Author's Note: I don't own anything from Disney since this is based on Cinderella or TOEI. Only the characters I made up for this story. Also Amu is Sera's stepsister in this story. I am having her far more kind to Sera than the rest of her stepfamily though…she just can't be wicked. She is sorta like a secondary fairy godmother. I wanted to have something that treated Sera like family to make her being a servant more bearable. Plus in the Cinderella sequels Anastasia did become nice to Cinderella. They usually have one nice sister in a lot of Cinderella adaptations.

A long time ago there was a young girl named Sera, she was very loved by her father. Being of high nobility he could give her anything she possibly wanted but the Nobleman felt that is daughter needed a mother's love. He remarried a woman named Maiko; she had two daughters named Amu and Rin. Not long after, Sera's father passed away while on one of his travels. That's Maiko true nature revealed itself; she was a cold, envious and bitter woman. Maiko became very jealous of Sera's beauty that when she took control of the house she forced Sera to live in the attic. Not happy that she was stuck having to raise her as well. She reduced her to the role of a servant girl. Sera, despite all this had always maintained her kindness and strength. She always remained optimistic; believe someday all her dreams would come true and that she should never give up.

Sera got up at the dawn; she had to prepare breakfast for her stepmother and stepsisters. She quickly finished putting her long hair in a ponytail as she braided part of it to the front. She put an apron over a blue dress. She was given nothing but raggedy old torn clothes; she fixed the dresses up by sewing up the holes. It was something that relaxed her. It was something she usally done in her free time. Well, what little she had . . .

"SERA!" She could hear the screams of her stepmother and one of her stepsisters, Rin.

"I'M COMING!" Sera called out as she placed a tray on her head, trying to maintain its balance, as she takes the other two trays. She was use to this routine. She did this for over ten years. As she climbed up the stairs, the first room she went to was her stepsister Rin. She was fixing up her hair was in curlers as Sera placed her breakfast tray that was on her head on the table near her bed.

"Good you're here. Put that over there and grab my laundry . . . and get."

"Yes, Rin." Sera tells her as she hold the laundry on one side. Rin was always so demanding and bossy. She never treated Sera as is she was a sibling more like a servant in the household. So she wasn't exactly her favorite person. There was more of an intense dislike for her that she had to hide.

The next room was Amu's; she was always very kind to Sera. She was the closest thing that Sera had to a family since her father's death, actually treating her like a sister. Amu was always felt bad for her. Even had taken the blame for her at times so Maiko wouldn't yell at her. Every year she brought her something for her birthday. Usually it was a new book Sera could read by the fireplace. As she puts it, reading the same book can get so boring. Sera always appreciate it.

"Here is your tray, Amu." Sera smiled as she placed the tray on Amu's lap.

"Thanks, Sera." Amu softly tells her as she gives her Sera a smile.

"I have my laundry over there but you can come back to get it."

"No, Amu. I can handle it. After all Stepmother would yell at me if she comes out of the room. Not with all three of them in hands. Plus I have to go into her room next." Sera replies, the last part was far more nervously.

"Good luck, Sis." Amu answers before Sera leaves the room.

Sera took a deep breath as she entered Maiko's room. Maiko was in the darkness with little could be seen. She was stroking her cat, giving a proud smirk on her face. She after all believed Sera was beneath her in stature.

"Hello Stepmother." Sera greeted Maiko as she gently placed her tray on her lap. "I hope you had a good sleep."

"No, talking unless you're spoken too." Maiko addresses Sera coldly. Sera just bows down her head. "As for your chores." Maiko stirred her tea as she took a slip. Placing down as she stirred it some more. "Let's the floors and windows need to be washed, all the plants in the garden need to be watered, feed all the animals, the laundry of course and if there are any holes you may find, sew it up. Sweep the chimney . . . and there is something else I missing . . . oh yes, clean the cat. "

"Right away Stepmother." Sera takes Maiko's bag of laundry as she heads out the door. That was she ever done was work, the only time she had to herself reading one of her books at night by the fireplace to keep warm. Sometimes she ended up sleeping near the fire so cinder would end up on her face.

Sera had to hand washed all the clothes, before handing them on the clothesline. She knew at least Rin and her Stepmother may have purposely made clothes for her to clean. They enjoyed watching her do things for them. She also did her best, trying to ignore them. She took a basket too the garden as she picked a whole bunch of berries putting them in one basket. After that she picked all varies of different vegetables that were ripe. Lastly, she went to the orchard to pick some of the apples that were in season. After all she had to make an apple pie for dessert later. Sera wanted to brighten up the room so she took some flowers from the backyard

As she went to the kitchen, she put all the baskets on the counter. Immediately taking the flowers, take a vase as she filled it with water and putting them in the center of the table. She took a broom and started to sweep the floor before she put it against the wall. She placed some of the dishes, utensils and tea cups from yesterday, back in the cabinet that she already cleaned. Sera sighed as she heard her name being called from a distance. She knew it was her but it was always the name commonly being screamed at throughout the house.

"SERA!" Rin screamed out as Sera walks out of the kitchen to the staircase.

"Amu and I want to go clothes shopping . . . you need to come with us." Rin demanded.

"What about the rest of my chores?" Sera questioned. It's like they were purposely giving her more things to do so she would have to keep working.
"You have all day to do them . . . right now we having to go shopping so you can carry all our things . . ."

"Yes, Rin!" Sera tried her best to not look annoyed as she watched Rin head to the door. Amu just shook her head as she goes over to Sera.

"Don't worry." Amu whispers. "I'll buy you something to make up for this.

"You don't have to keep buying me things Amu." Sera "Maiko, said this what I was b

"Sera, I don't like the way they treat you. You're not a servant. You're a part of our family. You're more like a sister to me than Rin has ever been. I want to do this for you. I will make it another surprise." Amu winks.

"AMU!" Rin screams out.

"COMING!" Amu calls back as she gestures to come with them. Sera nods her head as she follows them.

"YAMATO!" Tusk called out for the Prince. As he looked around the castle. He knew the King and Queen would be angry if he couldn't be found. Yamato always seemed to do this, then he remembered how he always looks viewing outside the palace in his favorite spot.

"You're Highness!" Tusk tired, called out. He was out of breathe. Yamato was wearing a short sleeved red shirt with gold trim and black pants. He was sitting on the window ledge.

"I wonder what it's like out there?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"To out there. Where no one tells you

"They all out there wishing they were you, Prince Yamato!"

"They don't know what that's really like . . ."

"Oh, I see this is about your Father . . ." Tusk begins to speak before he is interrupted.

"Tusk, I want to go out there . . ." Yamato confesses, he turns around to look at him.

"WHAT?!" Tusk shouts out, he was completely in shock . . .

"I want to know what it's like . . . just to have one taste of it . . ."

"It's too dangerous. What if we get caught?

"I will be in disguise. No, one will no."

"I can't lie to your parents . . . they have laws against that . . ." Tusk points out, he knew the punishment for lying

"Just tell them it was all my idea, if we get caught."

"It is all your idea, you're need desire for adventure . . . taking risks."

"Tusk, you're always too serious. Be more carefree..."

"All right . . . no more than five minutes."

"Five? Might as well not even go . . ." Yamato remarks, frustrated at the possible thought.

"All right . . .we a half an hour . . . we go out there, you see everything you want to see . . . and then we go back to the castle before anyone finds out."

"But who's going to distract my parents . . ." Yamato questions, rubbing his chin as he glares over at Tusk.

"LEO!" They both say together in union.

How do you guy's like this chapter? I always want Yamato and Tusk friends in my stories . . . since his more fun-loving and he is always so serious . . . it just balances out. Yes, Sera and Yamato will meet at the marketplace but they won't know each others names, etc. They're may be some Tusk/Amu since they're my secondary pairing. It may not be as big though . . .Also what do you think of Sera and Amu as stepsisters for this fiction?

Please don't be negative, I am rather sensitive. Thank you.