Sing Sweet Nightingale

Part 3

Y/N bit her lip as her stepsisters smiled and kissed up to their mother. She knew neither of the girls was particularly a fan of high society, but they also were not a fan of their mother's wrath so they played their parts.

Jade in particular seemed very apathetic to her mother's hateful ways. She was content to be the oldest child. Sit, look pretty, smile at the rich man, say the right thing. Truth be told she actually enjoyed manipulating conversations in her favor. It gave her a rush of power to know that she was guiding people's perceptions of her.

Artemis, however, was sick of pretending to be something she wasn't. She had never really liked dressing up and talking to new people. She honestly just wanted to read and hunt. She had tried making friends with Y/N when she first came to the home, but when Y/N's father died and her mother took over the household, she stopped because she was afraid of her mother's cruel ways. So she fell in line, became a perfect little doll for her mother to put on a shelf. She cooed over the newest gossip and pretended to be excited over dresses, but inside she was growing very tired of this charade. Especially when it came to being rude to Y/N. She hoped the girl knew she didn't mean any of it. She was just too afraid to cross her mother.

Y/N knew all of this and she didn't hold it against them. Their mother had a very strong demanding personality. Y/N was sure that if she was not the focus of the hatred the mother harbored in her heart, it would fall on Jade or Artemis. Stepmother needed someone to be mean to and if it had to be Y/N that was fine. At least her sisters were being treated fairly.

She looked again at the envelope in the older woman's hands. Y/N knew the woman would never willingly allow her to go, but maybe just maybe.

"Stepmother?" Y/N said quietly as she served them lunch that day. She had made sure that everything was to the woman's liking. All the right china, food cooked to perfection, the woman could find no fault with the way she was served.

"What is it?" The woman sighed. She loved being pampered and didn't feel like stressing herself out by yelling at this moment.

"I was wondering if you would grant me permission to go to the ball a well." Y/N said quickly and quietly. She hurried on when she saw the look of shock on the woman's face. "I have an old dress of my mother's that I could fix up and I would make sure to complete all of my chores and I would not be there the entire night, just long enough to see the beauty-"

"Shut up." The woman snapped. "You are giving me a headache."

"I'm sorry, stepmother." Y/N said as she looked at the floor and stepped back.

"I'll tell you what, child." The woman said snidely as she surveyed the young woman in front of her. "If you can clean this house from top to bottom, get us ready, and manage to make yourself presentable, I'll allow you to go. Not with us of course, wouldn't do for the help to arrive in the same carriage as us." Jade and Artemis faked a giggle at their mother's comment.

"Thank you, Stepmother." Y/N said, her eyes filling with excitement. "You are truly the kindest woman alive." She smiled as she carefully gathered the dirty dishes and headed to the kitchen.

"It would seem our little mouse is a kiss up as well." The stepmother chuckled. "Girls, I need you to do your dear old mother a favor."

"Of course, mother, what do you need?" Jade asked sweetly.

"I need you to make Y/N's life hell so that she doesn't get ready in time." The stepmother said as she took a sip of her tea.

Artemis felt her heart sink. She had honestly been happy that something good was happening to Y/N for once. "Of course, mother." She answered, forcing what she hoped was a sweet smile. Her mother nodded happily and relaxed against her chair. Artemis let out a shaky breath as she excused herself and left the room. She heard Jade follow her and she braced herself for the coming conversation.