The Cherry Tree

The place is huge and there is so many people there getting down from the drawn carriages. The place is also well lighted and I can see the arrays of flowers which lined up the stairs to the main door. I am frightened as I may be out of place. I looked to my Godmother as she sits opposite me in the carriage.

"Tell me I can go back. This is more than I expected. There are so many people. They are all dressed so...." she was to hushed me up with her wand.

"As splendid as you look now but none as beautiful as you are today, my dear. You asked for a wish and I grant you one. Be yourself and be your dream; dance to the music and let the man for once takes you into his arms. Is that not what what you wished; to be a lady in a man's arm. Here we are and you may step down, my Princess. But remember this; before the strike of twelve on the clock you must leave the place or all you wished could be gone."

I looked at the her whom I known all my life as my Godmother. I reached over and hugged her before I alight in my glass slippers. My gown was to slowly draped itself onto the floor as I move away from the carriage. I could hear some murmurs of wonderment from the other ladies as they see me walked past them. A few men who stands at the side without an escort were unsure of what was to be done.; do they venture forth and be denied their dance as I could be with my beau who may be trailing behind.

But alas, I am alone, and alone I would as I mount the steps to the Ballroom above the stairs. My dainty feet stopped at the doorway as the Doorman announce my arrival.

"Lady...Cinderella from the ... Shockley" He is baffled as I know not many of them knows of Shockley as its well hidden from many sights. But I am not here to explain myself but to dance. That is my wish and my dream was to do it with a man holding me in his arms. When one is of beauty, there are many admirers who would come to court, but when one is more than the meaning of beauty as said by some by the definition of beautiful, you find yourself without admirers as not many dared to asked lest you reject them. But the braver ones will attempt and most times they are the handsome ones.

"My Lady, my name is...." I heard a few and they do dance well but the one that held me longest was the host himself. He is the Prince himself and when he held me to dance, the floor was cleared of the others as we swing to the music at our heart content. I could hear the mumblings of the awaiting ladies for the Prince's hand but he is holding me tight and yet we speak not a word in our dance. But I had to break the trance and so I did.

"Your highness. If I may, my legs are tired and I may need to sit for a while." I looked into his eyes and he was most apologetic in gesture.

"Pardon me. I forgotten as it was really nice to dance with you. Please allow me to escort you to your table." But I shook my head as I told him I have no table reserved. The Prince was nice to said that he will accommodate me at his. His table is the largest in the Hall as its sits not ten but twenty and eighteen of it were occupied by young ladies of the society. The Prince set me down on the last seat as his father, the King sat on other available seat.

"Please be seated, Cinderella. That is your name as it was announced." I smiled at him and he picked up the wine glass for me to drink. I declined as I do not drink wine but I prefer the water from the spring. He heard my request and he sent his servant to fetch the elixir of thirst immediately. The King offered his seat to the son which the Prince took without a thought of his father discomfort. But the older man took his rounds to wished on his esteemed guests as he feels happy that his son could be meeting his match tonight. I can't say much for the eighteen other ladies who had a sudden urge to retire to the powder room to re-arranged their facial lines.

The Prince and myself spoke for sometime as I rested my feet and sip my glass of water. Then he asked if I could do another dance with him as there was no others on the table which he can invite. I looked around and I can see that none of the ladies has returned. They are probably in the bushes with some other 'prince' of their own choices.

I rise up to the last dance with him and as the music was playing, I could hear the chime of the clock.

Boing! Boing!

Its time. I must go. I pulled myself away and ran from the Hall with my Prince in pursuit.

Boing! Boing!

I rouse the roses to protect me as they did with them laying themselves across my path to block the Prince from catching hold of me.

Boing! Boing!

My carriage appeared before me, as I quickly mount it and dropped my right shoe. Its my glass show that is now held by the servant as he watched my carriage rode off with me inside.

Boing! Boing!

I must get back or the dream is gone. I held the glass shoe in my hand and I cried.

Boing! Boing!

A dream it was and like all dreams they must end. I held out the glass shoe to the crow perched on my carriage. "Take it to Cinderella. She deserved it more than I do."

Boing! Boing! The clock struck twelve.

I am back at the woods and standing before the Tribunal of Trees.

"Little cherry tree, you had your wish. Are you ready to return to be with us now?"

I nodded at their request. The winds came and the leaves rustled as I feel myself drawn back into the self I actually am. I am now the cherry tree that in grew in the Shockley Woods but I am glad I had lived my life for once as lady and danced with the Prince. The little bird that perched on my branch the next day told me that the Prince has found his Cinderella to fit the glass shoe I left behind. I smiled at the little birdie who is also my Godmother.

"Thank you."