A Cinderella Story Once Upon A Time

[Zulema Estabrooks]

PrincessElla, better known as Cinderella, currently known as Ashley Boyd, also known as Ash, is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time. She dbuts in the fourth episode of the first season and is portrayed by guest star Jessy Schram.

Cinderella is based on the titular character from the fairytale, "Cinderella," and Cinderella from the Disney film of the same name and its direct-to-video sequels Cinderella II: Dreams Come True and Cinderella III: A Twist in Time. She is also an allusion to the miller's daughter from the fairytale, "Rumpelstiltskin."

Ella is a housemaid for her stepmother Lady Tremaine and her stepsisters Clorinda and Tisbe. Lady Tremaine became her stepmother after Ella's father married her, but after her father's death, Tremaine made Ella into a maid. For years, Ella is filled with longing whenever she sees fireworks coming from a nearby castle as a celebration is going on. During one day, Tremaine criticizes Ella for not finishing her work, while Ella points out that neither Clorinda or Tisbe are helping. Tremaine coolly explains that had Ella's father left her with money, she could've hired a proper staff, but instead, he only had Ella. When a royal messenger, Jacob, arrives from the King's castle, Clorinda and Tisbe rush out to look presentable, while pushing Ella out of the way. They receive an invitation to an upcoming royal ball, where Tremaine intends to have her daughters dazzle Prince Thomas. Ella later watches her stepmother attempt to pick out gowns for Clorinda and Tisbe, and she gathers enough courage to ask if she can attend the ball as well. When Clorinda inquiries about what she will wear, Ella pulls out a dress she inherited from her deceased mother. Tremaine gives the dress to Clorinda, who puts the gown into the furnace, as Tisbe holds back Ella. Afterwards, Ella cries over the ruined dress, and Clorinda coins the nickname "Cinderella" for her because of the dress being covered in cinders. After her stepfamily leave, Ella's mouse friend Gus comes to comfort her, during which she discovers a key in her mother's dress. She recalls the story her mother told her of the key's magic powers, which could turn any door into a portal to the Land of Untold Stories. Shrugging it off as silly, since magic doesn't exist, Ella drops the key into a box. ("The Price of Gold," "The Other Shoe")

The night of the ball, Cinderella sees her stepmother and two stepsisters leave for the castle. She watches them with longing, and after they are gone, her Fairy Godmother arrives to grant her wish to attend the ball and meet her prince. Before the fairy can work her magic, she is killed by Rumplestiltskin's fireball. He, in turn, collects the Fairy Godmother's wand as Cinderella is drawn into signing a deal with him so she can change her life permanently. As part of the contract, she'll forfeit something precious to him in the future. Desperate, she agrees and Rumplestiltskin transforms her rags into a beautiful gown. ("The Price of Gold")

At the ball, Cinderella is escorted in by a human Gus, whom she excuses to allow him to pursue a tray of cheese. She spots Clorinda and Tisbe, but in her hurry to avoid them, she bumps into Princess Snow. Snow befriends Ella and nudges her towards Prince Thomas, who is interested in her. Ella shares a dance with the prince, in which she decides not to tell him her name, and he dubs her the "girl with the glass slippers." After their dance ends, Thomas excuses himself but tells her not to go anywhere for the time being. Ella is giddy with happiness over this encounter, however, she sees Thomas meeting with Clorinda and giving her a rose. Prompted by Tremaine's callous remarks that Thomas is toying with her feelings for him, Ella flees from the ball, accidentally leaving behind one of her glass slippers. At home, Gus reminds a heartbroken Ella of the key, and she decides to test it on the wardrobe, which opens a portal. Before she can leap through, she is stopped by Clorinda, who clears up the misunderstanding about Thomas, as the rose was from Thomas' footman Jacob, whom she loves. Clorinda also reveals Thomas is looking for Ella, and that she intends to run away with Jacob. Knowing her stepmother will never let the couple be, Ella gives her the key so she can be in a land where Tremaine will never find them. When Tremaine threatens to shatter the remaining glass slipper, which is Ella's proof to Thomas of who she is, she reveals Clorinda's location to her. However, Ella's luck runs out, as Tremaine destroys the slipper anyway. Tremaine then locks her in a room, leaving her unable to meet with Thomas when he comes to find her, but with help from Gus, Thomas unlocks the door. Ella apologizes for deceiving him and believes he won't want her now, but Thomas proves his feelings for her are genuine and proposes to her. She accepts, but then excuses herself to stop Tremaine. Ella reveals she is engaged to Thomas, while Clorinda realizes Ella ratted her out to her mother. Before Ella can help her stepsister, Tremaine goes to the Land of Untold Stories and drags Clorinda there with her. ("The Other Shoe")

On the eve of her wedding celebration to Thomas, Cinderella happily watches the fireworks display on the balcony, before she and her future husband go downstairs to greet their guests. As a waltz begins, she dances with Thomas' father, who teasingly hints at his desire for a grandchild. Charming offers good wishes for a happy marriage before Thomas cuts in, but Cinderella is then whisked off for some time with Snow, who is proud of her for changing her life. Changing partners again, Cinderella is shocked to see Rumplestiltskin, and even more stunned when he asks for her first-born child as part of their deal. ("The Price of Gold")

After some time, Cinderella discovers she is pregnant and decides to run away from the kingdom, but Thomas catches her in the act. After much questioning, she admits her deal with Rumplestiltskin, and as his payment he wants their child. Thomas assures her that he will fix this, and they simply need to make a new deal to undo the old deal. With Prince Charming and Grumpy, a special prison is created to trap Rumplestiltskin. Cinderella must get Rumplestiltskin to sign a new contract with a magic quill dipped in squid ink to paralyze him. She manages to seal the deal with Rumplestiltskin, who is then taken away by Prince Charming and Grumpy. With that problem settled, Thomas suggests to Cinderella that they name their child Alexandra. Suddenly, she begins feeling contractions as Thomas rushes to fetch water from the well. When the pain stops, she calls him back. Not hearing a response, she searches for him and finds his cloak. Fearing the worst, she confronts Rumplestiltskin, demanding answers about what he did to Thomas, and learns the price for breaking the original deal is her husband's disappearance. ("The Price of Gold")

At nineteen, Ashley is pregnant and abandoned by her boyfriend, Sean, at the insistence of his father Herman. Instead, Mitchell arranges for Ashley to give up her rights as parent and sign adoption papers for Mr. Gold to find a good family for the child. While doing laundry in the back room of diner, Ashley sees Emma walks in to get a replacement shirt after spilling cocoa on herself. Miserably, the girl tells Emma no one thinks she will get anywhere in life because she is nineteen and pregnant. Emma proceeds to tell her about her own teenage pregnancy and Ashley feels inspired enough to do something about the situation. That same night, Ashley breaks into Mr. Gold's shop to steal back the adoption papers. Mr. Gold demands to know what she is doing, and Ashley fiercely replies, "Changing my life," and knocks him out with pepper spray.

After Emma breaks the curse, all Storybrooke residents, including Ashley, regain their Enchanted Forest memories. During the Wraith attack, a man shows up at the diner just as Leroy is leaving is leaving with Ashley, who is currently working as a waitress there.[1] As the man walks toward the diner, he bumps into Ashley and secretly swipes a key from her. Leroy yells the diner is closed, but the stranger ignores him. ("Down the Rabbit Hole")

As Ashley raises Alexandra, she starts a daycare, Mommy & Me, a place where mothers and their babies can spend quality time together. Among the attendees are Aurora and her son Phillip as well as Mary Margaret and her son Neal. During one get-together, they finish the session by singing a song to their babies and Ashley announces she has made CDs for everyone so they can learn new songs for their next meeting. When Emma arrives to pick up Neal for babysitting, Ashley welcomes her with a hug. She advises that, if Neal has trouble falling asleep, Emma can tell him that he's going to turn into a pumpkin by midnight, which will put him right to sleep. Emma asks if the meetings are for learning baby tips, but Ashley explains it's also a support group of sorts since it's not easy being a first-time mother. Emma is perturbed by this, since Mary Margaret is learning everything for the first time despite that Neal is her second child, but she attempts to sympathize with her mother's circumstances. Even so, Emma's jealousy comes out in the form of magic when she unknowingly causes Neal's bottle of milk to boil. Ashley, Aurora and Mary Margaret are shocked by this, but Emma insists that it's just magic she's been practicing. ("The Snow Queen")

When the two sisters returned

from the ball, Cinderilla asked

them if they had been well diverted, and if the fine lady had

been there. They told her, Yes, but that she hurried away immediately when

it struck twelve, and

When the two siste[image ends]

from the ball, Cinde[image ends]

them if they had b[image ends]

been there. They t[image ends]

it struck twe[image ends]

with so much haste, that she dropped one of her little

glass slippers, the prettiest in the world, and which the

King's son had taken up; that he had done nothing but look at

it during all the latter part of the ball, and that most certainly he was

very much in love with the beautiful person who owned

the little slipper. What they said was very true; for a

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