Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Crystal Slipper ❯ Chapter 1
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: Crystal Rose 
Anime/Manga: Sailor Moon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Horror / Mystery / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.31.2001 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 520 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Sailor Moon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Horror / Mystery / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.31.2001 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 520 | Status: Completed
Hello out there to all you moonies! This is my first fanfic debut. I've been hooked on fanfics for quite a while and finally decided to write one myself. For all of you who love alternate reality fics, this is one you must read! I based my story on the ever popular Cinderella, but don't worry, it is definitely not an exact copy. I hope this does not seem too novice or amateur, for the sake of your viewing pleasure, so here we go!
Disclaimer: NO!! Sailor Moon does not belong to me!
Crystal Slipper by Crystal Rose
~ part 1 ~
On the edge of a small village of noblemen's houses, stood a small green cottage covered with vines. The house was small, but cozily built with a wonderfully spacious back yard. Out in back, past a beautiful and luscious rose garden, a young girl knelt on her hands and knees, scrubbing the floor of the barn stables. The youth was barely twelve with an innocent face smeared in dirt and grime. She wore a plain blue dress that had had its fair share of rips and
tares, as the plentiful patches upon the thin blue fabric showed, giving the dress an almost ragged appearance. Her once golden locks of hair, now dull and lifeless, flowed from two balls of hair upon her head to the floor beneath her and surrounded her in its abundance. Angelic blue eyes shined with unshed tears as her perfect china-doll features contorted with pain and sorrow.
'Why?', she thought, 'Why can't she treat me as if I were one of her own?' She silently scrubbed on while pondering, occasionally dipping the brush into the bucket of soap water beside her. Her crystalline tears threatened to overflow as she mindlessly scrubbed away. Even as she sought to forget the matter, her thoughts kept returning to the subject of her distress, causing tears of forlorn loneliness to spill forth to the floor below. Just as she was about to truly burst into tears, a harsh voice sliced through the air.
"SERENA!!", her stepmother called in a witch-like manner. Immediately, all the tears disappeared as she rushed out of the barn, past the garden, to wait on her stepmother in a most servile fashion.
"Yes mother?", the young girl looked up questioningly at the woman, who showed only absolute loathing and disgust for her.
"Serena, it's time for dinner and we have all been waiting for quite long enough.", she said in an accurately accusing tone.
"Oh, forgive me mother. I had lost track of the time and was not yet finished with scrubbing out the barn", the young girl said apologetically.
"Well that's hardly an excuse. Now be gone with you.", her stepmother replied harshly. The young girl quickly scampered inside the house in silence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Serena Phillips was really an ordinary child. She had been born to Albert and Serenity Phillips and had grown up, for the most part, a happy child. Although her mother had passed away a few years after her birth, Serena found life to be bright and cheerful. At the age of six, her father had remarried to a woman named Beryl, who had also been in a previous marriage, from which she carried two children, Metallia and Galaxia. Serena had truly been happy at the
prospect of having two older sisters, but as it turned out, the feelings were not mutual. They often teased her, making fun of her adorably cute hairstyle and childish behavior. There had been many a night when she had cried herself to sleep in bed. She would often beg the gods to save her, but nothing changed. Year after year passed as she waited for something to happen; it did.
On the thirteenth of July, a quiet calm crept over the Phillips' household as news of Albert Phillips' death spread across the village.
She had only been nine at the time. Now, she was a twelve year old girl, sitting in a kitchen peeling potatoes for dinner. After her father had died, her stepmother had taken over and she was quite the dictator.
Serena quickly peeled the rest of the potatoes and prepared them for cooking, while slicing the onions. Unwillingly, tears coursed down her face in a never-ending waterfall. Unfortunately, her stepmother happened to walk in on her at this moment to see her progress on their meal.
"Serena, why are you crying?", her stepmother absolutely hated such a show of weakness.
"Oh, it's not what you think mother. It's just the onions that makes my eyes water."
"Hmph. Well you had better think up a better excuse for dinner being late!"
"I'm sorry mother. It won't happen again. I promise."
Her stepmother left promptly to await the oncoming meal. 'Oh well, I suppose it really was my fault to have kept them waiting so long', Serena thought. When the meal was finally ready, Serena laid out four steaming bowls of onion potato soup, along with freshly made rolls to go on the side.
"Dinner is served.", she replied softly.
"Finally!", Metallia whined in exasperation, taking her place at the table.
"Yeah! I thought I would die of starvation.", added Galaxia, as she sauntered over to her seat. Her mother glided in right behind her and all went quiet. As she sat down at the head of the table, she motioned for Serena to sit as well.
"Now, let us honor the lord with our grace. Metallia?"
"Thank you lord for we are blessed...", Metallia began the tedious process of reciting what she had been taught, finishing with an, "amen." The rest of us quickly followed suit in repeating the phrase.
"Amen."
"Amen."
"Amen."
After that was finished with, they all waited for the woman at the head of the table to give them permission to begin eating.
"Good. Now we may eat."
Right after their matriarch had taken a bite, the girls eagerly began devouring their own dinner while trying to look as mannered and sophisticated as they could. After a good five minutes, the silence was finally broken.
"Knock knock knock", someone was at the door.
"Serena, go see who's at the door."
"Yes, mother."
When Serena opened the front door of their cottage, a young man stood there. He promptly introduced himself as a messenger from the royal palace and proceeded in making an announcement.
"By order of your royal highness, you have been invited to attend a masquerade being held by King Augustus and Queen Augusta on the 20th of January to honor Prince Endymion's coming of age."
"Oh, how delightful."
Serena returned to her stepmother with the good news.
"A masquerade you say?"
"Oh, yes mother. Everyone is invited"
"Everyone?"
"Well, he said all women of noble rank."
"OH HOW WONDERFUL!! CAN WE GO MOTHER?", Metallia and Galaxia squealed
with delight.
"Well of course children. When does this glorious festivity take place Serena?"
"On the twentieth of January."
"Well that's just a day away. Tomorrow, we shall go into town to search for the appropriate attire."
"Oh how exciting!", Metallia, the eldest of them, all exclaimed.
Serena timidly stepped forward after having been forgotten in all the excitement
"Does that mean I can come too, mother?", she squeaked and looked at the ground.
"Why, of course Serena."
"OH, THANK YOU MOTHER!", she had failed to hear the snide undertone of her
stepmother's voice.
"Oh, Serena. Don't forget that you must finish yours chores first if you wish to go."
"But, mother. I'll have so many chores on that day. Can't you just let me neglect them for that one day?"
"I guess you really aren't that interested in going to the masquerade if you won't even do such a minor task just to go. And of all occasions, the prince's birthday! "
"But, mother. That's not what I . . ."
"Well that's just fine. Since you obviously don't want to go, you might as well stay home. And while you're at it, you can clean up the house."
"But mother!"
"No buts Serena! Now go clean the dishes and mop the floor before going to bed."
"Yes mother."
A dejected girl dragged herself to the kitchen to do the last of her daily chores. Serena felt miserable. All she had wanted in life was to be happy. Unfortunately, at the moment, what would've made her the happiest girl alive was to be able to go to the grand masquerade. Biting her lip as if to stifle a cry, she finished the dishes without a word and quickly dashed outside to
fetch the bucket from the barn. While outside, she relished the quiet peacefulness around her; in doing so, she slowly forgot about her misfortune and returned to the cottage with a smile. In no time at all, Serena was mopping the floor with great spirit and enthusiasm, humming a small tune. With that out of the way, she then made her way to her small, but cozy, room. She vowed to always have a positive attitude, no matter what!
'After all, a ball is a ball, right?,' and with that thought, she fell into a blissful sleep.
The next morning, rays of sunlight spilled through the windows in a magnificent array of light. Serena lay in bed as the sweet song of a sparrow slowly awakened her from her slumber. Finally, her eyes fluttered open, but objected the blinding rays and quickly snapped shut again. With a great yawn, she turned over in bed and sighed loudly. Today, her stepmother and her two
stepsisters would go into town to search for some lovely gowns to wear to the masquerade later that day. She mentally scolded herself.
'What are you thinking, Serena? It's just an ordinary ball,' but it wasn't and she knew it.
Quickly getting out of bed, Serena slipped out of her nightgown and donned a white dressthat she had sewn herself. She could still remember the day she had asked her stepmother for a new dress. She had responded by telling her to sew her own, and so she did. Rushing downstairs, she noticed that she had gotten up earlier than usual because the dew on the grass had not yet
been dissipated by the rays of the sun. She decided to use this time to enjoy the nature around her.Tiptoeing outside, Serena felt free in a sense that she had escaped the cottage that had been made into her prison. Sitting upon her favorite star-watching rock, she inhaled the sweet sent around her.
'Oh, it's so wonderful out here,' she thought, 'I wish I could do this all the time.'
Basking in the glory of the new day, she suddenly remembered her stepsisters' trip into the village with great displeasure.
"Oh, dear! What time is it? Stepmother, Galaxia and Metallia could wake up any minute!"
Serena rushed back into the house in a hurry. Just as she was about to reach the kitchen to attempt making breakfast in a few minutes, she collided with a cold, hard, and stiff object. Looking up from the ground, Serena met a pair of steel gray-blue eyes. Beryl. Her stepmother's eyes seemed to pierce through her as she met the reprimanding glare with her own two frightened ocean-blue ones. After a moment or so, the silence was finally broken.
"Serena, why are you running so recklessly through my house without any courtesy to the others living here?"
"Please, forgive me mother, I was outside enjoying nature and had forgotten the time, as well as beginning breakfast, so I . . ."
"Save your excuses, girl. Since we were going to go into town early anyway, we decided to eat breakfast there instead, since it is for such a special occasion that we are going to town."
"Oh," Serena said with obvious relief, try as she might to hide it.
"While we are gone, you are to clean the house from top to bottom. Is that clear?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Good. Now remember to clean out the barn and feed the horses as well."
"Oh, okay. I will."
"After your chores have been completed, you may have the rest of the day to yourself, but only after, and I repeat after, your chores are done. Understood?"
"Yes."
After a grunt of approval, Serena's stepmother and stepsisters exited the house in an orderly fashion. Serena was overjoyed and set right to work.
"Oh I'm so excited. The whole day to myself!"
She knew that if she put her mind to it and worked really hard, she could get her chores done in a matter of just a few hours. Frying an egg for breakfast, she planned on what to do. After disposing of her meager meal, she began to wash the dishes, then the sink. When that was done, she raced outside to fetch a bucket out of the barn and fill it with soap and water. Mopping
the floors was usually one of her most despised chores, but today it seemed like nothing in comparison with what she had been given: freedom. Without knowing how it had come about, Serena had become a prisoner of her own home. She had been trapped by all of her seemingly endless chores and the duty that had been bestowed upon her to be a slave to her stepmother and stepsisters. She quickly put these thoughts out of her head as she finished mopping the floor.
'Almost done,' she thought. A secretive smile played on her lips.
An hour later, almost three hours after she had first begun, she was finally finished. The house sparkled from top to bottom as a result. It was ten past noon and she decided that she would have to clean herself up and have something to eat before enjoying the afternoon. Outside in the barn, she found the basin and began to fill it with water. Stopping when the basin was half full, she carried a bucket full of water back inside the house and poured it into a large kettle sitting on the stove. After a few minutes, the water began to boil; she carefully poured the water back into the bucket and carried it to the barn. Immediately pouring the steaming hot liquid into the basin, she began stirring the water until it was pleasantly warm. She carefully undid her hair,
letting it fall down her back in a waterfall of gold, and then stripped her clothes off and eased herself into the water with a bar of soap and a washing cloth in each hand.
"Ah," she sighed in content.
After she had decided that she had soaked long enough, she scrubbed herself clean with the bar of soap and rinsed off with the help of the washcloth. Standing up in the basin, she reached for the towel that she had laid aside and wrapped it around herself to cover her nudity. She stepped out of the basin and dried herself, and her hair, off. Putting her dress back on, she
began brushing out her damp hair with the brush that had been given to her when she was only a babe. It was pearly white in color with a large crescent moon and a blooming red rose on the back. She valued the brush with her life, for it had once been her mother's, or so she'd been told. When her hair had been put back up into its usual style, she picked up the basin of water and spilled it over the garden, careful to let only the tiniest of amounts to land on the blossoms. She sighed with pure ecstacy, a smile lighting up on her face. She was free . . . for now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was around three when Serena rushed home to greet her stepmother and stepsisters from their trip into town. She would have to help them prepare for the masquerade, but she was much happier to than she would've been three hours ago. She had just spent the last three hours frolicking in the woods with flowers all around her and sunshine glazing her hair golden. She had been in pure heaven; she was definitely not going to let some tiny, insignificant ball change that. She quickly ran inside the house to find her stepmother and stepsisters already there.
"Serena, where have you been?"
"Mother, I was just outside when I realized what time it was and rushed home to greet you from your trip into town."
"Very well. The ball starts in two hours. You'd better go see to what Metallia and Galaxia need."
"Yes, mother."
Her stepsisters had gone upstairs earlier, so she hurriedly climbed the stairs to knock on Galaxia's bedroom door first.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Serena."
"Oh, well don't just stand there! Come in!"
Serena entered a wide and spacious bedroom with a large queen-sized bed in the center. Beside the bed, was a vanity table where Galaxia sat, brushing her waist-length dark brown hair. Serena thought that Galaxia was quite beautiful at age 14, with wavy brown hair and bangs that just reached her chestnut eyes. Serena had felt herself uncomparable with Galaxia. She was only 12, with no figure or features to boast of, or so she felt.
"Do you need anything, sister?"
"Come here and help me zip up this dress."
"Of course."
"Alright, how do I look, Serena?" Galaxia did a little twirl.
"Oh. The dress looks magnificent!"
"I thought so. The prince will surely be drooling over me. I can already see him proposing."
"What do you mean?"
"What do you mean what do I mean?!"
"I just don't understand why you're talking about marriage and all."
"Well isn't it obvious? The prince is coming of age and this ball is where he will begin his journey to becoming king!"
"Oh. I'd better go help Metallia now."
"Oh fine! What's the use. You're too young to understand anyway!"
With that, Serena left the room and thought it very ironic that what Galaxia thought she didn't understand at all, she understood only too well. She was wiser than most girls at her age, having grown up quickly through the many tragedies and responsibilities in her life. Though, a young girl at heart, you can see the sadness and wiseness trapped in her eyes that somehow still
sparkle with life. What Galaxia had said, however, truly puzzled her. Why would she throw herself so willingly upon such a boy? It couldn't just be that he's a prince could it? She just didn't understand what kind of values her sister had. She swiftly pushed these thoughts out of her head as she reached Metallia's bedroom and knocked on the door.
"Metallia, It's Serena. Would you like any help?"
"What do you think?! Now get in here!"
Serena entered into a bedroom not very different from Galaxia's. The only noticeable differences were its larger size and darker color. Metallia also sat at her vanity table, doing her makeup. If Serena thought she was nothing compared to Galaxia, then she definitely thought that she was no comparison at all when it came to Metallia. Metallia had Curly Auburn hair that almost reached her slim waist. She also had brownish eyes with a body that could kill, including an outrageous bosom and a pair of extremely long legs. She sighed and looked at her own figure with great distaste.
"Come here."
"What is it you would like me to do for you, Metallia?"
"I need my hair done."
"But isn't it already? It looks fine to me."
"When going to meet the royal family, fine doesn't cut it!"
"Oh, all right. What would you like me to do?"
"Hmm. How about a crown?"
"Alright. It'll look lovely."
"I'll be the judge of that!"
"Of course," Serena mumbled under her breath in a slightly sarcastic tone while carefully collecting all of Metallia's hair in her hands. She then raised the hair and slowly twisted it together in midair. With painfully precise moves, Serena had Metallia's hair into a bun of some sorts that was directly on top of her head, but snugly so, with strands of curly hair here and there. It was a masterpiece, but Serena could not be sure of whether or not Metallia liked it.
"Is it done yet?" Metallia was growing extremely impatient.
"Yes." Metallia pulled out a small mirror and began examining her hair to see what kind of job Serena had done.
"Hmm."
"I think you look stunning."
"Yes, I think you're quite right! A stunning picture I am." Metallia smiled and haughtily observed herself in the mirror, as if daring Serena to challenge her statement.
"May I go now? Or is there something else you might need?"
"What? Oh, yes. You may leave, but one more thing."
"Yes?"
"Just what do you think of this dress?" Metallia held up a garnet-colored dress with a considerably low neckline and equally short skirt. Serena didn't even know such dresses existed and was shocked to say the least. Her expression must have given her away though, for Metallia immediately spoke.
"Of course I could wear this." Metallia pointed to a green dress with a slightly less revealing neckline and a long flowing skirt.
"Well, both look equally . . ."
"Equally what?"
"Beautiful," Serena burst out.
Metallia raised an eyebrow at this and began to laugh.
"Sure. Just a second ago, I was sure your eyes would pop out of their sockets!"
Metallia just kept laughing while Serena turned deep red and looked downward. After a good five minutes, when Metallia had finally gained control of herself, she look up to find Serena gone.
"Oh well. That girl wouldn't know a good quality dress if she was wearing one."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At about five thirty, when it was time for Serena's stepmother and stepsisters to depart for the ball, Serena began to feel slightly melancholy once more. She would have to stay home and watch over the cottage.
"Now remember, Serena. I leave this house's safety to you and I expect that you will be responsible for it at all times."
"Yes, mother."
"Come children. It's time to go."
One by one they filed out of the house and into the carriage awaiting them. As the driver sped off into the night, Serena watched longingly from the window.
"Oh, what's the use. You'll never get to go to such a grand ball. Even if you did, Serena, you wouldn't fit in at all and people would be able to point you out in an instant," Serena lectured herself. She had truly wanted to go, but knew it could never be except in her wildest dreams.
Sitting on a couch in the small and cozy livingroom with the fireplace lit up by a roaring fire, Serena gently sobbed herself to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Serena woke with a start as the cold wind swept past her shaking form, revealing to her that the fire had been extinguished. She looked up drowsily from her recent slumber at the livingroom clock and discovered that it was only about seven or so, but confirmed her findings by looking outside, where she found it to still be somewhat light. Stretching luxuriously, she contented in lying lazily upon the couch, which she had been sleeping on, to contemplate her
situation.
'Let me see. Here lies twelve-year-old Serena Phillips feeling sorry for herself because she can't go to a ball. She can either stay home and cry until unhumanly possible, or, for the first time in your pathetic life, actually do something about it. Hmm. That's a tough choice,' she thought sarcastically. For once, Serena was going to take action and get something that she had been deprived of: her happiness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would love it if you would email, but if you're too lazy...
Well you should STILL email me!! ^_^ crystal_rose@senshi-mail.zzn.com
Crystal Rose ^_^
Disclaimer: NO!! Sailor Moon does not belong to me!
Crystal Slipper by Crystal Rose
~ part 1 ~
On the edge of a small village of noblemen's houses, stood a small green cottage covered with vines. The house was small, but cozily built with a wonderfully spacious back yard. Out in back, past a beautiful and luscious rose garden, a young girl knelt on her hands and knees, scrubbing the floor of the barn stables. The youth was barely twelve with an innocent face smeared in dirt and grime. She wore a plain blue dress that had had its fair share of rips and
tares, as the plentiful patches upon the thin blue fabric showed, giving the dress an almost ragged appearance. Her once golden locks of hair, now dull and lifeless, flowed from two balls of hair upon her head to the floor beneath her and surrounded her in its abundance. Angelic blue eyes shined with unshed tears as her perfect china-doll features contorted with pain and sorrow.
'Why?', she thought, 'Why can't she treat me as if I were one of her own?' She silently scrubbed on while pondering, occasionally dipping the brush into the bucket of soap water beside her. Her crystalline tears threatened to overflow as she mindlessly scrubbed away. Even as she sought to forget the matter, her thoughts kept returning to the subject of her distress, causing tears of forlorn loneliness to spill forth to the floor below. Just as she was about to truly burst into tears, a harsh voice sliced through the air.
"SERENA!!", her stepmother called in a witch-like manner. Immediately, all the tears disappeared as she rushed out of the barn, past the garden, to wait on her stepmother in a most servile fashion.
"Yes mother?", the young girl looked up questioningly at the woman, who showed only absolute loathing and disgust for her.
"Serena, it's time for dinner and we have all been waiting for quite long enough.", she said in an accurately accusing tone.
"Oh, forgive me mother. I had lost track of the time and was not yet finished with scrubbing out the barn", the young girl said apologetically.
"Well that's hardly an excuse. Now be gone with you.", her stepmother replied harshly. The young girl quickly scampered inside the house in silence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Serena Phillips was really an ordinary child. She had been born to Albert and Serenity Phillips and had grown up, for the most part, a happy child. Although her mother had passed away a few years after her birth, Serena found life to be bright and cheerful. At the age of six, her father had remarried to a woman named Beryl, who had also been in a previous marriage, from which she carried two children, Metallia and Galaxia. Serena had truly been happy at the
prospect of having two older sisters, but as it turned out, the feelings were not mutual. They often teased her, making fun of her adorably cute hairstyle and childish behavior. There had been many a night when she had cried herself to sleep in bed. She would often beg the gods to save her, but nothing changed. Year after year passed as she waited for something to happen; it did.
On the thirteenth of July, a quiet calm crept over the Phillips' household as news of Albert Phillips' death spread across the village.
She had only been nine at the time. Now, she was a twelve year old girl, sitting in a kitchen peeling potatoes for dinner. After her father had died, her stepmother had taken over and she was quite the dictator.
Serena quickly peeled the rest of the potatoes and prepared them for cooking, while slicing the onions. Unwillingly, tears coursed down her face in a never-ending waterfall. Unfortunately, her stepmother happened to walk in on her at this moment to see her progress on their meal.
"Serena, why are you crying?", her stepmother absolutely hated such a show of weakness.
"Oh, it's not what you think mother. It's just the onions that makes my eyes water."
"Hmph. Well you had better think up a better excuse for dinner being late!"
"I'm sorry mother. It won't happen again. I promise."
Her stepmother left promptly to await the oncoming meal. 'Oh well, I suppose it really was my fault to have kept them waiting so long', Serena thought. When the meal was finally ready, Serena laid out four steaming bowls of onion potato soup, along with freshly made rolls to go on the side.
"Dinner is served.", she replied softly.
"Finally!", Metallia whined in exasperation, taking her place at the table.
"Yeah! I thought I would die of starvation.", added Galaxia, as she sauntered over to her seat. Her mother glided in right behind her and all went quiet. As she sat down at the head of the table, she motioned for Serena to sit as well.
"Now, let us honor the lord with our grace. Metallia?"
"Thank you lord for we are blessed...", Metallia began the tedious process of reciting what she had been taught, finishing with an, "amen." The rest of us quickly followed suit in repeating the phrase.
"Amen."
"Amen."
"Amen."
After that was finished with, they all waited for the woman at the head of the table to give them permission to begin eating.
"Good. Now we may eat."
Right after their matriarch had taken a bite, the girls eagerly began devouring their own dinner while trying to look as mannered and sophisticated as they could. After a good five minutes, the silence was finally broken.
"Knock knock knock", someone was at the door.
"Serena, go see who's at the door."
"Yes, mother."
When Serena opened the front door of their cottage, a young man stood there. He promptly introduced himself as a messenger from the royal palace and proceeded in making an announcement.
"By order of your royal highness, you have been invited to attend a masquerade being held by King Augustus and Queen Augusta on the 20th of January to honor Prince Endymion's coming of age."
"Oh, how delightful."
Serena returned to her stepmother with the good news.
"A masquerade you say?"
"Oh, yes mother. Everyone is invited"
"Everyone?"
"Well, he said all women of noble rank."
"OH HOW WONDERFUL!! CAN WE GO MOTHER?", Metallia and Galaxia squealed
with delight.
"Well of course children. When does this glorious festivity take place Serena?"
"On the twentieth of January."
"Well that's just a day away. Tomorrow, we shall go into town to search for the appropriate attire."
"Oh how exciting!", Metallia, the eldest of them, all exclaimed.
Serena timidly stepped forward after having been forgotten in all the excitement
"Does that mean I can come too, mother?", she squeaked and looked at the ground.
"Why, of course Serena."
"OH, THANK YOU MOTHER!", she had failed to hear the snide undertone of her
stepmother's voice.
"Oh, Serena. Don't forget that you must finish yours chores first if you wish to go."
"But, mother. I'll have so many chores on that day. Can't you just let me neglect them for that one day?"
"I guess you really aren't that interested in going to the masquerade if you won't even do such a minor task just to go. And of all occasions, the prince's birthday! "
"But, mother. That's not what I . . ."
"Well that's just fine. Since you obviously don't want to go, you might as well stay home. And while you're at it, you can clean up the house."
"But mother!"
"No buts Serena! Now go clean the dishes and mop the floor before going to bed."
"Yes mother."
A dejected girl dragged herself to the kitchen to do the last of her daily chores. Serena felt miserable. All she had wanted in life was to be happy. Unfortunately, at the moment, what would've made her the happiest girl alive was to be able to go to the grand masquerade. Biting her lip as if to stifle a cry, she finished the dishes without a word and quickly dashed outside to
fetch the bucket from the barn. While outside, she relished the quiet peacefulness around her; in doing so, she slowly forgot about her misfortune and returned to the cottage with a smile. In no time at all, Serena was mopping the floor with great spirit and enthusiasm, humming a small tune. With that out of the way, she then made her way to her small, but cozy, room. She vowed to always have a positive attitude, no matter what!
'After all, a ball is a ball, right?,' and with that thought, she fell into a blissful sleep.
The next morning, rays of sunlight spilled through the windows in a magnificent array of light. Serena lay in bed as the sweet song of a sparrow slowly awakened her from her slumber. Finally, her eyes fluttered open, but objected the blinding rays and quickly snapped shut again. With a great yawn, she turned over in bed and sighed loudly. Today, her stepmother and her two
stepsisters would go into town to search for some lovely gowns to wear to the masquerade later that day. She mentally scolded herself.
'What are you thinking, Serena? It's just an ordinary ball,' but it wasn't and she knew it.
Quickly getting out of bed, Serena slipped out of her nightgown and donned a white dressthat she had sewn herself. She could still remember the day she had asked her stepmother for a new dress. She had responded by telling her to sew her own, and so she did. Rushing downstairs, she noticed that she had gotten up earlier than usual because the dew on the grass had not yet
been dissipated by the rays of the sun. She decided to use this time to enjoy the nature around her.Tiptoeing outside, Serena felt free in a sense that she had escaped the cottage that had been made into her prison. Sitting upon her favorite star-watching rock, she inhaled the sweet sent around her.
'Oh, it's so wonderful out here,' she thought, 'I wish I could do this all the time.'
Basking in the glory of the new day, she suddenly remembered her stepsisters' trip into the village with great displeasure.
"Oh, dear! What time is it? Stepmother, Galaxia and Metallia could wake up any minute!"
Serena rushed back into the house in a hurry. Just as she was about to reach the kitchen to attempt making breakfast in a few minutes, she collided with a cold, hard, and stiff object. Looking up from the ground, Serena met a pair of steel gray-blue eyes. Beryl. Her stepmother's eyes seemed to pierce through her as she met the reprimanding glare with her own two frightened ocean-blue ones. After a moment or so, the silence was finally broken.
"Serena, why are you running so recklessly through my house without any courtesy to the others living here?"
"Please, forgive me mother, I was outside enjoying nature and had forgotten the time, as well as beginning breakfast, so I . . ."
"Save your excuses, girl. Since we were going to go into town early anyway, we decided to eat breakfast there instead, since it is for such a special occasion that we are going to town."
"Oh," Serena said with obvious relief, try as she might to hide it.
"While we are gone, you are to clean the house from top to bottom. Is that clear?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Good. Now remember to clean out the barn and feed the horses as well."
"Oh, okay. I will."
"After your chores have been completed, you may have the rest of the day to yourself, but only after, and I repeat after, your chores are done. Understood?"
"Yes."
After a grunt of approval, Serena's stepmother and stepsisters exited the house in an orderly fashion. Serena was overjoyed and set right to work.
"Oh I'm so excited. The whole day to myself!"
She knew that if she put her mind to it and worked really hard, she could get her chores done in a matter of just a few hours. Frying an egg for breakfast, she planned on what to do. After disposing of her meager meal, she began to wash the dishes, then the sink. When that was done, she raced outside to fetch a bucket out of the barn and fill it with soap and water. Mopping
the floors was usually one of her most despised chores, but today it seemed like nothing in comparison with what she had been given: freedom. Without knowing how it had come about, Serena had become a prisoner of her own home. She had been trapped by all of her seemingly endless chores and the duty that had been bestowed upon her to be a slave to her stepmother and stepsisters. She quickly put these thoughts out of her head as she finished mopping the floor.
'Almost done,' she thought. A secretive smile played on her lips.
An hour later, almost three hours after she had first begun, she was finally finished. The house sparkled from top to bottom as a result. It was ten past noon and she decided that she would have to clean herself up and have something to eat before enjoying the afternoon. Outside in the barn, she found the basin and began to fill it with water. Stopping when the basin was half full, she carried a bucket full of water back inside the house and poured it into a large kettle sitting on the stove. After a few minutes, the water began to boil; she carefully poured the water back into the bucket and carried it to the barn. Immediately pouring the steaming hot liquid into the basin, she began stirring the water until it was pleasantly warm. She carefully undid her hair,
letting it fall down her back in a waterfall of gold, and then stripped her clothes off and eased herself into the water with a bar of soap and a washing cloth in each hand.
"Ah," she sighed in content.
After she had decided that she had soaked long enough, she scrubbed herself clean with the bar of soap and rinsed off with the help of the washcloth. Standing up in the basin, she reached for the towel that she had laid aside and wrapped it around herself to cover her nudity. She stepped out of the basin and dried herself, and her hair, off. Putting her dress back on, she
began brushing out her damp hair with the brush that had been given to her when she was only a babe. It was pearly white in color with a large crescent moon and a blooming red rose on the back. She valued the brush with her life, for it had once been her mother's, or so she'd been told. When her hair had been put back up into its usual style, she picked up the basin of water and spilled it over the garden, careful to let only the tiniest of amounts to land on the blossoms. She sighed with pure ecstacy, a smile lighting up on her face. She was free . . . for now.
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It was around three when Serena rushed home to greet her stepmother and stepsisters from their trip into town. She would have to help them prepare for the masquerade, but she was much happier to than she would've been three hours ago. She had just spent the last three hours frolicking in the woods with flowers all around her and sunshine glazing her hair golden. She had been in pure heaven; she was definitely not going to let some tiny, insignificant ball change that. She quickly ran inside the house to find her stepmother and stepsisters already there.
"Serena, where have you been?"
"Mother, I was just outside when I realized what time it was and rushed home to greet you from your trip into town."
"Very well. The ball starts in two hours. You'd better go see to what Metallia and Galaxia need."
"Yes, mother."
Her stepsisters had gone upstairs earlier, so she hurriedly climbed the stairs to knock on Galaxia's bedroom door first.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Serena."
"Oh, well don't just stand there! Come in!"
Serena entered a wide and spacious bedroom with a large queen-sized bed in the center. Beside the bed, was a vanity table where Galaxia sat, brushing her waist-length dark brown hair. Serena thought that Galaxia was quite beautiful at age 14, with wavy brown hair and bangs that just reached her chestnut eyes. Serena had felt herself uncomparable with Galaxia. She was only 12, with no figure or features to boast of, or so she felt.
"Do you need anything, sister?"
"Come here and help me zip up this dress."
"Of course."
"Alright, how do I look, Serena?" Galaxia did a little twirl.
"Oh. The dress looks magnificent!"
"I thought so. The prince will surely be drooling over me. I can already see him proposing."
"What do you mean?"
"What do you mean what do I mean?!"
"I just don't understand why you're talking about marriage and all."
"Well isn't it obvious? The prince is coming of age and this ball is where he will begin his journey to becoming king!"
"Oh. I'd better go help Metallia now."
"Oh fine! What's the use. You're too young to understand anyway!"
With that, Serena left the room and thought it very ironic that what Galaxia thought she didn't understand at all, she understood only too well. She was wiser than most girls at her age, having grown up quickly through the many tragedies and responsibilities in her life. Though, a young girl at heart, you can see the sadness and wiseness trapped in her eyes that somehow still
sparkle with life. What Galaxia had said, however, truly puzzled her. Why would she throw herself so willingly upon such a boy? It couldn't just be that he's a prince could it? She just didn't understand what kind of values her sister had. She swiftly pushed these thoughts out of her head as she reached Metallia's bedroom and knocked on the door.
"Metallia, It's Serena. Would you like any help?"
"What do you think?! Now get in here!"
Serena entered into a bedroom not very different from Galaxia's. The only noticeable differences were its larger size and darker color. Metallia also sat at her vanity table, doing her makeup. If Serena thought she was nothing compared to Galaxia, then she definitely thought that she was no comparison at all when it came to Metallia. Metallia had Curly Auburn hair that almost reached her slim waist. She also had brownish eyes with a body that could kill, including an outrageous bosom and a pair of extremely long legs. She sighed and looked at her own figure with great distaste.
"Come here."
"What is it you would like me to do for you, Metallia?"
"I need my hair done."
"But isn't it already? It looks fine to me."
"When going to meet the royal family, fine doesn't cut it!"
"Oh, all right. What would you like me to do?"
"Hmm. How about a crown?"
"Alright. It'll look lovely."
"I'll be the judge of that!"
"Of course," Serena mumbled under her breath in a slightly sarcastic tone while carefully collecting all of Metallia's hair in her hands. She then raised the hair and slowly twisted it together in midair. With painfully precise moves, Serena had Metallia's hair into a bun of some sorts that was directly on top of her head, but snugly so, with strands of curly hair here and there. It was a masterpiece, but Serena could not be sure of whether or not Metallia liked it.
"Is it done yet?" Metallia was growing extremely impatient.
"Yes." Metallia pulled out a small mirror and began examining her hair to see what kind of job Serena had done.
"Hmm."
"I think you look stunning."
"Yes, I think you're quite right! A stunning picture I am." Metallia smiled and haughtily observed herself in the mirror, as if daring Serena to challenge her statement.
"May I go now? Or is there something else you might need?"
"What? Oh, yes. You may leave, but one more thing."
"Yes?"
"Just what do you think of this dress?" Metallia held up a garnet-colored dress with a considerably low neckline and equally short skirt. Serena didn't even know such dresses existed and was shocked to say the least. Her expression must have given her away though, for Metallia immediately spoke.
"Of course I could wear this." Metallia pointed to a green dress with a slightly less revealing neckline and a long flowing skirt.
"Well, both look equally . . ."
"Equally what?"
"Beautiful," Serena burst out.
Metallia raised an eyebrow at this and began to laugh.
"Sure. Just a second ago, I was sure your eyes would pop out of their sockets!"
Metallia just kept laughing while Serena turned deep red and looked downward. After a good five minutes, when Metallia had finally gained control of herself, she look up to find Serena gone.
"Oh well. That girl wouldn't know a good quality dress if she was wearing one."
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At about five thirty, when it was time for Serena's stepmother and stepsisters to depart for the ball, Serena began to feel slightly melancholy once more. She would have to stay home and watch over the cottage.
"Now remember, Serena. I leave this house's safety to you and I expect that you will be responsible for it at all times."
"Yes, mother."
"Come children. It's time to go."
One by one they filed out of the house and into the carriage awaiting them. As the driver sped off into the night, Serena watched longingly from the window.
"Oh, what's the use. You'll never get to go to such a grand ball. Even if you did, Serena, you wouldn't fit in at all and people would be able to point you out in an instant," Serena lectured herself. She had truly wanted to go, but knew it could never be except in her wildest dreams.
Sitting on a couch in the small and cozy livingroom with the fireplace lit up by a roaring fire, Serena gently sobbed herself to sleep.
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Serena woke with a start as the cold wind swept past her shaking form, revealing to her that the fire had been extinguished. She looked up drowsily from her recent slumber at the livingroom clock and discovered that it was only about seven or so, but confirmed her findings by looking outside, where she found it to still be somewhat light. Stretching luxuriously, she contented in lying lazily upon the couch, which she had been sleeping on, to contemplate her
situation.
'Let me see. Here lies twelve-year-old Serena Phillips feeling sorry for herself because she can't go to a ball. She can either stay home and cry until unhumanly possible, or, for the first time in your pathetic life, actually do something about it. Hmm. That's a tough choice,' she thought sarcastically. For once, Serena was going to take action and get something that she had been deprived of: her happiness.
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