Charles Perrault

I'm your Hairy Dogfather… Oh! I mean, your Fairy Godmother.

Forgiven or not, Cinderella's stepmother and her daughters would soon leave with the Grand Duke, and never set foot in the kingdom again.

Not for the first time, Ella actually felt pity for these two schemers, who could be every bit as ugly within as they were fair without.

How indeed to live. Economies had to be taken. Ella's step-mother dismissed the household. Her step-mother and step-sisters ever misused her. And by and by they considered Ella less a sister than a servant. And so Ella was left to do all the work. This was a good thing, for it distracted her from her grief. At least that was what her step-mother said. And she and her two daughters were more than happy to provide Ella with lots and lots of distraction. In their defense, they did share with her the very food they ate, or rather, the scraps from their table. She had little in the way of friends. Well, her friends were very little.

Ella's great comfort were the letters that Father would send from his travels. The weeks away lengthened to months, but every day would bring his thoughts from some distant part. Until late one afternoon…

And so Kit and Ella were married. And I can tell you, as her fairy godmother, that they were counted to be the fairest and kindest rulers the kingdom had known. And Ella continued to see the world not as it is, but as it could be, if only you believe in courage, and kindness, and occasionally, just a little bit… of magic.