This is a retelling of Cinderella. I have some of the names picked out but others I don't so every so often I will ask fir ideas on an upcoming characters name. Please enjoy and review!

Elise's Pov (Age 5)

"Don't leave me Papa. I'll miss you too much." I said, trying to hold back tears as I said goodbye to Papa. He was leaving to try and sell some stuff of ours that we no longer needed. He had already tried in town and was now going to try other towns.

"It will be alright Els. You have your new stepmother to take care of you and you can play with her daughters. Now I really must be off. I'll be back before you know it," Papa assured.

I waved to him as he rode off, then turned and entered our house. When I entered, this is the scene that greeted me: most of my belongings in a box on the floor, my step family standing behind the box and my stepfamilies sour scowls.

"I have fired all but the cook as you shall be expected to do all the chores around the house and wait on us. When we throw parties you are expected to help serve the food and you are now going to sleep in the attic so that my daughter, Eve, can have a room to herself. Any questions? No? Good. Move all your stuff to the attic." My stepmother said, (or, as I liked to call her, Mother Evil). I never called her that to her face but in my head she was always Mother Evil.

The way to the attic was filled with narrow spaces and lots of stairs. The attic is at the very top of a tower in my house. The only good part about the location is the fantastic view from the one window. The window faces away from the city and out into the countryside.

I set down the box I was holding and started to move things around to create space that I could live in. I put a fake wall of excess stuff to create a space behind it where I could hide if needed. I hoped Papa returned soon.

Elise's POV (3 months later)

"Madam, I bring sad news. Your husband was attacked by bandits on his way home. Sadly he did not make it out alive," said the voice that drifted up to me from the window. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How could Papa be dead? How could he leave me with Mother Evil? What makes this worse is today is my birthday. Not that Mother Evil and the step horrors would care about stuff like that. Me turning 6 just meant they could find more ways to torture me.

"Elise! We need you to go to the market place and buy some stuff for us. We would go but servants are supposed to go," Eve called up the stairs to me. I sighed and got up from where I was sitting. I had some money of my own and it was enough to get a place of my own. The only reason I haven't left would be because I am not old enough to own a place of my own and I had promised my mother before she died that I would be patient and kind towards the new family if my papa remarried.

When I got downstairs to where Eve was waiting she handed me a list and a small bag of money.

"I expect change to be given back and I will know if you take some money for yourself. "

I took the money and list, got my cloak and left the place I had grown to hate.

As I was walking around the marketplace everyone else was staring at me. Some gave me looks of pity but I just ignored them all and went to the separate stalls. I wanted to do this as quickly as possible and get back to my secret corner, as I had started to call it.

Elise's POV (age 15)
"Here, I'll give this to you for less than what I should. Keep the extra for yourself and they will never know." Anna said, Anna was in charge of one of the stalls that I had to go to often when I was sent to town. I smiled at her and slipped a piece of paper into her hand with the money.

"Don't let Mother Evil find out about what is on the paper," I whispered to her. "You can tell others as long as she doesn't find out." Anna nodded and I started for home. The paper was an invitation to a secret party on the same night as a ball at the palace that Mother Evil and the step horrors planned to go to. I was doing this party because there are a ton of people from the marketplace that are not allowed to go to the balls at the palace so I was throwing a party for them during that time. I knew it is risky and I could get caught by Mother Evil, but I was willing to take that risk.

So how did you like the first chapter? If you noticed I misspelled Elise's name at the beginning when her dad is talking to her. I did that on purpose because that is her dad's nickname for her. It's kinda sweet right. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please reveiw.