%20(1)_w200_h/ccb%20(1)%20(1)_09030756.jpg "Cinderella Claps Back: The Reckoning")
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When the late-night news of a secret plot to overthrow the government arrived at the Palace, where the late King Charming once reigned, a meeting of Queen Ella’s Cabinet was called immediately. Nine of the realm’s ten highest counselors scurried to the Round Table as the clock struck midnight, determined to sweep away this unprecedented threat.
“Good evening, everyone,” said Queen Ella breathlessly as she burst through the door, greeting her advisors with a look of both concern and determination. “Thank you for showing up so unexpectedly at such a dreadful hour.”
Each of her advisors pushed back their cushioned seats and stood ready, nodding back to her with the same solemn look. Everyone knew Queen Ella’s aversion to the number 12, thus compounding their worries.
Ms. Snow White, Ella’s Minister of Labor, who always sat to the Queen’s right, helped her to her royal seat. Ms. White was known for her great ability to manage different types of personalities. Whether happy, grumpy, or even dopey, Snow White knew how to make the full spectrum of characters work at anything, even things they didn’t want to do. And they whistled, too. Unless they were sleepy.
Once Queen Ella was seated, Ms. White addressed the room.
“You may be seated,” she said, and then looked to her left, eager to hear what the Queen had to say.
Ella took a few seconds to compose her thoughts, her eyes closed tight beneath her furrowed brow. She sent a quick private prayer to her fairy godmother and then looked around the room at this tight clique of characters who had proven through their own personal struggles that they knew how to conquer adversity.
For instance, Ella’s most trusted advisor ~ after Ms. White ~ was Mrs. Shirley da Seneca, whose legendary reading habits had made her the most erudite person in the land. Seneca, as she was called, was the Minister of Justice and was most insightful, proving especially discerning in her handling of white ruffle crime.
Ella’s Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Jack Bean, with his uncanny knowledge of agronomy and cloud patterns, had completely eradicated hunger in the realm, resulting in huge successes in education and innovation in the workplace. Because of Mr. Bean, poverty had been eliminated and the people were thriving. And even though he sometimes took unnecessary risks and could disappear for days, Queen Ella adored Jack and his acumen.
Ms. Gretel was another trusted advisor. Although the youngest of the group, she had a killer instinct, willing to fight, even destroy, anyone to protect those in her care. This is why she was the Minister of Homeland Security. In contrast, her twin brother, Hansel, worked with KINGDOMPOL as a chief hostage negotiator, using his clever verbal skills and quick thinking to save countless innocent children in less-fortunate places.
The Three Little Pigs served jointly as the Ministers of Housing and Urban Planning while Sirenita, with her extensive knowledge of both oceanography and special needs, served as the Minister of the Environment and Health and Character Services, respectively.
Closing out the small group was little Goldilocks herself as the Queen’s official spokesperson, whose ability to explain sometimes controversial yet always complicated Palace decrees was always “just right.”
The only character missing at the Table was the Queen’s Minister of Treasure. A stingy, spiteful, ugly little man she had never truly trusted but needed, nonetheless, due to his mysterious ability to always find enough gold in the budget to pay the realm’s expenses. His name was Rumpelstiltskin. And this time, he was the problem.