-27-

“This is great you know.” The chauffer said as he piloted the carriage rapidly through the dark woods. “Into the woods we go! A former Lilliputians, now the size of a Brobdingnagian. Well—half a Brobdingnagian. Freaking huge nonetheless. Shoot, this story should be about me. It should be called, Benedict’s wild ride! Hmm, no, I could do better. Maybe, Prodigious Benedict. No, that’s stupid. Oh, I know, it should be called The Lilliputian that Became a Brobdingnagian for a Night. Yea, that sounds good. What do you think Cynthia?”

Cynthia was silent, riding in the back of the carriage and looking out the window. The ostentatious castle stood high in the horizon, lit up by bright spotlights. Her heart fluttered as the castle came closer into view. She had never been so close to the castle. The butterflies in her stomach were unrelenting.

“Care for an introduction at the castle, Cynthia?”

“Oh, I don’t need one.” She said still absently looking at the large, looming castle. “Benedict, may I ask a teensy favor? Can you not use my real name tonight? My stepmother and stepsisters are there and I don’t want them to recognize me.”

“I don’t think they remember you as a Brobby, Cynth,” he chuckled. “But anything you want. I’ll use a fake name.”

“Thanks Benedict.”

The carriage arrived to the castle gates. Cynthia thought she was going to vomit in nervousness.

-28-

“Dad, this is so embarrassing.” The Prince said.

“Nonsense my boy. Look at all dem hoes out there.” The stout little King said. “You should be out there on the dance floor drowning in pussy, not with me up here in the patio.”

“Why are you still taking speech advice from Albert?”

“Because I want to be hip and cool. Not an old, fuddy-duddy.”

The Prince rolled his eyes.

“Go on, get down there and mingle.”

“Fine.” The Prince stood up and adjusted his white blazer. He was wearing the Brobdingnagian Formal Military uniform. His medals and ribbons were over the left side of his chest. His pants were red with a yellow strip and his dress shoes were highly polished black.

As soon as he made his way to the main ballroom, a crowd gently swarmed him. Parents started pimping off their daughters and showing them off like livestock. The Prince forced his smiles and backed away from the mob. The women ranged from ultra-beautiful to downright dog looking. But even the pretty ones had nasty attitudes about them. It seemed so disingenuous to the Prince the way the women were acting. It probably would have been better if he were incognito, that way he could talk to the women without them knowing he was the Prince.

He waved his hand every time a woman came to flirt with him. They were all equally disappointed that they were rejected so fast. It made the Prince feel like shit. He didn’t want to be the person to pass judgment so harshly, but the truth was he didn’t want to be there.

“Hi!” A girl in a crimson dress said. The Prince would have normally shooed her off, but her generous bosom caught his attention. Katy noticed. “I can stick a cucumber up my ass.”

The Prince had a blank stare. “Why would you tell me that?”

Katy winked and continued smiling.

“What…what possessed you to tell me that? Within two seconds of meeting me, the Prince of Brobdingnag, you decided to tell me you could stick a cucumber up your ass. Why in the world would you think I want to know that, huh? A cucumber…up your ass. That is not how you start conversa—what a second, like a full cucumber? Like a fully matured cucumber? Up…there?”

Katy bit her lower lip. “I can peel the skin using my rectum.”

“Ahh,” he guffawed. “That is wicked awesome.” His teeth were showing as he laughed. “You’re – you’re nasty.”

“I could be even nastier,” Katy said in a fuck me tone.

“Ah, really? Actually the cucumber is pretty fucking nasty.”

“Come on, why don’t leave this joint?”

The Prince raised the corner of his lip, “peel the skin off a cucumber huh. I – sounds painful.” He closed his legs together.

“Hi, I’m Hayley, this is my sister and she has crabs.” Hayley jumped in between Katy and the Prince.

“I don’t have crabs!” Katy objected. “I just sometimes forget to clean out the Lilliputians from down there.”

“Eww,” the Prince groaned. He turned his attention to the much smaller sister, who was wearing a sexy green dress. “So Hayley, are you a nasty girl to?” The Prince said expressionless.

“No. My older sister is the whore of the family. I’m a little angel.” She fluttered her eyes and looked up at him with puppy dog eyes.

“Cute.” The Prince smiled a little, losing interest with Hayley.

“Don’t call me a whore in front of the Prince, little cunt.” Katy slapped her sister.

Hayley screamed and then pulled on Katy’s hair. Katy did the same and then both sisters started tugging at each other. Pulling hair and clothes haphazardly. Two guards appeared behind the Prince.

“Want us to escort them out, your highness?”

“Nah, let them sort themselves out.” The Prince said with a bored expression.

“Girls, stop it, stop it I say.” It was Jan and she was trying to stop her daughter’s scuffle.

The Prince yawned and began walking around the ballroom. Less and less girls came up to him as he rejected must of them already. Other than being disappointed, the guests did find partners to dance with. The free food and drinks didn’t hurt either.

The Prince was near the end of the ballroom where the grand entrance doors were. He was about to yawn again when suddenly the tall oak doors were kicked open.

-29-

Guards in regal red uniforms lined the castle hallways leading to the ballroom. Benedict escorted Cynthia, with a proud stride and his chest out. It looked a little cute, having a four-foot tall chauffer, especially considering how tall she was. Upon reaching the doors, Benedict put his arms out signaling Cynthia to stop. He his collar and then kicked opened the doors to the ballroom. Every neck in the grand room turned to face the source of the noise, to include the Prince and King. Benedict came striding out from the entrance and took a deep breath.

“Alright, listen up you uppity, blue-blooded, fart sniffing, motherfuckers! I am here to introduce the best person you’ve never met. She’s beautiful, radiant, intelligent, funny, gorgeous, benevolent, a genius, an entrepreneur, and – and she has more money than god himself!”

Cynthia came out from the darkness of the entrance and grabbed Benedict’s shoulder. She quickly whispered: “what are you doing? Why are you saying those things? Why did you call everyone here mother-effers?”

“Ladies and Gentlemen, your highness,” Benedict continued in his loudest voice ignoring Cynthia, “may I introduce to you all, Cinderella!.”

There wasn’t much of applause; just uncomfortable silence. Cynthia never felt more embarrassed than all her life. Barely in the ballroom for a few seconds, and already she could feel everyone judging her.

“Cinderella?”

A deep voice made her turn. She looked up into the powerful eyes of the Prince. He was far more handsome than her dreams. His uniform accented his broad shoulders and strong arms. Cynthia lost her voice, as she took in his dark good looks.

“You’re Cinderella, right?”

Cynthia’s mouth was open when she nodded.

“Good evening, I’m the Prince of Brobdingnag.” He grabbed her right hand, bent slightly at the hip, and gave her knuckle a kiss. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Cynthia forgot how to talk. All she managed was a squeak, “uh-huh.”

The band begun to play the Waltz of the Flowers. The Prince was nervous to be in Cynthia’s presence and vice versa. They stared into each other’s eyes like a pair of teenagers discovering love for the first time.

Benedict was right about everything he said. Cynthia was far more beautiful than any Brobdingnagian women he’s met. The Prince was a tall man, but Cynthia almost matched his height. He liked that a lot.

“Um, so Cinderella…” He almost forgot what to say, he could see his dumb expression in her reflective eyes. “Care to dance.” He extended a hand.

“I’d love to,” she managed to say.

The Prince took Cynthia to the middle of the ballroom. The guests parted like the Red Sea. As soon as they begun to dance, the crowd encircled the couple and looked on with curious eyes.

Cynthia was in heaven. The Prince guided her effortlessly on her feet. The violins and drums filled the large room as they crescendoed. Her blue dress wisped through the air as she twirled on her glass slippers.

“Who’s the bitch?” Jan sneered as she tried to fight through the crowd.

“I don’t know mother, but they announced her as Cinderella.” Katy grunted.

“What a dumb name.” Hayley had her arms crossed. Both sisters were looking unkempt from their scuffle earlier.

“I can’t see her from here.” Jan said. “She kinda looks like—ugh, she looks familiar but I can’t put my finger on it.”

The music changed and the couple fell right into the next song. Their feet were in perfect harmony as they swept across the ballroom. Cynthia’s smile would not cease as she was having the absolute best time of her life. Even the Prince was enjoying himself immensely and couldn’t help but feel foolish for complaining to his father earlier.

They danced to more songs before departing the ballroom and entering a private balcony, overlooking the kingdom. Cynthia’s eyes soaked up the lights as she looked at the sprawling civilization extend across the dark landscape. She made it! She was at the castle with the Prince of Brobdingnag’s arms around her slim waist. It was too good to be true.

They talked lightly and started to learn about each other. Cynthia held back a lot of details, but did mention she lived with her stepmother and two stepsisters.

“I argued with my father for days about this ball,” the Prince said. “I thought the whole idea was demeaning. Think about it: having a whole mess of women presented to me as if they were some kind of product. I was about to duck out earlier until your chauffer came busting through those doors.” He laughed. “You didn’t need an introduction to get my attention. Tell me Cinderella, are you interested in me because I’m a Prince?”

“You don’t seem like a Prince to me,” they both chuckled. “To answer your question, I didn’t know you were the Prince until you introduced yourself as such.”

The Prince took a breath and squinted. He tried to read her face for lie. “I believe you.” He then looked out towards the dark land. “All the lights in front of you are a part of Brobdingnag. There is a small Gulliverian town near the coast over there.”

“I know.” Cynthia said without thinking. It was her hometown where her villa once stood proudly.

“And if you were to get in the ocean over there, and swim straight out, you’d eventually make it out to one of the many Lilliputian Islands that surround this area.”

“What are your thoughts of the Lilliputians?”

“Brave little people. Very resilient, adapting, kind. I have nothing but respect for such a microscopic race of people. How about you?”

“I really like them. But I’m afraid I don’t agree with some of the practices the Brobdingnagians. They could be so cruel.”

“What do you mean by this?” He asked.

“Like eating them…by the thousands.”

“Wait what? Who eats Lilliputians by the thousands?”

“That’s not customary?”

“Not really. I’ve heard of it before. But I didn’t think people actually did that. How could anyone eat Lilliputians?”

Cynthia traced her stomach with her fingers.

“Would you like to visit one of the Lilliputian Islands?” He broke her thoughts.

“We—wait, Brobdingnagians can visit Lilliput?”

“I can.” The Prince gave a proud smile. “And I can bring anyone I want. Care to join me tomorrow?”

“I would love to – but – I can’t. Wait, what time is it?”

The Prince pointed over to a clocktower that was near the castle. “A few minutes to midnight.”

“Ah, fuck! Already?” Cynthia nearly burst into tears. “I’m afraid you can never see me again. I have to go.” With that, she turned and started racing down the stairs and into the main part of the castle.

The Prince ran after her. “Cinderella, where are you going? Is it something I said?”

“Please, don’t follow me; I have to leave…forever.”

“What are you talking about, wait up.”

Cynthia passed through a wooden double door and quickly locked it, trapping the Prince on the other side. Almost crying fully, she said: “I wish I could be with you forever.”

“We can!” The Prince shouted from the other side of the door. “Cinderella, open the door.”

“Goodbye!” She ran off crying down the halls.

“Fucking hell.” The Prince started backtracking his steps and taking the long way around the castle to the front.

Cynthia held the front of her gown as she raced passed the crowds and towards exit. O Fortuna played in the background, complete with a chorus. Benedict waved at her, and urged her to run faster with hand signals. Light sweat beaded on Cynthia’s forehead as she ran down the ominous halls with Benedict along her side. His short legs had a hard time keeping up with Cynthia’s long gait.

The bells in the clocktower started to chime. “Fuck!” They raced down the stairs at the front of the castle. Her glass slippers slowed her pace enough to let Benedict to race ahead of her. He jumped into the front of the carriage and took the reins in his hands. Cynthia slipped out of her left slipper while racing down the red carpet stairs, almost rolling her ankle. She went back to grab her slipper when she heard the Prince yelling her name. She didn’t bother with the lost slipper, and continued down the steps and jumped into the carriage headfirst.

The Prince caught sight of her jumping in the carriage. “Cinderella stop!” The chauffer whipped the horses into action. The Prince sensed his love slipping between his fingers. “Guards! Don’t let that coach get away.”

Powerful, giant warhorses sprang out of the stables and gave chase with the white carriage, which already had a substantial lead. The Prince jogged down the steps and spotted one of Cynthia’s glass slippers. He held the glass shoe close to his heart as he heard the clocktower chime. The galloping from the warhorses receded as they raced away from the castle.

-30-

The bells rang across the land. It was midnight. The spell was to be broken at midnight. “Hurry,” Cynthia cried out. Benedict whipped the horses again, forgetting they were Lilliputians just like him.

A blue shimmer started spreading across the Benedict, the carriage, and the horses. The spell was becoming undone right before Cynthia’s eyes. Even her clothes glowed brightly. Mist overcame them as they started to shrink whilst running forward down the dirt road, painfully close to the house. In one bright flash, Cynthia was launched out of the carriage as it turned back into a cigarette butt, and she into a Gulliverian. The Lilliputians morphed back into their original forms and landed on Cynthia’s nude torso as she came to a stop on the dirt road.

There was no time to think, as Brobdingnagian warhorses came barreling down the dirt road. Cynthia screeched as their powerful hooves struck the ground all around her. Dirt and dust was kicked up and coated her body. The ground vibrated violently as millions of pounds of horse came galloping across.

They were gone and Cynthia was amazed to be alive. She looked down at her belly and saw her Lilliputian friends get up, looking unharmed.

“Everyone okay?” She asked. They told her they were worn out, but not injured.

“Cynthia, look!” One of the Lilliputians pointed down her legs towards her foot. She still wore a glass slipper and it fit her Gulliverian form.

“At least I have a souvenir from a wonderful night.” Cynthia admired her toes through the glass shoe. “Let’s get home before we get caught.”

-31-

Cynthia was in her cotton bed by the time her stepmother and stepsisters arrived. It sounded like they were arguing or complaining; Cynthia was unsure which one exactly. The bickering gave way to an odd hush.

The kitchen door burst open with Hayley leading the pack, “this has been the best night ever!”

“The Prince was so hot,” Katy clutched her heart. “We danced together for so many hours while other people watched us all jealous.”

“He also danced with me!” Hayley mimicked a waltz in the dark kitchen.

“And the food was marvelous,” Jan’s performance sounded atrocious to Cynthia. “The castle was majestic and decorated so lovingly. I’ve never seen so much gold and precious stones in one area before. I wished the night never ended.” And then, with a smirk, “how was your night Cynthia?”

“It was okay. I mainly slept.” Cynthia tried to sound sincere. “I’m happy you all had a wonderful night.”

Jan’s grin faded. Cynthia’s remarks weren’t exactly as savory as she anticipated. “Oh. Be sure to serve us promptly in the morning. I decided to let you serve us again if you behave.”

Cynthia agreed. The three Brobdingnagians left the kitchen and as soon as the door shut, the girls went back to bickering and complaining. It made Cynthia smile.