Glass

Some things were better left between me and Emiliano. For one, my obsession with the ocean, of which my parents didn't even know half of its extent. They told me once that it was dangerous yet not as exciting as I would expect, and we left it at that.

Another thing we kept was my love for story books, in the times where I had been expected to focus on the educational offerings outside of my interest. Emiliano had been the one to sneak in such books for my reading pleasure, but he also made certain that I studied all the things expected of me. He feared that my father would notice a gap of knowledge more than he feared the future king would be left with it. That was something we also shared; a mutual unease when it came to King Santos, and the complicated mixture of deep admiration that came along with it. Not once had Emiliano ever raised his voice in the presence of either of my parents, and so I knew for a fact that my next insanely reckless plan would never enter their ears (at least until it was too late).

"Emiliano!"

The library door burst open. From around the corner, Emiliano's head popped out, and he raised an eyebrow. I strode towards him eagerly, still elated at Rosaline's discovery.

"The glass slipper! That's the answer!"

"Have we not already looked into that avenue?"

I took the heavy folder from his weakening arms and dropped it onto the carpet.

"Well, yes, but not in the right way. It's not just a shoe made of glass, but a magical item. An item which itself has magic!"

I spiralled around the room, seeing everything as if the familiar room was completely anew. Emiliano looked at me worriedly as though I had gone slightly mad.

"Calm yourself, Andres, and tell me exactly what it is you mean."

Wording it in a convincing way was difficult. But after some struggle, I just blurted it out.

"The shoe can only fit the person it belongs to!" I looked around, hoping I hadn't spoken too loud. I felt my cheeks turn slightly pink and I took a breath. "Do you understand what this means? What I must do to find her?"

Emiliano became very concerned.

"But how can you see if the shoe fits if we don't know who or where Cinderella is?"

For once, not even Emiliano was able to figure out such an unconventional plot. I wasn't sure if that meant that I had outsmarted him in some way, or if what I wanted to do was just so absurdly stupid.

"We're going to use the shoe to find her."

And with those words, Emiliano's eyes widened with what I could only gather was immense disbelief.

"Surely… you are not suggesting… that we try the slipper-"

"-on every woman in the kingdom?" I said, still so sure of myself despite the backlash I was anticipating. Emiliano was a logical man, of course we would have tried to talk me out of this idea. But instead, he just listened to the word I said next, "Yes."

And so that was another secret kept between me and Emiliano. For all of three hours, our lips were sealed in solidarity until I could reveal my plans to the rest of my entourage. But that gave us time to think ahead.

Emiliano had trust in Sir Rafael Jimenez as did I, but his loyalty to my mother was unmatched. I resolved to break up our plan gently to him, and give him a reason to not inform my parents immediately of what was going to commence. Usually, they would get intel on our intentions for the day before we left, but our plans were within the confines of my safety. Visiting every home in Mendessa City and beyond crossed that barrier. We could have been interacting with just about anyone, including anti-monarchists and dangerous criminals. If my parents were to find out, the entire operation would be dismissed in minutes. And Rafael, as captain of my expeditions, would never disobey that order.

Zolin and the outer entourage were merely guards and soldiers who chiefly answered to me, if not for their captain. But Rafael… he would take much more convincing. He became the target of my thoughts.

At breakfast, I barely uttered a word. My father was all too busy charming King Cedric with tales I had heard many times before, while I kept a close eye on Rosaline to keep quiet about her discovery. But Rosaline, despite her Fae connections, was all too human, and said,

"I discovered something today, didn't I, Andres?"

As soon as she saw my face, she knew she had slipped up somehow. She stuttered a little, but just in time, I managed to interrupt.

"Yes. I showed her the avery tower! She didn't know we had one."

She seemed confused, but she played along.

"Yes…Cedric, you simply must see it!"

Cedric opened his mouth to speak lovingly to his wife, but my father's voice was the only one that echoed in the dining hall. Even though his voice was low; even though it was a simple sentence; it was louder than any of his gloating.

"I killed the last feathered serpent… My son shows people birds."

My mother laughed, which made it hurt more. I sunk a little, and all the confidence buzzing in my head deflated. Cedric even chuckled, too.

What I had said had been a lie, but it was not an outlandish one. My mind clouded with other possibilities:

"I saved hostages in Elijandri… my son reads story books."

"I travelled the Dragon's Sea… my son cannot find a wife."

"I killed the last feathered serpent… my son has never amounted to anything."

"And who's fault is that?" I hissed.

Without the context of what was going on in my mind, it came across to them as a strange reaction.

"It was merely a joke, Andres. Calm your temper." My mother gave me the sternest of looks. By then, I could already feel a ball of wool filling up in my throat. I had nothing more to say. Not without making a complete embarrassment of myself. "Now, apologise to your father."

I waited for my throat to clear, but it wouldn't. Too much time had soon passed for me to keep on waiting.

"I'm sorry. For being a disappointment."

I breathed out, like I was letting go of the weight on my shoulders. But when I breathed in, I felt that weight come back all over again. Despite it, I lifted myself up on my feet, afraid to look anyone in the eye, and began to leave.

"Andres!" My mother gasped.

"Let him go," father said, then called to me, "I raised you to be safe. I did not raise you to be so sensitive!"

I shut the door. I didn't know what to do with myself, but the guards in the hall would be watching me do it. So instead, I went to the courtyard to clear my head of the embarrassment.

I ignored the statue of my father. Instead, I looked at the way the fountain water rippled, and reminisced about the last time I had sat there - under the moonlight, hand in hand with Cinderella.

I looked up at my bedroom window, remembering how I had told her about why it was barred up like a prison cell. I never stood a chance at matching my father's greatness, not even then. I was contained to do nothing but learn the rules of the world without ever applying them to experience. Little did I know that that window had only been the beginning of my troubles.

I dared to look up at the valiant statue of my father. He had been much younger then, but now his hair was greying and his skin was creasing with wrinkles. How could I, a prisoner, ever surpass him or my mother? There would have to be a day where they were no longer around to protect me, and I would have to hold all their responsibilities and reputations on my shoulders. That wasn't freedom. Cinderella was freedom.

"Your h-" Zolin stopped himself, "-Andres."

He was passing through, wearing a shirt several sizes too large. In it, he looked like a child, and he rolled up his sleeves so that I could see his hands.

"The entourage are expecting you soon. We need orders."

He looked at my face, but I turned away.

"Are you… crying?"

I tried my best to blink away the hot water in my eyes.

"No."

"You know I don't mind if you do. No one else is here."

"I'm fine." I insisted rather unconvincingly. "I'll be there soon."

From deep in his oversized pockets, Zolin got out a rag. There were spots of blood on it.

"Don't mind the blood. Training injuries."

They looked harsh. I sucked my teeth.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he smiled, "it's not my blood."

I chuckled, took the clean corner and dabbed over my eyes with it. As if it was made of magic, I felt better.

"I'll see you there, then, your hi-" he stopped himself again, "-Andres."

"Actually, Zolin," I said to him, "I'll join you now. I know it's early, but I have a plan. A big one."

He looked excited by the news. I stood and chose to ignore the barred window and my father's statue. Right then, I had to focus on what I was going to say to Rafael, and to the rest of the entourage.

For this reason, we walked in comfortable silence. As curious as Zolin seemed, he didn't press for answers. He seemed engaged in his own thoughts, perhaps imagining what endeavour we would find ourselves on that day.

We descended down the steps, taking in our last breaths of fresh air before our lungs would be taken by the musk of the soldiers' quarters. Zolin opened the door, and the noise from within immediately came bursting out; men sharpening weapons, loud discussion, men putting on armour and pushing each other playfully.

At first, the men didn't even notice my presence, as they had with my mother. Me and Zolin just stood awkwardly at the door, waiting for people to notice us. But soon, Emiliano emerged from behind us, holding a box, and something about him seemed to signal a command for attention.

"Your highness! Didn't even see you there." A soldier said as he stopped sharpening his sword, "what brings you so early?"

The room came to a silence. I realised it was time for me to speak.

"We have a big operation ahead of us." I said, though some had to lean closer to hear my voice. Emiliano opened the box which contained the glass slipper. I projected. "This glass slipper has magical properties. This morning, we found that it will only fit the person it belonged to. It will only fit Cinderella."

The soldiers were all still in the dark about where I was going. Even Rafael, out of armour for the first time I'd seen, couldn't quite catch on.

"We are going to try this slipper on every woman in the kingdom. Until Cinderella is found."

The room burst into mumbles. Some laughed, thinking it was a joke. Men looked at me confused, including Zolin, wondering if I was being genuine in such an insane suggestion.

"It could take us weeks, maybe months!" One man said.

"Surely, you're not serious!" Said another. They seemed to be protesting against it, even though their duty was to answer to me without question. I opened my mouth and tried to answer their concerns, but a wave of noise cast over my voice, and instantly, I had lost all control of them.

The mosaic ahead mocked me. This would have never happened to my father. They would have hung onto his every word and followed him into death if he had asked.

"SILENCE!" Rafael bellowed. To him, they listened.

I tried my best not to stutter over my words.

"I know that it will be a long process. But it must be done. Without the Faerie Godmother's help or the name of the woman in any records, this could be our only chance."

"You have searched homes before, have you not?" Emiliano reminded them of the arrests some of them had had to make in the past. "This is not outside of your expertise, gentlemen. All his highness asks is that you leave no stone unturned, and that you use no violence nor threat lest it becomes necessary for your survival."

"But it won't come to that." I assured, but the men who had experienced searching did not seem convinced.

"Right," Rafael wiped his brow, "what does King Santos make of this, then?"

Emiliano let me be the one to speak.

"My father has already approved of it. He sent me on my way the moment he signed it off."

I could tell that Rafael wanted to call my father mad, but he was resistant to speak in such a disrespectful manner.

"I have already confirmed with His Majesty. We have no time to lose." Emiliano said, backing up my lie with another.

"Very well," Rafael was reluctant, but he stood as tall as ever, "get ready, you lot! We leave for the city in ten minutes!"