But King Rat realised! “No!” he roared, running out of the alleyway. “Stop that fairy!”

Delphie gasped as lots of things suddenly seemed to happen at once.

The ugly sisters and manservant turned to look at King Rat and the guards as they burst out of the alleyway. Seeing them heading for Sugar, Delphie jumped in front of the first one and stuck her foot out. He tripped over and fell to the ground with a loud yell. The other guards tumbled over him, ending up in a large sprawling heap.

“You idiots!” yelled King Rat.

While everyone was staring at King Rat and the mice in astonishment, Sugar touched the shoe with her wand. With a faint flash of lilac light it transformed into Cinderella’s glass slipper. There was a clatter of hooves and the Prince came cantering down the street on a white stallion. He stopped outside Cinderella’s house just at the right moment.

“I hear the person has been found whose foot fits the slipper!” he exclaimed.

“Not just person,” said the manservant, looking flustered. “But persons, your Highness. There are actually two of them. Well, there were,” he said, doing a double take as he looked down at the slipper in his hand.

“It fits me!” said Augusta, snatching the slipper off the manservant and trying to force her foot inside. But the slipper was much too small now.

“I told you it fits me better!” said June, grabbing the slipper from Augusta and trying to push her toes inside.

“It doesn’t fit either of them!” shouted Delphie, racing forwards, unable to keep quiet any longer. “It fits Cinderella!”

There was a moment’s silence and then Cinderella stepped forwards.

The Prince smiled at her. “I think it will fit you.”

Cinderella put the slipper on. It fitted her perfectly. “Yes,” she said, looking up at him and holding out her foot. “It does.”

The Prince leapt down from his horse and knelt on the cobbles.

“Will you marry me?”

“Oh yes!”

Cinderella breathed.

“I will!”

7
The Golden Locket

Delphie and Sugar hugged as the Prince swept Cinderella into an embrace.

“No!” bellowed King Rat, stamping his feet in fury.

Augusta marched over to him. “If I can’t have the Prince, you’ll do.”

“I saw him first,” said June, going up to the other side and grabbing his arm.

She batted her eyelashes at him. “Hello, Handsome!”

“Help!” King Rat exclaimed, shaking himself free. “I’m off!” He turned and ran up the street with the ugly sisters chasing after him.

“Come back!” they screeched.

The mice looked at each other, shrugged and then followed the ugly sisters at a fast jog.

Delphie and Sugar giggled.