Cinderella's Tale

"Briana!" I jump up from trying to make dinner, and run out of the kitchen, where my stepmother, Helena, is sitting in the living room, in front of the unburning fire. Two of the servants, Grace and Taylor, are brushing my stepsisters hair. Both Cassandra and Alexandra are both sitting on stools, and roll their eyes as they see me.

"What's wrong with this picture?" Helena asks, picking at her nails. I look around. Everything is perfectly dusted, perfectly clean. Then I notice the fireplace has no fire.

"The fire's out?" I ask. Helena looks at me, her dark eyes cold and unwavering.

"Yes, and I'm wondering why you are standing there, letting your poor sisters and me freeze to their deaths," Helena all but growls. I nod and quickly run to the fire, grabbing the matches out of my pocket from my dirty servant's dress. I strike the match, but the fire refuses to catch.

"What's taking so long?" Cassandra demands. I sigh, and turn to face her.

"It's not catching," I explain. Alexandra rolls her eyes.

"Well, hurry up! I will not have my feet falling off from the cold!" Cassandra yells. I turn back to the fire. The matches refuse to light the wood, so I resort to the only thing I know will keep me from getting flogged.

Magic.

"Give me fire," I murmur, and the wood lights up with fire. I smile, and turn back to Helena and the twins.

"What did you say, Briana?" Helena asks. I mentally struggle for a lie.

"Nothing," I quickly say. Luckily, the twins were too absorbed in their own thoughts to have even heard me say the spell. I know that Helena hates the thought of magic, which is why I have never told her of my powers.

"I must go finish dinner, Helena," I say, bowing slightly and running out of the room. I turn to the kitchen, where Anna, a little seven year old girl, is helping her mother, Suzan, to save the dinner.

"I'm so sorry, Suzan!" I say, running up to try and help. We both know I can't cook to save my life.

"It's fine, dear. Why don't you finish some of your other chores that horrible woman demands of you," Suzan tells me. I nod and run out of the room, quickly walking into Helena's bedchambers. I straighten her bedsheets, I scrub the floor, I clean the room all with a flick of my wrist.

My father was a warlock. He recognized the signs of magic in my emerald green eyes as soon as I was born. He taught me everything I know today. Then, he married Helena when I was seven years old. A year later, a man showed up at our door, demanding to see my father.

He was hanged for using magic.

"What are you standing around here for? Dinner is almost ready!" I jump and turn around as Suzan finds me. I run back towards the kitchen, and quickly take the plates out to the dining room, some with a little bit of magic, as I'm falling behind. Luckily, no one is there, and dinner is served right as Helena, Cassandra, and Alexandra walk in. I stand out of sight in the back corner, just watching them eat while my stomach growls. I haven't had anything to eat since breakfast this morning, and that was just bread and three crackers.

Once Helena and the twins are done eating, I take their plates, eating their leftover scraps.

There wasn't much on Helena's plate, but the twins think they are so fat, and are trying to cut down, so I always pile their plates with more food than they'll eat. I savor the meat, but too soon, it's gone and my stomach is still protesting.

I sigh, and head towards the dining room to clean it. I scrub the table down, and then the floors again for the fifth time that day.

"Briana!" I hear Cassandra's shrill shriek pierce the air. I run toward her room, to find Alexandra is pulling her hair. I see her diamond hair comb is stuck in her blonde hair.

"Let me try, Alexandra," I say, walking up behind her. Alexandra nods and heads out. I gently untangle Cassandra's hair.

"Almost got it," I tell her, when Cassandra's being antsy. In fact, if I go the speed I'm going, it'll take all night for me to get it out.

"Untangle her hair," I whisper, so softly I'm sure Cassandra didn't hear it. I visibly see Cassandra's blonde strands untangle themselves, and the hair comb comes out easily the next time I pull.

"Got it," I say, holding the heavy hair comb. I hand it to Cassandra, who climbs into bed. She doesn't wish me goodnight, and I didn't expect her to anyways.

I walk down into the cellar, where my bed is a pile of old blankets. I shut the cellar door tight, and it creaks as I close it. I keep the hinges rusty, that way, if I'm practicing magic, I can hear if someone opens the door for some reason. I hold my hand out as I make a fire, searching for the loose stone I hide my spellbooks. I find it, and pull it out, taking out the only thing my father left me before he died.

I take out the worn and old book. It is my family's book, filled with my family's spells. I smile and stroke the spine, before opening the book to my great great grandmother's additions. She specialized in ice spells, and I need to work on those.

I practice the spells, making it snow in the cellar, and freezing the door over and over again. I love this spell book with all my heart, and when I put it back in it's hiding place, I can't help but to feel as if I was hiding a piece of my soul with it.

I wrap the blankets tight around myself, closing my eyes, and falling asleep.