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I have a problem, I realize as I wake the next morning in my stepmother's gigantic feather bed. I have no money with which even to buy materials for a dress. Secondly, even if I could manage to scrounge up enough cloth for a dress, I could never finish the gown in time. I have five days, counting today, in which to decide on the style, find the supplies, and sew the dress. No one could accomplish this trick even with an army of seamstresses.

I squeeze my eyes shut to stay off my tears. With no dress, I have no hope of being allowed into the castle that night. I try to avoid the thought of the prince's promise. I know my composure will break if I think of him.

I consider my options. I could not attend. But...then... the prince would be disappointed. I could sneak in. But it would be embarrassing to appear in my rags, which fit me, or in an ill fitted gown of my step-family. It came to me then.

Who said I had to wear their dresses as they were? I surely didn't want to wear anything of theirs as it was. It strikes me as accepting charity from them. But who said I couldn't make their gowns my own?

I dash to their closets and ransack them. I pillage a evening gown of ultramarine from my stepmother's room. From Pearl, I take a silk of the palest blue that was nearly white. A white pair of over-the-elbow gloves from Jemma find themselves on my pile. I select a beautiful sapphire necklace from the jewelry boxes.

I then don the darker blue gown. I stand before the mirror and eye my reflection critically.

"It needs to be shortened," I note aloud. I tug at the neckline which is sagging dangerously low. "I'll have to take that in. The waist too." I pull on the cloth to see the effect. "Yes, that will do."

I look at the puffy sleeves with disgust. "Those will have to go." I grab the pale gown and begin to drape it in various manners across my body. "A sash I think." I wrap it around my waist and nod, satisfied.

"It'll be a little plain, but it's the best I've got."

I fetch my sewing basket and begin to pin the dress.