Your heart summoned me. *laughs dryly* What's left of it.
Cut away piece by piece by piece. Ella's heart was not
How would she know that?
A pumpkin transformed into a coach, some mice into horses, a lizard or two for footmen... child's play.
If the fairy queen can make a coach out of a pumpkin, what else can she do?
It was you. You're the one who helped Ella get to the ball!
Stepsister, by Jennifer Donnely, is a Cinderella retelling in one of the ugly stepsisters perspective.Tanaquill, the Fairy Queen, appears, saying that Isabelle summoned her. Isabelle is shocked, because her stepsister, Ella, always told stories about her, but she thought they were just stories. Now she finds the truth
It was easy to help Ella, but I cannot help a girl such as you. You are too full of bitterness. It fills the place where your heart used to be.
Please, Your Grace. Would you help me too?
Tanaquill puts her hand to Isabelle's heart, examining it. She finds that it is barely even there. After all, she was horrible to Ella for many years.
No! Wait! Please wait!
For what, girl? Ella knew her heart's deepest wish. Do you?
Isabelle and her sister, Tavi, had tried to figure out where Ella had gotten a coach, horses, footmen, a gown, and glass slippers. Now she knew.
That is what all mortals say. They'll do anything. Anything but that which must be done. Only one thing can rid you of the bitterness inside. Do it, and perhaps I will help you.
I wish to be pretty.
Wishes are never simply granted. They must be earned.
I'll do anything.
If the Tanaquill did that for Ella, maybe she would do the same for Isabelle.
Tanaquill refuses. Does Isabelle even know her heart's deepest wish?
Isabelle makes her wish. She wants to be pretty. It would fix everything. Make people stop hating her.This scene moves the story forwards, because this is what makes Isabelle improve as a person and starts her quest to find them. Also, without Tanaquill, Isabelle would be dead. So if this never happened, nothing would ever change.