Hello everyone. Now that it has been a more than a week since the release of Requiem for the Forgotten Shadow, I have a new story. My fan-made DP will be out soon if you're wondering about that. Now, you know how the Writer has all those books in the preview of the 12th game, right?

Let's just say what if one of those books could be on the fairytales. More specifically, Dark Parables, but the reasons why the tales are the way they are? (After all, we don't know the timeline of the Writer. He could have died way before Briar Rose got cursed). Plus, it will help expand on what we might not know on the villains. This story will also be in the view of the protagonist of the seven stories I choose to do. This first story will be a Cinderella tale (I was kinda sad that DP didn't used this version, considering that this was much darker. But, guess what? I can put a great twist to it!)

I'll be adding some other languages as well... So Enjoy!


Sieben: The Story of the Corrupted Cinderella

I lay asleep in my well, the place of my death. I didn't understand. Why? How could this happened? How could she do this to me?

"Oh, so you have fallen in as well?" a voice asked.

Who was that? I tried to looked up, but I can't. Of course, I was dead. Therefore, I cannot move my body.

However, this... Man, he seemed different from any other man I've seen, dressed in black and red clothing of high quality. He has black hair that reached passed his ears from the front. It looked like it was tainted from the shadows with his bangs swept slightly towards the left from the right. His skin was ghostly white like the dead, a sickly pale complexion with hints of grey like a corpse. And his eyes was as terrifying as the blood-red sky just before dusk.

Despite his odd features, he was a rather handsome-looking man.

"Why thank you. It isn't very often that I get compliments from a dead Prinzessin like you."

Did he just read my thoughts? It's strange, though. Because despite his words, I can surprisingly understand him.

"No, he didn't read your thoughts. More like your Geist did." another voice answered, this time it was a girl's.

There were so many questions I have, but I decided to start off with the reasonable one. Why are you here?

"This is a story about a Beschädigte Aschenputtel. A fascinating tale, however, das Buch has led me to you, Fräulein." the man answered. "It tells me of the Cinderella of this tale who goes by the name of Tam."

Tam? That's my name.

"Oh? So you ended up marrying der Prinz?"

That's right.

"And then you died here?"

That is correct.

"And how you came back and in the end, you killed, causing your heart to become as black and dark as the rice of your name?"

What? No! I-I'd would never even considering killing her despite what she did to me!

"Oh? Are you telling us that the book is false? Because it says so right here." the childish voice of the girl spoke. "It tells us of the predestined fate of everyone!"

"Unless... There is another story with this one, an abandoned truth of this tragic tale." the man believed.

Does that book tells of my future? I wondered...

"Well, it's my job, als der Erzähler, to aid those who have their lives end in tragedy. And since I've came to meet you, Prinzessin, you are the one." he answered as he took out his book. "Once I know the whole story, it's then the job of the Storyteller to read, revise, and craft the stories to best fit the Protagonists' favored outcome."

"Yes, this is quite an interesting story you have here, Prinzessin!" the girl laughed.

"So tell me, what could have caused you to have such a tragedy? Please, tell die Zuschauer of your life."

Tell them my story? Why not. After all, I am dead. And so, I began to move my lips and sing my tale that will eventually lead to my tragic end.


Once, there was a family. A hard-working father and a loving mother. Together, they had twins, identical twin girls. I was the slightly older daughter. The name given to me was Tam, the name that means heart. My little twin sister's name was An. Because we were twins, we looked exactly alike. We have long black hair, pretty brown eyes, and a flawless complexion. Although, there was a difference in our favorite color and flowers.

While I love the color blue and the yellow flower ochna integerrima (Hoa Mai), An prefers the color pink and red roses.

Unfortunately, Mother died from illness shortly after our birth. Heartbroken, Father soon remarried.

Stepmother was remarkably a beautiful woman. She had Mother's long black hair, fair skin, and deep brown eyes. However, unlike Mother, Stepmother wasn't caring or loving. At least, not towards me or An. On her and Father's wedding day, neither me or An could attend the feast or welcome the guests. Moreover, we had to go to bed without supper.

Soon, Father and Stepmother later had a child of their own. One as dark as rice bran, metaphorically speaking anyway. Stepmother named her child Cam. Being a few months younger from us, you could barely tell our ages if you put the three of us side by side. Cam has some of Father's features, but she mostly resembles Stepmother. Just like how me and An looked like Mother.

We both tried our best to pleased Stepmother and Cam, but they only looked down at us. They despised us, being the daughters of Father's first love. It wasn't long until Father's affection towards me and An changed... All because of the many false tales Stepmother has been feeding him. Slowly, he came to adore Cam and allowed Stepmother to punished us whenever we didn't complete our chores in time.

"I can't stand it anymore!" An cried.

"It'll be okay, An. We just need to have faith." I comforted my poor sister. Despite what I said, I was beginning to ponder on my own words. Do I even have faith and believed that things will get better?

However, soon, everything just keeps getting worse and worse. We were kicked out of our rooms and were forced to sleep in a wretched dirty place in the kitchen. Although, I didn't really mind, so long as An was with me. After Father have stopped associating himself with us, we help take care of each other. Unfortunately, because An was physically not well, I had to do double the work. It didn't bother me. The only thing in my mind was that I hoped my poor sister get better soon.

It was a while until I realized that my once soft hands became all rough from all the work I've done. However, I bore the pain without any complaints. Why? Because I was already used to it by now.


The days didn't get much better. I worked everyday that I cannot remember the time when I actually had fun. Stepmother would sent me and An to go to the forest to collect some wood or draw water from the deep well. Sometimes, I would stare at my reflection to become terrified of myself. I was covered in dirt and my hair was a mess! I didn't looked human at all! So, to clean up myself, I washed my face until the dirt was gone and combed my hair with her fingers until it was smooth and silky. I would then do the same with An and she would smile. Seeing her rosy lips smile would always make me smile.

However, Stepmother eventually became bored three years later after my tenth birthday.

"But why?" Father begged for an answer.

"Because you are getting old now. I rather have a strong, good-looking man to be my husband." Stepmother coldly answered.

"But-"

"Dear, you were once perfect, but now... Look at you. Time has left you into a heap. You'd only be a burden to me and Cam."

I would never forget those harsh words and I could never forget what transpired after. The next day, she left Father behind, taking Cam and An with her. I was left with only Father to take care of. After some time, he did came to his sense.

"Tam," he called out my name.

"Vâng?" I sat by his side.

"Tôi xin lôi." he apologized. "I should have never been such a great burden for you."

"No! You don't have to apologize." I told him gently.

He sighed, "This is so strange. I remembered, this was exactly how I last saw your mother."

The mentioning of my late mother caused my heart to sank. Tears were in my eyes as he reached out to touch my cheek.

"Don't leave me too, Father." I pleaded.

"Ha, I'm sorry..." he slowly whispered until his eyes became lifeless.

I closed his eyes before softly crying. Now I was alone.


Not long after Father's death, Stepmother and Cam came back. However, An was nowhere to be seen with them. When they returned, I went over to them.

"Chào Mẹ. Chào Cam." I greeted them. "Um, where is An?"

"Never mind her, how dare you greet us with such disrespect?!" Stepmother yelled at me.

"Yeah, you should be ashamed of yourself!" Cam sneered at my face.

I looked down as I whispered, "I'm sorry."

For some strange reason, Cam looked a lot like An... Like me. It was like I'm looking at a reflection of myself. How peculiar... Has her appearance never been that different from us all this time? Regardless, that didn't mean her attitude has changed. They were still cruel to me, but I tried my best to ignored their harsh and vulgar tone.

It was just only me now. Just like the last time, I wanted to pleased them, to be the daughter they wanted me to be, but it was never good enough for their refined taste. And for some unsettling reason, I feel that my twin has sided with the dark... Because I sensed something dark within her, where ever she is.

Seven years have passed. Seven. On my seventeenth birthday, Stepmother decided to hold a contest, promising to whomever can catch her the most fish in the river will be given a new yếm. I never cared much for competition, only that I get the job done. It wasn't because I wanted the new yếm. It was because of Stepmother's warning.

"If you return with few fish, you'll be flogged and be sent to bed without supper."

I knew that the warning was only for me. Stepmother loved Cam so much, that she would never beat her. My little half-sister knows that as well. While I worked, I saw her playing in the fields, singing and dancing. By the time I filled my basket full of fish, I notice Cam approaching my way.

"Oh, Sister, perhaps you should wash your hair. Mother would scold you if you come home dirty."

I looked at myself to see that she was right. My hair was covered in mud from catching all the fish. However, the sight of Cam's basket not even filled with any fish worried me. Still, I decided to take her good advice and went to the river to wash my hair.

However, when I returned, I was shocked to find out that I was tricked!

"My basket!" I exclaimed as not a single fish was in it.

Fearing of what Stepmother will do to me, I could only shed tears. How pathetic of me, right? I'm almost an adult, yet I'm crying like a child.

"My, my, what could be troubling you, dear?" a voice spoke.

I looked up to gasped, "W-Who are you?"

A beautiful woman was sitting on a rock with her feet in the water. She was wearing a beautiful sea-green dress. Her dark hair was tied into an elegant bun. In her hands looked like a wand made out of glass.

"I am your Godmother, of course." the woman answered. "My name is Shannon."

"Oh."

"Tell me, Child. What upsets you?" my Godmother asked.

"I have nothing to give to my stepmother and she'll surely punish me severely if I return." I replied sadly.

"Oh, come now. Wipe away those sad tears. Your misfortune will be over soon, continue to have faith." she told me as she comforted me. "Look in the basket. A little friend will be there for you."

I looked into the basket to find one little goby. My lovely Godmother instructed my to take the fish home and feed it. So every evening, I would go to the well to recite a little poem:

"Goby, goby! Come eat the golden rice, the silver rice of mine. Don't eat the stale rice, old porridge that are not mine."

He would come every time when I recite the poem for him. In return for my food, he would always make me feel better by singing a sweet tune. Unfortunately, one day, I despaired to find out that my fish had died. There was no sign of him in the well, only the water stained red with blood. Falling to my knees, I cried again.

"Now, now. What is it this time?" I heard my Godmother asked. Her motherly look was sweet and kind.

"My poor little goby is dead!" I burst into tears.

"Please, stop crying. It won't do you much good." she waved her wand at the well to pull out the remains of my fish. "Place each bones in four separate jars and hide them under your bed."

I didn't understand why, but I did it anyway. A few weeks passed and I've never seen my Godmother again.


One day, the Prince had proclaimed a festival at his palace to search for a woman to be his bride. I wanted to go so much that every night, I worked hard on a dress. It was very plain, but it didn't matter. So long as I get to go. The next morning, however...

I saw Stepmother and Cam. Cam was wearing a red dress with flower embroideries, her hair is styled in an updo, and she is wearing the traditional headdress to match her dress. Stepmother was also wearing something for the festival as well. While I, was simply wearing a blue dress.

"Mẹ, wait for me!" I called out.

She and Cam turned to looked at me with horror as if I was a disgrace to their sight.

"Where do you think you're going?" Stepmother questioned in a highly manner.

I dropped to my knees and begged, "Please, Mẹ, take me with you to the festival."

"No, Mẹ!" Cam complained. "Look at her! Do you really want to take her with us! She'll only embarrassed me! I'd rather stay home than let anyone know that I am associated with this-this... đầy tớ gái!"

Stepmother gave me a rather tedious look before saying, "Alright, but give me the baskets the contained the green and black beans."

I nodded, smiling. I get to go to the festival!

I quickly returned to give her the baskets of beans, "Here, Mẹ."

"Do you really want to go?" she asked, almost sympathetically.

"Yes." I answered, smiling.

"Very well." Stepmother replied as she turn the baskets over. I watched in dread as the beans became mixed up. "But first, you must sort out this mess. Then you can go."

"But... It will take me almost the entire festival." I told her. "Oh, can I just go with you and clean up when I come back?"

"This is my order!" she yelled as she raised her hand.

I cried out as I fall to the floor with my hand touching the spot that stings. I got up to me knees as Stepmother left. Cam was about to follow until...

"Since you're at it, why don't you redo all the other chores like washed the laundry, chop the wood, and mop the entire house!" she pushed me and laughed as she exit.

Taking the beans in my trembling hands, I tried not to cry again, but failed.

"My, my, are we at this again?"

"Hello, Godmother." I cried, recognizing her voice.

"When will you understand that crying won't solve anything?" she asked. Seeing that her jokes only made things worse for me, she added, "Come, come."

"What?"

"Fetch me the four jars that contained the bones. Hurry, quick!"

I obeyed as I rushed into my room to get the jars. By the time I return, I saw my Godmother had already sorted out the black beans from the green beans.

"How did you-"

"I told you, I am your Godmother, have I not?" she smiled. "Now, let's worked some real magic."

Pointing her Magic Glass Wand at the jars, all four of them spilled in order. The first jar spilled, giving me a golden gown, a silk yếm, and a silk scarf. The second jar gave my a pair of golden slippers that perfectly matched my feet. The third, an ornamented saddle and bridle. Finally, the fourth jar gave me a fine horse. I watched it all in delight as my dreams are coming true.

"Thank you, Godmother." I hugged her in happiness. "But... Why?"

"What?" she looked puzzled.

"Why me out of all the other girls in this kingdom?" I questioned.

"Because you're heart is pure. My pure-hearted Cinderella." she whispered to me.

Blowing into her wand, she made my favorite flower appeared and put it in my hair. Immediately, the Hoa Mai became a golden flower crown in my hair.

"Thank you." I could never expressed my gratitude enough for my Godmother.

"You're welcome. Now, off you go. Wouldn't want to miss the festival, now do we?"

I laughed as I got on the saddle. The horse started to ride off as I hold the reins.


Upon arriving to the festival, I was surprised by such festivity. I won't deny it, I was enjoying it. It was like playing dress-up, something I never got to do in my childhood. However, upon seeing Stepmother and Cam, I'd made sure to not catch their attention. Running away to hide, I was surprised to have bumped into someone.

"Oh!" I gasped as someone grabbed my hand.

"Uh, I'm so sorry, miss. Did I startled you?" it was a man's voice who asked.

"Oh, no. I'm sorry. I didn't watched where I was going." I quickly apologized.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay." he calmly told me. I looked up to have a proper look at him.

The man had black hair and gorgeous brown eyes. His fair skin glowed under the sunlight. He was dressed in such fine garments.

"You must be here for the festive." I muttered.

"Ah, yes... The festive." he answered, clearly distracted.

I would have continued staring at this stranger until someone was calling out for the Prince.

"Prince! Where are you?"

The stranger was frowning when the men were calling out for the Prince.

"I have to go." he hastily replied.

"Wait!" I grabbed his hand as he turned to face me.

"What's your name?" I asked, wanting to know my friend.

"Long." he answered before running off.

Long... How fitting. He has the name that means dragon. Remembering why I was running off in the first place, I quickly made my way into the palace.

'I hope I do see him again.'

When I got to the palace, it was filled with many people.

"Please, everyone. The Prince will soon come." the Grand Duke nervously tried to keep order.

"I wonder who the Prince is?" a lady asked.

"I hoped he's handsome." another remarked.

"Ah, here comes the Prince!" the Grand Duke regained his composure as the Prince came.

I was ready to bow when I looked up in shock. The Prince is Long! Not wanting to embarrasses myself, I quickly bow with the other ladies. When everyone looked at Long, I thought I heard a familiar voice.

"Is that girl not strangely like my sister Tam?"

Hearing that remarked, I slightly turned to realized that both Stepmother and Cam were curiously staring at me. Alarmed, I struggled out of the crowd and ran for the exit. However, the Prince seemed to have notice my unexplainable escape for he called out to me.

"You there, what caused you to leave so anxiously?"

I felt guilty for not turning to face him or giving him a real reason as to why I must flee. I just ran out of the palace as I heard him chased after me.

"Wait!"

However, in my haste, one of my slipper has fallen from my feet.


I was about to leave the palace, but the Prince's guards has blocked the only exit. With panic in my mind, I fled to the royal gardens. I thought that no one was following me until I heard his voice.

"Hello? Are you here?" he questioned. "Please, come out. I just want to talk."

I didn't want to reveal my hiding place, but I gave up and revealed myself to him.

"Hello... Prince Long." I had my eyes staring at the grass, taking small quick glances at his face.

"Why did you leave?"

"I didn't want to make a fool of myself." I quietly answered.

"Nonsense. You are a guest here." he assured me. "Something is troubling you... What is it?"

"You didn't tell me that you were the Prince." I slowly replied.

"Are you upset because I lied?" he asked in concern.

"No, it's just... Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I was trying to escaped from having to choose the many women in line to be my bride."

"But didn't you said that the reason you're having this festival is so you can find one?"

"Only to appeased my father, the King." he admitted. "But... When I first looked it you, I knew that you were different."

"How so?"

"I see in you, a pure, caring young maiden, who only wished to help others, whenever if they are bad or good."

I couldn't help, but smile, "You're not wrong."

"This kingdom will eventually need a just Queen, one who rules with a kind heart. And all I asked is for a maiden who will treat me as an equal." he explained.

"But... What if I'm not the one?"

"We'll see. If this slipper fits." he showed me my golden shoe. Looking at it, I slipped my feet into the slipper as the Prince looked at me with a smile. "You are the one."

I giggled, "If I'm the one you were searching for."

"Tell me, what is your name, fair lady?"

I laughed at his playful question, "My name is Tam."

I returned to the palace with Long holding my hand. Everyone looked at me with awe as I blushed from all this attention that I wasn't used to having. Sadly, Stepmother and Cam were not happy to see me like this at all. And I couldn't shake off this sense of uneasiness I felt from the two of them.

Little did I know that they had planned to do far worse to me. They just didn't do it out of fear of my soon-to-be husband...


Um, the reason why I have German and Vietnamese language in some parts of the sentence is because the Storyteller whom I based on is from a German tale while The Story of Tam and Cam originate from Vietnam.

1) In Vietnam, whenever you have a step family, you call addressed them as if they are your own. "Mẹ" is Vietnamese for mom, but you can used it for your stepmother too (so long you add an extra word so people won't mistake them for your real mother)

2) I would have gone into details of the funeral, but I didn't want to get out of the Dark Parables feels (even though, I probably already have)

3) An is an OC.

4) Shannon is another OC because if you remember in The Final Cinderella, there was more than one Godmother. I feel that Ella, Agnes, Shan, and Bianca are Amelia's Cinderellas, but they were not the actual 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Cinderellas if Amelia was the last Godmother.

5) đầy tớ gái is housemaid.

6) A yếm is a traditional Vietnamese bodice used as an undergarment.

If you are curious about this tale and want to know more, search The Story of Tam and Cam. However, despite I SUGGEST you go read it, I DARE you, I repeat DARE YOU TO NOT READ THE ORIGINAL STORY YET before reading the twist that I have in store. However, if you stay for the next chapter, you'll know more of the story. So, please don't spoil yourself by reading the original, unless you already are familiar with this tale.

Please leave a review.