This is book 3/4 of the Cinderella Series by Oluwatosin Ojumu
——-
I watched as the young lady entered the small salon.

Well with her waist length gold-flecked brown hair and those large eyes she was certainly pretty. However, while not gaunt outright she was visibly too thin, even for her short height. She walked towards me, and blushing with nervousness, executed a small curtsey. I smiled in a way that I hoped would be encouraging, trying not to look her over too obviously.
She was wearing a dress in a floor-length style that was clearly new to her, as it impeded her steps a little, and she lacked the fluency of someone who was accustomed to dress in that manner. However the sky-blue colour suited her perfectly. I made a mental note to see to a new wardrobe for her as soon as I was sure that she was going to stay for at least a few months.

She held her curtsey, and I realised that she was waiting for my command to rise.
"You may rise, Ella." She rose to her feet, blushing again.
I held out my hand to her.
"I am Queen Agatha, Mother of Prince Wilfred. Please come and sit here next to me." I said, patting a space next to me on the sofa.

She breathed deeply, held her head high, and came and sat next to me as directed. I also let out a sigh of relief which up to then I did not even realise that I had been holding in.
I was so glad that I had decided to dress simply for this first meeting, otherwise I know that she would have been overwhelmed by my grandeur. However, I was already impressed by what I had seen of her spirit, in that she had not shrunk away from me; she had been undoubtedly nervous but had courageously battled through her nerves. I was hoping that that could only be a good sign.