Princess Charming

Chapter One: Elliot

"You're late." As cold as a January morning, his step-father was a man of few words.

"I'm sorry," Elliot said, placing the tray on the table beside the bed. "I burnt the toast and had to remake it. It won't happen again."

He was waisting his breath; his step-father had picked up the top paper and the same headline that had distracted Elliot now commanded his attention.

"Helios! Selene! Come here."

Elliot heard immediate movement from the other rooms. The twins were slovenly in every action but the commands of their father. If he told them to get up, they did so quickly and without complaint.

Helios burst into laughter at his sister's appearance, earning him a swift jab in the ribs.

"Ow! Monster. Get away from me!"

"Enough! We have no time for childishness. The Princess returns this morning." Elliot stared out of the window, but he could feel the burn of his step-father's gaze. He kept his eyes on the perfect blue sky, refusing to engage.

"Princess Charmaine? Why should we care about her?" Jealousy didn't suit Selene; she sounded petulant and bitter.

"Because she recently celebrated her eighteenth birthday and is a few months away from graduating. The King will only have recalled her from that... school, for one reason."

"Because it's a waste of time," Selene suggested.

"Because everyone knows its a secret cult," Helios added. Elliot turned his attention back to the twins. They were only bitter because they hadn't passed the entrance exams.

"Because," his step-father interrupted, silencing the twins, "the King must have decided it is time to find her a husband."

"How archaic," Selene said with a sigh. For the very first time since they had met two years ago, Elliot found himself agreeing with his step-sister. Poor Char. He thought back to one of the last times he had seen her: half way up a tree, an arrow notched in her favourite bow, poised to take down a dear. Her wild brown hair whipped, frenzied, across her face. Her brow was set, stubborn and resolved. She wasn't someone who would be happily commanded into marriage.

"Now, Selene. The Princess has to marry at some point, it was only a matter of time. The question that will be on everybody's lips is who. And it just so happens we have a perfectly eligible candidate in our midst."

Selene and Helios both looked at Elliot, who's eyes nearly popped from his skull. His step-father ignored them all. "Helios, of course."

Selene laughed. "The Princess isn't going to look twice at Heli. Not if she's got any sense at least."

"She might if she had a friend who spoke highly of him."

"Selene has as much chance of befriending the princess as I do at marrying her. Princess Charmaine will run a mile from anyone that green."

"I'm not leaving the house looking like this, you idiot!"

"Are you sure it's going to come off? You've been listening to that stupid baker's girl again, haven't you?"

Selene looked guilty, and rubbed her face nervously.

"Both of you need to stop. I will secure the introductions. All you have to do is try not to show her how stupid you are."

The twins fell silent.

"Elliot?"

Elliot met his step-father's gaze reluctantly.

"The curtains all need to be taken down and washed, and I want the flagstones in the courtyard scrubbed."

"But I did the curtains last week-"

"Do them again."

"It will take all day. I have Friday afternoon's off..."

"Not today you don't. Get to work. We all have a lot to do today and if you expect to stay under my roof, eating my food, then you need to pull your weight."

"Yes, step-father." Elliot hung his head sadly and started towards the door, dodging the foot Helios stuck out to trip him up and ignoring Selene's smirk."

"Selene," his step-father continued after a pause. "Get that ridiculous paste off your face - our princess will be looking for a lady in waiting, not an ogre. Now get out, all of you, so I can enjoy my breakfast in peace."

{A/N: Thank you so much for reading the first chapter of Princess Charming. PC is going to be a lot like Mirrored Snow (and is going to mention a couple of characters you've already been introduced to). Like MS, PC is a gender-reversed retelling of Cinderella. I'm using elements of the Grimm, Perrault and, of course, Disney retellings in my version, but there will be lots of changes too. PS is going to be dual perspective, so chapter two will centre of Princess Charmaine. If you've enjoyed the first chapter, please add Princess Charming to your Wattpad libraries to follow the rest of the story and vote/comment to let me know what you've liked. Thanks!}