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STRETCHED over Belle’s forest cottage blackening the whispers of smoke dancing from the chimney and gilding the thatch golden. Resident woodland creatures scampered to burrows, dens and nests and the lush carpet of wild flowers folded in petals against the ensuing darkness. But inside the kitchen, the heart of Belle’s new home, the wildness, the fun, the debauchery was just revving up, getting ready to unleash in glorious, hedonistic style.
Rapunzel splashed burning clear liquid into three heavy shot-glasses and one teeny, tiny thimble, raised her drink to the beamed ceiling and grinned at her three friends. ‘This,’ she said, ‘is to Cinder’s last night of freedom.’ She licked salt from her knuckle, threw back her drink and sucked furiously on a segment of lemon. ‘Go for it girl, because – jeez ...’ She rasped her tongue against the roof of her mouth. ‘That hits the spot.’
Cinderella brushed invisible crumbs from the pale blue silk of her voluminous gown and clutched her overflowing glass of tequila like it was crab apple poison. She made no move to drink.
Tinkerbell, standing on the kitchen work surface had no such qualms. She was tiny – the size of a pencil – but, undaunted by her thimble of burning liquid, knocked it back in one mouthful. ‘Bloody brilliant,’ she said gesturing for Rapunzel to top her up.
‘I don’t think Tink should have any more,’ Cinderella said, worried.
‘She’ll be fine,’ Rapunzel said.
‘Yeah, I’ve seen her drink twice her own weight.’ Belle grinned as she shoved up the cream puffed sleeves of her best gown and shook salt onto her thumb. She looked steadily at her three companions with a glint in her eye that showed she meant business, then downed her shot, smacked her lips and ignored the lemon slice.
‘We’re here to help you have fun,’ Tinkerbell said as she fluttered her wings to life and flew face level with Cinderella. ‘Come on, you know you want to.’
‘I do, really I do, it’s just, well, I just don’t want anyone to get hurt.’
Rapunzel threw her head back and laughed. ‘Some people like a bit of pain, you know.’ Her river of blonde locks rippled down her spine, the tips touching the dusty stone floor like thin fingers. ‘Let your hair down, Cinders ... like me.’
Belle and Tinkerbell downed another shot, giggled and then they all looked at Cinderella.
‘Come on, drink up.’ Rapunzel gave a nonchalant shrug. ‘Prince Charming and his stags will be up to all sorts, so why shouldn’t you? Whatever happened to equality?’
Cinderella set her jaw determinedly then threw back the clear drink in one go. She gasped as the burn hit her throat and spluttered into her hand. Rapunzel slapped her on the shoulders with a jovial laugh. ‘Excellent, another two of those and we’ll hit The Turret Club.’ She winked at Belle. ‘You’re going to love it there, Cinders.’