Cinderella Junior Novelization Read Free Page B

demanded an answer.
    â€œISN’T HE?” he asked again. “Ye-ye-ye-yes, sire,” responded the Duke, trembling.
    Then the King smiled as he described the perfect ball. Romantic lighting and music would set the tone for a beautiful evening that was bound to make his son fall in love! He chuckled with delight. “It can’t possibly fail!” he declared. The Duke wanted to please the King. “Very well, sire, I will arrange the ball for—” “Tonight!” the King ordered. “Tonight?” repeated the Duke.
    â€œTonight!” shouted the King in the Duke’s face. “And see that every eligible maid is there! Understand?”
    â€œYes, Your Majesty,” said the Duke, defeated, as the King walked away.

B ack at the chateau, Drizella and Anastasia were in the middle of their music lesson. They wore fancy dresses and had giant bows in their hair. Though they were neat and primped, they were awkward and obnoxious. Drizella sang while Anastasia played the flute. Both girls were completely off-key. Lady Tremaine happily accompanied her tone-deaf daughters on a large black grand piano.
    All through the lesson, the girls tried to outdo each other. With every note, Drizella sang louder and more off-key as Anastasia blew harder into her flute.
    Lucifer sat on a velvet bench in the same room. He was so pained by the horrific noise that he covered his ears with his paws. Still miserable, he tried hiding under a big, fluffy red pillow. Finally, he couldn’t take the noise any longer. He jumped off the bench and ran out, slamming the door behind him. He shook his head and tried to recover. Then he walked toward the stairs and heard someone singing the same song the sisters were singing…but who could it be?
    It was Cinderella—and her voice was beautiful. She was at the bottom of the staircase scrubbing the black-and-green marble floors in the grand entrance. She dipped her rag into a bubble-filled washbasin. A giant bubble rose and landed on her finger. She looked at her reflection in the bubble, fluffed her hair, and continued to sing sweetly as she scrubbed the entire floor.
    Instead of enjoying the sound of Cinderella’s lovely voice, Lucifer saw an opportunity to wreak havoc. He spotted a huge pile of dirt in a dustpan. He then glared at Cinderella.
    After stepping in the pile of dirt, Lucifer paraded around on Cinderella’s sparkling clean floor. Then he resumed his position on the stairs.
    The cat smugly looked up at Cinderella.
    Cinderella caught his eye. She saw him surrounded by dirty paw prints.
    â€œOh, Lucifer!” she cried. Then she turned around and saw the filthy floor—the floor she had just scrubbed on her hands and knees. It was covered with paw prints. “You mean old thing!” she yelled. She went after him with her broom. “I’m just going to have to teach you a lesson—”
    Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
    â€œOpen in the name of the King!” shouted a man from outside.
    Jaq and Gus curiously peeked out of a mouse hole as Cinderella opened the door.
    â€œAn urgent message from His Imperial Majesty,” said the messenger, handing Cinderella a letter. She thanked him, curtsied politely, and shut the door. The mice ran toward her for a closer look.
    â€œUh, what’s it say?” asked Gus.
    â€œI don’t know,” replied Cinderella. She examined the letter, then looked upstairs as the music started again. “He says it’s urgent.”
    Cinderella and the mice winced as they heard Anastasia and Drizella hit an exceptionally bad note. “Maybe I should interrupt the…‘music lesson’?” she said, giggling. The mice giggled, too, and watched Cinderella head up the stairs.
    Meanwhile, Drizella continued to get every note wrong. Anastasia played her flute and got her finger stuck in one of the holes. She tried to wiggle it out while still playing and ended up