I Can't Forget the Melody Chapter Three

 Chapter Three

Love is Painful

    At long last, Cinderella slipped past the border of Euphrania and found herself looking to the towers of the castle rising above the horizon. Her heart ached still, but she had gotten used to that ache in the past three years and she did feel a strange sense of comfort in knowing that he must be near.

    But days went by and that comfort seemed to vanish. Sleeping on the streets of Euphrania and begging food or odd jobs was not a pleasing way to live. Cold, hungry, dirty, miserable, the wretched, lonely girl began to wish she had never been born. Her prayers, she felt, ascended to heaven unheard.

    It was not until days after her arrival in Euphrania that Cinderella was offered an opportunity. A rather strange and almost unwelcome opportunity. It happened when she took the job of assisting the local baker in preparing for a rather large order. He was pleased by her work and took her aside when the day had ended.

    "I believe I can get you a permanent job," he smiled kindly. "If you are willing to take it."

    "Of course!" Cinderella cried eagerly. "I'll take anything!"

    "My cousin is the head chef in the palace kitchen," the baker continued. "He mentioned last week about needing another girl for odd jobs in the kitchen and some baking as well. I believe you would do very well."

    "The-the palace?" Cinderella stepped back, the color draining from her face. "I don't… I mean… I couldn't…" her voice trailed away and she clasped her hands behind her back so the baker wouldn't know she was trembling.

    "No need to be frightened," he chuckled merrily. "It's not as dreadful as it sounds. My cousin doesn't bite."

    "Would I-come in contact with the royal family at all?" she faltered.

    "I doubt it. Royalty seldom finds a need to enter the kitchen. Why are you hesitating, Child? Don't you realize I've offered you the chance of a lifetime?"

    "Yes." Cinderella murmured, more to herself than to him. "The chance of a lifetime."

    The following day, Cinderella followed the baker up the hill to the castle and stood behind him, head bowed, as he asked to gain access to the servant's entrance. As the gates were opened, she caught a fleeting glance of the elaborate main doorway and smiled ruefully, trying to ignore the fresh pain in her heart. Scenes were racing through her mind-her triumphant entrance as the Princess Incognita, her midnight flight as the magic melted away, her happy arrival with Edward as his future wife-the single day of her life that had been perfectly happy-and finally, her secret exit that dark night when she knew she must be separated from him forever.

    "Can you bake? Scrub floors? Pots and pans?" the head chef curtly fired off questions as Cinderella replied in the affirmative to each one.

    "I believe I can use you," he stated at last, with a firm nod. "What is your name, Girl?"

    Cinderella hesitated.

    "Anna." she replied simply.

    In the days that followed, Cinderella was swept quickly up in the constantly chaotic activity of the palace kitchen. She was relieved by the fact that there was always a job needing done. The never-ending work kept her mind off her sorrow and left her with a stronger sense of relief than she had known in years. As palace staff, she was provided with a little room, which she shared with Sarah, another of the kitchen maids. She had also been given a uniform and now blended easily with the dozens of other servants. At times she found it almost ironic that she was now a servant at the palace where she had nearly become queen.

    Sarah, a pale, slim girl with a braided coronet of golden hair, quickly became friends with the shy newcomer. Every moment that they were not working, she talked incessently, acquainting Cinderella with every little event in the life of all the palace servants. She mostly talked of a young man named Willoughby.

    "He and I have been friends since we were children," she informed Cinderella. "He used to work here in the kitchen but three years ago he was promoted to be the personal companion of Prince Edward himself! You see, the prince's former companion at arms, Sir John, was made a knight of the order of St. David. I think the prince did it so he could marry the Lady Caroline, Sir John, I mean. He…"

    Sarah's steady stream of words was cut off as the kitchen doors opened and the entire staff suddenly stood at attention.

    "It's Prince Edward himself!" Sarah whispered, not noticing that her friend's face had turned deathly pale. In one swift movement, Cinderella slipped into a corner, pressing her body against the wall in hopes that she would not be seen. Her heart was beating so loudly that she was afraid everyone could hear it. His back was to her as he talked to the head chef but then he turned and for a moment she caught a glimpse of his face, his deep blue eyes so filled with sorrow. Seeing him so unexpectedly after all these years brought tears to her eyes and she longed with her whole being to run to him and throw herself into his arms but she knew that she never could. It took all her effort to hold herself back until he had left the room.

    "Anna?" Sarah's voice pierced her reverie and she came to herself with a start. "Anna, are you alright? You look as if you've seen a ghost!"

    "I'm alright," Cinderella spoke mechanically as she still clung to the wall for support, fighting her tears. At that moment, she felt it was a dreadful mistake to have returned.

    That night, in their little room, Sarah continued her endless chatter. She was full of news of the prince, now that he had returned from his journey.

    "He's been gone for months!" she exclaimed. "The king and queen were beginning to wonder if he would ever return. You see, there's a rather strange story about him… it's really so romantic. Three years ago, there was a great ball at the palace and all the foreign princesses attended in the hopes that Prince Edward would choose one of them to be his wife! That was when the mysterious Princess Incognita arrived. I never saw her but I heard she was so beautiful! But she disappeared right after the ball and he searched for her for three months…" As Sarah went on, her words seemed to fade away as Cinderella lost herself in the memory of those long-ago days.

    "But then the Princess Selena died of fever…"

    "What did you say?" Cinderella gasped.

    "Why-the Princess Selena… Prince Edward's wife. She died of fever. And ever since then, the prince has been looking for his lost love. But she has disappeared without a trace."

    "He is… looking for her?" Cinderella whispered, her head reeling.

    "Yes. But they've just about given up. Not the prince, of course. He's declared he won't stop until he finds her, if it takes a hundred years. But everyone else, you know. The king is already talking of another marriage… with the Princess Kate of Snodden. It's an important alliance, you know."

    "He's looking for her!" Cinderella repeated, her face white.

    "I told you he was," Sarah replied, a little perturbed. "But I'm afraid the king will force him to marry Princess Kate. She'll be coming here soon, you know. To meet him. But I do wish he could find Cinderella! I'd do anything-just to catch a glimpse of her! Isn't it romantic?"

    "No." Cinderella murmured, bending her head so Sarah could not see her tears. "No, it's not. It's horrible. Love is painful-so painful."

    "You see only love and happiness staring you in the face. I see nothing but war and destruction. Unless a sacrifice is made." With a groan she turned her face as if to shut out the painful words that echoed through her mind.