Fenix, Cinda and Terra couldn't stop staring at Rank's dilapidated old wagon. They were across the sea, bound for their next destination, but their mode of transportation left a lot to be desired. The canvas that covered the wagon was completely in tatters. One of the wheels was wonky, the door was falling off, and there was a curious bloodstain in the wagon's interior.
Terra could feel her nostrils flaring as she studied the old vehicle. “This is what we're traveling in?”
“Aye.” Rank nodded, completely oblivious to her distaste. “Do you like it?”
“No. I hate it. It's the poorest excuse for a vehicle that I've ever seen!” Terra whined. “I hope we don't have very far to go, because I really doubt it could make a long journey!”
“It's sturdier that you think, love. We do have a wee problem, though.” Rank's head slowly rotated in Fenix's direction. “We don't have a horse.”
“No. No no no nooo!” Fenix whined. “You can't make me!”
“But it's necessary, mate. You want to finish the job as much as I do, don't you?” Rank's lips were stretched by a devious grin as he lifted the harness. “Why do you have all of those handy-dandy forms if you're not going to put them to use, eh?”
“Fine.” Fenix accepted his fate with a weary sigh. “But you owe me for this.”
Cinda's eyes swelled as Fenix morphed from human to equine. In a matter of seconds, her handsome captor changed into a speckled gray stallion. “That...” she whispered to herself, “would never fail to astound me.”
Rank tittered as he fastened the transformed Fenix to the harness. “Good boy!” he howled, swatting the horse's rump. “I'm sure you'll get us there in no time, mate.”
Cinda expressed her disappointment as she climbed into the wagon. “You know... I was really hoping he'd change into an Onocentaur. I want to see what it looks like!”
“Eh... a horse would run faster,” Rank argued as he lifted Terra into the wagon. “The faster we get there, the sooner I can move on to something else.”
Terra's nose puckered as she studied the reddish brown stain on the wall. When Rank sat beside her, she scooted away and asked, “Why is there blood in here?”
“Oh... that?” Rank tried to swab the stain with the sleeve of his tatty coat, but it didn't budge. “You, uh... you don't want to know about that, sweetheart. Trust me.”
The wagon trundled forward, hauled by a nickering Fenix. Cinda swore she felt the vehicle leaning to one side. She could also feel Rank's eyes on her, watching her every move.
Rank slipped an arm around Cinda's shoulders. “So, uh... Cinderella...” he began. “If you ever get tired of your prince, I just wanted you to know... I'm an option.”
Cinda sneered at him. “What do you mean?”
“I mean...” Rank wagged his wand and made a bundle of sunflowers appear on the tip. As he presented the flowers, he finished, “I'd like to take you out sometime, if you'd be up for it?”
Though she accepted the flowers, Cinderella was shaking her head. “Um... no. No thanks.”
“How about you?” Rank asked, turning to Terra. A bundle of daisies materialized on his wand as he twirled it. Terra was less eager to accept the rogue's gift. She crossed her arms and refused to take the bouquet. “Would you go out with me sometime?”
“Is that a serious question?” Terra asked with a roll of her eyes. “I would genuinely rather eat a bucket of nails.”
“Aww. That's a bit harsh, innit?” asked a pouting Rank. “I'm not so bad, am I?”
Terra snorted at the question. “Really? You're the absolute worst.”
“Oh well. Suit yourselves, ladies.” Rank leaned back and pulled a peppermint stick from the pocket of his coat. As he unwrapped his favorite treat, he added, “You're missing out on a good time, though.”
Cinderella barely had time to process his response before her body was jolted by the sound of a thunderous roar. When she turned her eyes skyward and spotted another dragon, she felt like groaning forever. It was yellow and serpent-like, and a pair of long whiskers flowed from its face.
Terra could sense her stepsister's panic, so she quickly spoke up, “We don't have to worry about that one. It's not a threat. It's a Carrion Wyrm, and it feasts on the flesh of dead animals.”
“So it's a docile dragon? That's nice to know,” Rank said, then he stuck his head outside and yelled, “Still, it'd be nice if our horse would move a bit faster!”
Fenix whinnied and increased his pace.
In less than an hour, they reached their destination—which was a far cry from the forbidding witch's lair Cinderella was expecting.
They had arrived at a giant boot.
“Ummm...” Cinderella was so stunned, she nearly lost her footing as she alighted from Rank's vehicle. “What's this?”
“You've never heard of the old woman who lives in a shoe?” Rank asked.
“Who had so many children, she didn't know what to do?” Cinderella's brow pinched as she finished the rhyme.
“Aye. That's our witch. That's Donnabella.” Rank helped Terra from the wagon, then he removed the harness from Fenix's neck. “Donnabella's centuries old, and she's lived in this old boot for ages.”
“Are you... her children?” Cinda asked.
“No. Goodness, no!” Her question had him howling with laughter. “We are her students, though. And to be honest, I'm pretty sure she's whipped Fenix and put him to bed a few times.” When he saw Terra's puzzled expression, he added. “That's the rest of the rhyme, love. The old woman in the shoe whips them and--”
“I know the rhyme!” Terra interrupted, then she whacked his leg with one of her crutches. “I was just wondering what you meant!”
Before Rank could elaborate, Fenix shifted into his human form and quickly spoke up, “Well... I'm back to normal. Let's head into the shoe, shall we?”
Cinda's mouth gaped as she studied the massive brown boot that was supposedly Donnabella's home. When they got closer, she realized the laces were giant vipers. The snakes hissed and stuck out their tongues at the approaching guests.
“The snakes are harmless,” Fenix said. “Well... mostly harmless. They did bite Rank... once. Only because he was pestering them, though.”
“Aye. I was basically begging for it,” Rank added with a nod.
They reached the boot's iron door, which was located near the heel. Shortly after Fenix knocked, a sultry voice answered, “Come in.”
The door swung open, and all four of them sauntered inside. Cinderella held her breath as she entered the boot. When her breathing resumed, she almost wished it hadn't. Her nostrils were subjected to the scent of stale smoke.
Donnabella's appearance was even more shocking than the house in which she lived. Cinda was expecting an old lady, but the woman in front of her looked surprisingly young, possibly in her late twenties. She was sitting on a stool, smoking a pipe made from dragon bone. Her hair was long, black and stringy. Her blue eyes were unnaturally pale, and there was a long scar over one of them. Her cherry red lips were parted by a grin when she got her first glimpse of Cinderella.
“This is her, right?” Smoke billowed from Donnabella's mouth as she asked the question. “This is the prince's fiance?”
“Aye,” Rank replied. “This is her.”
“She's pretty,” Donnabella observed. “Not stunning... but certainly pretty.” Donnabella paused to take a drag from her pipe. When she spoke again, her voice was silky. “It's always a good day when my favorite students return to me. I'm tired of being stuck with these two. They're idiots.”
There were two ginger-haired twins sitting cross-legged near Donnabella's feet. Cinda assumed the boys were Donnabella's “idiots.” She couldn't guess their age. At first glance, she thought they were teenagers, but the lines on their forehead suggested they were at least a bit older than that.
Realizing they had her attention, the twins greeted her simultaneously.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
Their greetings were equally apathetic.
Cinderella took a moment to glance around the room. Nothing about the interior suggested they were standing in a giant boot. The room's shape was relatively normal, and the décor was surprisingly simple. There were flowers in a vase, a plush rug on the floor, and a vibrant abstract painting on the wall. The frame was a bit crooked, but apart from that, there was nothing unusual about it.
“Fenix!” Donnabella suddenly cried out. As she extended her arms, the witch demanded, “Come to me!”
Fenix was in such a hurry to reach Donnabella's side, he accidentally stepped on a squeaky cat toy. The witch's black cat was lazing beneath her stool, constantly purring.
“Kneel beside me,” Donnabella commanded. As he sank to his knees, she asked the girls, “You know about Fenix's curse, do you not?”
It was Terra who answered the question. “We... do.”
“Good. Then you won't be shocked when you see him bending over backwards to please me.” Donnabella's smile broadened as she dragged a hand through Fenix's wavy brown hair. “Isn't he a beautiful, beautiful boy? And he's all mine. It's wonderful.”
Troubled glances were exchanged between Cinderella and her stepsister. For once, Cinda felt sorry for him.
“Put your head in my lap, Fenix,” Donnabella commanded. When his head landed on her knees, the witch's long fingers caressed his head.
“Tell me I'm beautiful, Fenix,” the witch demanded.
“You're beautiful, Donnabella,” Fenix said. “You're the most beautiful woman in the world.”
“Good!” When she leaned down to kiss his head, her long hair tickled his nose. “Now... tell Cinderella she's ugly.”
There was suffering in Fenix's eyes when his gaze landed on Cinda. In a dry voice, he croaked, “Cinderella... you're ugly. I've never been less attracted to someone.”
The twin gingers snickered as their teacher tormented their peer.
“Good boy, Fenix! You're such a good boy today!” Donnabella praised him. “Now... kiss my feet.”
Fenix dropped to the ground and pressed his lips against the witch's painted toenails.
“It's remarkable, isn't it?” Donnabella cooed. “He's my toy. Fenix does anything and everything I ask of him. Every woman deserves a subservient man, don't you think?” When the witch clapped a hand on Fenix's rear end, Cinderella and Terra gasped at the same time. “Fenix?”
“Yes, madam?” Fenix answered obediently.
“Take Cinda and this... other girl... to the underground chamber.” Donnabella's nose puckered as she studied the young woman on crutches. “Who is this girl, anyway? Why's she here?”
As Fenix led Cinda and Terra to a hatch on the floor, Rank answered, “That's Cinderella's stepsister. They were traveling together.”
“But why is she here?” Donnabella shrilly repeated. “You should've dumped her along the way.”
Rank was absentmindedly shaking his wand. Unbeknownst to him, he was covering the floor in glitter. With a sigh, he replied, “I wanted to dump her. Fenix wouldn't let me.”
“Hmm...” Donnabella's face was contemplative as she brought her pipe to her lips. “Perhaps I need to be more clear in my instructions to him.”
When the hatch opened, a staircase dropped down. Fenix carried Terra down the stairs, then he offered a hand to Cinda, who gave him a pitying glance as she descended.
As soon as they disappeared below the hatch, the twins were suddenly vocal.
“God... she's a beaut!” the lankier twin exclaimed. “Cinderella, I mean. Not the other one.”
“Aye. She was gorgeous,” the stockier twin agreed. “What I wouldn't give for a night with her!”
“It's a shame the other one isn't prettier.”
“Aye. It's an ugly stepsister indeed.”
“I'd still have a go at her, though.”
“Aye. Me too.”
Rank could feel his jaw tightening as he listened to their chatter.
“I'd shag her, but I wouldn't look at her face,” the lanky twin continued. “I'd look at her neck or sumfin.”
“Or just keep your eyes closed the entire time. That way, you wouldn't have to--”
The stocky twin didn't get to finish his thought.
Both twins were silenced by Rank, who stomped across the room and simultaneously punched them.