Chaptah Three

            Cinderella moved quickly from her home to Jill’s, pausing in the doorway, surveying what was inside.  She hurried over to the bed, ignoring the unused bandages, and bent down, gently lifting Euri up into her arms with ease.  “Jill, go tell Christian to prepare for a live one.”  As she turned around to head out, she saw Jill standing there, shocked.  Cinderella scowled, “If you’re not going to help me, get out of the way.”  Jill snapped to her senses and blushed furiously, stepping to the side to let Cinderella pass.  She glared at the taller girl as she left the room, slamming the door behind her as she went.  “Damn her.”

            “Christian!” Cinderella called out as she kicked open the door, entering a long, dimly lit hallway.  The pale beige rose-patterned wallpaper was peeling away from the walls.  Cinderella quickly ran down the hallway, carrying the groaning young woman in her arms.  She turned a corner, passing a modest dining room, careful not to bump Euri into any corners or doorways.  At long last she came upon a room down another dark hallway beyond a set of double doors.  “We have a live one!” Cinderella shouted and barged into the room, which reeked of embalming fluid.

            Prince Christian Charming, who really wasn’t a prince, lifted his head up from the operating table.  His hand, which held a scalpel, was hovering in mid-air above a pale corpse.  He set it down on the table, a look of worry on his face, and pushed his saggy blonde hair to the side, no longer hiding his bright blue eyes.  “Cindy, you know we don’t operate on live people.  This is a mortuary, you know.”  He scowled at her as she shoved the corpse onto the floor to place the barely conscious Euri on the table.

            “Cinderella,” Christian began as the woman started to carefully cut off Euri’s black shirt to get it out of the way, “Why couldn’t she go to the hospital down the road?  Why’s she so special that you brought her here?  Who is she, Cinderella?”

            The tall woman glanced up from checking Euri’s bare skin for marks to look at Christian, “She’s an old friend of mine.  Now stop asking questions and help me fix her up.”  Christian sighed.  “I don’t do well with live people, Cindy.  I’m sorry but you’re on your own for this one, dear.”  He shook his head and left the operating room, knowing full well that he wouldn’t be sleeping in their bed for the next week or so.

            Cinderella quickly surmised that there was nothing wrong with the lower half of Euri’s body.  She figured that Euri’s unconscious state was from shock, stress, and exhaustion, not to mention a little pain.  Euri’s elbow however, was dislocated.  Quickly, she popped it back in place and wrapped up her arm in bandages, her eyes scanning over Euri’s chest to the gash in the younger girl’s left shoulder which traveled down a towards  her chest.  As Cinderella took a closer look, she realized that along with the bloody gash, probably caused by a sharp rock, Euri’s shoulder had been dislocated as well.  Before putting Euri’s shoulder back together, she quickly and neatly cleaned up the blood from her chest.  “A much better sight,” she murmured to herself.  She carefully held Euri’s arm and snapped her shoulder back into place with an odd pop, causing Euri to cry out slightly, jarring her back to reality.  “This’ll only take a moment, Euri, so shut your eyes and bite your lip.  Oh, and try not to scream too loudly.”  Euri looked up at Cindrella quizzically through hazy eyes.  A sudden, sharp pain started filling her chest, she looked down to see the tall woman stitching up the long gash.  Euri clenched her teeth tightly and shut her eyes, waiting for it to be over.

            “There you go.  You look much better now.”  Euri tried sitting up, and failed - she was still groggy.  “Relax, Euri.  You’ve been through a lot, though nothing too major to be overly concerned with.”  Cinderella calmly helped Euri sit up, “You bleed a lot more than you should, you know.  That’s probably because you’re just Euri right now.  You’re nobody else.”  Euri nodded and got down from the table with Cinderella’s steady hold on her.  “My shirt…it was one of my favorites,” Euri stated unhappily.

            “Well, we can easily fix that, dear.”  Cinderella pulled off her medical garb, revealing a flowing, dark red, dress with a trimming of silver to decorate it, and tossed the uniform into the disposal bin.  “I’ll wash your jacket for you, so no need to worry about that.  And, unfortunately, since your shirt is beyond repair, I’ll just have to give you a new one.  Come with me, please.”

            Euri blinked and nodded, grabbing her blood stained jacket to cover her front, and the two of them walked out of the room.  “So Euri.  I normally don’t ask my patients why they’ve come to me and that’s usually for two reasons.  One, they’re already dead, and two, I already know.”  Euri looked at Cinderella incredulously and asked, “Was that a joke?”  Cinderella only responded with a small smile as they continued walking through the quiet house.  “Ah, here we are,” the taller woman said as they arrived at a varnished wooden door.  As the two of them entered, Euri gasped slightly at what she saw.

            “This place is so pretty!” Euri exclaimed as she rushed into the bedroom.  Her eyes were wide as she gazed at the trinkets which lined the dresser and mantle over the fireplace.  The wallpaper was decorated with beautiful roses and petals, all of different shades.  They seemed to radiate out from the bed, bright colors at first and then ending in the darker hue by the fireplace, which when lit, would cover that section of the room in a warm, orange glow.  The lights above gave the room a rather rosy red glow to the entire room. Euri seemed awe-struck.

            “Ne, Cinderella, I didn’t know you liked roses so much,” she turned around, noticing all the pictures on the wall, “Who’s the woman with the red hair?” Euri asked as she pointed to a portrait which was hanging nearby.

            “That’s Cassandra.  You could say that she’s my… god mother.” Cinderella smirked slightly, “Now, go check out that chest of drawers and pick out a shirt.  I’m going to go check up on Margaret Anne.”  Euri nodded and waved as Cinderella left the room to check on her year old baby girl.  She rummaged through clothes, looking for a shirt to wear.  Most had shades of red and orange, colors she didn’t like much (although Haak swore by them), so she was overjoyed when she found a blue shirt. 

            Pulling it on, she admired herself in the full length mirror that was on the wall next to the dresser.  She pouted slightly as she tried pulling it down past her hips, and sighed at her failure.  She was content with how well it fitted her, although it didn’t hide the bandage that was on her recently stitched chest all too well, but it’d have to do.  She liked how shiny the blue on the shirt looked, and even though the sleeves were three-quarter length, they did look rather nice on her.  She absolutely adored the silver trim and small bow on the front.  Euri didn’t know whether to stay there or leave, so she poked her head out of the room, looking down the long hallways.  “What, is this place made up only of hallways?”

            Euri slowly ambled on down the next hallway, her hands in her pockets as she looked at the pictures on the walls as she passed by.  She turned a corner , hearing voices coming from a nearby room.  As she got closer, she could hear hushed whispers coming from within.  Her back against the wall, she slowly sidled towards the door, leaning in so she could peer around the doorway to see what lay inside.  Apparently, it was a child’s room.  The walls were lined with shelves which overflowed with stuffed toy animals and creatures of all sorts, not to mention dolls of various shapes and sizes.  In the center of the room was a small bed, with a young child sleeping on it.  The baby girl’s dirty brown hair was messy, her curls flowing over her pillow and stuffed moose plushie.  It was a cute sight.  Amongst the dressers and closets resting against the strawberry patterned wallpaper, Euri could see a chair occupied by two people.  Thankfully Cinderella, who was sitting on Christian’s lap, hadn’t seen Euri yet.  Euri quietly leaned her head in to get a better idea of what they were saying.

            “Dear, I was worried that you didn’t know what you were doing, that’s all,” Christian said as he held his wife in his arms.  The moonlight from the window poured softly in, falling on them gently.  Cinderella nodded, leaning against her loved one, “It was an emergency, Prince.  If I had brought her to the hospital, they would’ve asked too many questions.”

            Christian’s eye twitched slightly, “Cindy, dear, you know that I don’t like you calling me by my first name.  Honestly, what was my mother thinking when she named me Prince Christian?”  He sighed as Cinderella smiled, giggling softly, and he smirked, moving his head to her neck, nibbling it playfully.

            “Stop that!”  Cinderella said, still smiling, taking his hand in her own and placing it on her chest. She leaned in to kiss him.  The two of them sat like that for a while, simply enjoying one another’s touch.  Euri sighed wistfully as she watched.

            “What was that?” Christian asked as he took his hand out from beneath Cinderella’s gown.  They looked over to see Euri leaning against the doorframe, her blushes hidden in the dim light.  “Euri!  I completely forgot that you were still here, I’m sorry.”  Cinderella exclaimed not too loudly, fearing that she’d wake her daughter. 

            Cinderella got up from Christian’s lap, leaving him clearly frustrated at being unable to continue.  He scowled as Euri and Cinderella left the room, leaving him alone to his thoughts of what he’d do if he ever got his hands on Euri’s corpse.

             “I’m terribly sorry, Euri,” Cinderella told the smaller girl as they walked down a hallway.  “I went in to check on Margaret Anne, and Christian was already there, and we started talking, and, well, you know, one thing led to another…” Cinderella trailed off, her face flushed from embarrassment, amongst other things, and she looked at Euri to see what she had to say.  “Well… um…”  Euri coughed, “I don’t really know what to say.  I was looking to see where you had gone, and, well, I guess I found you.”  The both of them avoided one the other’s gaze, continuing through the house.

            “I know!” Cinderella exclaimed as she turned to the young woman beside her, “Would you like some tea, Euri?  Or perhaps you’d like something to eat?” Euri looked up at the still-blushing Cinderella for a moment and then smiled, “Oh sure, thanks.  Yeah, tea sounds nice right about now.”  Cinderella smiled, her nerves fading, and so she led Euri to the dining room, her air of superiority restored once more.  “Have a seat and I’ll be with you in a moment,” Cinderella told Euri before entering the kitchen.

            As Cinderella left the room, Euri sighed in relief.  The tension between them had finally eased, allowing Euri a golden opportunity to look around the room.  Seated at the mahogany dining table in a surprisingly comfortable wooden chair, she leaned back to get a better view of what surrounded her.  On the walls were various pictures of Cinderella, Christian, and their baby daughter Margaret Anne.  Euri smiled, thinking of Silver, her own “daughter”, to put it simply.  She soon grew tired of looking at the pictures and various statues hanging on the wall, so she merely contented herself with staring up at the chandelier, her vision blurring from staring at the many lights.  A clatter brought her attention back to the table, and there was Cinderella setting down a tea tray, filled with… well, tea.

            Cinderella handed Euri a filled cup and sat down across from her with one of her own.  “Tell me, Euri.  What brought you to me in such a condition?”  She leaned in, her face serious, and continued, “What did Jill do to you?  Did she beat you just like how her father used to beat you?  I’m sure she did,” she paused, sipping her drink, “The girl is sick, you know.  She’s positively sick in the head.  I honestly don’t know why you saved her.  The wretched thing should’ve died on the spot.”

            “….”  Euri sat there, her hand clenched around her tea cup as she tried not to lose her temper.  “For your information, Cinderella, I merely slipped and fell.  That’s all.  Jill did nothing to hurt me in any way.”  The other woman scoffed in disbelief, “A likely story, Euri.  I highly doubt she did nothing to cause you to come to harm.”  She sipped her rose tea, oblivious to Euri’s rising anger.  “And you know what?” Cinderella continued, “Anyone as low class as Jill shouldn’t be allowed to take residence here with you, Euri.  It’s simply disgusting how you let such vile vermin live here.”

            Euri looked up at Cinderella from her tea cup, her voice icy, yet polite as she valiantly tried to hide her anger, “Two questions for you, dear.  One:  What do you make of the other residents of this home?”  Euri waited for Cinderella’s response, calmly sipping her tea.  “The others?  You mean all the strays you picked up?” Cinderella leaned back in her chair, her elegant dress still ruffled from her previous escapade with her husband, “Alice is insane.  She’s an evil, psychotic bitch who doesn’t care for anything except for her own meager life.  She’s… disturbing. Unfit to exist.  Now, Wendy is a woman one can depend on.  She’s a bit on the soft side, though.  It’s rather obvious how easily manipulated she can be.  She’s your average woman, basically.”  Cinderella paused to pour herself more tea, oblivious to the vein throbbing in Euri’s head.  After taking another sip of her tea, she continued, “My Pumpkin, of course, was a rather odd accident.  I’m glad that it’s here, but, still, it’s weird.  Not much more I can say about it, really.  Now we get to that Kirby thing.”  She looked at Euri incredulously, “What were you thinking?  How did you even get such a creature like that?  Honestly, it baffles the mind, that one.  It’s just this… pink… ball of cuteness,” she shuddered, “No matter, though.  If you want creepy, though, you need only Mr. Burns.  Honestly, woman, you took it upon yourself to save one of the greediest of people in Springfield and what did it get you?  A freak of nature, that’s what.  Honestly, I’m glad that door’s locked up.  Why don’t you just get rid of it and let that empty room be used by someone more, you know, sophisticated.”

              Euri quietly poured herself some more tea as Cinderella began talking about two of her newly recruited residents, her hands shaking slightly in anger as she put the tea pot back down.  “Now that ninja of yours.  I can see where she’s coming from, that comedic angle of hers, but really.  She’s so immature, that one.  It’s sickening to be even remotely connected to such a brat.  Speaking of annoyances, have you seen that Pirate lately?  Ugh, it’s so obvious how she tries copying me.  If you take a look at her, you’ll see how sophisticated and civilized she pretends to be.  I know for a fact that she’s a barbaric savage, you know.  Barely has her wits about her.” Cinderella took a pause to stare into Euri’s eyes, her expression one of suspicion, “Who’s in the tenth door, Euri?  Who’s so important that you won’t let any of us go near her?”  Euri simply looked back and avoided Cinderella’s question.

            “My other question for you is this, dear girl.  Do you remember how you came to join me here with the others?”  Euri watched as the expression on Cinderella’s face turned from one of suspicion to one of puzzled concentration.  “No, I can’t really recall how Christian and I came to live here.  I suppose that you know and that you’re going to tell me, right?”  Euri nodded as a cold smile formed on her face.  “During my many, many, travels, I came to your country of residence and was walking from your town to another.  It was a rather gloomy Sunday morning and you and your wonderful husband were taking your usual Sunday morning carriage ride.  I saw the both of you barreling down the road, heading in my direction, blissfully unaware of the ravine down below on your left.”  Cinderella’s normally rosy face grew pale as Euri continued, “Your carriage slipped on a patch of ice and veered off the road and down into the ravine.  I followed, transforming into Europa, and checked to see if you two were okay.  Christian died from being crushed beneath the carriage.  Luckily enough, you were thrown from the carriage and collided into a tree.  You were badly disfigured, Cinderella.  You were bleeding and wounded terribly.  I did the only thing I could do and took you into me.  For the first few weeks you were here, you slept.  Eventually you woke up and you believed that the world which surrounded you was real.  You’re living in a fake world, dear girl.  Christian is dead and you’re all alone, only living your daily life in false memories.”

            A silence lingered in the room.  “I don’t believe you.  You’re lying.  Everything that spews forth from your mouth is a lie!” Cinderella cried.

            “Yet this is coming from a woman who feels that everyone around her is insignificant.  You say you loathe and hate people who’re weaker than yourself, but what you must realize is that you’re the weakest person here.”

            “Shut up!” Cinderella yelled as she jumped up, her chair flying back from her as she glared at the smaller woman from across the table.

            Euri calmly stood up from her chair, keeping her eyes fixed on Cinderella in a cold and steady gaze, “You’re the only person who truly believed that what you lived in was real.  Everyone else knows that their rooms are merely fabrications of their doing.”  She was prevented from continuing, and barely dodged the tea pot thrown at her.

            “Get out of here, you despicable wench.  Your lies aren’t appreciated here!  Go on, get out!”  She threw her cup and saucer at Euri, who was steadily creeping towards the door, “I never want to see your pathetic face here ever again!” Cinderella yelled out in her rage.

            Euri just shook her head and quietly said, “You poor, disillusioned girl.  You truly are one to be pitied.”  With these words, Euri left the kitchen to head towards to the exit Cinderella’s home.  As she walked away, she could hear Cinderella’s cries of anguish and sadness.  As she neared the door, she saw Christian coming down another hallway.  She stopped and waited until he stood next to her.  “What happened?  I heard yelling.  What was going on between you two?” 

            Euri simply responded by placing her hand on his shoulder, “I pity you, Prince.  Go to your wife now.  She needs your comfort.”  Christian gave her a perplexed look and turned around, hurrying towards the kitchen. 

With that, Euri left to continue her quest for happiness amongst her other guests.  This time, the world of Never Land was her destination.