Chapter 21--Don't Believe the Fairytale...

Cinderella.

The real-life rags-to-riches princess behind the legend.

Cinderella's presence caused two of the contestants to immediately faint, which forced a servant to rush over to them and slap them back to life. As the girls groaned back into consciousness, the legendary princess approached.

The sunlight reflected off of Cinderella's shimmering silver gown, as she glided towards them with her thick blond curls cascading down her back.

As Cinderella got closer, the unnatural plumpness of her lips became apparent.

Fairy Godmother snorted at the sight of them. "Fresh pig-fat injections I see..." Despite what the fairytale classic had claimed, there was clearly a grudge between these two famous characters. While Fairy Godmother was intensely bothered by the rift, Cinderella didn't seem to care at all. She continued down the path like she was floating on air, slowing when she reached the starry-eyed contestants.

She looked past them and stared into Fairy Godmother's eyes, her thick lips spreading into an icy smile. "Dearest Godmother!" she exclaimed. "It's been too long!" She leaned in for a hug but was halted by Fairy Godmother's glare. "Is everything alright? You're looking a bit haggard."

Fairy Godmother turned away, barely keeping a lid on her mysterious rage. All the while Gianni stood close by, recording every moment of juicy drama for the latest chapter of his book.

Cinderella noticed him scribbling into his book and waved. "Gianni!" Her enthusiasm was nearly as fake as her lips. "How's the man who wouldn't have amounted to thing without his muse?"

Gianni took a break from taking notes and smiled, as he wasn't going to let this ego-diminishing moment make it into the book. "Everything is marvelous," he said, generating the fakest warmth that his chickpea-sized heart could manage. "And...as you see here," he gestured to the contestants, "your legacy only grows."

Cinderella finally took a moment to acknowledge the contestants, offering up a single head-nod that was meant for the entire group. It was hardly the affection the contestants had dreamed of but they lapped it up anyway, eager to soak up anything they could from the legendary peasant who had somehow nabbed a prince.

Myrielle watched Cinderella with a careful eye, having processed her less-than-kind comments thus far and curious for what she'd say next.

The next moment was less about what she said and more about what her face began to do, as her puffy lips formed a scowl when she noticed the paintings. "This cannot pass," said Cinderella. "Not at all." She shook her head. "It's simply far too archaic."

Gianni rushed to her side. "Is there a problem, your highness?"

She gestured to the half-painted version of Myrielle's face. "When will we stop with this trend of painting faces as round as grapefruits?" She turned to the girls and traced a finger around her bone structure. "Angles are a gift that are meant to be shared."

Gianni found himself baffled by her assessment. "But your highness...rotund faces and exaggerated jowels are a sign of prosperity."

One of the artists meekly approached.

"Yes?" said Gianni with just a sliver of patience.

The artist's gaze shifted nervously. "I was just going to add that painting chubby faces is all we've ever known." There was a chorus of agreement from the others.

Cinderella rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers at the nearest servant. "Bring ten stools for the painters."

The servant struggled to process the nature of the demand.

She sighed. "If a painter stands on a stool and paints the portrait from above, the subject's face will appear more thin and contoured."

It seemed like an innocent suggestion at the time, but in that moment Cinderella had just outlined the inner workings of what it took to make a flattering 'selfie.'

As the servant ran off to fetch the stools, Fairy Godmother succumbed to an uncontrollable fit of laughter. "Angular faces? So your goal is to make them look like starving peasants?!" She abruptly stopped laughing. "Or perhaps starvation is more of a realism movement where they're concerned..."

Cinderella pushed past Fairy Godmother and held Bella's chin to the air. "They're not meant to look like they're starving, they're meant to look privileged; so privileged in fact, that food is merely a nuisance in the game of appearing thinnest to determine one's self-worth."

Bella nodded excitedly in agreement, eager to be acknowledged and manhandled by her idol. As Cinderella released her chin, Bella touched her face and hair and realized how much she resembled Cinderella. It gave her life.

As Bella swam happily in the waters of self-love, Myrielle didn't like what she was seeing or hearing from Cinderella. Being rude to her elder mentor? Prizing a thin, malnourished face when it was an insult to those who starved? Especially when everyone knew that a 'fat grapefruit face' was the aspirational part of a painting that everyone loved? This was madness alright, and she found herself relieved that she'd never wasted her money on that book.

Gianni still struggled with Cinderella's feedback, as he studied the work-in-progress grapefruit-shaped faces in the paintings. "I'm just not sure if society is quite ready to prize the 'starvation look.'" Gianni had no personal feelings towards women's faces one way or the other, but he came from a time when child-bearing hips and well-fed faces had always been the coveted norm.

Cinderella ignored him and puckered her fat lips. "And make sure you pout for the portrait," she said, completely ignoring Gianni's concerns. "A thin face and thick lips is the ultimate combination of an irresistible woman."

Bella nodded excitedly at this horrid advice, already on the fast track to becoming the 'Barbie blow-up princess from hell.'

Cinderella glanced back at her carriage. "I really should be leaving then, international travels to embark on and all...are there any questions before I go?"

Seven eager hands shot up in the air, desperate for advice from this former peasant role model. Myrielle kept her hands clasped firmly in her lap, curious to see what sort of wisdom the others would extract.

Naturally Cinderella called on Bella first, proving the human instinct to see ourselves reflected in others. Bella cleared her throat and made a deadly serious face. "What do you put in your hair to make the curls stay in place?"

Myrielle groaned in frustration, realizing she couldn't trust the girls for proper wisdom at all.

Cinderella played with her bouncy curls before offering a response. "It's a simple solution really; one part honey, four parts water, one part tar. Next?"

Josselyn flailed her big lanky arm in desperation.

Cinderella eyed her with low-key disdain. "You remind me of one of my step-sisters."

Josselyn grinned. "Thank you so much!"

"Idiot," she muttered under her breath. "And what was your question?"

Josselyn struggled to remember her thought until a light bulb went off in her otherwise dormant brain. "How'd you feel when you almost missed the royal ball, but then Fairy Godmother saved the day by getting 'em birds and mice to make you a gown?"

Cinderella smirked and was bordering on blatant laughter, until she noticed Fairy Godmother's harsh glaring eyes. Something in their silent communication set Cinderella straight, like the mutual vow to keep a lid on what had really happened.

Cinderella smiled sweetly. "The feeling I had was...intense gratitude. Fairy Godmother really saved the day!" She grinned for the requisite three-second time-frame. "Now one last question," she said frowning.

Myrielle flailed her arm as dramatically as Josselyn and it worked.

"At what point did Prince Charming go from being a stranger to someone you could really love?" Myrielle held her breath, hoping for an answer that would give her some inkling that the prince could become a better man.

Cinderella considered Myrielle's question long and hard. And then laughed. And then cackled. And then followed it with brutish "HA HAs."

Myrielle watched with a mixture of shock and dread, as Gianni desperately signaled for Cinderella to stop. Cinderella noticed his worried reaction and shrugged. "I'm sorry but it's just too funny!" She managed to catch her breath and address the girls for a final time. "I must go now but remember one thing: if you really want to make it far in this contest, don't wait too long before slipping him the tongue! Good luck!"

She glided back to her carriage with her gown shimmering behind her, and already some girls were practicing kissing on their hands.

"Slip of the tongue?" said Bella. She high-fived herself and grinned. "Done and done!"

As Myrielle watched Cinderella's carriage roll back down the path, she realized that real-life stories were never to be trusted again. She glanced back at Bella and realized something else: she was never going to beat her until she executed her plan...

[WRITER COMMENTARY: I know, I know....I ruined the picture-perfect perception of Cinderella! But...maybe it was meant to be that way...maybe NOBODY'S perfect in this sideways fairytale, in which case...who among them will end up finding happiness?...I guess we'll find out in the coming chapters ;-). Thanks for reading and make sure to add it to your reading list!]