Young Writers Society

Oooh, I like the look of this... I'm going to go for 'The Little Match Girl' alternative ending because the original made me cry...

Name= Cathy
Age= 19
Appearance= Slim with pale, often dirty skin and long, dirty blond hair. Her eyes are ocean blue and she wears only a ragged, off-white dress and a thin, dirty pale blue shawl.
History= Cathy has wandered the streets since she was eight, trying to sell boxes of matches and depending on scraps of food and coins that strangers give her.
Personality= Very unhappy. She's taken to peering through the windows of houses and watching the people who live there. The twist is that she's not so timid and sweet as the original tale seems to suggest.

Cathy (A short introduction.)

"Please sir, buy some matches, sir," I gave him my sweetest smile and shivered a few times but he ignored me and proceeded to walk away. "Fine. Walk away you wretched person. I don't need your money anyway!" I shouted after him. I turned with a deep sigh and pulled my shawl tighter across my thin frame before watching for another person. You have to be careful who you ask, mind. Some of them are more likely to hit you than buy from you. Most of them actually. I dragged an old crust of bread from a ragged pocket and began to chew on it. It had survived for three days so far and I was hoping it could last me at least another one. Then maybe I could beg for some food at one of the houses.

Lillian; Human

My carriage was stopped in the middle of the street and a grubby little girl pressed her face up to my window. I looked at her with disgust.

"Do you know who I am?" I demanded.

The girl held up a box and mouthed some words. Feeling compassionate, I opened the door an inch.

"What did you say again dear?" (I'm a good actor).

"Please, will you buy some matches?"

I was silent as I thought something over. This girl. She could be just what I needed. And she was so stupid she would do anything for a bit of money or food. Smiling, I leaned in.

"I need you to do something for me," I said.

The girl looked curious. "What? And what do I get?"

I held up a gold coin.

"You et this if you do one tinsy wincy little thing for me. Got it?"

The girl nodded and reached out for the coin.

"Nah-ah. Afterwards."

I leaned forward and began whispering in the girl's ear.

Cathy

"There's this ball you have to go to," the woman whispered, "and there will be a prince there and you're to make sure that he doesn't dance with a girl called Cinderella, okay?"

"Is that it? And how do you expect me to get into this ball?" I indicated my rags and rolled my eyes. Horrid rich people messing me around. Now was when she'd tell her driver to ride on and I'd be left in the cold with nothing but the echoes of her laughter.

"Don't worry about that, I can get you in. You just worry about keeping the prince away from the girl. He'll be bewitched mind so it will be hard. And don't let him dance with Snow White either. Anyone else is fine."

"You're being serious?" I cocked my head to one side and studied her face before nodding. "Alright then, I suppose there will be food at this ball. So how are you going to get me inside?"

"Get in. We'll need to clean you up first," the woman commanded. I eyed her suspiciously but I really was hungry and it looked ever so warm inside so I climbed into the carriage and away we drove.

"Anything else that I have to do? That's a lot of gold for one small job..."

Agent Gold-dust, human:

Gold-dust tiptoed silently through the trees at the edge of the clearing. It had taken her days to find and track the location of the little house, but she had found it. Taking a few steps forward, she peered through one of the windows surruptitiously. It seemed to be vacant. About to curse the misfortune of arriving just after her quarry had left, she noticed the table. She was looking into what appeared to be a kitchen, and on the table were three bowls, filled with steaming food of some variety. Not gone then, but simply queit. She adjusted the pistol on her belt and headed for the door.....

KITTY!!!! HOW ARE YOU??? It's been so long! How's life?

*hem* Anyway, down to business.

**************************

Garret broke through the edge of the woods. He was worried. The little matchgirl who usually met him in the woods to share his lunch hadn't showed up. Where could she be? He knew she usually sold matches in the city, which was only a few mile's walk away.

He strode quickly through the streets, unaware of the stir he was causing - girls giggled and waved as he passed, and men surveyed his muscled arms and large axe appreciatively. He ignored it all, though, his eyes sharply peering for only one thing...the little girl. He didn't even know her name...but what if she had died? It was getting awfully cold, nights.

Garret stopped sharply as he saw the matchgirl. She was being pulled up into a large, richly furnished carriage, apprehension and hunger warring each other in her eyes. Garret started forward at a run...whoever wanted the matchgirl, he knew it wouldn't be for her own good. He had to save her!

The girl glanced backwards just as she was being pulled up, and he heard half a cry of recognition and saw her pale hand wave before the carriage door was shut. He stopped in the street. Now what?

Lillian; Human

I dragged the girl away from the window.

"Now what's your name, sweety?"

"Cathy," the girl said timidly.

I nodded. "Yes. Alright. I'm Queen Lillian. You've probably heard of me."

The girl shook her head, and I was taken aback.

"Where do you live?" I demanded. How could this girl not know me?"

"Nowhere, really. Well, my father lives in the city, but I'm not allowed to go there until I've sold all my matches."

I didn't say anything, just kept an eye on the girl. WHen we arrived at the Palace, I pushed her out and called for one of my ladies-in-waiting.

"Fix her up," I muttered. "Bathe her, dress her, feed her, whatever Just make her look respectable and then bring her to me."

The woman nodded and ushered the girl away.

Wanda; Fairy

"Bipity Bobity Boo!" Wanda cried in a forced cry, making it sound like she was having an enjoyable time. Cinderella gasped and said, "Oh! My dress! It's beautiful!"

Wanda smiled and said, "Now all we have to do is a little of this, and a little of that and you'll be all ready for the ball!" Cinderella nodded eagerly.

Wanda dashed her wand across Cinderella's face and said, "Now you have beautiful shoes. But be careful; you ahve to be gone by midnight, ok? Everything will suddenly vanish and you won't want to be naked, will you?"

Cinderella laughed and said, "Sure. I'll be home by then."

Wanda thought, Phase Two complete. Now let's just hope that Lillian carried out her job...

<Prince Charming> --- possibly half-troll

Prince Charming flitted from room to room, ordering around the maids and scullery boys, "No! No, no no! Not there! Over there!"

The manservant carrying a huge vase of red roses moved to the left.

"No! Back over there."

Sighing, "Yes m'lord," and shuffled back.

The Prince turned away, distracted by something else, and the manservant very nearly dropped the vase out of pure spite. Instead he placed it carefully on the floor and walked away quickly before the Prince could ask him to do anything else.

Prince Charming mulled over his sudden change of heart. So he liked girls, eh? He spied a maid dusting a low table, and approved of her round behind.

"Your Highness?"

It was his page, Rorick.

"Mmmm-yes?"

"Here's the list that you wanted - of all the ladies in the Fair Kingdom."

"Is Cinderella in it?"

"Yes. . ." The page was confused at the Prince's sudden taking to women, "As you requested."

"Well what are you waiting for, boy? Send out the invites! To Everybody! Everybody must come! I shall make today a national holiday! I shall call it." Here the Prince stroked his chin, "Prince Charming Day!"

"As you wish, Majesty." Rorick muttered, and left the Ballroom, not believing his good luck.

Name: Rorick

Species/animal: Poor Human Page Boy To The Prince

Description/appearance: Brown hair, brown eyes and tanned.

Character/Personality: Aims to be Prince Charming's Counselor, when he becomes King (if or when King Henry The 8th finally dies)

----------------------

Rorick watched Prince Charming spying on a maid dusting a low table, and eyeing her round behind.

"Your Highness?" Rorick said.

"Mmmm-yes?" Said the blond headed Prince.

"Here's the list that you wanted - of all the ladies in the Fair Kingdom."

"Is Cinderella in it?"

"Yes. . ." Rorick was confused and emotionally baffled at the Prince's sudden taking to women, "As you requested."

"Well what are you waiting for, boy? Send out the invites! To Everybody! Everybody must come! I shall make today a national holiday! I shall call it." Here the Prince stroked his chin, "Prince Charming Day!"

"As you wish, Majesty." Rorick muttered, and left the Ballroom, not believing his ill luck.

As he ran to the corner he he locked eyes with the Fairy Godmother, Wanda. Immediately she snapped,

"What are you lookin' at boy?!?"

Rorick took in the fact that she was peering through the wall of which the Ball Room lay behind and said,

"I could ask you the same question."

Sokool - Hehehe. Hello, my dear. You're right, it's been a long time. Life's not too bad. I got a kitty which was awesome and some other stuff which wasn't. How's the novel going? You'll have to send me a pm, we really must try to stay in touch!

Cathy

I was dragged inside a magnificant palace and at first I could think only of the wood-cutter's son and what a terrible decision I had made. He would have fed me. Why didn't I just wait for him in the woods? But then I began to admire the rich, red carpets and the finely woven tapestries that covered the beautiful walls. How wonderfully warm it was!And how lovely it would be to have a home of my own.

"Come along, girl," the woman urged, pulling hard on my wrist so that I stumbled on the stair and dropped my shawl. I bent to pick it up but she tutted and pulled me on.

"Hey, what about my shawl?" I asked. She ignored me and pulled me up another flight of stairs and down a long hallway where she opened one of the doors to reveal a large, dazzling room. She shut the door behind us and pushed me towards a tin bath.

"Get your clothes off while I send for water and dresses." With that she left and I heard the soft click of a key in the lock. I stood still a moment, gawking at everything and feeling the soft carpet beneath my feet. Then I began to worry and tried the handle, only to have my fears confirmed. Locked.

<<Hmm, all this prince chraming stuff seems to have come together. Maybe I'm a spy for Henry the 8th....>>

Gold-dust, species human:

The house appeared to be deserted. I could hear nothing as I tiptoed through the livingroom. It looked convincingly empty, but just to make sure, I kicked my foot under the couch. The bears had a large livingroom, and it was comfortably furnished, except for three large and uncomfortable looking wooden chairs in the center of the carpet. Immediately suspicious, I began to examine and probe the arms and backs of the chairs, noticing how uncomfortable-looking they seemed to be. I sat down in one apprehensively. As i had suspected, the bears would never choose to sit on one of these. Suspecting a trap of some kind, I jumped up so quickly that I banged my knee.

Forgetting the situation and letting out a scream that would have alerted the entire neighborhood, I cursed and karate-chopped the smaller chair, feeling the wood crack beneath my fist. It was surprisingly fragile, considering that I had only used my bare hand to hit it. There would definitely be something in my next report about this....

Lillian; Human

There was a knock on my door.

"What?" I shouted. "Who is it?"

"It's Cathy," a voice said.

I stood up and opened the door. A girl walked in who looked nothing like the little wretch I had brought in. Her hair was no longer a tangled mess and her nails didn't have dirt under them.

Instead of the horrid dress she was wearing before, the servant had put her in a blue gown. Her hair was long and silky, and was fell down her back.

"So?"

I studied her closely.

"Good," I said after a while. "You will pass."

<PRINCESS AURELIA>

Princess Aurelia sighed, and continued gazing into the courtyard where her mother and sister Aurora were looking a silks for the Ball.

The tinkling voice of Aurora floated into Aurelia's ears. "Do you think the Prince will dance with me at the ball with this colour on?" she asked her mother.

Aurelia scowled, and moved away from the window. Everyone knew that Cindy was supposed to be capturing the Prince's attention at the ball. Aurora already had her Prince too.

"I wish I had been cursed by an evil fairy," Aurelia grumbled as she left the tower. "Then maybe people would pay more attention to me."

Exiting the castle grounds, Aurelia walked along a dirt path, past the Laughing Trees, past the Enchanted Woods and the Swamp Grounds. She walked further than she had ever before, until she came upon a large and beautiful palace.

Shocked, Princess Aurelia gazed at the palace. She wasn't aware that they had any neighbours. Gathering up her skirts, she started to climb the hedge that wound its way around the palace, until she had come to the other side.

She jumped off, and heard a loud ripping sound, as her sky blue gown tore. "Blast!" she said, forgetting her princess manners. rubbing the dirt away, she crept up to a glass window, and looked inside.

A girl with silken blonde hair was standing facing Aurelia, wearing a blue gown similar to hers. her hands were clasped in front of the gown. Several feet away stood an older woman, yet equally beautiful with jet black hair that ran down her back. A shiver ran down Aurelia's back. Wasn't that the witch lady that tried to kill Snow White a few months ago? she thought.

The witch-lady said something. "Good. You will pass." A small smile played on the girl's lips. "With a beautiful girl like you present at the ball, the Prince will fall for you and not Cinderella."

Aurelia's eyes widen. The witch-lady was planning on ruining Cinderella's fairytale? She had to warn Cindy!

<Prince Charming> ---- maybe half-troll

Prince Charming gallivanted around the ballroom, dancing with an imaginary partner, "Yes! And dee. . . and dah! And one step. . . two step. . . three step, four!"

Lillian watched the stupid prince whirl and twirl by himself, "Um. . . Ahem, Dear Prince?"

The Prince kept on twirling, but looked over his shoulder at the Evil Stepmother Queen, "Mmm-yes?"

"I've heard that you've invited EVERYONE to your ball?"

"Why of course!" Twitted the future king. His face suddenly fell, "Don't tell me that idiot page Rorick forgot to give you an invite?"

"Noooo no no." Lillian moved her hands in a soothing gesture, "But I would like another invite for a ward of mine; she so dearly wishes to go."

Smitten by the Queen's beauty, Prince Charming nodded. Skipping to her side quickly, she had no choice but to dance with him, feeling surprisededly flushed by the time he let her go, "Of course, my Queen, whatever you wish is my command."

Flapping her hands at her face, Queen Lillian did a small curtsy and left the room, a invite guaranteed for the Little Match Stick Girl.

Wanda; Fairy

"Now, go and fall in love with Prince Charming! I am sure that he will be pleased with you!" Wanda cried, pointing Cinderella into the courtyard of her yard. Cinderella followed, talking to those extremely nosy mice. What were with them anyway?

"Well, I suppose that you will need a ride to the ball, so here! Bipity Bopity Boo!" Wanda said, pointing her wand at the ground. Instantly, an onion shaped carriage appeared, and Wanda thought, What the heck? Why did it turn into an 'onion?' She shook off the thought. The fumes from the onions will only add to Cinderella's tears as she comes home from the ball, crying like a poor little girl!

_______

Cinderella, red eyed, stepped out of the teary onion carriage. Carefully, she dabbed her face with her skirt, and saw a group of giggling women going into the castle. She followed, and many faces turned to look at her beauty.

Cinderella beamed as she entered, and then everyone went quiet. All eyes flicked upon her, and she blushed. Was she really that gorgeous? Smiling politely, she stepped onto the dance floor, and everything went silent.

Prince Charming walked up to her beautiful body, and said, "Would you like to dance, my fair maiden?" Cinderella laughed.

"Of course!"

Suddenly, the room broke out and people started dancing to the song, "Party like a Rock Star!"


(Lol...sorry about the last sentence. Just HAD to throw it in!)