Cinderella and the Colonel (24 page)

“
If you are so jealous of my status, you should have ditched the books in school and joined the Army with Friedrich and me.”

Content they were absorbed
in their conversation, Cinderella started for the door.

At that moment
, a young man Cinderella recognized because he had already danced with her three times that evening and complimented her loudly during every dance, entered the refreshments room. He looked back and forth through the room, searching for someone.

Cinderella slid behind a woman wearing an elaborate mask and headdress
designed to look like a sun. She couldn’t catch the man’s eye, or he would loudly greet her, drawing attention to them.

She could still he
ar the men talking from her new position. “I pride myself that I will never sink so low as to be jealous of
you
.” Lord Diederick said. “I am not in my position for the glory, but the power. I have no use for social niceties, but having an entire financial administration at my beck and call? That is what I live for.”

“Mmm,” Colonel Merrich said, drinking his Brandy. “You a
lways were stiff-necked.”

“I will remember your words the next time I approve your payroll.”

Cinderella gawked at the pair for the moment. Lord Diederick was in an administrative position? Why in the blazes was he her finance contact at the palace?

The young man/dancing enthusiast gave one last look around the room before he left. His exit was not a moment too soon, for Colonel Merrich and Lord Diederick started to turn their backs to the alcoholic drinks
and face in Cinderella’s direction.

Still carrying her drink, Cinderella
cut in front of a couple and minced out of the room. Once in the ballroom, she downed her juice to moisten her dry mouth. “I can’t believe I escaped that,” she said before setting her empty goblet on a tray.

A nearby bell tower started to ring, and Cinderella listened to the tolls as she moved to join the reception line.

Cinderella winced when the tolls stopped. It was eleven. Thankfully the line to see Queen Freja was shortening—it started at the base of the stairs where the princes stood rather than winding around behind them—but depending how long it took, she may not have time to speak to the queen before midnight came.

Cinderella started estimat
ing how long it would take her to reach the front of the line, counting on her fingers.

“Is someth
ing wrong, Mademoiselle?” asked a muffled voice.

The voice sounded familiar
, so Cinderella automatically raised her eyes.

A young man dressed in black with a gray mask
that covered his entire face addressed her. A crown was perched on his head. It was smaller and less ornate than the queen’s, and was made of copper or bronze and had only a large ruby surrounded by polished beads of onyx to decorate it.

The air left Cinderella’s
lungs as she realized she was addressing one of the Erlauf princes, and she had no idea what
either
of them were named. “Prince…”

“Cristoph.
The older one,” the prince said, his voice sounded amused rather than offended.

“Prince Cristoph
,” Cinderella awkwardly repeated. “I thank you for the attention, but I am fine. I was merely taking note of the hour.”

“You
were wondering if the wait was worth it to meet Mother?” the prince said. His mask had no opening for his mouth, and the eyeholes were covered with white netting, so Cinderella could see no part of his face. As such, it was hard for Cinderella to tell if he was being sarcastic or not because the mask muffled his voice and made him sound flat. Additionally, he seemed to be speaking oddly, as if he were pitching his voice extra low.

“I am sure Her Majesty Queen Freja is worth
a wait of any length,” Cinderella firmly said. “But I am not certain I can stay long enough to speak to her.”

“Then speak with me
, and when you return home, you can report to your family that you
did
speak to a member of royalty,” Prince Cristoph said.

Cinderella considered the offer.

He’s not the queen. But I suppose speaking to the Crown Prince is an excellent start
.

“Very well
, if you are not opposed to spending some of your time on me.”

“Not at all
,” Prince Cristoph said before directing Cinderella out of the line.

The second prince—who wore clothes and a mask identical to Prince Cristoph’s—watched them leave
, his face trained in their direction.

“
Was there anything you wished to discuss with my mother?” Prince Cristoph asked.

“Yes
, actually,” Cinderella said as she strolled with the prince.

People cleared the way for them
, opening up a walking path wherever Cristoph went. Oddly enough, considering the way men had been kissing her hand and taking up her arm with no hesitation, the Prince did not lay so much as a finger on Cinderella, nor did he offer his arm as they walked.

“Did you wish to scold her over the ris
ing taxes?” Prince Cristoph asked.

Cinderella frowned. “I would not be so rude and poor mannered to address
that topic, Your Highness.”

“Then what did you plan to discuss with her?”

“Trieux.”

Prince Cristoph stopped walk
ing for a brief moment. “I see. And what are your concerns?”

Cinderella took a deep breath and tried to calm her flutter
ing heart. “I feel the attitude of Erlauf and the remaining Trieux citizens must be addressed. The people are locked in a struggle against each other, and it is not good for a country—even one as strong as Erlauf—to have a portion of it divided.”

“
You think Queen Freja should reestablish a Trieux government?”

“Stars above
,
no
.” Cinderella said.

“Why not?”

Cinderella paused for a moment, composing her reply.
Well, he hasn’t made fun of me yet
, she thought.

“It
has come to my attention that Erlauf is under attack, not by another country, but by sheer evil. Trieux cannot stand against an enemy of that caliber. Releasing Trieux will only bring waste to the land,” Cinderella said.

“
That sounds melodramatic.”

“Of this I am aware
, but it cannot be denied.”

“What proof do you
have of this supposed evil?”

Cinderella grim
ly considered the question. She had great proof—her own experience, and Friedrich’s words. But she would like to avoid identifying herself. Taking a chance, Cinderella said, “It is no used to pretend otherwise, Your Highness. I have heard of the various attacks against the Erlauf Royal family.”

Prince Cristoph neither confirmed nor denied Cinderella’s accusation. “
What do you propose?”

This
was it
!

“The separation between those of Erlauf and those of Trieux must be done away with.
It is more an operation of attitude than action, but to succeed Queen Freja will need to make a conscious effort,” Cinderella said.

“You expect her to heal the divide with
kindness
?”

“Hate cannot drive out hate
,” Cinderella said, echoing Friedrich. “As long as hate is shared, Trieux and Erlauf will be in an eternal struggle.”

Prince Cristoph
was silent. “I would not argue that,” he finally said. “But it seems our lovely Queen will be footing the bill for this forgiveness you desire.”

“Not so
,” Cinderella said. “I know people of influence among Trieux. They will do their best to offer forgiveness on their side, as well,” Cinderella said.

She knew Julien
was already on her side; Marie and her husband would be easy to sway—there was something to be said about being a merchant who was more interested in profits than bad blood among nobles. Perhaps the Girards could be convinced, and if they were, the Delattre’s would not be far behind. Also, Cinderella had a strange inkling that the half-deaf Lord Leroy might agree with her without any sort of persuasion at all.

“Would the lady care for a dance?” Prince Cristoph asked
, shattering Cinderella’s thoughts. “We can still converse as we dance. Your conversation intrigues me.”

“Very well
,” Cinderella said.

Prince Cristoph bowed before he approached the
orchestra and spoke to them. They abruptly ended the slow song they played, and switched to a different tune.

“
Have you ever danced an Erlauf circle?” Prince Cristoph asked.

“Yes
,” Cinderella said, slow to commit. It was a dance that required absolutely no touching, although the dancers were still organized into couples. They moved around each other in a circular pattern, sliding close but never touching.

Cinderella’s Father once told her the dance
was meant to mimic the movements of the Erlauf Calvary with the horses sliding forward and backward in matched patterns.

“So what does this forgiveness look like?”
Prince Cristoph asked after he found a spot on the dance floor and lined up across from Cinderella.

“Like love
,” Cinderella said.

Prince Cristoph almost missed the musical cue to step around Cinderella. “What does
that mean?”

“It means Trieux nobles and shopkeepers hire people from Erlauf who immigrated to Werra. It means Erlauf soldiers are
gentle
with people from Trieux and do not treat them with suspicion,” Cinderella said as she and the prince side-stepped each other. “Erlauf citizens can share their knowledge of flower farming, and the Trieux vendors in the market could teach Erlauf folk how to barter.”

“This forgiveness of yours does not sound like the standard forgive and forget
arrangement,” Prince Cristoph said as he bowed to Cinderella and she curtsied in tune with the music.

“Forgett
ing is not at all what forgiveness means. Forgiveness, in the case of our country, is forging ahead
together
. People from Trieux should intertwine with people from Erlauf. The Erlauf Royal Family should acknowledge they are in what once was Trieux. If they are seen eating a Trieux dish, or using a Trieux word to describe something, I can guarantee Trieux citizens will ponder what goods and crops they can sell that people from
Erlauf
would like,” Cinderella said, her shoulder almost brushing the prince’s.

“In other words
, we should make an effort to adopt Trieux customs and culture into our lives?” Prince Cristoph asked.

“
In a way, yes. Right now our countries are saturated with bitterness. If we try being a little less selfish, I think the bitterness can be purged,” Cinderella said, ducking under Prince Cristoph’s arm.

“I see. And you are will
ing to make some of the sacrifices you mentioned?” Prince Cristoph asked, stepping back with Cinderella before they came together again.

“Of course
, or I wouldn’t have the nerve to make these suggestions,” Cinderella said.

“I fear there is too much bad blood between Trieux Nobles and Erlauf Nobles for friendship
,” Prince Cristoph said.

Cinderella twirled
, her skirts swishing around her. “Perhaps. But there is something you must understand. The hearts of the Trieux commoners are ripe for the taking. For the most part, the upper class did a poor job caring for them. There were some exceptions, but I do not think any of the common class has strong feelings for Trieux nobility. If you can win over the entire commoner class, the remaining nobles and what few Trieux government officials are still alive will have no choice but to follow.”

“I see
,” Prince Cristoph said, clapping twice, in synch with the male dancers.

“Additional
ly, you underestimate the next generation of Trieux nobles,” Cinderella said, side-stepping Prince Cristoph again. “Several of the houses have young lords and ladies who are poised to take over their parents’ titles. They do not have the same grudges and stubbornness of their parents. You might be able to win them over, if you strike soon,” Cinderella said.

“Your thoughts intrigue me
,” Prince Cristoph said as the dance came to an end.

“
But you do not support them?”

“I never said
that. I am merely withholding judgment. It is warm in here; shall we continue the conversation outside?”

“As you wish
, your Highness,” Cinderella said.

Prince Cristoph led Cinderella through the crowd—which opened up before him like magic—and out to a balcony
.