DISCLAIMER: If I owned Cinderella Monogatari, all the tracks of its OST/s and English-subbed episodes would be available, the series would be longer, Charles would be more open about his feelings for Cinderella *cough*gettingalarmedoverCinderella'sengagementtoMelville*cough*, and I wouldn't be writing this fanfic in the first place. -_-

At times when I need a stress reliever, nostalgia is a powerful thing, hence this fic. Many thanks to everyone who read/reviewed/favorited my first Cinderella Monogatari fic, A Matter of Time! In tandem with nostalgia, your reviews boost my drive to give flesh to another of my ideas, a carryover from last year. By the way, this one-shot takes place on the second day after the Royal Ball. It's actually a different or alternative take on episode 25 (and, by extension, the first part of episode 26), which has some plot holes; so, expect things to be different. Given the context of the entire show [in which Cinderella met the prince (Charles) disguised as a commoner and, after getting past their misunderstandings, became close friends with him (but nicknamed him "Charles the Liar" for always lying); they (subtly) fell in love with each other before Cinderella eventually found out that Charles was the prince, and THEN the ball took place (a more detailed exposition of how their relationship started and progressed can be found in A Matter of Time, for those who haven't watched this series yet)], I guess I have quite a lot of issues with the episodes related to the ball and the glass slipper, such as how suddenly inactive Charles was before and after the ball, of all times. (Seriously, Charles, sword-fighting with Alex over finding Cinderella and making amends for hiding your royal identity? Come on.) I suppose the way the episodes were executed is most likely to remain faithful to the traditional story line of the fairy tale. Having said that and because I don't have much canon material to work on, this fic was even trickier to write than A Matter of Time. So if the characters seem OOC (which I hope they're not) or if there's anything wrong or inconsistent, please see the explanation above (and the next line below, especially if it concerns the English dub).

As with A Matter of Time, much of this one-shot is based on the original/Japanese-dubbed version (so yes, it's still "Charles the Liar" that I'm using; this version is found in YouTube) and uses rough translations of the show (or what I can interpret out of it). If/When English subs are available, I'll edit the stuff here accordingly. (But if you wish to correct any possible mistranslations, please do it through a private message instead of through a review. I want to keep the subject separate and organized in case it might turn into a thread.) And also, the viewpoints of Cinderella and Charles switch back and forth. Sorry for any missed errors.

I hope you enjoy! =)

BETWEEN LIES AND TRUTH

Come back!

Charles ran fast down the grand staircase, trying to keep up with the nameless girl who was leaving him without any known reason.

Who are you?

Her hand on the railing keeping her balance, she sped down the long flight of stairs, the chimes of the tower bell echoing. In her hurry, she nearly slipped, leaving a glass slipper in her wake.

"Wait!"

As the girl stopped, suddenly the ornaments holding up her neatly coiled hair shattered into pieces. Her long caramel tresses cascaded down as she slowly turned around in shock, leaving Charles stunned.

C… Cinderella?

For the first time, she chose not to be accompanied by her animal friends in carrying out a task.

I have to forget that night.

She just wanted to be alone. Alone with her thoughts. Alone with her feelings. Alone, just to sort everything out.

I have to forget everything.

Cinderella sighed, gazing far ahead of her. Beyond the pristine woods where she was in stood Emerald Castle, majestic in the afternoon sunlight. It held so many memories of her involvement with its affairs—the big social gathering that she had crashed, the period when she and her stepsisters were summoned to serve as housekeepers, the ongoing coup as Marcel, mistaken for the prince, was kidnapped, and...

He pulled the blue coat and the rest of his civilian outfit to reveal a deep red tunic with puffy sleeves, the two-toned cape spreading out beneath him...

And that pivotal moment when Charles finally revealed the truth about himself.

That unbelievable scene had occurred already several days ago, but whenever Cinderella recalled it, the shock remained just as fresh. I still can't believe it. All this time, I've been interacting with the prince without even knowing it! She should be happy, as any girl in her shoes would have. But unlike them, Cinderella had issues to resolve with Charles, and more than that, she knew her place: out of his life. She was already aware of that the moment the truth about Charles finally sank in to her at the castle. And she intended to keep things that way, now that the ball, the perfect opportunity to conclude things with him properly—and her final memory of being with him—was over.

Over.

This is how things should be.

Really, she shouldn't even be dwelling in where she was right now. Her stepmother was probably growing impatient by this time waiting for her to return home with that special kind of berries that grew only somewhere out of town. Unfortunately, Cinderella found none in their usual area, forcing her to venture to other spots in search of them. But as she coincidentally passed by Emerald Castle, it had been difficult to tear her eyes off the scene. After all, this was her chance to gaze at it one final time, and then...

The sound of footsteps against fresh grass snapped her out of her wistfulness, and her mind immediately began composing an apology in case the newcomer—perhaps a guard or the gardener—would perceive her as an intruder. But as she readied herself to meet the person, her heart ceased pumping blood and she stopped short.

Charles.

No. Prince Charles.

Just several meters away from her.

What should I do?

Charles didn't seem to notice her at first, a look of contemplation on his handsome face as he walked along the grassy path. But a second later, he blinked in surprise and halted. "Cinderella?"

Her heart now began drumming loudly, nervously. Why was she reacting like this now? Seeing Charles as the prince during the ball had been no problem. She had believed that meeting him one last time would be simple, as long as she focused on her goal of settling things between them.

But nagging thoughts began making her restless.

If she really had been successful that night, why would she need to flee before the magic disappeared? Was it just so that her stepfamily wouldn't find her out? Even if that weren't the case, hadn't she already established closure with Charles back then? What was wrong with him seeing her back to the way she was before coming to the ball? What was wrong with him seeing her now?

"It's not a lie."

She pointed a finger at him. "Then what's your name?"

For a while, he seemed caught before waving her hand off his face. "My name is..." he uttered hesitatingly, glancing away. Then he faced her again, this time confidently. "...Alex."

"Alex?" she echoed. Then her face hardened. "I knew you are a liar!"

Her knees weakened, her heart palpitating as more bad memories of her previous actions rushed through her mind. What if... In her desire to meet him again, in her elation of her magical moments with him during the ball, it never occurred to her before that despite Charles's amiable demeanor, it was possible that he might be secretly holding something against her all along. And why wouldn't he, after everything that she had done to him? How did Charles really view her now? However it was, she didn't want to find out. So she whirled around, her legs making the decision for her to dash off.

Charles blinked in confusion. "Where are you going? Don't go!" He took off running after her.

Please... Please leave me alone! she prayed desperately, hoping that she could lose him. But when she glanced over her shoulder, she still found him in hot pursuit of her, so she willed her legs to just move even faster.

"Cinderella!" Charles yelled. "Wait!"

"Wait!"

The rays of the afternoon sun poured through the trees as her feet pounded against the earth...

It was the same thing all over again—she running away, wearing the very same clothes, chased by the very same young man, yet at another time, in another woods...

Cinderella shook her head violently at the memory of how they had met. No! Back then, she had no idea who he really was. Now, it was precisely because she knew that she had to disappear from his sight. But why was the urgency so strong now? Hadn't she already dealt with her guilt during the ball?

But in the midst of her escape, realization struck her.

The confrontation never happened. At all.

In her haste to leave at midnight, she had thanked him but not yet truly bid him farewell. Wished him happiness but not yet apologized. There was no real closure. The girl from the other night was only a dream, who was confident to be in the prince's presence only because, despite the familiarity, he couldn't recognize her and might have shown interest in her only because of her elegant appearance. The girl who was worthy of the prince's attention because in her enchanted gown and intricate jewelry, she met his standards. In her disguise, she was free to accomplish her goal. And now, she was wide awake to the reality that she was still Cinderella, the girl who could never be within the prince's royal circle and who still hadn't faced him as who she really was. No magic. Back to square one.

Was she really prepared to do this? Could she really do this?

Soon, Cinderella could feel Charles's presence behind her growing stronger. He was gaining on her already. Why couldn't she outrun him no matter how hard she tried?

Suddenly, his hands landed on her shoulders, and she stopped dead in her tracks.

Time stopped for the two, even as a breeze blew through the woods, rustling the fallen leaves. Toying with her long soft hair brushing against his toned arms, his cape sailing along. Cinderella remained rooted to her spot, the sensation of Charles's hands grabbing her shoulders to stop her from getting away all too reminiscent. But she couldn't slap his hands away anymore like the last time. There was no way out.

"Cinderella, why did you suddenly run away?" Charles asked, frowning. "Don't you know that I've been looking all over for you?"

She cringed.

"I want—no, I need to talk to you." Summoning Cinderella at the castle or searching for her as Prince Charles would have been easier, but subjecting her presence—or her—to his power would be an insult to their friendship. Cinderella had her own mind and will, and he was going to deal with it as just Charles and in private. "I went to your house this morning, but you weren't there. I even searched all over the town for you, but I couldn't find you anywhere."

Cinderella stared at the ground. "I've been busy," she answered quietly. "Mother sent me outside town for an errand, that's all..."

"So she said. But it's more than just that. Whenever I visited you, she would tell me that you couldn't be bothered for the day because you were still busy preparing your sister's outfits for the ball or that you have something to do for her somewhere. I've kept coming back to town every day since the coup, but you never showed up." His forehead creased. "Are you avoiding me?"

He went through all that trouble just for her? Wouldn't he have wanted to stop seeing her by this time?

"No..." Although she had wanted to see him again before, at that time how she would apologize and act around him properly was something she hadn't prepared herself yet to do. It felt so horrible to lie to him. But she already had started to when she had denied any form of connection with him during the ball. Today should not matter.

A layer of uneasiness was settling on Charles's stomach. Here he was, so physically close to Cinderella, but why could he feel that she was so... distant? The fact that she kept her back on him just fed his anxiety even more. "Then why won't you look at me?" But when she didn't move, his heart sank. "I knew it. You're mad at me. You hate me for hiding the truth about my identity from you, and because of that, you even refused to attend the ball."

Cinderella's shoulders stiffened beneath his palms.

He removed his hands. "Cinderella, talk to me. Yell at me if you want; I can take it. Just don't be like this. Just release your anger toward me."

At first, Cinderella remained motionless. But when she finally faced him, her features were passive, and then...

She curtsied before him.

And it startled him. "Cinderella?"

"Not at all." Her head remained bowed. "What right do I have to be angry with the prince of Emerald Kingdom?"

Those words bewildered him. Even more so when she just maintained her pose. "Cinderella, what's going on?"

"If there is anyone who has the full right to be angry with anyone, it is you with me..." Finally, she raised her eyes. "...Prince Charles."

His mind reeled as he was disturbed by the way she addressed him, especially by the deep respect her expression held for him. "What are you doing? Why are you being so formal around me?" Was she acting as if she barely knew him because he had broken her trust?

"I have offended my prince in so many ways." This time, Cinderella got on her feet but then bowed deeply. "I apologize for calling you a liar countless times, for treating you with disrespect in any way, for allowing you to carry my things and involving you in my troubles—"

"But you don't have to apologize for those things," he protested. "Enough."

"Only if Your Highness is willing to forgive me."

It was all Charles could do to not grab her and shake her back to her senses, getting frustrated already. No, this had nothing to do with her being mad at him anymore. How could she act this stiff around him? "It doesn't have to be like this!" he cried. How could things between them suddenly change? Cinderella was just in front of him, but where was their connection? Was he too late to save it? "Nothing has to change!"

"But it has to." Cinderella straightened up, then averted her gaze. "I am not worthy to remain friends with you, not even to be near you..."

Worthy? His brows knitted. Was this what it was all about? "Are you saying this because you found out that I'm the prince? Cinderella, social status means nothing to me. You know that." He couldn't believe that he was even hearing this from her. "Even if it matters to you, you're the daughter of a duke, aren't you?"

"But no daughter of a duke has ever shamelessly talked to or treated you the way I had." Besides that, the point that Charles raised was a fact, but it didn't feel like the truth. Endlessly serving her new family—it had been only several months but to her, she had been serving all her life. It was now an inculcated part of her identity. "It does not matter even if I had not done anything wrong. You have to forget me..."

"Forget you? Just because of who I am? No!" How could she even suggest that? "If my title as the prince is causing this trouble, then I'd rather lose it." His tone hardened with conviction. "I would never allow anything to destroy whatever we have!"

Her head snapping up, Cinderella was taken aback.

Even Charles himself was startled by his own outburst. His voice dropped to a calmer, modulated tone. "I don't hold anything against you. I never did. In fact, I deserved all the things you did." Then he looked away. "I'm sorry. This is all my fault. I never should have lied to you from the beginning. At that time, it was the only way I could think of to get close to you. I just wanted to know you. I didn't intend to lie, but I couldn't let anyone find out who I really am. There's too much risk in my identity and whereabouts being discovered. Also, I didn't want you to treat me differently. Even though my main motive in sneaking out of the castle was to escape my monotonous life there, at the same time, I just wanted to be myself without the royal title."

The heir to the throne saying sorry to her who had committed the greater offense—it felt really strange to Cinderella that words failed her.

Then Charles looked up, trying to catch her dark eyes in his earnest gaze. "But with you, I was free; in that freedom, I could understand myself better. And this is the real Charles that I wished you to see." He observed her, hoping that she would feel his sincerity. "When it came to you, I found it hard to hold back my name. I understood why you didn't believe me back then, and I don't blame you if you're angry with me now. But at least let me apologize to you..."

"Please, Your Highness. You have nothing to be sorry for; your reasons are most understandable." Cinderella regarded him in humility. "I am very honored that I was your constant companion in your stay in town, but perhaps there is an end to all things."

Charles clutched her shoulders. "Cinderella, please talk to me like how you used to," he pleaded. "I'm still the same Charles you constantly bump into and ask help from. And you're not just a companion to me. You're my friend. A very close one, in fact."

Uncertainty clouded her eyes. "But..."

"All that we have, all that we shared... I'm not going to throw them away." Determination crossed his face, his eyes intense. "I'm not going to throw you away. You're too valuable to me to let go!"

It left her stunned. How could he, the prince himself, adamantly hold on to their relationship as if his life depended on it? Yet here she was, ready to discard it even if it was for his own sake. It horrified and shamed her even more than her treatment of him out of ignorance did. Was letting go what she really wanted?

Silence.

"Ch..." It was so hard to utter it. Her head bowed, her voice soft and faint. "Charles..."

Charles let go of her shoulders, his face laced with hope at the way she called him.

And she didn't want to destroy that hope. How she wished that the way things ran for them now could really still be as before. But she couldn't let herself rise with her hopes and then fall down again, back to that reality that they were living in. He deserves someone better. A friend, a betrothed—it doesn't matter. I'm not good enough. Even though the Charles who danced her was the same Charles whom she had known, it still didn't change the fact that she had to severe ties with him. And she had to do it as Cinderella, not some unknown false princess. "If it is forgiveness that you wish from me, I am extending it to you, so please do not worry about me being mad at you. But this..." She swallowed, the next words bitter on her tongue. "This is the end."

Hope dissolved into confusion as Charles blinked. "What?"

"Thank you for your goodness and kindness to me. I really treasure them from the bottom of my heart..."

He frowned, bothered. "What are you talking about? Why are you talking as if you're saying goodbye?" Then alarm gripped him. No way...

"And those good and bad times that we spent together, I'll never forget them..."

Charles grabbed her arms. "Don't talk like that! Stop it!" His chest constricted in his upset. "Why? Why do you make it sound as if we'll never meet again?" But when he saw her apologetic expression, his stomach dropped, and he mentally stepped back, horrified.

Because she means it.

Because she was really saying goodbye. For good.

And because he refused to conclude things between them, she was doing it herself for him instead.

"I wish you happiness always." Cinderella kept her gaze away. "Please let me go. I'm sorry."

A powerful sense of deja vu overcame him as her words registered, agitation and horror soon forgotten. This manner of parting ways with him, down to the very last words... His chest pounded. "Tell me. Were you really not at the ball the other night?"

She froze. "W-What do you mean?"

He studied her with an intent stare, then slowly released her and turned around. "I've been looking for you not only to apologize. There was this girl the other night who had captured my attention. I danced her and we talked for quite a long time. I admit, I was attracted to her. I've never seen her before, yet she seemed familiar to me. I felt at ease with her so much that I could tell her anything about myself, things that I wouldn't just share with other people. Our conversation was cut short because for some reason, she suddenly decided to leave. I didn't even get her name. But even so, there's nothing more that I wanted than to see her again."

For some reason, Cinderella felt a twinge of envy, which she tried to squelch. It was physically her but it also was as if he had fallen for an entirely another person instead.

Charles gazed ahead of him. "I couldn't sleep at first. And when I finally did, all I saw in my dream was that girl. All I kept thinking about were the moments that I spent with her. But the more I pondered who she is, the more I realized that I couldn't erase her from my mind, and also the more I understood why I couldn't erase her from my heart. Do you know why?"

Finally, he faced her.

"Because she reminds me of you."

Cinderella gasped.

"But more than that..."

The gasp was caught in her throat. More than that...?

"It's only a dream."

"I know, Alex. But it doesn't feel that way." Charles paced the floor in his royal chambers back and forth. "How could I see Cinderella in that girl's place? I don't even recall ever definitely meeting this girl before."

"Well, you did mention that you sensed familiarity with her." Alex nearly shrugged. "It could be a possible reason. But..."

Charles halted, turning to his page and friend. "But what?"

"I could be wrong about this, but could it be beyond just that? Hmm... a projection or manifestation, perhaps...?"

"What do you mean?"

"If we look at this from another angle, it's also possible that this lady is really a complete stranger. However, you waited for Cinderella the entire night but never saw her. Prince Charles, could it be that you missed her so much that..."

Thank you, Alex.

"More than that..." Charles looked Cinderella straight in the eye. "...I was subconsciously believing that she was you."

Cinderella's heart sped so madly, she could hardly breathe.

"At first, I thought that it was just me. You would have already confronted me by that time otherwise. But a part of me tells me that it really is you, no matter how illogical it sounds or the rest of myself disagrees. I have to take this chance, however slim it is." He didn't break eye contact with her. "Considering the situation, I find it hard to believe that everything was just a coincidence. You were the only girl who wasn't present at the ball. Your invitation was nowhere to be found. What were only recovered were the incomplete pieces of a torn invitation. And no one has ever seen this maiden I spent the night with before."

Her heart was about to burst. He was so close to discovering her secret...

"So I want to hear the truth from you. Cinderella, that girl... was it you?"

How was she supposed to answer him? If she admitted yes, what if he got mad at her for not revealing herself to him before, despite him having directly asked her who she was? But if she answered no, what if he was really counting that the girl was truly her all along?

But there was only one truth that she knew. And Charles deserved to know the truth.

"No, that was not me." She wasn't exactly lying. That girl wasn't me at all, just a dream, created only for that ball...

His face fell, and it killed Cinderella that she had shot down all his expectations.

"No. I don't believe it. I refuse to believe it."

What?

Charles unfastened a black box hidden at the back of his waist and took out with care the item inside. "The other night, that girl left this in her hurry to leave the castle."

Her eyes widened.

It was her glass slipper.

"This is also part of the reason I wanted to find you this morning." That slipper was his only remaining clue to the identity of that maiden. But with Cinderella nowhere to be found, he had headed back to the castle to be alone with his thoughts along with the shoe. Despite the vast space of his bedroom, though, or anywhere in the castle for that matter, the walls had only made him feel suffocated because of his restlessness that he hadn't been able to take it anymore and gone out with the shoe for fresh air. Definitely he hadn't counted on encountering Cinderella here, and he wouldn't waste this precious chance. "If what you're telling me is true, then there should be no problem with trying this on." Missing the panic that flashed across Cinderella's face as he knelt down, Charles held the glass slipper before her foot. "Please. If it does not fit you, at least I'll know for sure that you're not that girl."

But Cinderella remained still.

Charles stared at her in wonder, but her features reflected nothing. "Cinderella..."

"Please. You need not bother yourself with me."

"But..."

"You simply must have mistaken me for her."

No way was Charles buying this. He stood up and faced her squarely. "Then look me in the eye and tell me that it wasn't you."

Cinderella did as she was told. "Prince Charles, with all due respect, you are only wasting your time. I did not attend the ball."

At her words and now serious expression, Charles began gaining second thoughts. What if Alex was right? Maybe he is. If Cinderella indeed was not the girl at the ball, then... He felt sick.

Then Charles had just used that girl in Cinderella's place.

Self-disgust filled him. What kind of a person am I? It didn't even matter that everything was unintentional. How could he use an innocent lady to ease his loneliness and probably lead her on?

Charles... Cinderella caught sight of the conflicting emotions brewing in Charles's gaze. It was as if he was doubting himself now and starting to believe her instead, something that she ought to be relieved about.

So how come it felt so wrong?

Finally, Charles withdrew the shoe and placed it back in the box, all hope in his eyes diminished. "I didn't mean to pressure you if you felt that way. I cannot force you to do something you don't want to do," he said resignedly. "If you don't want to see me anymore, I respect your decision. But Cinderella..."

She held her breath.

"I'll always be here for you. If you can't find me at the castle, I'm just in town. If you need help, if you need someone you can talk to, all you have to do is just come to me. It's the least that I could offer you."

Wait! her mind screamed but she silenced it. "That girl..."

He nodded. "I still have to find her."

Heavy silence.

"Well... I must go now. I won't bother you anymore. Take care." Charles gazed at her one last time. "And... goodbye." With that, he started heading back to the castle to get his horse.

Cinderella watched his retreating back. It was the best for both of them, she tried to convince herself, doing her best to ignore the tightening in her chest. I did the right thing.

As they danced, he held her hand as if it was the most natural thing for him to do, and never even once did he take his fond eyes off her...

I did the right thing. Her hands at her sides clutched the fabric of her skirt so tightly, they were shaking hard. I know I did...

"I must go now... And... goodbye..."

But then her world crumbled as her vision blurred. The dam holding back her emotions crashed down as she fell on her knees, breaking into sobs.

Charles halted and spun around, light blue eyes widening in result. Rushing over to her side, he knelt down in worry and concern as the box from his loosening grasp landed on the ground with a soft thud, the freed slipper forgotten. "Cinderella, are you all right?"

She covered her face with her hands, hot tears unstoppable.

Immediately, his hand was upon her shoulder. "What's wrong?" What could he do to calm her down? "Why are you crying?"

"It hurts..."

"Where?" The worry escalated to alarm. "Tell me what's wrong!"

"It really hurts..." Clutching her chest, she whipped her head away from him, eyes shut tight as she couldn't take it anymore. "Charles the Liar!"

Charles froze.

But Cinderella no longer cared. Why would anything matter if she was already losing him...

"Come here..."

She felt one of his arms surround her back, his other hand resting at the back of her head as he gently pulled her close to his broad chest. Instead of pushing him away, she found herself just letting him comfort her. At that moment, there was no gap in status between them. It was just her and Charles the Liar, just like how things used to be, and how she missed him terribly. "I'm sorry!" she sobbed. "I'm really, really sorry!"

"Shh..." Charles held her soothingly. "It's okay, it's okay..."

"No, it's not..."

She had tried to lie to him, even to herself. But she couldn't do this anymore. She hated liars, and now how she hated herself. But she had to come clean. "How could I have accused you of lying when I'm guilty of the very same thing? No, I'm not okay with this at all. I can't stay away from you." She buried her face in his chest. "I don't want to!"

Charles looked down at her in shock. Cinderella...

Her hands tightly grasped his vestments. "I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I know it's a foolish wish but..." Her body leaned heavily against him as she shook, venting out all her frustration and longing for him through endless tears. What a foolish thing to do, making a mess of herself in front of him like this...

But Charles made no comment nor even movement, instead all the while comforting her. Being there for her. Staying true to his word.

Finally, Cinderella drew her face away a little and stared down. "But who am I to stop you?" she asked weakly. "I don't have any power or right to keep you from pursuing anyone who has captivated you. If it's your will to leave..."

"Cinderella, I'm not going anywhere."

Cinderella looked up at him in confusion. "But you said that you would go find that mysterious girl from the ball."

"Yes, that's true. But I said that only because I planned to give back the slipper and apologize to her."

Apologize? "For what?"

"For using her in your place."

"My... place?"

He nodded. "Yes, I admit, this lady was so beautiful. But I cannot devote myself or my life to a substitute, no matter how fetching she might be."

She must be hearing things. "But—What if she turns out to be a princess? What if she has already fallen in love with you? It's only right that you ask for her hand..."

"That's not true. No one can lay claim on the prince's heart unless she wins it and fills the emptiness within." Charles stood up and helped her on her feet, holding her with his fond gaze. "But you, Cinderella, easily did it. Whenever you're around, I don't feel that there's something missing inside me."

This is impossible. She must be getting it all wrong. But even in her astonishment, all his earlier words rushed back to her mind, confirming her realization. Charles had been loving her from the start; it was just that Cinderella had been too distracted by his inconsistent lies as Charles the Liar and her feelings for him as Prince Charles in the past to notice it. And it overwhelmed her that all this, something she would see only in her sleep, was really happening to her now.

Yet uncertainty still found a way in. "But you've seen how I live. You've been to my shanty of a room, you've witnessed me in my helplessness and all my flaws, even my insecurities now..."

"Cinderella, I didn't fall for you just for who you are but also despite who you are. In the same way you've witnessed me in my faults as a regular person yet accepting them, I've seen you in your lowest points, but it makes no difference to me. Don't be so hard on yourself."

"Still, why me? There are so many other girls out there to choose from. How could I be fit for someone like you?"

"But that's what sets you apart from them: you don't try. Nor do you attempt to make me like you by putting your best foot forward for the sake of it. Those girls love the ideal me but not the real me. If given a chance to see me for who I really am, they might not even want to be friends with me, let alone get to know me the way you had." Charles brushed a stray lock of long hair from Cinderella's face and tucked it behind her ear. "Cinderella, if there's anything that I've confirmed when I was with you, it's the fact that bonds and relationships are not confined nor dictated by society."

"But..."

"If you really believe that two people shouldn't be together for having different social standings, then why did you help Nicolas, a meager violinist, with a young noblewoman before?"

Cinderella tried to answer but found herself at a loss for words. Why?

But then she heard a voice: the soft voice of her inner self. As she listened, its quiet words soaked her being, and soon the answer became clear. Why? Charles's question echoed.

Because deep down, she believed that it wasn't true.

From the start, she had appreciation for Charles that grew deeper as time passed by. Indeed, she might have been concerned about him as a commoner only because she wasn't aware of his real background. But upon closer look, their supposed difference did not really hinder her from looking out for him as Prince Charles. Saving him from a fixed marriage and, later, death, even if it meant risking her own life when she didn't even know him personally―Cinderella didn't end caring about Charles only as the prince.

She cared about him as a person.

And Charles's look of understanding told her that he was aware of this all along.

How could I not realize this earlier? The more she digested this revelation, the less valid the protests swimming in her head seemed, to the point where they began to fade.

"Cinderella, I've always lied to you before. But our friendship is not a lie." Charles trapped her in his soulful gaze. "Our bond was never a lie." The back of his finger wiped away a tear from her glazed eye. "But most of all..."

He cupped her cheek.

"My feelings for you are not a lie."

Cinderella closed her eyes and leaned against his hand, reveling in the comfort and warmth that Charles exuded. She could never get enough of how affectionate he was being to her. Her own hand reached up and covered his own in appreciation. Charles...

A faint smile broke on Charles's face at this gesture. And how he loved the way Cinderella's eyes shone when she returned his gaze. "Cinderella, for the longest time, I've always concealed how I really view you. But now..."

His hands delicately cupped the contours of her lovely face as he leaned close, his breath warming her mouth.

"...let me show you the truth."

He let his lips brush hers at first, then took her mouth with his.

Cinderella's eyes closed as Charles held her still with that kiss for a long moment, then allowed him to caress her slowly with his mouth. Even though he was the prince, the next king, he was so gentle with her. Cinderella rested her hand on his chest, lost in his soft kiss, in his presence that always eased her and made her feel secure. And through that kiss, she felt how much he respected her, how much he valued her, how much he trusted her. Warmth colored her cheeks. Charles...

Not breaking contact with her soft mouth, Charles let go of her face, wrapping one arm around her slender waist and cradling her head with his free hand. Drawing her even closer, he continued assuring her with his tender actions, melting away what traces of doubt remained in her. He was acknowledging her feelings, only giving, never taking. Never demanding. Just that she would come as she was.

And as she accepted this from him, finally it became truth to her. Worthiness was not needed. Status was not needed. Only bond.

Only acceptance.

Only love.

His mouth lingering on hers, Charles withdrew a little, as though it was the last thing he wanted to do. Eyes half-lidded at first, he finally pulled away, leaving Cinderella breathless. "I will never lie to you again. I promise."

Then Charles noticed Cinderella's gaze fall and followed suit to find the glass slipper still lying beside his feet. Searching for that missing girl could wait, he decided, getting down to return the slipper to its case.

"Then I guess I'm not being fair with you."

Cinderella's clad left foot stepped forth in front of the box to stop him that he stilled.

"You were looking for that mysterious girl, weren't you? Then..."

He raised his head in wonder before his jaw nearly dropped, the footwear nearly slipping from his hands.

The warm sunlight was playing on Cinderella's face, making her seem so soft and radiant. With a breathtaking smile, she lifted her skirt a little, now baring the same foot. "Let me show you the truth."

With grace, her foot slid itself into the slipper.

A perfect fit.

Wide-eyed at first, Charles got up in absolute delight to embrace her. "I knew it," he murmured into her hair. "I knew it was you. I've been waiting and looking for you, don't you know that?"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she apologized softly. "I didn't know how you were going to take this if you confirmed it."

"What are you talking about?" Charles drew away. "I don't need a princess to fill that special place in my heart. Just you." His hands settled themselves on her shoulders. "And only you."

Cinderella's heart melted.

"And so..."

Falling on one knee, he took her hand. But unlike the traditional, impersonal brief hand kiss in greeting, he pressed his lips softly on the back of her hand in deep reverence and adoration for a long moment, making the gesture his own. "I will protect you with my life, even if it kills me," he swore, closing his eyes. "Cinderella, it would be an honor if you would spend the rest of your life with me and let me take care of you and love you with everything that I am."

"No."

His eyes snapped open in bafflement. No? What went wrong?

"No." Cinderella knelt to his level, enclosing his occupied hand with her other one. "It would be my honor."

He could barely believe it. "You mean..."

She happily nodded.

His body burst with so much ecstasy that he lifted Cinderella by her waist and whirled her in the air, Cinderella's resulting laughter of joy the most beautiful sound he had ever heard in his entire life. As soon as he brought her down, he enveloped her with his arms tightly, pressing her body against his. Memorizing her in detail. Enjoying her warmth, her presence that he could not let go of. "You scared me," he murmured. "For a while, I thought you were turning me down." When Cinderella didn't respond, he pulled back, only to find moisture veiling her eyes. "Hey..."

But instead of wiping away her fresh tears, Cinderella threw her arms around his neck. "I just can't believe it," she whispered, smiling in sheer bliss. "After all this time, finally I'm with you." It was worth every laugh, every tear. Every misunderstanding, every trouble, every danger.

It was worth the dream.

It was worth the wait.

Minutes later, they released each other. After Cinderella cleared her face of all tears, she put the slipper in its box and cradled the case in her arm.

Charles took her free hand in his, holding it up in a gentlemanly fashion. "Come. I'll introduce you to Father and Mother. They'll be delighted by this great news."

The king and queen... Wow... Cinderella hadn't counted that she would meet them so soon, but she looked forward to it. So she nodded, and the two of them started going to the castle. Ambling through their peaceful surroundings, Cinderella gazed up at Charles, who smiled down at her. A smile of contentment graced her face in return as she set her eyes ahead of her.

Looking back, everything seemed like a dream that would only remain as it was. Who would have known how just one accident could set off a series of events that would lead to this reality? Cinderella sure hadn't. What started as mere misunderstanding with someone seemingly dishonest had sparked a journey called friendship to meet and fully know inside out the most wonderful young man who never gave up on her no matter what. Prince Charles and Charles the Liar—Cinderella made no distinction between these two identities for she was certain of one thing: though Charles had lied about his background, there was never any pretense in his character. A young man who wields great power but acts and loves with his strong yet gentle heart—this was who Charles really was.

And the honor of being with him, the privilege of loving him, and the eternal pleasure of sharing her life with him were all hers.

Finally.

And that, without any doubt, was the truth that no amount of lie could erase.

-The End

So how was it? What do you think? Love it? Hate it? Do you want more? Please let me know if you enjoyed this fic or what. Comments are welcome; please leave them below. It would really mean a lot to me; you have no idea what wonders (Or disasters? Hopefully not.) reviews could do to my writing spirit. ;) Let's spread the Cinderella Monogatari love. Thanks! =)