Ellis stumbled to the floor of his father’s home, trembling fingers slowly closing around torn fabric. His heart ached fiercely inside his chest, like it was drowning in the mere blood that kept it beating, slowly suffocating him from inside out. His eyes burned, stinging. All his hard work that went into making the outfit, plotting of the design, everything, was ripped out of his hands by his family. His hands covered in bandaids from various attempts at sewing to make something he was proud of, only for it to be destroyed heartlessly.

He felt sick as he fumbled to stand up, knees scratching against the stone floor. He swallowed thickly, hand clinging to the nearby desk as he hunched over himself and ducked onto the old mattress in the corner of the room. His palms pressed against his sockets, digging in, as his knees pushed into his chest.

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He rocked in the pumpkin carriage, rocks kicking up underneath the rat turned horses hooves. His hands busied themselves by slowly smoothing down his ruffled dress, the bright pink a stark contrast to his tan skin and pearly white gloves. He heard the shuffling stop before opening the door, peering outside the window before stepping out. His feet graced against the hard ground as he looked up at the towering palace, heart racing. He was here to see the heir of the kingdom, his crush.

He hurried up the steps, fingers keeping the dress from sweeping against the floor lest dirt covers it. His glass slippers smacked against the stairs. He arrived at the entrance, pushing open the door with a thick swallow, the warm light slowly shining onto him as a heavenly aroma met his nose. His eyes roamed the dancing floor, chatting nobles, and, dreadfully, his brothers and step-father.

He carefully walked further into the room, steps measured with a hint of clumsiness. The pearl necklace around his throat bounced as his shoulders hunched up, nerves eating at him. He moved faster when he saw his family, letting out a sigh when they didn’t notice him.