Om: you met her? 

Tej: yes. I can see in your eyes that you carry the same love for her like I did for your mother.....marry her....find her and marry her.

Om: are you sure?

Tej: I have never been so sure in my entire life. Marry my daughter in law and treat her like a queen. 

Om: I will. 

Tej: I love you Om. Find her soon, I want to meet her again before I die.

Om: I promise you dad that you will meet her just don't talk about dying. 

Tej: promise. 

...

Gauri's stepfamily came.

Svetlana: Cinderella, where is my English tea?

Riddhima: yeah Cinderella, where is it?

Gauri came out of the kitchen with a tray of tea cups. She kept it on the coffee table as the three women sat on the sofa. 

Gauri: here you go.

She smiled and was about to go when Shobhana said: you look smiley....why?

Gauri: I just took a walk around the garden to clear my mind so I feel happy now.

Shobhana: okay...

Svetlana: did you do any work here?

Gauri: yes I did. How was the ball? How was the prince?

Riddhima: he was so handsome.

Svetlana: yes he was but....

Gauri: but? 

Svetlana: some girl in a blue dress came and he only danced with her. 

Gauri: oh...do you by any chance know that girl?

Riddhima: of course not, her face was hidden with a mask.

Svetlana: don't know what was special about her. Her dress wasn't even pretty. 

Shobhana just stayed quiet as she took a sip of her tea then coughed.

Gauri: kya hua madam?

Shobhana: you put too much sugar in my tea. You know I take my tea with half a teaspoon of sugar. 

Gauri: sorry madam, I'll make another one. 

Shobhana didn't respond, instead out of her cruelty, she threw the hot tea on Gauri. Gauri kept her mouth shut, her eyes didn't become teary...not even her stepmother's cruel acts of hate and angst. 

She picked up the tea cup and went in the kitchen to make another tea in English style with half a teaspoon of sugar. After serving her stepmother and stepsisters, she walked up to the attic where her mice friends were at. One of the mice squeaked at her. Gauri gave a small smile as she went to the pile of clothes to pick out something else to wear. 

Gauri: I know she is cruel but I can't do anything about that. 

Another mouse squeaked.

Gauri: he probably won't come after me. He can't even marry me, he is supposed to marry a girl of royal blood and me....I'm just a simpleton. 

Gauri picked up a kurti and went to change into it. Once she changed into it, she went to the little box she kept in the attic. Gauri opened it and picked up the glass slipper.

Gauri: at least I will always have a memory of tonight. 

She smiled at her mice friends. She'd be lying if she said that she wasn't in love with the prince but someone like her and someone like Om couldn't be together since if you were royalty then you married someone who was of your class and status. 

...

Back at the palace, Om was with some royal soldiers and of course Khanna. Om had showed them the glass slipper...all that was left of the mysterious girl at the ball. 

Khanna: so this is what remains of her?

Om nodded.

Khanna: and you haven't got a name?

This time Om shook his head. She never told him her name. He tried to find out and he was hoping to find out her name at the ball but time was not in his favour. 

Khanna: tomorrow we'll set out and make every maiden try this glass slipper. 

Om: why waste time doing that? I know how she looks like. 

Khanna: I'll call Ratna to sketch the girl's face then.

Om: no need for Ratna to do it. I'll do it. 

Khanna was about to say something but Om got out a piece of paper and then a pencil. He started to sketch out the girl's face and outlining her every feature...her small nose, her lips with the top lip thin, but not too thin, and it had a natural cupid's bow; the bottom one was larger and more plush, her dove eyes, long eyelashes, the small dimple on her left cheek. Finally he drew her long wavy hair. 

Once he was done sketching, he showed Khanna the drawing and then Khanna turned to the soldiers, saying: tomorrow we search for this girl. We will go to every house to see if the girl lives there. 

The soldiers nodded. Om was hoping that they would find his mystery girl. He had heard stories from his father as a little boy that when his father met his mother, he didn't let her go. He immediately asked for her hand in marriage and then asked her father. If there was one thing he learnt from his parents' love story, then it was when you find the one, don't let them go because you won't ever find anyone like that one person. 

...

It was the next day and like wildfire, word spread quickly that the prince and his royal team were going to every household to find his mystery girl at the ball. 

Svetlana: what? Is that true?

She asked her mother who had just told her daughters and Gauri who was busy dusting the news. 

Shobhana: yes! They say that they have a sketch of her and a glass slipper.

Gauri bit the bottom of her lip as she continued to dust.

Shobhana: now I have figured out how to make you two try the shoe. I will just say that maybe he got the details wrong due to everyone wearing a mask and bad lighting outside. 

Riddhima: imagine! One of us will be the prince's bride.

Svetlana: Queen Svetlana Omkara Singh Oberoi....it has a nice ring to it. 

Riddhima: no it doesn't! Queen Riddhima Omkara Singh Oberoi sounds better!

Svetlana: no it doesn't!

Riddhima: yes it does!

Svetlana: no it doesn't!

Riddhima was about to say something in her defence when Shobhana shushed both girls.

Shobhana: instead of arguing, kindly go and change into your best dresses. One of you must capture the prince's heart and become queen. Cinderella!

Gauri looked at her stepmother as she finished dusting. 

Gauri: ji madam?

Shobhana: help Svetlana and Riddhima choose their outfits and then I want you to do gardening. There are a lot of weeds and they are making the garden ugly.

Gauri nodded as Svetlana and Riddhima dragged her to their room. Her stepsisters opened their individual closets and started to throw their outfits on Gauri as they went through which dresses to wear. If Om came to their house, then her stepmother and stepsisters would know that she was the mystery girl at the ball. She was excited yet nervous. Nervous about her stepfamily's reaction and excited that she'd see him again. 

...

High and low, far and wide, right and left, up and down, north east south and west, Prince Om and his royal team searched for the mystery girl. They had  knocked at so many doors in the course of half a day and not one house had the beautiful young girl they were searching for. Some women of various households tried to make their daughters flirt with the prince but Om didn't think much of their flirting nor did he flirt back. 

Om and his team had wandered a long way; every time they left a village or town, they looked to see which way they should go to next. 

Khanna: left or right?

Khanna asked as they reached a road and there was two directions to go from there...left or right.

Om looked at both directions before saying: let's go left. 

Khanna nodded as he signalled the rest of the team to follow him and and the prince. They rode left and reached a market area. The market area was colourful, enchanting and a bit overwhelming. The market offered entertainment, food, flowers and of course shopping. They were all laid on the market stalls that were rowed in lines. As stalls lined the streets and vendors hawked their wares, anyone had the chance to find something unique to place on their walls at home, a gorgeous sari to wear at a function, flowers for a festival at home or a set of bangles that would make your friends envy you. As vendors made gol gappa, sold fresh vegetables and fruits, show off sari patterns and the customers started a game called bargaining; Om got off his horse and went to an elderly woman who was giving some bangles to some women. 

Om: excuse me madam...mind if you could give me one minute of your time?

The elderly lady looked at Om.

Elderly Lady: Prince Omkara?

Om: yes me. I was wondering if you know where this woman lives.

He showed her the sketch of the girl. The elderly lady looked at the picture and her eyes widened. 

Elderly Lady: that's Gauri!

Om: Gauri?

Elderly Lady: ji haan. She lives in the Thakur Residence. 

Om: would it be okay if you could tell us where the Thakur Residence is at?

The elderly lady started to speak, pointing in the direction where the Thakur Residence was at. She mentioned it would take them a little bit of time to reach the residence since the residence was a little far from the market area. Om was about to go when his eyes caught a bangle set consisting of eight multicoloured gold-plated textured handcrafted bangles and eight gold-plated stone-studded handcrafted bangles. 

Om: please may I buy these?

Elderly Lady: of course, these are Gauri's favourite bangles. Poor child. She always put her stepfamily's needs above hers. Here you go. It's free for you.

Om: I will pay for these. 

The elderly lady was about to say something when Om paid her and thanked her for helping him before taking the bangles and went on his horse, ordering Khanna and his team to follow him. 

...

Gauri looked at her hands, wounded and dirty from gardening. She went to the kitchen and washed her hands in the kitchen sink, drying her hands with the kitchen towel. Gauri then went upstairs to her attic room. She hadn't heard anything from her stepmother after breakfast, and Gauri was glad that she didn't have any chores to do for now. Maybe she could go up to the attic and read one of the many books that her mother used to love. 

After her mother died, Gauri collected her books and kept them with her. When she had time to spare, very little time, she would read her mother's books of fairytales and for the little time she had to herself, she would be happy in a world of made up fantasy. 

But after meeting her fairy godmother the night before, she realised that the things that were written in books existed in real life. They just came at the right moment. 

Gauri reached the attic and opened the door to find Shobhana sitting on the bed, looking at something. Gauri's mouth opened a bit when she saw that it was the glass slipper in her hand.

Shobhana turned to Gauri and smirked as she got up from the bed and went up to Gauri. 

Shobhana: so I see that you are the mystery girl from the ball?

Gauri stayed quiet, she didn't dare to speak. 

Shobhana: your silence answered my question. How dare you go to the ball despite the fact that I told you not to? You snatched away Svetlana and Riddhima's chances of marrying royalty. Now I am not going to ask you how you got this slipper or that dress and mask but I will tell you a story.

She pushed Gauri to a side, the mice squeaked as they saw her about to fall. They were staying hidden so Shobhana wouldn't kill them. Gauri landed on the floor and Shobhana glared at her with hate and angst.

Shobhana: once upon a time there lived a young maiden who was so beautiful that people would make way for her when they saw her and when she was 18, she met a rich merchant. Long into their courtship, they married and had twins, two daughters, unfortunately they got their father's looks and not their mother's. Now sadly the merchant soon took ill and died. As his widow grieved, she realised that the world is so unkind to a single mother. Her beauty was her only currency in the world. Soon she got a proposal to marry a man that she did not love and she married him with the promise to be a mother to his wretched and painfully beautiful orphan daughter! The man was still in love with his dead wife! Soon that man died making the woman the guardian of his daughter and I lived unhappily ever after!

She said and she dropped the glass slipper.

Gauri: no!

Gauri yelled as she tried to save the glass slipper but the glass slipper smashed to a million pieces. Gauri looked at her stepmother with pain and hurt.

Gauri: what did I ever do to you? I always listened to you, I respected you. Why do you treat me like this?

After years of abuse, a baffled Gauri finally had the courage to ask this question. 

Shobhana looked at Gauri, gritting her teeth before saying: because you are young, and innocent, beautiful, and good! Like I was once! The more kindness I saw in you, the more I wanted to take it away from you so you could realise how awful life is! I was also unhappy and I take all my unhappiness out on you, because you are the closest target I can get to.

With that said, she turned around and went to the attic door. She closed the door and walked away. Gauri got up to open the door but the door didn't open.

Gauri: the door's locked! OPEN THE DOOR! PLEASE OPEN THE DOOR! 

She said, tugging at the door. She didn't have a key so she couldn't unlock the door and she continued to tug at the door, shaking it violently but the door stayed locked. Gauri fell on the door, a tear dropped from her eye. Her mice friends ran up to her and squeaked. Gauri allowed a few more tears to roll down her eyes as she said: I did everything my mother and father told me to do. They wanted me to be kind and papa wanted me to respect my stepmother....I did and...

Gauri didn't complete that sentence. Gauri had tried. She really tried. She did all the cooking, all the cleaning, all the fixing, all the mending only to be shunned and she didn't even get a single thank you. 

She once again banged at the door, screaming out loud: LET ME OUT!

...

Shobhana: oh to what do I owe the delightful pleasure of having the prince and his royal team at my residence?

She said as she opened the door to talk to Om, Khanna and the soldiers who had reached the Thakur Residence. 

Riddhima whispering to her sister: he is so handsome.

Svetlana whispering: I know right.

Khanna: we would like to know if this young woman Gauri lives in your house. 

He showed the sketch of Gauri to Shobhana and Svetlana-Riddhima. Svetlana and Riddhima looked shocked and were about to say something but Shobhana signed them to stay quiet so they did. They kept quiet since they knew that their mother would handle the matter in her way. 

Shobhana: well unfortunately this young woman does not live here but could it be that Prince Omkara might have not seen the woman's face well due to the outdoor lighting?

Khanna: there is a possibility.

Om: no...this is how the woman Gauri looks, I met her twice and I was told that Gauri lives here!

Shobhana: well your grace, there is no young maiden by the name of Gauri here however I have two young maidens, Svetlana and Riddhima who are yet to be wed. Like I said, perhaps the prince might have not seen the woman's face well due to the outdoor lighting so I suggest that they try on the glass slipper. 

Khanna: it's a good idea.

Om: are you sure that a woman named Gauri does not live here?

Shobhana: I know who lives and who does not live here in my house. Now Riddhima, you first try the slipper.

Riddhima nodded as she sat down and Khanna went in to make her try the slipper. Om sighed as he walked in, looking around. The elderly lady told him that Gauri lived here. Why would she lie? He looked around and saw that on family portraits, Gauri was not there. She wasn't in any picture.

Khanna: it doesn't fit.

Riddhima: it should! It's mine!

Svetlana: I will try the slipper. 

Riddhima: but...

Shobhana: let her try the slipper Riddhima. 

Riddhima sighed as Svetlana sat to try the slipper. Just then Om heard a faint voice...'LET ME OUT!'

Om: are you sure there is not another woman who lives here?

Shobhana: your grace, we are just a three women household. 

Om: then what is that yelling? 

Everyone was quiet as they heard a voice screaming 'let me out!'. 

Shobhana: that must be your imagination. 

Om: I will ask you again...is there not another maiden in this household?

Shobhana didn't say anything, she couldn't really lie anymore. Gauri had already ruined her plans. 

Shobhana: come with me your grace.

She and Om went upstairs as Khanna said that the slipper didn't fit Svetlana. Svetlana was trying to make it out that the slipper fit her whilst Riddhima requested another chance. Shobhana opened the door of the attic revealing Gauri on the floor. Her mice friends quickly hid in their corner as Gauri got up seeing Shobhana and the prince.

Om: Gauri...

Gauri: Om...

Om: I finally found you.

She smiled as he held her hand and took her out of the attic making her walk down the stairs. Svetlana and Riddhima's eyes widened in shock as they saw Gauri holding hands with the prince.

Riddhima: so she was right. She did have a friend in the palace.

Svetlana: she's not worth to be friends with the prince let alone his bride!

Om: you are only saying that because you envy Gauri.

Svetlana was speechless and Riddhima didn't have anything to say. Om looked at Khanna and said: here is she Khanna. Here is Gauri.

Khanna smiled as he gave the prince the slipper and Om showed it to Gauri.

Gauri: my slipper...

Om: it belongs to you and these bangles also belong to you.

He kept the bangles on her wrists. They looked perfect on her.

Gauri: these bangles...I always wanted these.

Om: that eldery lady at the bangle stall told me.

Gauri smiled as Shobhana came down with a jealous look on her face.

Om: Gauri...will you marry me?

Svetlana and Riddhima gasped whilst Shobhana gritted her teeth.

Gauri: but the law?

Om: my father changed it for me and you. So will you marry me?

Gauri smiled as she nodded, softly saying: yes.

Om: let's go to the palace.

She again nodded and the team, Khanna and the lovers were about to leave when Shobhana told them to stop walking.

Shobhana: Gauri will not be leaving.

Svetlana: exactly for who will make my french toast?

Riddhima: who will clean my room?

Svetlana: who will make sure this house doesn't become dirty?

Gauri: you all can do that yourself.

Shobhana: no. You will not leave.

Om: and who are you to tell her that she cannot leave?

Shobhana: I am her mother.

Gauri let go of Om's hand as she went up to her so called mother...well she wasn't even her mother, she was her stepmother.

Gauri: you was never my mother. You are not my mother and you will never be my mother.

With that said, she turned and left the Thakur Residence. She was once happy there when her father and mother were alive but after their deaths, her life was hell. The only way she managed to survive long term abuse was by having courage and being kind and by placing her trust in little things to keep her soul alive from searching the night sky for a shooting star to the rare sights of rain pouring down.

Gauri didn't believe in revenge or punishing her stepfamily since she wasn't that person, but she did believe strongly in karma and she did know that karma would sort her stepfamily out.

...

A month later, Om and Gauri were seen locking lips in front of the entire kingdom, dressed in their wedding outfits. Gauri was wearing the most beautiful wedding dress a young girl could dream of...an elegant platinum ball gown adorned with delicate silver needlework, the strapless bodice was decorated with precious jewels and the full ball gown skirt was trailed down. Om was dressed in a pristine snowy white tuxedo.

Om and Gauri thought to know each other first before taking the big step to marry each other. Tej agreed to let them know each other first and build the level of comfort, loyalty, love and trust that was needed in a marriage. He started getting better miraculously and was happy to see his son marry the woman of his dreams.

Oh and if you are wondering about the mice, well they made themselves a lovely little place in the grand palace.

Om promised Gauri that he'd give her a beautiful life and he'd make sure she was happy in every way but all Gauri needed was a little bit of love. That was all she needed to be happy.

Gauri in mind: thank you fairy godmother.

Maybe when the time was right, she'd meet her fairy godmother again.

Om: I love you.

He said as the two broke apart for oxygen.

Gauri: I love you two.

He grabbed her left hand and kissed her wedding ring making her smile.

Gauri and Om lived happily ever after, as for Gauri's stepfamily...well let's just say they sold the house and moved to a smaller place.

The end

Soooo this is now done. Sorry for this being boring. I wrote Cinderella in Rikara's version mainly because Cinderella is one of my favourite Disney princesses, my own mother used to read me Cinderella's story when I was little and I tell the story of Cinderella to my niece Sukanya a lot. I am so grateful that my stepmother loves me and isn't like Cinderella's stepmother. 

I changed a little bit of the story like when they set to find Gauri since if the prince really loved Cinderella, then he should at least remember how he looked like.

I hope you all liked this.