"Are you ill?" The Baroness asked in a harsh tone as she and her two daughters entered Beatrice's tiny cottage and pulled the covers off the girl.
"No...uhh yes." Trixie said, feeling the after effects of yesterday evening's endless cups of wine.
"Where were you?" Irina said, anger clouding her tone, her eyes demanding an answer.
"Mhm, I got lost." The tired brown eyed girl stated innocently.
"I do not believe you. You are hiding something from me, I can feel it. I demand to know what it is." The Baroness replied.
"Well, why don't you tell me what it is so I can get back to sleep?" Trixie said, too tired to stop her sarcasm.
"What about our breakfast?" Violet yelled in outrage. Beatrice forced herself not to roll her eyes, but yet could not help but state what first popped into her mind.
"You have two hands. Make it yourself."
This caused the Baroness and her dark haired daughter to look at eachother in shock, whilst a small laugh escaped Courtney's lips.
"Why you lazy little leech!" Violet screamed at the girl in the bed, her mother however turned towards her giggling sister.
"Courtney, go and boil some water." Irina spoke.
"Me? Boil water?" The blonde girl asked in slight shock before sighing. "Oh, I knew it. I just knew it." She muttered as she left the room, once more feeling the difference in the treatment of her and her sister.
It took hours, but eventually Beatrice found the will and energy to rise from her bed and begin her chores. Not soon after however Tempest interrupted her, leaning out the window of the second floor to get Trixie's attention.
"Mistress, you better get in here quick!" The older woman said, Beatrice running inside the house moments later.
There stood the Baroness holding up the girl's late mother's gown in front of Violet, whilst Courtney held the glass slippers in her hands.
"Oh, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence." Irina said as the brown eyed girl entered the room.
"What do you think you are doing?" Trixie asked.
"Trying on my dress." The dark haired girl replied as if it was the most natural thing.
"Do you honestly think after that performance this morning, that I would let you go anywhere?" The Baroness stated. Beatrice felt tears threaten to fall and anger fill her as she watched her dearest possessions in the hands of the people who constantly mistreated her.
"Do you honestly think these games, these intrigues, are going to win you a crown? To hunt royalty like some sport... it's disgusting!" She spoke forcefully. Courtney gently put the slippers down on the wooden chest before her as she viewed her stepsister's pain and anger.
"You're just jealous." The other stepsister said as she layed the dress down on the bed.
"These are my mother's." Beatrice responded as she picked up the shoes with one hand, tears starting to stream down her cheeks.
"Yes. And she's dead." Violet said heartlessly.
That was the last straw for Trixie, her anger fueling her actions as she punched the dark haired girl directly in the face, it's force strong enough to cause Violet to fall backwards on the bed and have her legs go over her head as she tumbled to the floor.
"I am going to rip your hair out!" The brown eyed girl yelled as she chased the now panicked stepsister who had stormed out of the room.
"Mother! Mother, do something!" Violet screamed as she ran down the stairs, the other right at her heels.
The chase continued through the house until they reached the room where Beatrice would so often read by the fireplace. Her copy of Utopia was layed on a velvet chair and Violet quickly saw an opportunity.
"Get away from me, so help me God." The dark haired girl spoke as she held the girl's book above the burning flames.
"No, Violet, don't! Put it down!" Beatrice cried in panic.
"Give me the shoes!" Violet replied, not moving her hand.
"Put it down!"
The brown eyed girl was terrified, the possibility of loosing the last gift her father had granted her so very real. The display caught the attention of the entire house and soon Tempest and Mr and Mrs Davis had entered the room, along with the two other Ladies of the House.
"Consider carefully Beatrice. Your father's book or your mother's shoes? Though neither will save you from a sound lashing." The Baroness told the weeping girl.
Beatrice hesistated, but eventually relunctantly handed the glass slippers to Irina. Her stepsister however did not take pity on the girl and threw the book into the flames despite the trade, the pages quickly dissolving into the glowing embers.
"No! No!" Trixie screamed as tears streamed down her cheeks. She tried to reach for the book, but the Baroness held her waist firmly, not allowing her to save it. Her Utopia was gone, turned to soot and cinders before her eyes in a matter of seconds.
The only person who displayed any sympathy was Courtney who had tears falling from her eyes at the heartbreaking display.
The blonde stepsister would also be the one to tend to Beatrice's wounds once the Baroness had opened her flesh with the whip. Twenty deep indents covered the young girl's back after she had met her punishment.
"You really did bring this upon yourself, you know. Hmm? First with breakfast, and then that horrid display downstairs..." Courtney spoke as she tried her best to clean every cut, tears in her eyes as she viewed the broken state of her stepsister.
"I don't know what's come over me." Beatrice whispered, her voice breaking from both the pain and the heartbreak of her father's book being gone.
"Of course, I shall never forget the way Violet's feet went over her head like that." The other blonde said, causing them both to laugh a little. Courtney hesistated for a moment, but still felt the need to say the words that were circling her mind.
"She should not have said that about your mother." She spoke finally, a tear escaping as she washed another red stained rag.
"Thank you." Beatrice replied softly, enjoying the feeling of actually having a sisterlike bond for once, a smile grazing her lips despite the intense pain of the injuries.
It would likely not seem like much to others, but Trixie knew the risk her stepsister was running by going against the views of her mother and by choosing to aid the servant girl in the first place. Therefor she could be nothing but grateful for the display of kindness.
YOU ARE READING
Ever After ✔~ trixya
Fanfiction"Her name was Beatrice Mattel. And this, was her glass slipper. Perhaps you will allow me to set the record straight?" The Grand Duchess says as she picks a beautiful shoe out of the silver box. "Then it's true? The story?" The writer enquires. "Yes...
