"Here be known that our new King declares his love for-" the herald was interrupted by the crowd's gasps and quickly firmed his voice to finish the sentence, "-for, the mysterious princess whom wore glass slippers to the ball and requests that she present herself at the palace where upon, if she be willing, he will forthwith marry her, at all due ceremony."

The crowd cheered and a stunned Ella turned away from the herald and her two step-sisters and elated with the announcement made haste towards her horse. As she approached her horse she paused and in thought gently stroked Major's neck, 'A mystery yes but no princess, would he still want me? An simple girl, no crown or title-"

"Excuse me Miss," A man's voice startled Ella. She turned quickly and dropped into a curtsy in front of a uniformed guard. Her eyes gently flickered up to his face before dropping back to the ground. She recognised him as the guard whom interrupted them when she was with Kit in the glade.

"Are you the girl from the forest?" Ella looked up and the man and unable to produce an audible note she nodded her head. He produced a wide grin and chuckled to himself, "You are requested and required to present yourself to your King. Come with me Miss, that is if you wish to?" Ella matched his smile on her face and followed him through the crowd, "What is your name Miss?" He asked.

"My name Ella." She said softly but with conviction. The Captain was delighted to be escorting the mystery princess to his King. Ella on the other hand was nervous, what was he expecting? Surely not the ragged servant girl that she was made to be.

Consumed in her thoughts it was all too sudden that she was paused in of a large ornate door. Without so much as a second passed before they were opened and she was met with his Majesty. Her Kit.

The air was taken out of her, as was his for neither of them expected the other. Ella quickly curtsied and kept her eyes to the floor before peering up as he crossed the space that divided them. The door closed behind her, the room was empty apart from them.

Kit had hoped that today they would meet again however it seemed like magic that he feared she would vanish as quick as she appeared before him.

"Who are you?" his tone was serious.

She took a breath, "I am Cinderella, your Majesty," Ella paused as he drew closer, he was only a step away but the distance even now was too much.

"I'm no Princess, but will you take me as I am? An honest country girl who loves you?"

Kit grinned, "Of course I will, but only if you will take me as I am. An apprentice still learning his trade."

The two smiled and in their elation laughed before the tension between them caused them to stop. Kit and Ella looked deeply into each other's eyes, he held her face in his hand and she felt his breath upon her as their lips met. A rush of relief passed through them as the worries of their world fell apart at their feet. The thoughts of one another now consumed the small space they occupied together. As they broke apart they laid their foreheads on each other's but a smile broke across their faces.

They only looked up at the sound of the door opening. The Grand Duke had stormed in to alert the King that the Mystery Princess had be found.

Of course he already knew that.