked one who ensnare my father when he is without a companion in his life. My natural mother died early from a horse fall and she never recovered. As an orphan in a large mansion, my father was told that I needed a mother. The words still rings in my ears as they asked of him like rhymes.

Who? Who? Do you think would know a daughter best?

Can you? Or do you? Or what do you know

Of tying a bodice from a vest

To string a thread to a needle

That would mend her dress to looked best.

Alas, the man gave up and sought out a mother for me. She turned our to be who she is now standing before me at my door.

"Mother?" I have to admit seeing her in curlers and the drabby night gown was my expected sight, but she is dressed in her Sunday's best and my goodness she has not tighten her bodice to consolidate her heaving bosoms.

"Cinderella, stop gaping at my chest. I should had known its runs in your blood. Like father like daughter. Help me tighten the strings behind while I adjust the paddings in the front." My step mother turned her back to me as I reached for the straps on her bodice. "Make sure its tight or the paddings would slipped and its would be your head to roll then if that would to happened."

Yes, that is my step mother alright, just like her lack of flesh around her bosom, she pad it high with the extra layer under the bodice. Not only does she pads it there but also under the hoops of her skirt that she needs no bathroom as she had layers to condensate on. I pulled at it and she held her breath so that her lungs would expand to hold it up. I laced it fast so that she would not die of holding onto her breath. On the completion of my task, she turned around to looked at me. I am still dressed in my night gown of my younger age and the sheerness of the cloth makes one wonder why looked further when the one here is all beauty.

"Cinderella, can you get dressed for God's sake? You think you are the pixie trying entice Peter Pan here with your gown so tight. And flimsy. Your father has arrived early and he is downstairs to see us all. Be down in a jiffy or I would said you have the demonic disease in you." My stepmother carried her bundles of layers down to meet my father who is back from his war campaign.

Yes, my father of my birth. He is a handsome man with a height that sails over many ladies head. Not only is he that handsome, he is also a General in the Union Army and I hear they are winning the war. I rushed back into my room and removed myself of my baby dress and slipped into something more appropriate to see my father. I do not have servants to call upon but I have my helpers.

'Gertrude, tighten my laces please, and pulled not to hard at the lace as they won't hang like hers. Mine are quite supple to stay upright by themselves. But do not let it hand too loose too or mine would spilled out unnoticed. " Gertrude pulled firm but fit them well round the curves. I then focus on my skirt to look for fray edges.

"Lucy, make sure they do not hang like mis-sewn threads. And Percy, please flutter my hair so that the curls are in their places."

Helpers, they are. Gertrude and Lucy are my pet mice which are also my seamstress. They run around on their dainty feet and pulled at the rough edges with their front limbs or bite off the loose threads. Lucy like to slide down my skirt so that the creases are straighten by her weight when she slide down them. Percy is my owl who flies around on the top of my head and adjust my curls so they looked nice and presentable. He uses his wings to blow the dirt and dry the edges of my hair ends. Then came my favourite moth; Mary as she sprinkled color dust onto my plain dress. Last if not essential to my dressing would be favourite pet, Monty the swallow who brings the rose to be placed on my hand.

"My shoes?" Lucy took them out with slow movements as they are rather worn out from the years I have them.

"I warn the roaches not touch it, but its worn out from your constant wearing in the last few years." Lucy said to me as always when she is to bring my shoes.

"Lucy, its okay. I still find them comfortable. Anyway, its hidden beneath my skirt and no one can see them." I put them on and laid them behind my skirt before I walked down.

"Cinderella, my darling. How are you?" My father hugged me on seeing my arrival. Its truly wonderful to be loved by someone and not be called on your loved ones like a servant. That is the difference between him and my step mother.

"Father, you looked old. The war must had treated you badly."I looked at my father whom I not seen in one year since he left to fight the war. His face looks drawn down but his smile to me is ever wide.

"No, my daughter. I am fine, maybe a lot more tired. But the war is over for me, and I am back for good." He hugged me again. Then I heard the tapping of the feet beside me. So does my father and he released his hold on me to hugged his three other daughters from his wife's previous marriage. Like their mother, he is hugging the trunk of a tree with all sides flat to the roots.

"Ah, I forget. I have a guest with me. He is Major Charm and is one of my trusted officer. He joins me here as he is ....well on my invitation to see my home and family." My father stepped back to introduced to us the man he was to invite to our home. He is a short pudgy looking guy with a uniform that is probably sewn by a surgeon as it clinged to his body like a second skin.

"Pardon me. This is Second Lieutenant Smith. Major, please step forth to meet my daughters'."

If there is another term to describe handsome, then this would be closest I can envisage now; a true man framed with muscles and tall heights that topple my hair curls. More to it, he has a cluster of hair that you would want to run your fingers over as he nuzzles your sensual zones below your neck.

"Major Charm, may I introduce my daughters; Mary, Marion, Martha and my Cinderella."

We did our curtsy bow to the Major and he does the same. I am sure he is looking at me, but I shall not speculate. But my half sisters did not as they seemed to have sprawled onto him with more questions he cares to answer. I stood by the side watching him trying to paw off the Siren who is clinging on him like the moss on the reefs.

"Cinderella, go and make tea now. Its almost dawn." I nodded and leave to do my chores. It was while making tea that I find myself very uncomfortable to walked with my shoes on the kitchen floor. I am more used to wearing my clogs her, so I changed into them. I took my task and carried out the tray of tea and cookies for our guests which includes my three lazy half sisters. As I was serving tea, I noticed the Major looking at me. I followed his gaze and he is not looking at my rear buns for sure as the hoops are concealing them well. But I noticed then he is looking at my clogs. I straighten my back up and in the process pour some tea on the short pudgy officer whom I was serving then. The hot tea poured not onto his cup but on his lap causing him to yelp out in pain. I apologies to him on my clumsiness and he was red faced to be wet all below. I took my leave back to the kitchen and continue with my chores while the guests of mine have their discussion. It was not long when I saw both my parents in the kitchen.

"I want to marry one of my daughters to the Major. Do I make myself clear? And that does not include Cinderella." That was my step mother giving her orders to my father. " Or you be humping bales of hay for the rest of your old life."

Now that is threat he was not be prepared for in any of his strategies. He saw me looking and I nodded to him. He understood my consent and thus he consent to her. But he did add in a line for his pride.

"The final decision is the Major's. Whoever he chooses is his to decide. I am no longer his commanding officer. I am not fully retired." Both of them left me to my chores.

"Cinderella, did you see your half sisters out there? I would say if we are in Rome, we would do like the Romans, but this is not Rome and yet they act like Romans." Lucy always has an opinion of her own since she came back from her voyage to Europe last summer.

"Lucy my dear, whatever will be, will be as there is nothing to stop it from happening. If he is to be a Roman too, then let it be." I continue with my chores. For three days, I entertained my guests with their needs and I get only my father who comes calling to seek on my health. I told him not to worry as I am fine.

"Why do you not come to joined us in the lounge than be here all the time preparing the food and drinks?"

"Father, if I am not to do it, would there be food and drinks for all of you. We are at war and there are no servants here. More to it, I am a woman and I know my place in the kitchen matters a lot. So let me be as I am happy here." It was then I spied on the Major standing by the door. He must had heard us talking as he apologies to us. He asked of leave to do something personal and my father allowed him to do go. I watched him go as he rode out out from our yard. I wondered if he would be back as the house sounds empty without his laughter.

For three long days, I continue with my chores as normal, but now short of one guest, my interest in cooking my best also dwindled with the mood. But no one is complaining as the half sisters gobbled anything I served that even a turkey may reject. The young short pudgy officer has taken to military rations on some of my serving and so did my Father with his hidden stash in the barn. I felt bad and tried to improve. So did my Father with his hidden stash in the barn, But my desire to do so wane with the thoughts of an officer who rode away. It was on the seventh morning, that we have more guests. It not one but four of them. The Major has returned and he brought along three more of his officers. I then noticed that one of them is a Chaplain.

"General, we have returned to seek your daughters' hand in marriage. In all fairness, as you have four ....lovely daughters, I bring along three officers who are in need of a wife. Lieutenant Ford, Captain Grant and of course Lieutenant Smith." The two other officers are not that bad if you were asked me to choose. They are reasonable looking chaps withy officer commission, but I am not choosy. I can even settled for the short pudgy one too if they are none to offer.

"Each of us have brought a pair of shoes for our would be wife." The Major laid down four pairs of shoes for the ladies to choose. "Each lady may select a pair and he who bought that pair marries the lady she does select. Well, ladies do you agreed?" The three half sisters of mine nodded and the Major looked at me. I was still thinking but something bit my heels and I shouted out "Yelp". I looked down and saw Gertrude down there smiling.

"So be it." The four pairs of shoes are beautiful. The first pair is a golden setting one, the second is the silver setting and the third is a bronze setting. The last pair however is a pair of wooden sandals with the tag; 'Made in Japan'.

"Where is Japan?" My step mother asked. But her daughters are all in closed discussion with their bent backs and holding their shoulders together. "I guess only real officers can afford good shoes."

The sisters agreed on their selection and they decided to go by the ranks; Mary, Marion, Martha and me last with the wooden sandals. The Chaplain stepped forth and asked the would be husbands to take their rightful wives to be lined up for the coming ceremony. The sisters lined up in accordance to their shoes selection; gold, silver and bronze. And then myself with the sandals. The officers came forth and picked their wives in the ranking of their acquisition; Second Lieutenant Smith, Lieutenant Ford, Captain Grant and finally Major Charm.

"Hey Shorty, you mean to tell me you bought the golden pair?" Trust my half sister Mary to query at this stage.

"Yes, I did and it caused me a month's pay. And I am not short. I would show you later." That caused Mary to giggle.

"Well, Cinderella. Do you like your choice?" I looked at the Major and smiled.

The Chaplain conducted the service and then asked if there is any objection to the pairing, said it now.

"I do." My step mother stood up and her daughters in unison replied; "Shut up, Mother."

That night as the hours draws to the conclusion of our tale, I had to asked my husband one question before we sleep the night.

"Must I wear the clogs everyday?" His reply was sweet.

"Yes, darling. It sounded sexy when I hear it clicking."

Sigh, man and their preferences..... Don't they have any good ones to share with us?