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“Let’s not forget you’re not in charge of the Fairylands, sister. I am.” Nanny’s tone was firm. “You stepped down, and Oberon agreed that I should take the lead. Now, I’m going to ask Opal to fly a message to Cinderella letting her know the Fairy Godmother is on her way to help Anastasia and Drizella. Do you want to disappoint her? Or do I have to strip you of your charge and become Cinderella’s fairy godmother myself?”
The Three Good Fairies gasped. “You can’t do that!”
“Oh yes I can! And I will! Make your choice, sister. Help Queen Cinderella, or I will!” said Nanny.
The Fairy Godmother was hurt deeply by her sister’s threats, but she remained stalwart. She picked up the book of fairy tales, flipping through it until she found Lady Tremaine and her daughters’ story. “Nanny, this is nonsense,” she said. “You know their story, you were there. And you know as well as I do Lady Tremaine and her horrible daughters didn’t even need the encouragement of those meddlesome Odd Sisters! They treated my poor Cinderella reprehensibly on their own accord. It’s all in the book of fairy tales that Snow White sent back to us after the ordeal.”
Nanny smiled, and her sister didn’t like it. She knew that meant she was up to something.
“Okay, sister. Let’s read their story, then. Perhaps there will be no redemption for Lady Tremaine, but I wager even you will want to help her daughters after reading their tale. Remember I was there, and more importantly, I know your heart.”
Fauna, Flora, and Merryweather had been silent, waiting to see what the Fairy Godmother would say. They had been dumbstruck by Nanny’s earlier comments and had been sitting there the entire time, jaws dropped.
“Merryweather, close your mouth. A dragonfly is going to fly into it!” said the Fairy Godmother. “And magic us some more refreshments.” Then she snapped at Fauna, “And you! Send a message to the Blue Fairy. Tell her there is an emergency Fairy Council meeting and she’s needed immediately.” Finally, she looked to Nanny. “Where is the King of the Fairies? Do you think he’d like to sit on the council meeting?”
Nanny laughed, no doubt because her sister was still acting as though she was in charge of the Fairylands. “Oberon is at Morningstar Castle with Princess Tulip preparing for another of their adventures. But I am sure he’s listening,” said Nanny.
The Fairy Godmother knew that even if he wasn’t listening, Nanny would fill him in later. They had been closer than ever, which sent a tingling rage through her body, but she had to put that aside for now. “All right, then,” she said. “Once Blue Fairy arrives we will read Lady Tremaine’s story, and the council will decide if we should help Drizella and Anastasia.”
“I think that sounds fair,” said Nanny, with a suspicious look on her face that the Fairy Godmother didn’t like. But she decided it was a victory anyway. She knew in her heart her fairies would never agree to help Anastasia and Drizella, no matter what Nanny had up her sleeve.
Once the entire council had gathered, the Fairy Godmother took out the book of fairy tales. “Very well, then,” she said. “If no one objects, we will read Lady Tremaine’s story, and perhaps my sister, Nanny, here will finally stop pestering me to help those monstrous girls Anastasia and Drizella once and for all.” She winked to her favorite fairy trio, knowing they wouldn’t let her down.
Lady Tremaine
London may be far away, but we have found ways for our magic to reach beyond the Many Kingdoms, even into the drawing rooms of unsuspecting fancy lords and ladies. Take Cruella de Vil, for example. Even though her tale was written in her own voice, who do you think inspired her to write it?
But this isn’t Cruella’s story. It’s Lady Tremaine’s.
Lady Tremaine lost her husband early in their marriage and was left to care for their two young daughters on her own. Unlike most women in her circumstances, Lady Tremaine was well provided for. Upon his death her stately lord of a husband left her a great fortune. That, combined with the fortune she herself had brought to the marriage, meant she was quite a wealthy woman.
The lady of the house had everything she desired, except for one thing: her true love. She had lost him far too soon. What she did have, however, was a house full of servants: nannies, governesses, parlor maids, cooks, a butler, pantry boys, boot boys, footmen, scullery maids, housemaids, a head housemaid, and of course her lady’s maid, the elderly Mrs. Bramble. Lady Tremaine treated her servants well and with respect, and insisted her daughters Anastasia and Drizella do the same. The household staff doted on them. The Tremaines and their staff lived comfortably in their lavish London town house. It was always full and bustling with activity, so Lady Tremaine didn’t feel quite so alone. She enjoyed giving her daughters the best life possible.
Like most aristocratic Londoners, the Tremaines flitted to and from the country like birds, going hither and thither as the season dictated. One fateful day, the lady was about to embark on such a trip, unaware that it would forever alter the course of her life. We wonder what would have happened to Lady Tremaine and her daughters had Lady Tremaine decided not to visit her old friend Lady Prudence Hackle, but then again once it’s written in the book of fairy tales there is little one can do to change one’s fate.
Before the flurry of the day took hold that morning, Lady Tremaine sat in the front parlor, making time for a repose before her daughters woke or her maids came to her with questions about what to pack for their trip to the country. The front parlor had been one of her favorite rooms when her husband had been alive. They spent many quiet moments there, enjoying their coffee in the mornings, or sipping drinks after a night out, or just sitting in their own corners of the room enjoying a good book. She was missing those days more keenly than usual and found that in the silence of that morning she could almost feel her husband with her.
It was a bright, sunny parlor with large French doors that opened onto a balcony with a breathtaking view of the city. She loved the sounds of the city bustling below and would sit for hours listening to musicians playing on the corner, always making sure to have one of the boot boys take some money down to thank them for entertaining her.
Like almost every other morning, the lady went to her desk, took a few coins from her drawer, and pulled the cord that hung to the left of the fireplace. It called her butler, Mr. Avery, who had been in her household for years. He had been there when her husband was still alive, and she felt that in a strange way he had taken her husband’s place. At least in that he was always there to care for her. Avery was a tall, lanky, stoic man, with black hair distinguished
by a white streak on the left side. His face was heavily lined, almost like chiseled rock, and his eyes were deep brown.
“Good morning, Lady Tremaine,” he said when he entered the room, making her smile. She knew he wouldn’t return the gesture. He was too austere, too serious, and far too busy for things like smiling. Lady Tremaine was almost sure Avery’s pants could catch fire and he would never let on, if he could possibly avoid it. That was just the sort of man he was.
“Good morning, Avery. Could you please have one of the boot boys take these coins down to those musicians on the corner? And have Daisy bring me my coffee.”
Avery narrowed his eyes at his lady but said nothing.
“Do you disapprove, Avery?” she asked, already knowing what he would say. They’d had several variations of this conversation before, and it was one of the chief reasons she felt Avery sometimes took her husband’s place. He, like her husband, was a man who preferred things done by the book. And ladies didn’t do things like send coins down to musicians who performed on corners.
“It is not for me to approve or disapprove, my lady,” he said, taking the coins from Lady Tremaine, and then adding, “Oh, and, my lady, Nanny Pinch was wondering if she could bring the girls to see you this morning rather than this afternoon.”
Lady Tremaine sighed. “Oh yes, they will be out shopping this afternoon, I forgot. Yes, yes, tell Nanny Pinch to bring them if she must. But, Avery, please wait to do so until after I’ve had my coffee. You’re probably the only person alive I can abide talking to before I’ve had my coffee,” she said, laughing.
“Yes, my lady,” he replied, and left the room. The lady laughed to herself again, wondering if she would ever get the man to crack a smile. It had become her personal mission, to make Avery smile.
She took her rose-colored shawl from the back of her chair, draped it around her shoulders, and sat on the red velvet couch. The room had felt so lonely since her husband had passed away more than six years ago, and she wondered why she still used it as the family room after he was gone. She supposed it was out of habit. All the ladies she knew used their front parlors in this way. This was where the ladies of the house spent their mornings, greeted their children, or entertained their closest friends. Larger gatherings were of course held in grander rooms, but Lady Tremaine hadn’t held a large gathering since her husband was alive.
