Once Upon A Time

If The Clock Never Stroke Twelve

    Once upon a time, in the land of Ever After, there lived a diligent and hard-working maid with the name of Ashlynn Ella. She took care of her two older step-siblings and step-mother since they were too ignorant along with lazy to take care of themselves.

" Oh Ashlynn Ella!" one step-sister cried out in a high-pitched voice that cracked " Where's my breakfast?
Huh!? I want it soon-no! I want it now!"

    " Don't worry," Ashlynn chimed " I'm coming!"

     " Don't tell me what to do! You're the maid!" the sister bellowed.

Ashlynn sighed and rolled her eyes as she ran along finishing the last touches to her sister's breakfast, her reddish-golden hair whipped front and back as she delivered the morning meal to her.

Ashlynn didn't mind being a maid, she was already used to the scent of cinders, the scent of cinnamon of her twenty-four-hour kitchen that she worked in night and day, and the scent of worn lavender that she used to mop the grand floors of the mansion that used to be hers before her mother and father died.

The maid snapped into reality and opened the wooden door that revealed both of her step-sisters' room. It was vast and fancy compared to her's, but she wasn't going to let jealousy come to her way. She handed the meal of three stacked pancakes with oozing syrup and sliced strawberries to the greedy woman.

" Next time you bring it sooner or else. You took twelve hours." she snapped.

Ashlynn bowed then swiftly went back to the kitchen, today was going to be a busy day, just like any other day. But as she was zooming towards the kitchen, she heard her step-mother and her second step-sister whispering in a corner at the grand living room hall. She skidded to a halt and hid behind a wall, hearing every single word.

" The son of King Charming is hosting a ball to find the kingdom's future princess." the step-mother whispered.

" Oh how exciting! He'll surely pick me!" the sister exclaimed.

   " Nonsense," the other sister argued as she stepped down the wooden stairs " I will."

   " Please, I'm the most beautiful out of both of us, and definitely out of every girl in the land."

   " Yeah right."

   " Uh-huh."

   " Nuh-huh."

   And the fight went on and on until they couldn't figure out what they were talking about. Their mother explained that there were four invites. Ashlynn's heart raced faster than her own feet could, she had always wanted to go to a ball, dance to the wonderful music, eat all of the delicious food that was freshly made, and meet new people. She didn't really care about being the fairest, but there was only a little problem.

If her mother let her go...

She knew that her cruel and wicked mother wouldn't let her go for various reasons. But one was that there were chores to be done, nonstop. But there was a spark of hope and courage inside of the maid that caused her to step out of her hiding place and ask for something that no one would expect.

    " Can I come too? I promise that I'll behave." Ashlynn questioned as she stepped towards her mother who was glaring a death stare with disgust.