The royal ball is in full swing and Prince Richard, well, he was bored.

But can he do? He simply hides his yawns behind his hand and greets ladies, and politely declines their offers to dance. King Bruce grumbled and then murmurs in his son's ear,
"You have to dance with one of them!"

"I just haven't found the right partner yet father!" Richard replies through a pearly white smile.

And then-

Time stops.

A young woman, possibly 19 like him, enters the ballroom wearing a gorgeous blue dress, pinned up red hair, and blinding glass slippers. Prince Richard can not help himself and stares as she walks elegantly down the stairs. Feeling suddenly compelled for a dance, he walks up to the woman, ignoring his father's smirk of... approval?

"Forgive me, miss-"

"My Prince! What a humbling surprise!" Barbara interrupts, surprised to see him standing in front of her and curtsies. Richard takes one of her hands gently to raise her up.

"No need to bow. And please don't call me Prince-I don't like people feeling inferior to me. Just call me Richard." Barbara chuckles.

"Alright then, Richard it is."

"Would you care to dance?" He asks rather quickly and Barbara smiles.

"I would love to."

***********

Meanwhile, somewhere in the ballroom, Kori and Zatanna are craning their necks up and teetering next to each other in heels as they both try to look for the prince.

"Please stop that girls." Sarah begs in a sweet and deep voice, looking straight ahead towards the king, trying to ignore the people's chatter of who is that girl? Did you see that girl that came into the ballroom?! Of course I did, she was gorgeous! I wonder if she comes from a noble family...

Suddenly Zatanna gasps and taps Kori aggressively on the shoulder.

"WHAT?!" Kori shrieks and Zatanna points towards the balcony outside where-no! It couldn't be! Sarah pushed past her daughters to get a better view and well, Sarah could just die of shock as her eyes widened in horror. That wretched girl from earlier (who Sarah wanted to add caused quite a scene!) was dancing with the prince of Gotham! How scandalous! (Why am I immediately thinking of Dragon Age Inquisition?! Ugh... that game will be the death of me!)

***********

As Barbara and Richard dance outside on the balcony where the music plays softly, Richard twists Barbara around who laughs. They had talked and laughed throughout the dance and the finale was about to start. As Richard leans in close...

DING!

Barbara gasps and looks at the time: 11:55 pm

"I'm sorry, I must go!"

"Go? Go now?"

"Yes, I am sorry Prince Richard!" Barbara says before rushing off.

"Wait! Can I at least get your name?!" But before that could be answered, the most beautiful woman in possibly all of the kingdom that Richard had laid eyes on was gone.

However, she did leave something behind.

A glass slipper.

***********

The very next day, posters and the town crier announce that the prince will be going around to every house to find the owner of the glass slipper.

Meanwhile at the Gordon Estate...

"CINDERELLA!" Sarah shouts coarsely, making Barbara jump and sigh quietly before going downstairs.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Make sure this room is spotless for the prince! And go up to your room soon after," Sarah demands in a sing song tone of voice. Barbara lowers her head with a small curtsy.

"Yes ma'am."

***********

"Prince Richard! Welcome to our immaculate home!" Barbara hears Sarah say as her step-sisters probably squabble to each other about who gets to meet the prince first.

"Prince Richard, allow me to introduce my two beautiful daughters: Koriander and Zatanna," They both smile and swoon sweetly then everyone sits down so Barbara's step-sisters can try on the shoe.

However even with all their might, it wouldn't fit.

"I swear it fits! My shoe size is always the same!" Kori insists as she grabs the shoe back and attempts to squeeze her toes into it.

Prince Richard sighs in frustration as he pries the shoe off her foot.

"Is there anyone else in your household?" He asks looking up at Sarah from his chair as he looks extremely annoyed. Sarah swings a diamond necklace back and forth as she looks around the room.

"Well... there is one more person," She admits and then shouts loudly, "CINDERELLA!"

Barbara jumps and quickly rushes down the stairs.

"Ye...yes?" She asks bewildered and out of breath.

And then like at the ball, time seems to slow for Richard and he remembers.

How could he forget such a beautiful woman?

"May I see your foot miss?" He asks her hesitantly and after a moment, Barbara nods.

And will you look at that?! It fit!

Kori and Zatanna were quite cross of course, but neither Barbara nor Richard seemed concerned.

"Hello again, Richard." She says with a smile and then Richard lets out a breath.

"You never did tell me your name."

"It's Barbara." She explains and he smiles moving up a step.

"And what a beautiful name that is."

And they kissed and they lived...

Happily Ever After.

Author's Notes

Dramatic? Yes, but it was so worth it!

I'm surprised how much I enjoyed writing this chapter (I wonder if it was because it was late at night? Huh).

Anyway, I'm uploading Day 3: Romeo and Juliet last because that has a big story that HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ROMEO AND JULIET! (I'm not yelling at you, I'm yelling at me for giving myself more work😊)

Oh and I did not like writing about the toes. Freezing, cold-there's a lot of thugs that make me squeamish and I have no idea where it comes from :-/

Bye!
BatgirlGeek❤️
P.S. I didn't mean to skip the part when Cinderella and everything is transformed back, I just forgot and was too tired to change it when I realized.