Evelyn: 

Cinderella's dress:

Her eyes were bright with happiness and her smile radiant. Ella was stunning, and showed off her true beauty. At that moment, when I saw her, no words could describe the pride that I felt. Unknown to everyone, she only had her eyes on one person- her lover. 

Besides me, the Prince, like all the others, had stopped dancing, and the orchestra. "I found her," He whispered, starstruck. "Excuse me, ma'am," he mumbled to me and left me alone on the dance floor, strolling toward Ella Cinder, of all people. I hissed in a breath as Ella's eyes searched the quiet crowd for her lover.

Prince Charming opened his mouth, "Ma'am, may I take this dance?" His voice pierced the silence that had settled over the ballroom. Ella bit her lip, hesitantly, and sensing she really had no choice, she nodded timidly.

Shakily, the orchestra started up and almost hesitantly, so did the chatter. My eyes hunted for the sight of Ella's lover, remembering all she had told me about him as we chose a dress out of my meager collection.

And then, I saw him, just as Ella had described him. He was stunning, though his eyes were obscured by shadows of his hat- but I didn't miss the slumped shoulders and the sorrow he radiated. The man moved quickly to the exit and disappeared into the night. And I could obviously see Ella wanted nothing more than to chase after him, but she just clung onto the Prince, her face distraught.

My gaze slipped to Cinderella's feet that shyly peaked out of my dress. Those were my only pair of glass slippers and they were a little too big sadly, with some tissue paper stuffed in front. Amber had left the Duke to stand by my side, "Hey Eve, isn't that your dress?"

I nodded, but didn't explain. I couldn't, not without getting Amber red hot angry. And if Amber was unstable...

"Don't worry, we'll get her back." Amber whispered in my ear, her fingers clenching her wine glass a bit too hard. I smiled forcefully, wishing that for once my sister didn't stand up for me. I was wrong, it seemed.

She steadied herself and marched right up to the dancing couple, "Excuse me?"

The pair broke apart, and the music stopped, for the second time. Prince Raymond's face annoyed while Ella looked afraid. Good, the darker side of me whispered at the sight of the Prince's face. What type of bastard left a girl on the dance floor?

"What are you doing, Cinderella? You have neglected your duties and therefore not allowed to be here. Among all of that, you have stolen Eve's outfit. How dare you?" Amber sneered, her voice echoing the now silent ballroom.

The Prince stepped forward but one glare from Amber made him reconsider. 

Ellie seemed to shrink back as Amber's monologue continued. "You worthless brat! You think you're so innocent when you are not. You ruined our family, Ella. Just look at our Mother for goodness sake- she's a gold digger." I could hear Mother's gasp echo from her seductive position next to a royal adviser.

I quickly reached Amber and tried to pull her arm back, "Amber..."

She pulled her arm away and placed them on her hips, "Ella, really? Were you about to tell the world, and your beloved Prince Charming here that you stole from us? Isn't it against the law to steal? And that time you tried to sabotage Mother's wedding? You've gone too far bitch, and I'm not letting you go any deeper." Amber raised her hand to slap her.

Prince Raymond caught the hand, "Miss. You are not to slap any of my guests lest you wish to be escorted out by one of my guards, harshly." Amber snatched his hand away from the prince. "So you chose now to step in. Interesting," She sneered.

One the muscular guards stepped forward, "Amber, let's just go..." I mummer, tugging Amber again.

The Prince turned to glare at me, "You are in the middle of this?" He frowned, bewildered. I flushed with shame, "Amber..." 

Amber's nails dug into my palm as I clenched onto her, and she tisked. At me.  

If there was one thing that could break the leash I had on my anger, it would be the sound of someone tisking. 

Something inside me snapped in half, and lost it, seeing red,"You know what, jerk? You know what? I'm so sure you would make a great leader. " My voice dripped with sarcasm, "I bet that you have a number of illegitimate heirs lying around."

The Prince's face turned red, "You..."

Amber continued, "Don't make a fool of yourself. Cinderella, you're going to pay for all the trouble you caused. Oh, and Princeling? Send your dogs after me and I will personally castrate you, you little shit." She marched away, out the palace doors and I quickly followed, shooting an apologetic glare at the rest of the people, gaping after us.

"Thanks, Amber." I said as an afterthought, if not full of sarcasm towards her. The music shakily started again somewhere behind us, and lifted my skirts to walk faster.

"We will make Ellie pay, "Amber's voice shook, "Don't you ever forget that."

I just sighed, shaking my head at my sister who was already scheming. 

  👡  

In the shadows, I silently waited for Ella. I convinced Amber to go and pack the bags- I assured her that I'd escort Ella back home and teach her a lesson. As much as I knew Amber wasn't a good person, she was my sister and I loved her. Each lie cleaved us further apart and I didn't want that to happen. 

The moon was full tonight, I noticed, and wondered if the Wild Wolves were just a mere legend, or truly ran wild tonight in the Winter Realm. At last, as the midnight bell chimed, Ella appeared at the entrance, silent tears glimmering in the moonlight, running down the tiny steps of the palace. Halfway down did she trip over, and the Prince yelling for her to stop as he too appeared. 

She continued without missing a beat, and I noticed she left behind one of my glass slippers. Half hobbling, she fled, determined. As soon as she vanished from the Prince's sight, and was right next to where I hid, I grabbed her arm, pulling her arm so hard she stumbled into the shadowy alley where I was. 

Ella flailed, her limbs attacking me until I hissed, "Stop it. It's me, Evelyn." 

She paused and when her wet eyes searched my face, she went limp, and threw her arms around me, "Oh Stars Evelyn, oh stars." 

"What's wrong?" I murmured anxiously, returning the embrace. 

She shook her head, "Stars, the prince, after you left, he, he, he...." 

"He what?" My grip on her dress tightened dangerously. "He...left me to t-talk with his brother a-and these men, t-they f-forced t-hems-self on m-me," she whispered, like a damning secret. 

A dark, burning anger flared through me, "I'm going to kill those son of a-"

Ella sniffed, "And my lover now thinks I'm a cheater, a terrible, terrible person."

"No he won't," I promised, "I will track him down and explain everything to him. I promise." Despite all she endured, Ella looked into my eyes, and saw the truth, "Promise?" 

"Promise."

She nodded, reassured but silent tears still came down, "T-thank you." 

"One more thing," I gently touched her arm, "Was it- was it your first time?" 

Ella hesitated and shook her head. An abyss of anger that could rival Amber's opened up, half slumbering. Too much rivals, too much years of slumbering vengeance and this night managed to awaken that beast. 

"C-can we just go home?" Ella's soft voice broke my vision of red, and I looked at her, dropped a short nod, and held out an arm.

 👡    

Amber took the knife out, letting Mother plunge to the ground, as she choked on her own blood. "Steady there, Evelyn." My hands quickly stopped shaking and I steadied myself, "Amber..." I didn't believe Amber had the guts to kill our Mother. My heart clenched over the loss, but I pushed it away, not wishing to remain in this house any longer.

It was shocking how Amber could kill our Mother so coldly, and how easily I accepted it. I threw up, right there and then, and then, I felt Amber pulling back my hair, "Let it out," she murmured. 

She had decided to kill Mother when she realized that Mother wanted to turn us in. "There is another way," I protested weakly, but Amber... she knocked me out and when I woke up with a throbbing headache, Mother was already so far gone I felt ill.

Ella had just left, with her dear Prince, her eyes pleading for someone to help her. No one could. He had used a tracking spell on the shoe from one of the best magicians in the Realm and found Ella. I could barely refrain from attacking the Prince, but Ella was defeated- she seemed to have been devoid of life when the Prince came to find her.

When he proposed, she just bobbed her head, her eyes empty. 

"Can't we bury her at least?" I asked Amber quietly, looking down at my mother's body, "Can't we do something good to the woman who had taken care of us for our entire lives?" Amber just rolled her eyes and snorted quietly, mimicking my words to herself.

"We don't have time," Amber retorted, sparing one last glance at Mother's fallen corpse. This house, this realm, was no longer safe for us. We would be dead in a matter of days. There is still some good in you, I pleaded with my eyes. Amber turned her back, pretending like she didn't see anything. 

"Amber, did she really deserve to die? She was our mother." I said quietly. Amber spun to look at me, "She isn't our Mother anymore, she died when Thomas did." Amber replied shortly. I could have sworn I saw a tear fall from Amber's eyes as she turned to finish packing.

"Let's go." We heaved our bags up and we escaped to the woods at the break of dawn, leaving behind Mother's dead body and the people we once were.

A/N: I split chapter one into two because it was getting too long for my liking- and made some important edits

~Emily