One Lost, Another Found

"Let me get this straight, you mean Ella here is your cousin's daughter that had left the royal family in order to live an ordinary life and now that he is dead you wish to take her back and name her a princess?" Dominic's voice was laced with disbelief.

He looked at the large scroll in his hand for the second time, it was the royal family tree, and right below it was Cinderella's baby picture and name following her father's name that she had identified.

Seems like her father had made sure she was within the family records even if he did't wish to be part of them, perhaps as a contingency plan?

"That is right young lad, now my dear girl how about your answer?" Came a jovial male voice right beside him.

"Shut it old man, you know what? Why don't you waddle back into your carriage for a moment while I speak with Ella here." Dominic looked at the short portly old man who was the king of this kingdom and the father of the prince and dismissed him.

The same prince that gets to marry Cinderella, his Cinderella.

'Yeah, that ain't happening.' He snorted mentally.

"Ptt! Well, I never!" The king spattered for a moment, never had he met anyone so disrespectful, with a red face he was about to blow up but was quickly called by the tall thin man who was the royal advisor.

They then went back to the carriage, the knights, however, didn't seem too pleased with these. But for some reason, their horses refused to move an inch even as they were spurred forward.

And these were pure breed warhorses.

Though that was the least of Dominic's concerns, in fact, if they had dared to move forward and say anything, anything at all about his disrespect for their king, there would be nothing left of them all.

But really now, how the hell has the plot and everything changed? That and why make her a princess, as far as Dominic was sure Cinderella along with Belle and Tiana, the others were either daughters of chiefs or lords. Does this also mean that the history of the others out there has also changed?

And seriously, what kind of background is that?

Not that he minded anyway, his desire for her came from his past life's desire, or did his being react to her that she was having royal bloodline?

It was all slightly confusing.

Did this mean that he can only react to those that were actually princesses, as in born into a household of leaders, chiefs, and lords, does that mean that he would have to kidnap the women that have been married and actually carry the title princess and not the fact that he knew who they could be and take them instead for his own?

"Uhm, Dom?" A soft and gentle voice called out, bringing him back to reality.

"Hmm?" He looked to the side and saw a pair of dark blue eyes shining under the light as it had gotten dark outside.

They carried confusion as well as anticipation and a little longing.

Inwardly letting out a groan, Dominic got closer to the owner of the eyes, Cinderella, his Ella and gently held her shoulders as he caressed them.

How could he not see that she wanted to be with her family at long last, she had always thought that there was no one left after both her parents died. Now she got word that she had more, that and they were from the royal family of the kingdom.

Not that the last part really mattered to her.

Letting out a sigh that caused steam to be released, his core was about to rage at all that he was feeling, but he held back any selfish desires that he had for himself, which was kind of contradictory if one looked at the nature of dragons.

But he carried a name that belonged to one that cared a lot about family, Dominic Toretto.

"Ella, do you want to go and do this princess business thing?" He asked as he gazed at her intently, vowing that should she say no he would not let her go, but also hoping she would say yes.

He needs to find out something that was going on.

With a small smile and eyes that seemed like they were pooling with tears, Cinderella nodded slightly, perhaps not being able to voice it out, in fear that she would start crying.

Cinderella didn't really know why she had come to ask for permission from Dominic and also why the mere fact that he had indirectly let he go made her feel so grateful.

She didn't want to honestly leave his side, but hearing about this all from the king made her mind churn with ideas that she argued with her inner self that refused to go, and that one idea of being able to wield a title and some amount of power to be of some use to Dominic shut any other argument to stay.

Still, the fact that this had to be done with his permission made her feel somewhat glad and happy, confusing the lass this was broken when she felt his arm wrap around her and envelope her in that same warmth, comfort, and peace that held her the first time they met, in fact, it was even better now, making her almost say no and stay as her arms found themselves around his muscular torso.

But she really wanted to have some value to him, to be useful and worthy to stand by his side.

And of course to finally have a family at last.

"I guess it is see you later then." Stated Dominic as he let her go from his arms as bit his lips slightly.

Still nodding this time without looking up, Cinderella's head was lifted up to see a pair of light blue eyes that looked as if they were glowing.

"Before you go I have two gifts for you; one is this outfit. I made it with a special kind of magic, it will change according to your desire, and it can protect you from any harm while am not near you." He told her to which her eyes widened at this revelation.

Before she could say anything more, Dominic placed a finger on her lips and continued,

"The other is a blessing."

To which he pulled her close again and kissed her…

On her forehead.

"This blessing of mine is to report to me, no matter where I am, should you fall in trouble, even if you so much as lose a strand of hair when threatened I will come in mere moments and lay waste to everything and anything that dares to bring you harm." He spoke gently, but his eyes radiated an entirely different story.

No longer able to handle it, small tears began to trail down Cinderella's face. To which Dominic just wiped gently.

"I'll see you in five days okay? After that, I am coming to take you away with me, even if I have to kidnap you." Said Dominic with a slightly teasing smile.

Though whether the kidnapping part was true or not didn't matter as Cinderella gave a small laugh.

"Okay, I'll see you then." She said as she slowly stepped away from him walking towards the carriage all the knights vigilant and ready to depart.

"And Dom?" She paused when she was close to the carriage.

"Yeah?" He answered.

"Thank you." The glass-slipper princess said those few words and then she alighted to the carriage with the help of one of the knights who was the driver who then climbed up and drove away, along with the entirety of the trope that escorted them.

Dominic just stood there for a good long minute, the servants around him had long since left by his orders.

So he stood there under the dim light of the lamps hanging on the walls of his house, all alone and his mind blank.

'I gave her away…' These words echoed in his mind.

'But, it was for a good reason… right?' He tried to reason.

All of a sudden with such thoughts that kept playing in his mind like a broken record his feet started to move slowly.

The direction?

Anywhere.

And soon enough his form was lost within the dark woods, all this without his conscious thoughts that were stuck within an unending loop.

Like that a weight, unlike anything he had felt before settled on his mind and heart making his footsteps heavy and laborious as if he was carrying a massive weight on his shoulders as if he was carrying the weight… of the world.

His footprints left deep pits as he aimlessly wandered within the forest, trees and rock did little to stop him, but still, the heavy feeling upon his chest was immense.

That was until after an unknown amount of time and location a feminine cry cut the dark and heavy night air, breaking Dominic from his deep, lost, and desolate thoughts.

Something about this cry shook him, reached out to his within his mind that was akin to an endless maze and so without hesitation he burst forth towards the sound with one thought in mind.

'Who is she?'

==

She was surrounded by this dark and desolate forest, not just by the flora that had trees that looked like monsters, but by these fiends!

"Hehehe! She is a pretty one ain't she fella?!" A growling voice laced with sneer called out and no sooner did it fall did the others too, each howling or whistling darkly with malice.

She couldn't see them at all as they called out from within the surrounding trees the light of the full moon did very little to help with visibility, in fact, it made her even more frightened.

"To think we fellas would get so lucky as to find a midnight little snack like this, by the devils we have got to celebrate." Said another this one sly, like a snake hidden within the grass.

Like things of nightmares they appeared before her, each one had stepped out from within the forest, but within her eyes, it was like they were the trees all along as they seemed to make the trees' shadows melt and shift into their forms.

Seven.

She counted seven figures that appeared before her even with her mind hazy with fear she knew that much and that they were huge, each loomed around her staring at her with dark eyes that looked as if they devoured the dim moonlight, they had rotten and wicked looking teeth were barely made out but she was sure that they looked like they really wanted to eat her, their earlier jeers did little to dissuade this claim.

And they carried a foul smell that was so bad that it made her a little dizzy. Gulping a lump of saliva, she tried to speak but her words seemed to have been stuck in her throat.

"So little missy, what are you doing here all alone? Don't you know that there are bad things that wander around these parts… like us? Ahahah!!" A bellowing laughter erupted from the figure right in front of her, shaking her to her core so much so that she fell down on her butt.

It was at this moment she noticed that each one carried weapons in their hands, well the ones within her sight but the fear to do anything else was so overwhelming that the time one of the raised it up she released a fearful scream and closed her eyes.

"Heheh, scream all yah want little fair lamb. No one out here is gonna hear yah."

"Yeah, all alone within this place, forgotten by everyone, unwanted by all, and abandoned by the world."

Their words hurt her more than what they had ever done physically, she opened her eyes as tears started to flow down from them, the night sky seemed to have gotten darker and colder, and emptiness started to fill her entire being… they were right.

If one could see her face one would see that the light in her tearful eyes started to dim, wait, the beings around her did this and each one released dark and wicked smiles at the other.

"If it is so, you won't mind if I took her right?" A soft male voice called out from within the forest not far from them making them all startled.

The seven figures all leaped back away from their downed victim and stared warily in the direction the voice came out from. For some reason, it felt as if their roles had been reversed and that they were the prey now.

They hated it.

"Who is that? Step out of the shadows now coward!?" One of them called.

"You know what? Perhaps I should stop asking and start taking what I want. Meaning, I don't need, your consent." The voice spoke as if speaking to themselves, the arrogance they carried infuriated the figures.

Before any more words were spoken, a bright icy blue flame erupted from within the forest!

It lit up the dark night, burning everything down and soon enough the howling air that was caused by the eruption was soon joined by a chorus of demon-like screams of despair that soon died off.

The flames had burned all, all but one that is.

The female was still sitting at her place, not moving a muscle even when the voice spoke, not even when the blue fire burned the figures, she just sat there in the middle of the flames that seemed like they didn't want to singe even her cloak or a strand of her now visible ebony hair, while her skin was as white snow.

The reason was that her eyes looked dim, there was no light, one would even say the light of the flames barely reflected in them.

Just then footsteps were heard, they were heavy but steady. And no sooner was there another figure before her, dressed in a black robe and boots.

She didn't even bother looking up, she didn't care what they wanted from her. She was done, nothing, and no one wanted her. Not her family, for they had left her alone in the world, not her beloved, her had betrayed her with a woman that wanted her dead.

The world didn't want her…

"If the world doesn't want you any longer, I'll take you for myself. With me, you shall have everything, protection, comfort, love, and family. You will need not and want not for anything forever, because you are now mine." The figure crouched on one knee, glowing icy blue eyes that had silted pupils staring deep into her own.

With each word, a promise that carried conviction and confidence that all was true, each emotion resonated with her heart that started to beat faster and the gaze those eyes held made her own eyes gain light slowly, and soon enough she could clearly see his face.

And he was divine.

He held her hand and lifted her up with ease, her eyes now full of life once more didn't leave his own, he then spoke once more, no, declared

"Come with me and be my first Dragon Maiden, Snow White."

With that everything turned white, she didn't feel fear, not anymore, she didn't feel emptiness, nor loneliness, but peace, at home, and a feeling that encapsulated her and made her feel, loved, so much of that love that it almost overwhelmed her entire being.

She didn't resist, instead, she answered with her entire being.

'Yes, my Lord… I am yours.'