Four years later (12 Years old Anezka)
The preteen girl sat on the worn wooden floor, her feet bouncing nervously against the dusty surface. As she did, memories flooded her mind. "Aunt Alora always scolded me for wearing shoes in the house and spreading dirt all over the floor," she murmured under her breath, a hint of nostalgia in her voice.
Lost in thought, she didn't notice when her quiet mumblings transformed into warm, flowing tears. With a trembling voice, she whispered, "Why, Aunt? Why did you leave me? Wasn't I a good child to you? Why did you take my only family away from me? " Her heart ached with the weight of her loss, each word a plea steeped in sorrow and misery. Slowly, she drifted to sleep while crying on the worn-out wooden floor.
"Hey, my sweet little one, can you please wake up?" a soothing voice gently coaxed, while a soft hand caressed the young girl's head in tender strokes.
The girl slowly stirred, her eyelids fluttering before she rubbed her eyes with clenched fists, still caught in the haze of sleep. A delicate hand gently halted her movements, accompanied by a kind reminder: "Don't rub your eyes, my child; you'll only cause irritation."
As the girl blinked away the sleep, she gazed up, her eyes widening in awe at the striking woman before her. The lady had an ethereal beauty that captivated the young girl's imagination. "You're so beautiful that I think I need my glasses to see you more clearly!" the girl exclaimed, her voice filled with wonder.
The woman chuckled softly, her laughter like song. "Oh, you are even more beautiful than I am, my dear! Here, let me give you your glasses," she said, presenting a pair of chic cat-eye, black-framed glasses that sparkled in the soft morning light.
Eagerly, the girl accepted the glasses and placed them on her nose. "Wow! You're wearing a Cinderella dress! It's absolutely gorgeous!" she gasped, delight dancing in her eyes.
The woman, with cascading dark wavy hair, gracefully rose from her seated position and began to twirl, the fabric of her royal blue gown fanning out like a magical cloud around her. "Yes! It's a Cinderella dress. Do you like it?" she asked, as the young girl's eyes gleamed with admiration.
The girl nodded vigorously, her voice bright with joy, "Yes, I love it!" The lady crouched down, bringing her face level with the girl's, and asked, "What's your name, sweetheart?" The young girl cast her gaze down shyly before murmuring, "My name is Anezka."
"Is that it, just Anezka?" the beautiful lady inquired gently.
The girl began to bounce slightly on her toes, her anxiety palpable as she mumbled, "Aunt Alora said I'm Anezka, that's it."
"That's perfectly okay, my dear. I'm Serena. If you want that gorgeous Cinderella dress, then you must come with me. What do you say?" she asked, noticing the flicker of hesitation on Anezka's face. Sensing the girl's inner conflict, Serena reassured her, "Don't worry, my sweet Anezka; your Aunt Alora will also be there to meet you." As soon as Anezka heard her aunt's name, her eyes lit up with anticipation. "Really? Then I'll come! Let's go!" she exclaimed, gripping Serena's hands tightly with a powerful mix of excitement and trust.
When Anezka's warm hands enveloped her own, Serena felt a rush of emotion welling up as her eyes glistened with tears of joy. "Then let's embark on our little adventure together, my dearest Anezka," she said with a radiant smile, ready to lead the young girl into a day filled with wonder and magic.
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"There's a grain of truth in every fairy tale."
- By Andrzej Sapkowski