Word Count: 1745

Cinderella felt like her face might burn off from sheer embarrassment. Her ankles wobbled on her immaculate glass shoes, her body felt exposed in the ballgown she was wearing, and everyone was watching her with a funny look in their eyes. As she descended down the imperial staircase with as much grace as her awkward body would allow, a man rushed up to greet her.

"Hello madam, may I have this dance?" He was good-looking, tall and wide-eyed. He said these words with a hint of desperateness that made Cinderella uncomfortable, so she replied curtly.

"I'm sorry, I am meeting another man here." These words were not a lie, even if the man was unaware of her arrival. The tall gentleman who had approached her looked disappointed but took it with grace.

"Please, may I escort you the rest of the way then?" He looked eager, and as her gaze swept the other men staring at her, she determined having an escort might not be the worst thing. He held out his hand and she took it with her left, using her right to hike up her long dress so she wouldn't trip.

She was utterly confused as to why all these people were looking at her so oddly, and to why a stranger would help her down the stairs, but as soon as she realized she felt really stupid. She remembered the words of the Fairy Godmother

"Now dear, you must be aware I have placed a love spell on you, so it will be easier for you to get close to the prince!"

"Why must I be aware?"

"The spell will wear off soon after midnight, also you might react suspiciously if men started falling for you and you had no clue why seeing as you don't have much experience in that department."

Cinderella recalled being angry and embarrassed at these words, but she could not deny them. She stuck her chin in the air and straightened her posture. She soon reached the end of the stairwell, let go of the man's hand, and bowed courteously and smiled. He blushed horribly. Cinderella felt bad, but she had more important things on her mind. She had to find the prince. Her hand reached up to grab the pendant of her necklace...

"Cinderella? Where are you?"

"I'm coming, Adam!"

"I'm scared, it's dark, where are you?"

"Don't worry! Your big sister will be there soon, just hold on a little longer."

Cinderella looked around for her target, but didn't have to look for long, he had approached her. He recognized him immediately from the description given to her, about 5'7, muscular, strong jawline and straight nose. His skin was a light brown, his hair a dark black. His eyes were a rich chocolate color, looking in them Cinderella felt herself getting lost in them. His words shook her out of the trance,

"May I have this dance?" She blushed and curtsied hastily, trying to recall everything she could about the crash course she had been given before the ball. The nobility had some weird customs.

"I would be honored, my liege." He rose his hand and she clasped it, he put his other hand on her waist and she put her other hand on his shoulder. Fortunately, a tune started that she recognized, so there was minimal floundering on her part. She was eternally grateful when the prince requested to go to the balcony at the end of the song.

"You still owe me at least 100."

"That can't be true!"

"It certainly is! I have paid you quarterly and today is the date you set him free! It says so in our contract."

"What our contract says, is as soon as I get my money, I'll let the twerp go, but you still owe me at least 200, so he is still mine!"

"You just said 100!"

"Time is money sweetheart, all this time you just wasted with me could have been spent getting the money to save your precious brother, but it wasn't, and your debt just went up."

As he led the way away from the crowd, her heart beat faster at every step. All she needed was an opportunity. The pendant around her neck felt heavier at every breath. The pendant was cursed you see, so as soon as it touches any liquid, it becomes poisonous.

"So I just have to go get drinks and touch the pendant in?"

"Yes, but remember, you can't get the drinks, it's not proper."

"That makes no sense!"

"It doesn't have to make sense! Just get the job done, or you know what will happen to your brother."

They had reached the railing of the balcony, it was polished stone and smooth to the touch. She opened her mouth to say she was thirsty when the Prince cut her off.

"So what is a lady like you doing with a love charm?"

Cinderella froze. He continued, "Quite a feat, considering the protective spells we had used to cover the palace should have counteracted it, due to the nature of this ball naturally." Cinderella still stood like a deer in the headlights (not that she knew the meaning of this expression). He stared at her quizzically, as if she was a puzzle he wanted to solve. "You should know love charms do not influence me."

It was at this point Cinderella regained her voice, there was too much at stake for her to not come up with a clever counter-argument. "I am wearing a love charm?" She asked innocently. He laughed. His laugh was melodic and graceful, everything you would expect from a princely laugh.

"I doubt you were unaware, so why play dumb. I want to hear you say where you got it, so I can inform the court sorcerer to improve the palace protection spells." She changed her tactics. She chuckled as genuinely as she could.

"I'm afraid I don't know what spell, I inherited this dress from my mother and spruced it up a bit. It sounds like her though, to have placed a charm in hopes of attracting men." The prince smiled. Cinderella smiled back, hoping he didn't catch her lie. She continued on, "Please forgive me, I was unknowingly partaking in this deception, but if it does not affect you I see no foul play." She gave him a flirtatious smile, he returned with a similar smirk.

"I have to agree."

"Cinderella, we got a job for you, client in the backroom"

Cinderella gave a little cough. "My, I'm not sure if you noticed but dancing isn't really my strong suit," She joked. "It left me very thirsty."

"We will have to do something to alleviate that, I'll be right back."

He turned and left to presumably get drinks. Cinderella turned to look out at the sky. Her hand rested on the cursed pendant.

"I heard the pretty lady needed some cash."

"I charge by the hour."

"I'm such a filthy mind for one so young. Why?"

"Men in the backroom of a dress shop are rarely interested in dresses. How did you know I need cash?"

"I know people, but I have a much different job for you."

Lost in thought, Cinderella jumped when the prince returned with drinks. She looked at the clock tower, 11:56 she had to time this right.

"Why at midnight?"

"It is a sacred time for magic users. If it is at midnight, we can trap his soul."

"You can guarantee my brother will be taken out of slavery?"

"I will pay the debts your father left, buy your brother, and return him to you."

She had a ruse to introduce the poison to him. But could she do it? What made the life of her brother more important than the life of the prince. A flare of anger erupted in her. If it hadn't been for the prince, she and her little brother wouldn't be in this mess. The prince had started it, and Cinderella was going to end it.

"What is the job?"

"Kill the prince."

She had positioned herself so she had her back to the clock tower with the prince facing it. She gasped and pointed behind the prince, making him turn.

"Look over there!" She pointed over his left shoulder. He turned and the drink in his right hand was closer than ever. She used her left hand to dip the pendant into his wine.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Did you see it? I thought I saw a shooting star," he chuckled, finding her imposed naivety amusing.

"I'm afraid I did not."

"Oh," She pouted. She waited a beat before slowly looking around, she used the innocent rise again right after the prince started to raise the glass to his lips.

"It's almost midnight."

"Indeed," He stated and continued moving the glass to his mouth. 11:58.

"You know the story about the strike of midnight?" This halted his movement.

"You know," She blushed. " If you drink at exactly midnight you will have good luck for the whole next day." She hesitated. "I don't know though, maybe it's just a peasant story." She rushed saying, the prince's next words were predictable.

"Well, then we should drink right then yes?" She nodded. This was it. Her heart pounded. She was about to commit murder, treason! But her brother would be safe. Her eight-year-old brother, who had never deserved to be made into a slave. Her hard work would be rewarded, she could quit her day job at the dress shop, her night job, and finally leave the home of those wicked women who dared call themselves her stepfamily. Adam and herself would live a happy life.

But this man would be dead.

Her eyes filled with tears, he had a family and a future. He didn't deserve to have it taken away. She was like him once. Until her parents had died when she was fourteen... Killed by this mans family. Left in enormous debt. Her brother and herself left to fend for themselves. She was doing a good thing for the world, making the royal family feel the pain she felt when her parents died if they truly cared for their only son. She would ha-

The clock struck

The prince smiled

Cinderella rushed to pull the glass from his lips

It was too late

The poison had reached his mouth

He gagged

He doubled over

Blood dripped out of his mouth

He started to convulse

She could only hear ringing in her ears

Ringing and the bell chiming

A guard noticed and ran toward them

She stood horror-struck

She ran

She ran through the unknowing crowd

She ran up the imperial staircase

She ran through the enormous doors

Somewhere in her attempt to flee, she had lost a shoe

She didn't care

She had killed a man

She felt like she had died too

All at the strike of midnight.