The Last Ever After (SGE Fanfic)

Ella's Untold Story

This is one of the short stories (I'm planning five in all) that I will be posting along with the discussion posts/ role play that I'm working on. If you haven't finished The Last Ever After, don't read this yet, as it contains spoilers!

Ella's Untold Story (Cinderella)

"Because here's the thing no one knows about me: I loved my stepsisters. And they loved me! The storybooks never tell you that, because it would mess up everything, wouldn't it?" -- Cinderella, The Last Ever After

She watched, eyes dull, as the man spoke a few more words. Empty words, for he had never known her father -- not his hearty laugh, twinkle in his brown eyes, or warm hug. As she stood up with her sisters and stepmother to touch the coffin once, Ella's eyes glittered with unshed tears. One of her stepsisters held her hand as they walked home, her mind wandering off to happier places and happier times.

It was later that she was jerked out of her reverie when she heard her stepmother arguing with her sisters. "Bluebeard wants a new wife, and he's willing to pay us handsomely," her stepmother shrieked. "That little urchin is worth nothing in our household, not even of our blood!"

Dread trickled down Ella's spine as she realized her stepmother was planning to sell her off. Her cheeks flared red, sweat dripping down her face, but then paused as she heard one of her sisters speaking.

"Please, mother," Stasia pleaded. "She can be useful -- "

"Not as useful as a sack of money."

"He'll kill her in a month -- "

"One less mouth to feed, anyway."

"She can work," Dahlia said, her voice lighting up with hope. "She can wash the clothes, do the dishes..."

There was a silence. Ella lifted her head, unable to believe it. Her dear, wonderful sisters were defending her, as they'd always done their whole life. She could tell her stepmother was thinking about it, mulling the words over.

"All right."

Ella crumpled against the floor in relief, but then went rigid at the sound of her stepmothers voice again. "Move her to the cellar. I want all her belongings sold or thrown out. And for heavens sake, get rid of that extra chair at the table."

Though all of that sounded grim, Ella felt relieved, for cooking and caring for her sisters and stepmother was an infinitely better fate than being married off to Bluebeard. Heart light as a feather, she stepped out of her room to see her sisters walking slowly towards her, heads down and eyes guilty. Behind them, her stepmother smiled coldly.

"Tell Ella the news, darlings," she simpered.

"Um... Ella," Stasia said, cheeks pale. "I..."

Dahlia cleared her throat. "That is, we..."

Ella felt guilty too as she saw her sisters were unable to look at her. Finally, she blurted out, "Yes?"

"We-kind-of-are-making-you-our-servant," Stasia gasped out, biting her lips. She lifted her big blue eyes at her sister. "We're really sorry -- "

"Anastasia and Dahlia will use your room as their shoe room," her stepmother cut in sharply. "You will move to the cellar at once."

Ella nodded and turned without a word. "We'll help her," Dahlia said.

"You will not."

"Mother, it'll be faster if we help move her things out," Stasia said, voice still trembling.

So it was that all three of them knelt in the cellars two hours later, with Ella's bed and clothes strewn around. "We're sorry, Elle. She was going to give you to Bluebeard -- "