Cinderella Junior Novelization (7 page)

A
nastasia and Drizella were shocked by Cinderella's actions. There were also furious and demanded that their mother do something. But Lady Tremaine once again shushed the girls. She curiously watched Cinderella walk down the hallway toward her room. Cinderella was humming a sweet song about love and swaying her arms from side to side. It was as if she were floating across the floor. She was happy, and Lady Tremaine needed to know why.

Lady Tremaine narrowed her cold emerald-green eyes and stared at the dancing Cinderella.
Could Cinderella be the girl from the ball? Is she the girl the Prince loves?

Gus and Jaq had been watching Lady Tremaine, and they grew suspicious. Staying hidden, they followed her up the stairs, then perched on top of a beam. Lady Tremaine was heading for Cinderella's room, and she had a devious look on her face. The mice went to warn Cinderella.

Meanwhile, Cinderella was humming as she combed her hair in the mirror and twirled around. She was so happy. She couldn't wait for the Grand Duke to arrive with the glass slipper!

Suddenly, Gus and Jaq stormed into her room and climbed on top of her vanity. They jumped up and down on her hairbrush trying to get her attention. They called her name, but she continued to hum and look in the mirror. She finally noticed her little friends, but it was too late. At the same time, she saw her stepmother's reflection in the mirror. Cinderella gasped and turned toward Lady Tremaine just as she slammed Cinderella's door shut, then used her key to lock it. The only way the door could be opened again was with that key. Cinderella ran to the door and pulled on the handle, crying when it would not budge.

“Oh, you can't, you just can't,” she pleaded. “You must let me out! You can't keep me in here! Oh, please!” Cinderella continued to pull on the door handle, trying to get out. She was sobbing. Poor Cinderella was devastated. Her wicked stepmother had once again crushed her chance for happiness. Cinderella knew that if the Grand Duke couldn't find her, then she couldn't try on the glass slipper and she'd never be with the Prince.

Lady Tremaine proudly tapped the key in her hand and then put it safely in her pocket. She walked back down the stairs feeling quite satisfied with her actions. Now there was no way Cinderella would have the opportunity to try on the glass slipper.

Gus and Jaq crawled underneath Cinderella's door and scowled at Lady Tremaine as she walked away. They were angry, and they knew they had to help Cinderella.

“We've gotta get that key, Gus-Gus,” said Jaq excitedly. “We've just gotta get that key!”

I
t had been a long day for the Grand Duke. He had traveled around the kingdom trying the glass slipper on every maiden. He was asleep in his coach as it approached his next stop. With each bump in the road, his head wobbled from side to side. He held a royal blue velvet pillow with gold trim and tassels on his lap. On the pillow was the glass slipper. A small purple blanket covered it for protection. But the blanket slid off of the pillow due to the bumpy ride.

The driver called for his horses to halt and the coach came to an abrupt stop. The footman sounded his horn, announcing the arrival of the Grand Duke. Startled, the Duke jumped from his seat and the pillow went flying off his lap, along with the glass slipper. But the sleepy man managed to catch the slipper in midair. He let out a huge sigh of relief and covered his face with one hand while he held the delicate slipper in the other. His daylong search had worn him down. He was exhausted, but by the King's orders, he had to continue. He was at his next stop—the Tremaine house.

Meanwhile, Gus and Jaq had run to the window when they heard the coach approach. The Grand Duke had arrived! The mice had to retrieve the key tucked away in Lady Tremaine's pocket, and they had to do it quickly. Once Cinderella got out of her room and put that slipper on, everyone would know the truth: she was the Prince's true love.

Anastasia and Drizella ran to a window. They were dressed in fancy gowns.

“Oh, Mother, he's here, he's here!” cried Anastasia.

“The Grand Duke!” cried Drizella.

Anastasia ran to the vanity for one final primping of her hair.

“Oh, I'm so excited, I just don't know what else to do!” said Anastasia, fluffing her dress in the mirror.

Drizella came charging to the vanity for a final primping of her own and shoved Anastasia out of the way. She admired herself in the mirror and then powdered her nose. Anastasia came rushing back and jolted Drizella out of her way for her turn to powder.

“Girls!” warned Lady Tremaine. “Now, this is your last chance. Don't fail me.” Holding a tall black cane, she walked to the front door with her head high. She opened the door to welcome their guests.

The Duke's royal assistant stood in the entryway and blew his brass horn. In his other hand he held the glass slipper atop the blue velvet pillow protected by the purple cover.

“Announcing His Imperial Grace the Grand Duke!” he declared. He then stepped aside.

The Grand Duke walked up the stairs wearing a tall blue hat with a red feather on top. He removed his hat upon entry and was greeted by Lady Tremaine.

“May I present my daughters, Drizella, Anastasia,” said Lady Tremaine pointing to each girl. The girls each curtsied and batted their eyelashes awkwardly.

“Your Grace,” Anastasia greeted him. She smiled wide and stuck her finger under her chin to appear sweet and coy. But there was nothing sweet about her, and it was quite obvious to the Grand Duke.

“Oh, yes, charmed, I'm sure,” replied the Grand Duke, cringing at the site of the unattractive sisters. He tried his best to maintain his composure.

The assistant then announced that the Grand Duke would read the royal proclamation. He uncurled the long scroll. The still-drowsy Duke began to read it out loud.

While the proclamation was being read, Gus and Jaq climbed up to the top of the coffee table. Lady Tremaine was standing near the table and the key was sticking out of her pocket. They wanted to get as close to her as possible. They needed to grab that key! The Duke kept reading. When he came to the part about the glass slipper, the assistant lifted the cover off the plush pillow. He held it up with pride as the slipper sparkled on top. But the Duke's speech was interrupted.

“Why, that's my slipper!” shouted Drizella.

“It's
my
slipper!” yelled Anastasia.

The assistant was surprised by the girls' boldness. He tried to keep the slipper away from them.

Gus and Jaq were hiding in a teacup on the table. Gus got mad when he heard the sisters. “No, no, no! That's Cinderelly's slipper!” he yelled, climbing out of the teacup. Jaq pulled him back down. He covered Gus's mouth with his hat. They couldn't risk being discovered now, no matter how angry they were.

The stepsisters make a mad dash toward the assistant, trying to grab the glass slipper. He ducked and ran out from under them with the slipper intact. Then he hid behind the Grand Duke, away from the unruly girls.

“Girls, girls,” said Lady Tremaine. “Your manners.” She spoke to them calmly but glared at them with her most withering stare. “A thousand pardons, Your Grace,” she said to the Grand Duke. “Please continue.”

The Duke was quite annoyed by girls' behavior and the interruption, but he continued to read the proclamation.

W
hile the Grand Duke was reading the proclamation, Gus and Jaq made a plan. They quietly chatted in the cup and pointed to Lady Tremaine, who was listening to the Grand Duke intently. Jaq hopped out of the cup first and tiptoed over to Lady Tremaine. Her pocket was within reach and the key was visible. He leaned over the edge of the table. Gus held on to his tail and gently lowered him into the pocket. Jaq lifted the key. He tried to push it up so Gus could grab it, but Gus quickly waved his hands. Lady Tremaine was making a move toward the pocket! Scared, Gus ducked into the teacup and covered his eyes. He could barely watch.

Lady Tremaine glanced up the stairs at Cinderella's door and stuck her hand in her pocket. She wanted to feel the key for reassurance. As long as she had that key, there was no way Cinderella was getting out of her room.

Jaq sweated profusely with fear as he tried to avoid being discovered. But once Lady Tremaine felt the key, she let go of it and then tapped the outside of her pocket. Jaq sighed with relief—but the mice were not out of trouble yet.

The Grand Duke finished reading the proclamation and relaxed, hoping this would be the last time that he had to read it. The assistant slid a chair under the Grand Duke, who plopped down to rest.

“You must be quite fatigued, Your Grace,” said Lady Tremaine. She picked up the teapot and a cup—the cup Gus was hiding in! “May we offer you some tea?” she asked. Inside the cup, Gus frantically tried to avoid the hot tea about to hit his body.

“Thank you, madam, no,” replied the Duke. Luckily for Gus, the tea never made it into the cup, and Lady Tremaine put the teapot and the cup back on the table. It was another close call for the little mice. “We must proceed with the fitting,” continued the Duke.

“Of course,” said Lady Tremaine, bowing to him. “Anastasia, dear!”

Anastasia sat in a chair and stuck out her foot. Only her toes were sticking out beneath her long, puffy dress. The assistant sat on a small stool in front of her and placed the glass slipper on her foot.

“There, I
knew
it was my slipper!” cheered Anastasia. The messenger clapped happily and lifted up her foot to show everyone in the room. But when he did, her dress slid down her leg, revealing her huge foot. The glass slipper didn't fit at all—it was only covering her toes! Almost her entire ugly foot was sticking out of the slipper.

“Oh, well, it may be a tad bit snug today…,” began Anastasia nervously. “You know how it is, dancing all night.” She was embarrassed and twirled her hair nervously. She kept trying to make excuses as to why the slipper didn't fit. The assistant shrugged and rolled up his sleeves. He hopped on top of Anastasia's leg and tried pounding the slipper onto her foot, but it was no use. Anastasia became frustrated and began to yell at the assistant.

“It fit perfectly before. I don't think you're half trying,” she said to him, lying. “Mother, can you—”

“Shhh, quiet, my dear,” replied Lady Tremaine. “We mustn't disturb His Grace.” Lady Tremaine pointed to the Grand Duke in the chair. He was asleep—and snoring! “Young man,” she said to the assistant. “Are you sure you're trying it on the right foot?”

They were all so distracted by the fitting that no one had any idea what was going on in Lady Tremaine's pocket. Gus tied his tail to the spout of the teapot for leverage. Jaq pushed the key up and out of the pocket toward Gus. Gus grabbed hold of the key while Jaq dangled from the pocket, holding the other end of the key.

Lady Tremaine moved slightly and pulled the mice along with her. The teapot spout that Gus was tied to tipped as the mice were pulled in Lady Tremaine's direction. A hot drip of tea hit Gus's back. He jumped and his tail released from the spout. Gus went sliding down Lady Tremaine's dress, along with Jaq and the key. They spun across the floor. Gus hit the wall with the key wedged up against him, but Jaq got up and quickly pulled Gus to his feet.

“Upstairs!” whispered Jaq, pointing. It would be a long climb to Cinderella's room, but they had to do it. The mice lifted the heavy key up each steep step. It was so hard for them! They tried to move as quickly as possible. Beads of sweat dripped down Gus's tiny head as he worked feverishly to keep up with Jaq.

Meanwhile, Anastasia was still yelling at the assistant to get the slipper to fit. “Why can't you hold still a minute!” she screamed, kicking the assistant with her big foot. The assistant slammed into the piano and banged against the keys, waking the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke was shocked by all the commotion.

“Oh, my word!” he said angrily. “Enough of this! The next young lady,
please
!”