Soot & Ashes

Once: Upon A Time

Susan & Arabella were twins who had the misfortune of losing their loving father at quite a young age. With all his money lost, their grieving mother had no time to spare before she found a new suitor for her girls to call father. Otherwise soon they would have nothing left to eat and would be turned out of their once flourishing estate and onto the streets. Having no experience of work, being spoilt all her life, their mother couldn't see herself lifting a finger in working as house keeper for any man, or laboring for any small pay. So she had only the option to marry another rich man, and soon.

She happened upon a man in her village who was coming out of the church all dressed in mourning clothes. A young beauty walking behind him, his little Ethel. They had just said goodbye to the girl's mother  whose death it was that had brought them to church in black that day. The woman knew her fairness would help her win this new husband along with his natural fear of his girl growing up very much without a mother for guidance.

Within the month the cat caught the mouse, but instead of swallowing him whole, she married him as if to continue the game of chase. Mary Aubrey became Mary Cinders, her children following suit in like style, both reluctant and grateful to take up the name at once.

When Susan and Arabella finally met with their new sister, Ethel who was their age, they had been hopeful and almost excited. It was their hope that they would all be friends, having another sister to love and share their world with was all they could talk about on the day they found themselves at their new home. A large abbey like building not much unlike the house they had come from, all but the fact it felt colder somehow.

Ethel was the most beautiful creature either girl had ever seen. So delicate and bright. With hair as gold as the sun and eyes that sparkled like water even in the dark and her curls all just so. They found it odd when she did not greet them with a kiss. When they tried to do so, she held them back at arm's length, her nose creasing in the middle as she tried to hide her disgust. They held their hands forward to shake, she shook her head and would not shake hands with them for all the world, either.

"Come, we are sister's now, or at least that is what Mama has said." Arabella, the younger twin by almost an hour, spoke up, putting her hand further forward.

Ethel looked at her hand and turned her nose up in the air, her eyes away from Arabella. "I don't think so. Surely not. I cannot be related to you, nor shall I ever be." She shook her head. "I will never call you sister's of mine. But I will have you curtsy, if you please, and call me 'milady,' as is befitting my position in this house to yours."

Susan had held Arabella back with a cautioning look, so that no quarreling started and was the first to curtsy and say, "Milady." Then she asked, "Indeed, what do you mean about your position and ours? Are we not both nobleman's daughters? Is this not our house too now?"

Ethel scoffed at the idea, "Indeed no. This is my house, you are simply being given the privilege of resting your head in it, out of my father's foolish, far too generous nature." She clarified before stating, "I am Lady of the house in my mother's absence, regardless of your 'mama'. You are simply the help to me!"

"I shall tell mama what you've said, I shall tell her." Arabella insisted, her cheeks fuming red.

"As you wish. It will do you very little good. If she scolds me, my father shall punish her, and dare say, you will have to sleep in the yard with the hens and pigs. I shall see to it." Ethel poked her tongue out at the girls.

"He wouldn't, would he?" Arabella looked towards Susan dependently, her sister hugged her and shook her head.

"I'm sure he would not." She answered under her breath. "We should at least try."