Chapter 1: Selling Our Shoes
As the sun rose over the village of Dunwiddie, in the kingdom of Enchancia, a rooster's crow pierced the peace of the early morning. In the bed she shared with her daughter, Miranda rolled over to find Sofia's brown eyes staring back at her.
"Good morning, sweetheart," Miranda smiled lovingly.
Sofia grinned back. "Good morning." She yawned. "It feels early, though."
Miranda laughed and threw back the coverlet, clambering out of bed. "Come on. We have customers a-waiting. Those shoes aren't going to finish themselves; we have to keep up with the orders."
Miranda and Sofia were shoemakers in Dunwiddie Village. Together, the pair cobbled together shoes and boots and high pumps for everyone in Enchancia, from the poorest beggar to some of the highest royalty and elite within King Roland II's inner circle. Miranda had largely raised Sofia on her own, and groomed the little girl into one day taking over the family business from her. Sofia's father was never spoken about, and surprisingly, it was a subject that Sofia herself did not seem to dwell on. She never asked about her father. In her young mind, her mother was all she had ever had or known, and was all she would ever need.
Dressing, Sofia followed her mother downstairs. Miranda was at the bench, chiseling out the shape of a heel. Sofia recognized the make: it was for an important order, for the florist who lived down the street. Miranda frowned with tight concentration. Sofia sat on a stool by the bench, on hand and ready to assist.
"Hammer," Miranda prompted, and Sofia passed it to her quickly. A few pounds on the heel and then... "Sanding." Sofia passed her mother a strand of sandpaper, which Miranda now slid along the raised edge of the heel, smoothing it out. Turning the shoe over, Miranda stood it on its end. It stayed upright.
"Would you like to attach the buckle, Sofia?"
"Yes, please." Sofia attached the buckle into the holes Miranda had carved in the leather the night before, expressly for this purpose. Miranda now pulled out the shoe's twin, and compared its heel to the one she just completed.
"Right. I think... this order's ready. Let's head out down the street and deliver them to the florist."
Miranda and Sofia left their little shop. They wore decent villager's clothes: Sofia, a nice green blouse, and Miranda, a white dress with a purple collar. They were halfway down the street when they ran into the florist.
"Just the ladies I wanted to see!"
"And you too," Miranda smiled. "Here are the shoes you ordered, Mrs. Greeley."
Mrs. Greeley paid with a few coins, which Sofia accepted, as her mother had taught her. Proud of her for making the sale, Miranda pressed a kiss to Sofia's forehead as they turned to head back home and continue with the next orders.