EDDSWORLD ~Cinderella AU~

Chapter 2

Joy was spilled into the cottage once again. Although Mark and Jon were snobbish at times, he grew fond of them. Although he wasn't Tom's real father, Eduardo made Tom's mother happy. Tom felt like nothing else could go wrong... He couldn't be more wrong. One day, his mother received a message from her work. It told her to go to Italy for better more profits, so she gathered her things as soon as she could and hugged her beloveds til they couldn't breathe. She was too excited that she asked if there was anything she could return with. Eduardo requested a small meal from an exotic place would be nice, Mark wished for a designer jacket, and Jon requested for a futbal, but Tom was different. "And what would you like my boy?" His mother looked at him in the eyes. "The first branch that brushes against your shoulder. That way when I have it, it means you came back." His mother laughed a bit. "Of course." She said, before riding off into the fig of morning. The two boys and Eduardo stayed on the porch, but Tom followed the carriage until heknew he couldn't follow it all the way. Tom panted as he walked inside the cottage, and went to the kitchen for some biscuits. Only to catch his stepfather sitting right in front of the door. "Is she gone? Are you done running?" he asked in a devious smirk. Tom nodded his head slowly and Eduardo stood up. "I have a favor to ask you." Tom tilted his head, "What is it?"
"Well, I've been here for about a week. Correct?" Tom nodded. "My boys aren't enjoying their room, they say its a bit too small." Tom understood and the put his hand to his mouth, thinking of a solution. "Well, I have one bigger bedrooms of the place. Maybe they can take mine and I'll take-"
"The attic!! What a splendid idea." Eduardo exclaimed, although Tom was going to that he traded with his stepbrothers. But Eduardo had the greater advantage, so Tom ended up moving into the attic. Thomas cleaned the room up and made himself at home; the attic was actually a lot more comfortable than he expected. There were squeaks and scruffs and scratches from under Tom's makeshift bed. He looked under to see 3 mice running about. One was white with brown spots, the other was as black as night, but the last one was different. "A... ginger mouse?" Tom spoke a little too loudly. All the mice sat on the floorboard by his bedside. "Hello Tory, hello Grace. Who might you be almighty Ginger one?" Tom greeted his friends. If you didn't know Tom had a liking towards creatures big and small. The ginger one started to pose for the boy in blue. Tom clapped his hands and whistled as well. "Bravo! You must be very confident." The Ginger bowed, and smile to where his teeth seemed to sparkle. Tom lifted the Ginger up with his two hands, "I think I'll call you...Matt!" Tom didn't know why, but the Ginger loved that name and that made Tom pretty happy.

A few weeks past, all Tom has done was help around. Eduardo said, "Tom, you're just helping us out." But it felt like he was doing all the work. Tom didn't complain, although it was getting quite irritating. Tom slept in the attic without complaint, although some nights were very cold. Tom even slept near the dying fire in the kitchen. Finally, one day a sound made Tom perk up his own ears. 'Could it be?' He thought, as he dashed out the door. His stepfather and brothers behind him. "Mother!" Tom exclaimed once he saw a carriage with someone up top. But once Tom got the gate, the carriage came to a halt. "O-oh, sorry sir. I thought you were someone else." Tom said, as he was about to walk back. The man spoke, "Thomas." The boy turned around, not after seeing his stepfather behind him. "I have some very bad news. Your mother..." The man stopped before giving a sigh and reaching behind himself. "She told me to give you this." In front of Tom was a small dead branch, shifting slowly because of the breeze. Eduardo got his boys inside with a face of disbelief, but Tom went to his knees. Everything was a blur, Tom didn't hear what the other man said before riding off to the kingdom. Rain slowly started to trinkle down and damped Tom's spiked hair.  Tom started crying but his mother told him to be brave. So Tom wiped away his tears and waited for the years of his life to come.