Bonus chapter: Interview with Cinderella (Part one)

(This interview was made before the novel came out. Please read accordingly. Transcript of the interview between Cinderella and The Author. Date of interview: 04/04/1697. Time: 4:00 PM PST. Participants: Cinderella and Author. Place of interview: A small café near Cinderella's hometown. This is the first meeting.)

- Begin interview -

A: Hi, nice to meet you. You can call me The Author. I will interview you today. How are you?

C: Hello. I'm Cinderella. I'm good. Thank you.

Cinderella shifts in her seat.

A: You seem a bit nervous. Is that correct?

C: Ah, well. It's just... I never had an interview before, so I don't really know what to expect.

A: I see. Don't worry. What will happen today is that I will ask you some questions. I will not go into too much dept and if you ever want to skip a question, just say so. Are you okay with that?

C: Yeah, sounds fair.

A: Alright. Did you receive and read my letter I send you?

C: I did. I read that you wanted to know about me and my life, so you can write a book about it?

A: That's correct.

C: Well, why do you want to do that? I have done some things that are not really legal if you know what I mean.

A: I see. Well, I want to show people what really happened.

Cinderella raises her eyebrows.

A: You may not know this, but you're quite famous, actually. A lot of people know you went to the ball. They also know what happened to you when you were little.

Cinderella crosses her arms.

C: Really? They all know?

The Author nods.

C: Wow. I'm impressed.

Cinderella looks anything but impressed.

C: And you're here to ask what really happened?

A: That's right.

C: Well, it seems this conversation has a clear goal. Sure, what do you want to know?

A: In the original tale, you met your fairy godmother when she got you a new dress and everything else. Was this the first time meeting her?

Cinderella smirks and uncrosses her arms.

C: No, it wasn't the first time. We actually met way before that.

A: That is a plot twist! How did you two meet?

C: We met when I was doing garden work. I can't really remember what I was doing, but I was outside. The stepmother and her daughters were gone for a few hours and I had the place alone. That's when we met.

A: What was the first conversation you had with her?

Cinderella seems to remember something funny and giggles.

C: She said to me: 'I already checked. There are no valuables in the ground.'

A: Why did she say that?

C: I was doing something in the ground, maybe planting new seeds. So it looked like I was searching for something. After that, we had a conversation where she wanted to help me out.

Cinderella looks down at her hands and rubs them.

C: She was the first person to not look down on me. I guess that's what pulled me over to her side.

A: Wow. What a story. Then what happened?

C: She trained me, and I became stronger. Both physically and mentally. I started to stand up against my stepfamily, which they didn't take so well. I had to live with my fairy godmother as you call her, for a little while.

A: Sorry to interrupt you, but what do you mean with: You call her fairy godmother. Do you not call her that?

Cinderella laughs and seems to relax.

C: No. If I do, I don't make it to see another day. She prefers "The Boss".

A: That sounds a bit dangerous, don't you think?

C: Sure, you can say so. The Boss has a...

Cinderella pauses.

C: She has a complicated past. I'm not allowed to say anything about it.

A: But you know?

C: Eh, I know some things, but not really something noteworthy. If you want to know you should meet up with The Boss herself. Maybe she wants to talk to you about it.

A: Hmm, maybe I will. Thank you.

A: Alright, moving on. The last thing you said was that you had to move in with "The Boss".

C: Yes.

A: How was that?

C: It was weird at first. I mean, we had met up a few times, so it wasn't like she was a total stranger to me, but still.

A: I can only imagine. Can you tell us about one day or one moment that really stood out the time you were there?

C: Let me think...

Cinderella seems to think about a moment during her time while she lived with The Boss.

C: Ah, I remember! I was there for about two weeks when I started to relax a little. I think it was the first time I slept in, and I woke up at about nine o'clock. I was certain I had overslept. So I rushed down and I was in such a panic to create a breakfast that I didn't notice The Boss sitting at the breakfast table. The look she had on her face was fantastic. She asked: 'What the hell are you doing? I love your enthusiasm, but I'm not a morning person. So be more silent, yes?'

Cinderella laughs at the sweet memory.

C: Yeah, that was a fun time.

A: She seems a lot different than what she was described as in the original tale.

C: Well, I don't know about that but she for sure is something. She inspires me a lot.

A: Can you give an example?

C: Sure! For example, she always tells me to never apologize if I haven't done anything wrong. I used to say sorry for everything, but she told me not to.

A: She must be a great person.

Cinderella lowers her head and smiles.

C: Yeah, she really is.

A: Thank you for the answers so far. What do you say we order something to drink and eat and continue after that?

C: Sounds great. I'm starving!

- End interview -