Fairy Tales Turned Grim: Cinderella Edition

Chapter One: The Sea Beyond the Horizon

Ella's eyes snapped open as she started back to reality at the sound of creaking footsteps on the stairs outside her room. Room is a term used lightly; the attic was a moderately sized, dimly lit space that was certainly where she slept, but she never felt safe here, much less at home. She had some amount of privacy (as much as the closed door gave her privacy - it locked from the outside and none of her "family" bothered to knock before entering what was essentially a servant's quarters in their minds), but it was a living arrangement that had been forced on her shortly after her father's death.

Ella scrambled to unfold her legs from the lotus position and yank the scratchy, threadbare blanket over them. She quickly laid down, shoving her crystals - formerly her mother's - under her flat, lumpy pillow and closing her eyes. She couldn't arouse suspicion as to what she could possibly be doing awake so early in the morning, and knew the consequence for failing would be grave, especially given the cruelty of her family. Witchcraft was, after all, illegal. Even the discovery of her morning meditation could cause her to spend the rest of her life behind bars. In private, Ella knew, a few of the older, wealthier families still practiced and passed down the secrets of the craft, but in public, it had been highly frowned upon since the near-enslavement of a neighboring kingdom's royal family half a century ago. After that, several kingdoms either issued restrictions or entirely banned the practice of witchcraft. Ella's kingdom, known as Warren, was one of a few that had made it completely illegal, although she had heard nasty rumors of one in particular that had made its practice punishable by being burned at the stake.

As she relaxed her breathing (to make it appear she was still asleep), Ella focused on the approaching footsteps. They halted for a few moments at the top of the stairs, and Ella spared a moment to wonder why she was being awakened earlier than usual. Then, she heard the metallic click that meant her door was being unlocked, and discarded it to think about later. It was pushed open, and the person strode inside a few paces with even, measured steps.

"Wake up, girl! You have extra chores to do today, and they must all be done before the girls and I take our leave."

Ella's eyes fluttered open, as if she had been roused from a deep sleep, and she brought her hand to her mouth to cover a little yawn, purely for the benefit of the woman who stood a short distance away from her bed. She slowly sat up and rubbed at her eyes for a moment, then focused her vision on her bedside guest.

Lady Tremaine - and she certainly wasn't the Lindra of years past - stood tall, poised, and beautiful in the gray morning sunlight that filtered through a curtainless bay window on the right side of the room. Her black hair, streaked with a light silver at her temples, was pinned in an elegant, yet severe bun atop her head. It had not dulled with age, and shone where the sunlight touched it. Her face was smooth, unblemished porcelain aside from the beginnings of crow's feet at the corner of her sharp green eyes, and frown lines around her pursed red lips. She wore a red velvet gown that flattered her slender figure, and rubies glittered at her neck and ears.

Ella found her almost as beautiful as the day she had arrived at the manor; her image was marred not by age, but by her cruelty. Lady Tremaine's eyes were narrowed at her in an expression of familiar distaste and hatred, and they reminded Ella of a bottomless ocean. For just a moment, she flashed back to that terrible incident two years ago, but Ella shook it off. She pushed back her blanket and stood from the bed as she replied, "Yes, Lady Tremaine."

With a quick look and a sharp nod, Lady Tremaine turned and walked back to the door, calling over her shoulder, "Breakfast must be prepared and served in an hour's time, this morning. Be prompt, or you will regret it." Sending a final glare at Ella, she shut the attic door and her footsteps descended down the stairs.

Ella sighed and glanced around the room. Stacks of cardboard boxes were scattered here and there, along with a few chests. On the far left side of the room was an old wardrobe that held her few outfits and shoes. Next to that was a was a large, slightly dirty floor mirror. On the right side of the room was the bay window, and a few paces from that was a rickety desk with a wooden chair. On the opposite side was a small wooden bookshelf, both rows filled with books large and small. She stood next to the old single bed, and behind her was a small nightstand with a few candles on top. Directly in front of her stood the door to the attic.

The room was slowly getting brighter as the sun rose, and Ella walked over to the window, sitting down on the plush, navy blue seat. Pulling her bare feet up under her, she slid a discarded book to the far side of the seat and let herself be lost in thought for a moment as she stared out at the trees that surrounded the manor.

Ella remembered when her mother had still been alive, before the time of Lady Tremaine and her daughters. The estate had always been filled with light and laughter, then, and everything had been as it should. Her mother and father had loved her with their entire hearts, and they had been happy together. Ella held onto two memories in particular from that time, and they are what kept her from darkness now.

One was a memory of her mother and father taking her to see the ocean, an hour's travel by carriage. She remembered looking out the window of the carriage and waiting to be able to see a peek of the sea over the horizon. Ella was still a child then, perhaps five years old, and her parents had played in the cool surf with her as she giggled with delight. She could almost feel the warm rays of the sun on her face.

The other came later, a few weeks before her mother grew ill. Ella and her mother were walking through the manor's flower garden, hand in hand, chatting happily about inconsequential things. After a few minutes, her mother turned to her and took her by her other hand, smiling widely at her.

     "Ella, my treasure, do you know what I admire most about you?" Her bright blue eyes shone with a joy that Ella, to this day, had rarely seen in others.

     "What is it, Mother?"

     "I admire the kindness of your heart. You may only be thirteen, but I can see that you possess a vital empathy for others; and that, my dearest, is a quality that many others lack. It is important to treat everyone with not only respect, but kindness, as well."

     Ella blushed and matched her mother's wide smile. "Thank you, Mother."

     Releasing one of her hands, Ella's mother brought it up to cup her face tenderly. Ella caught her mother's unique scent of sunlight and honey, breathing it in. Her thumb brushed gently across her cheek, and she replied, "Continue to be kind, Ella. The world could use a little more of it." With that, she dropped her hand and turned forward, ready to continue their walk together through the garden.

Breaking her gaze from the window, Ella stood and walked across the attic to the wardrobe. She opened it and retrieved one of her simple blue dresses and a pair of slippers, then dressed in them and tied a white apron around her waist. Her light, slightly wavy blonde hair was tied into a loose bun atop her head with a blue ribbon. She stepped in front of the mirror for a moment to ensure she looked presentable, then, with a soft sigh, walked to the attic door and exited, shutting it quietly behind her.

"Continue to be kind, Ella. The world could use a little more of it."