Chapter 1- |Anastasia, The Ugly Stepsister|

May 18.

Was the day I was sentenced to death by the Royal Empire.

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It was a beautiful morning in the house of the Rottensteins.

The birds were chirping. The bees were buzzing. The flowers blossomed as a soft breeze carried few of its petals through the stone mansion's windows. And, everyone would have loved to spend their time in lesuire in its gardern, if the pleasant atmosphere wasn't interuppted by a lousy shriek.

.

.

'I swear, I am not A Cinderella! So, move your ass** off our house and Get lost, Royal bitches*! I am tired and I wanna go back to sleep..'

Said I, to the Royal troupe who had come to find Cinderella, the sneaky thief who stole the heart of their beloved master's son, Prince Charming in a single midnight.

The Royal Chief Page was completely shunned by my rude, offensive remark. His face danced various colors, purple, red, green. Anger pumped through his fists and he clenched them gritting his teeth. "You! Rotten Bitch!! " It seems like he wanted to say. But, being a nobel he let the cat catch his tougue. He tried being polite.

"But, I am afraid we cannot afford to risk fulfilling your preposterous demand, Milady'. His deep French accent echoed out of every syllable. ' The orders are directly from His Royal Highness, the ruler of the entire empire, Fairytale. And, As a Nobel yourself, I am sure you could comprehend the situation, Ms Rottenstein.' said he.

'No, I'll take a pass'. I declared in an utterly bored tone. 'I cannot comprehend the situation. But Mr Fake wig, why the freaking hell would His Majesty send his most highly respected guards to do the menial job of testing the foot of every maiden of the kingdom. Is he crazy? It's so unrealistic. Or.. Eh?.. " I raised my eye brow and twisted my lips in a smirk. "Have you all been degraded from your initial post?'

The Royal page immediately adjusted his long horizontal grey wig and glared at me. If looks can kill, I would have been a corpse by now.

Beside him, stood the other guards shocked, almost mirroring his bafflement. They tried to speak but probably couldn't find the right words. The Royal Page looked out at the glass window, abruptly. The two royal princes, the future groom and his brother stood outside desperately waiting for the big news. Was the girl inside the mysterious heroine or not.

He immediately regreted his thoughtless proposal of asking them to accompy him on this journey. He had only thought of earning a good favour in the eyes of the future kings. He didn't predict, he would suffer with a

insolent mutt like me. His face changed colors again from red to purple to green. Funny expression, I thought.

Mother was no help. She was already struck frozen by the brutality of her lazy daughter. Her beautiful makeup-ed facede was pale like it had lost all it's color. Her hands hung low and mouth sealed, too shocked and confused to say anything.

The only person who remained a bit unfazed by my insolence was my little sister, Drizzela.

"Big sister, that is so rude! You mustn't say this to a higher authority. Even though what you say might be true." squeaked my baby sister when my mother abruptly muffled her little lips with a sheepish smile.

"I sincerely apologize the brutality of my daughters...'started mother when the Royal Page snapped forcing her to swallow the words.

'Such insolence! Woman, Is this the way you raise your children?"

"I am really sorry, Sir Albert Filigan.." apologized my mother with her head bow in front of The official.

A strong thump of pain filled my chest as I met my mother's glumly eyes. I bit my lips. She did not raise me like this. Looking at her, I am positive she's disappointed in me.

I mean, any mother would, if they take a glance at me and my crooked reflection.

And, to think my cynical behavior was just a part of my character as the heroine's ugly stepsister.

Age 18, five feet nine, (probably the tallest girl you might has ever seen in this era) flat chest, gwanky feet and a zero percent attractive body. My long red hair that usually rolled down my shoulders did nothing good when my cheeks were decorated with clumsy freckles. The term beauty might seem an alien to my appearance. So, you might think like all other woman I try to hide my obvious flaws through other methods. But, I wouldn't care less about makeup and the pretty dress my step father bought me before he died.

Why try, fussing yourself to look better, when you always have someone else, stealing all your glory just by standing next to you, is what I console myself whenever feelings of jealousy corrupt my soul, as I stand next to my stepsister, Cinderella.

But, the truth is, fortunately or unfortunately, that isn't even half of the real reason, why my mother looked so depressed.

I admit it.

It must be the stingy bed head that poked on every single direction or my cute banana pyjamas that I had wore before these royals, even though she had yelled more than a thousand times this morning to get changed to proper clothes. The visit of the royal troupe wasn't un-announced, after all. But, my brain refused to register this little fact and didn't bother to fulfil it's duties while her mother and sister messed up rooms in order to dress pleasently.

But, honestly I am not to blame. I mean, the ball His majesty had conducted lasted for a week. And, being a Nobel from the Rottenstein family, we were forced to be there. So, I was incredulously very.. very exahasted. Cinderella wasn't allowed naturally, having a delicate body that would collapse her own health, if she ever dared to step out of our mansion. But, I knew she managed to sneak out somehow.

That's how it is in the story written in the Grim Tale's book gifted by my mom on my 5th birthday, after all.

I am Anastasia. Anastasia de Rottenstein. The ugly daughter of the mean step mother. One of the major villaness who had taunted the heroine and helped her meet Prince Charming in the most magical way as possible.

I really hate, despise and would love to lament how my innocent step sister was born with everything. And I mean, EVERYTHING!

A kind father who loves her from the core of his heart. A beautiful mansion, which I and my mother now live in after Mamma remarried into the Glasston family. And, a happy fairytalistic ending by marrying Prince Charming of Fairytale.

You might think, I should just stay happy because my mother's still around.

But, that's where you are wrong. My mother after being touched by the way Sir Robert of The Glasston family took care of his daughter married him. But, was then driven to madness when he refused to show the same love to us even going to extents of pleasing him by abandoning her own daughters and loving her step daughter.

It was her.

The girl dyed with pink cheeks and blue bell eyes. Her innocent face that would instantly give anyone, a strong feeling of urge to protect her. Her cute enchantic smile that you would magically make you feel like, you want to hide it from corrupted eyes at all cause.

She stole everything!

"Guards, march upstairs to find any other woman who might be our mystery princess, while I deal with this wretch!' The Royal Page ordered his soldiers and the guards immediately obeyed his order without a second thought.

"Mamma, they are going upstairs without your consern. Should we call the police?" stated my little sister to my mother (without the knowledge that, they are indeed the police, being the palace guards, of the country) by

placing her tiny fingers over her chin pretending to be lost in a serious string of thought and blinked with her grey doe eyes, a cute guesture. "They are... Mmm.. Mmm.. "

My mother quickly muffled Drizzy-chan's mouth again, but not as fast as The Royal Page hearing them.

"You are definitely unworthy to be a nobel, Lady Rottenstein. And, I believe this is the reason your family have been given the name 'Rotten'.. " mocked the Royal Page looking down on my mother.

It might be true that my mother never really loved me the way she did her step daughter.

But...

...I clenched my fists.

I was not ready to give up on her when she was pleading mercy from the eyes of this haughty official.

"Ah, I see. I know, you must be frustrated by your job after all, Mr Fake wig. Bowing down before mere woman and rubbing their feet before fitting a footwear must have brushed your pride way too much. But, don't worry Mister.. You need not do that with me. So, will you stop bothering my mother and just leave the house, already. The door is dying to kick..I-I m-mean,excuse, you out. Sire.." I chuckled as sweet as I can.

"Y-You..!" the Royal Page started when the door suddenly crept open.

"What is happening here, Royal Page?" entered a brunnete gentleman inside my line of sight. I blinked as I screened his handsome appearance.

He was tall slim and looked around twenty years old. His eyes were as green as the forest itself. His skin was perfect, fair like porcelain all over, completely flawless!

His figure was smooth and accentuated, elegant as a Prince should be, that made even me half-dazzled.

That messy dark hair didn't make him look decadent at all. On the contrary, it added a luxurious temperament to his face and made him seem like the son of goddess Athena herself.

Wild, arrogant, handsome!

A drool crept of over the corner of my lips. And, that's when I noticed his clear emerald eyes look at me with a strong aura of despise.

And, that's when reality hit me again.

He's not your Prince Charming, Cinderella already stole him from you, remember! Spoke my consciousnes. My thick brows knitted closer. Tears involuntarily filled my eyes and my feet rushed towards the front door. The old familer pain of insecurity filled my heart.

Budumb!

"I-I..gotta.. go.. " I tried to squeak, but, my voice failed to pronounce coherent words.

Budumb ! Pounded my heart more faster in anxiety. It almost seemed like the entire atmosphere had become suffocating.

My mind screamed voices.

I am not Cinderella, the fortunate one. I am her step sister, for God damn sake! I do not get a happily ever after. And, you know what? The person you have tirelessly stalked almost the entire ball week, The person who made you suffer a pleasant insomnia, The person who made you feel like a true princess is already gone, Stolen!

Geez, what am I rambling about? He was never mine to start with. He was the Prince Charming. Cinderella's Prince Charming. And, I am just a mere supporting character who randomly fills the story.

I am nothing. I am nothing. There are no Prince Charmings for me. There are no Prince Charm..

"Big brother, I think this is the place we have been.. Woah.."

And, that's when I subconsciously hit another stranger who had just entered through our long wooden door.

"Ow"

"Ow"

I looked at him. My eyes were still hazy, incoherent and hurt. But, fortunatly tears refused to spill from my eyes. Controlling your tears so no one could notice how pathetic you really feel, was hard.

But, through experience I would have mastered it already.

My eyes fixed the floor and I plastered a quick fake smile over my face. It could be disguised as pure insolence, phyco-pathic ego or even a maniac behavior, but I care less about it, as long as it doesn't show my weakness.

"My.. Bad.. Who would have ever thought, I might run into a stalk pole like this!' I exclaimed not bothering to look at the beholder's face, insulting both him and his gentle hand that had waited to pull me up.

I got up by myself and dusted my banana pyjamas. I took a deep breath and let it out. Alright. Now, I feel all better.

Emotions are funny especially for us, the nobels. The more you try to hide them. The more they try to explode inside you. And, the only way you could control them is through constant training of mind and body. I am happy, I had managed to not let down my guard.

Weeeewoooo! Weeeewooo! Weeeewooooo!

And, that's when, suddenly a strange sound of a siren filled the entire room. It was loud. Very morbidly loud that everyone had to hold their ears tightly to protect their hearing senses. A mixture of pain and resentment twisted upon my face revealing a pair of stern eyes and a clenched jaw, my own reflection, in the giant mirror that stood before me. My organs felt like they were twisted by this hourse sound. It was so terrifying.

The Prince immediately ordered few of his guards to eradicate the source when they were forced to stop hearing a terrible news.

"Sir Albert" one of the Royal Guard rushed downstairs with his voice half-screaming and half-informing. "The room.. Pufft.. Pufft.. The room.. No one's there."

"What..? But, this isn't how.. " my mother's voice shivered.

"Cinderella..Big sister Cinderella is suppossed to be there.. Right mother?.." squeaked Drizzella.

"Yes, But, there is nothing now, except blood and blonde hair all over the floor. This.. This must be the work of.. Pfft!! " breathed the guard.

Panic filled the room. Murmers spread rapidly around our house as fast as a forest fire. And Prince Charming suddenly looked at me with an expression I have never seen, until then. It was like a pitch black glare like a hole that had suck every other emotion except hatred and darkness from him.

"You! The haughty step sister!"

"Eh..?" I did not understand what he told me. But, nevertheless my body started trembling on it's own. And, the little smile of satisfaction I had, pleased that I had tactfully controlled my emotions were vanquished in a second.

"It must be your doing..?" he said softly that I hardly heard.

With him saying that line so abruptly, I still couldn't understand what happened. My voice chocked down on my throat. I could never affirm or deny his question having experiencing his mean cold dark death glare, trembling. Prince Charming mistook it as a confession and roared shaking the entire atmosphere with fear.

"How thoughtless you are, she is your sister, isn't she..? Without dirtying your hands you must have manipulatived someone to kidnap or worse murder Cinderella..?"

"Don't your action shame you as a human being?" screamed the prince like a vicious serpent.

My mother immediately stood before me in protection.

"I am afraid, you might be jumping to a unjust conclusion, Your Royal Highness. Anastasia would never.. "

"Nonsense, Women..! " The Prince clapped his hands and a guard immediately stood beside him with his head half bowed and listened attentively.

Prince Charming announced.

"I hereby decree a sentence of Death, to the step daughter of the Glasston family, with a guilt of kidnapping her own sister!"

.

.

.

.

And, that's how I died.

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