Caroline had a normal life. She had a mom and a dad that loved her no matter what. She had a step dad. She lived in an expensive mansion. Well, that part wasn't normal, but still. She was happy with her life.

Caroline lived on Mystic Island. It's a small island located in the Atlantic Ocean. Not a lot of people knew about it though. No one really cared either. The only thing that anyone cared about was the royalty.

This island was not ruled by a president like the United States, but by King Mikael and Queen Esther. They were also ruled by Princess Rebekah, Prince Finn, Prince Elijah, Prince Kol, and last but not least Prince Niklaus.

Caroline didn't know what she felt about the Mikaelsons. She just tried to ignore them as much as possible. They weren't necessarily bad, but there was something that wasn't right about them. She just didn't know what.

Caroline was fourteen years old when both her parents died. Her mother was visiting her father claiming that she had something important to tell him. Somehow the house caught fire. Her dad's house burned to the ground with Elizabeth and Bill in it.

After that, everything changed. Caroline wanted to go with her father's boyfriend, Steven, but her father never married him, so she was unable to live with him. The Child Protective Services wouldn't let her. She had to live with her step father. But even that was short-lived.

Her step father had a sudden heart attack after two months of her living with them. Her step sisters were 18 years old by that time, so they were now her legal guardians. Caroline had a miserable life from then on.

Caroline's step sisters were Elena, Katherine, and Tatia Petrova. They were triplets. They were bitches. They made Caroline do all of the chores. No breaks. They made her quit school and get a job, just so they wouldn't have to work. Caroline got $500 every week because the authorities recognized that her step sisters were unemployed. With that, her job, and the fact that they own the mansion instead of renting it, they just barely got by. The triplets of course had no problem with money considering that her mom's fortune belonged to them. The police couldn't find either parent's will, so Caroline's guardians got the fortune.

Sure, life is unfair and people need to get over it. But Caroline was having a hard time doing that. You really can't blame her. She had to work full-time as a waitress. No one waitress should work full-time. But she worked it out with the manager. When she wasn't working, she was doing chores. She always wore the same stupid clothes. They were too small for her, but her sister wouldn't let her use money to buy clothes. After all, they barely get by without Caroline buying new clothes.

Caroline would go to bed every night wondering. Wondering where she could go from here. She can't move out until she turns eighteen. She can't go to college because she had to drop out of school. She wouldn't have enough money to go to college, anyway. She didn't have any friends because she was so busy all the time. Her only friends were the few customers that come to the diner regularly.

Caroline was stuck. She was stuck in life. She was afraid that she was stuck forever. There was nothing she could do about it. Thinking about it just made her sick to her stomach.

Caroline wanted her life to change. She wanted to have a chance in this world. Little did she know that it soon would. Though, not the way she would ever expect.

(3 years later)

"CAROLINE!" Someone screamed from upstairs. Caroline stopped scrubbing the floor and sighed. Those girls always needed her to do something. She could tell that it was Katherine this time.

"Yes?" Caroline yelled back.

"Have you checked the mail yet?"

"No, not yet," Caroline answered.

"Then check it, you dumb blonde!" Katherine ordered.

"Yes, Katherine." Caroline said, gritting her teeth.

Caroline dropped her cleaning tools and went outside. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Caroline could smell the sea water from the Atlantic. Caroline wished that she could tan at the beach like her sisters. Her skin was more pale than the moon. But sadly, Caroline always had work to do.

She made her way over to the mailbox and felt the sun soak into her pale skin. Caroline opened the mailbox and gasped. In the mailbox there was four letters in it. They all had the royal seal. Caroline took the letters and raced inside. She didn't stop running. She ran up the steps and headed toward the attic, that was her bedroom. She bumped into someone in her rush.

"Woah, where's the fire?" Elena asked, dusting herself off.

Caroline resisted the urge to cry at the word 'Fire'."Sorry, Elena. I just have to go to my room."

"You could at least give me the mail first."

"Right." Caroline said. She handed Elena the letters adressed to Tatia, Katherine, and Elena.

"Can I go now?"

"What about that one?" Elena pointed to Caroline's letter.

"This one's mine."

"Don't be ridiculous. Nobody ever writes to you. You don't have any friends." Elena countered.

"If you haven't noticed, these aren't from friends. these are from the Royal Family." Caroline shot back.

Elena paused. She opened her mouth and closed it again. She read the envelope again, her eyes going wide.

"Katherine! Tatia! Guess what was in the mail?" Elena yelled, smiling.

"What is it?" Katherine and Tatia said as they came out of their rooms.

"Here. See for yourself." Elena handed them their letters and they all started opening them. Caroline opened up hers as well.

"It's an invitation to a ball." Tatia announced.

"And the prince is looking for a wife." Katherine added.

"And we are invited!" Elena finished, excitedly.

All three girls looked at each other with sly smiles. They all wanted to marry the prince. Each one of them is beautiful. Their only competition is each other. This was going to be easy.

"Can I borrow a dress for it?" Caroline asked.

"What?" All three girls asked in confusion.

"You're not invited." Tatia said.

"yes, I am."

Tatia snatched the letter out of Caroline's hands. She read over it carefully. Her lips suddenly perked up into a smile.

"Fine. You can go. But you may not borrow any clothes, and we are not driving you." Tatia was smiling evilly at Caroline.

Caroline's heart sank to the ground. She was really looking forward to this ball. She thought that she could have fun for one night. That was all she wanted. I guess it was just too much to ask out of life. Sure, she was allowed to go. But she can't go wearing ripped jeans and a stupid T-shirt. Even if she had the nerve to go wearing casual clothing, she lived on the other side of the island from the castle. She doesn't have a car to drive. Maybe she could hitch a ride with a neighbor...

"And one more thing, all of your chores need to be finished first." Tatia concluded.

Now Caroline had no hope whatsoever. That was it. She couldn't get a break for one night.

"Thanks." Caroline mumbled.

Caroline ran up the stairs to her room without even taking her letter back. She sat on her bed and sighed. She would be forever alone. She would never have any friends. She never had the chance to meet people.

"I guess that's how my life is supposed to be." Caroline said to herself.