You've probably read or heard many fairy tales in your life, but none as true or real as this. For this is not a fairy tale, nor is it a story to be taken lightly. This is the story of a broken girl, who against all odds finds love. But do not expect for her happy ending to come so easily. This is a story of a girl you know as Cinderella, and so she was called, but before she lay in cinders, she lay in a warm bed, with a loving family, and her happy ending within arms' reach. Her name was Ella. And this is where her story begins.

Once upon a time there was a girl born of true love, raised in a world where nothing bad or evil happened. A perfect childhood till one day. The day seemed perfect, like all the rest, however, this day was about to change drastically.

"Miss Ella! Miss Ella! Come quick! It's your mother! The baby is coming!" Ella rose from the soft meadow ground to see the town baker, Ms. Tessa, running towards her.

Ella squealed ignoring the burning pain in her feet as she ran, bare feet scratching on the rough ground, as she ran down the worn path towards her house. She arrived at the house to see the midwife already there; she must have been farther away than she thought. Pounding up the stairs she saw her Papa pacing in front of the master suite, listening intently as whimpers resonated into the hallway.

"Ella." Her father, Warren, breathed a sigh of relief as he saw her running towards him. No matter how old she was he would always get nervous when she was out of his sight. He picked his twelve year-old up in his arms as he waited for news of how his wife was fairing. He had a feeling that his wife, Margaret was going to have a lengthy labor, mirroring her labor with Ella.

"Papa! Is the baby here yet? Am I a big sister?" Ella bounced in her father's arms, bursting with excitement.

The biggest grin appeared on her father's face as he said, "No sweetheart, not yet, just be patient." Inside the bedroom, it had gone quiet. Warren leaned his ear against the door, hearing the midwife telling Margaret to breathe, keep calm, and wait for the right moment. He could practically feel his wife rolling her eyes at the obvious statement; she had done this before.

"But why?" Ella whined.

"Err…well...you know how the baby is in mummy's tummy?" Ella nodded vigorously. "Well, it takes time, and is very painful to get the baby out."

Ella's eyes grew wide as she shot a worried glance at the bedroom door. "Is mummy going to be ok?" she whispered faintly.

"Mummy is going to be just fine," Papa promised. It was as much of a promise to him as it was to her; childbirth took a lot out of a person, but women were built for it. He sighed, and sat down, knowing it was going to be awhile until the baby arrived. Warren felt like he was going to explode from all the emotions coursing through his veins. They had lost many children through the years since the birth of Ella. This was the first one that had lasted all nine months, and he hoped the evening could pass without any complications.

20 drawn out hours later

"Come on Margaret just one more push, I can see his head!" Margaret screamed as she put all her effort into pushing the child out of her body. As the baby's cries echoed throughout the room, Margaret panted, "Warren...I need Warren." The child was being handed to Margaret as Warren strode in with Ella in his arms.

Ella leapt from her father's arms, eagerly climbing onto the bed and snuggling next to her mum as she stared at her new baby brother. "He's so tiny mummy!" Ella whispered, not wanting to disturb the now-quiet newborn in her mother's arms. Warren looked at his wife knowing what the size of his newborn son meant. He was too small to make it.

"Henry…Henry Peter." Margaret said as Warren pulled his family into a tender embrace, tears running down his cheeks as he watched his new son's breaths grow weaker and weaker.

Ella kissed Henry's forehead, even though she was twelve, she understood what was going on, "I love you Henry," Ella whispered. Tears streamed down Margaret's face as she watched the loving exchange between her beloved children, sobs starting to rack her body. Henry blinked open his stormy blue eyes and stared at his mother as his breathing became slower and shallower. Slowly his eyes drifted shut and one last tiny breath left his body, leaving the rest of his family circled around him with broken hearts.

However, the sorrow wasn't over for this particular family. "Margaret! You're bleeding!" While the family was absorbed in their sorrowful moment, Ms. Tessa had approached the foot of the bed with wide eyes, pointing to the blanket over Margaret's legs; it was soaked in blood. Warren looked down in horror at the shocking amount of blood on the sheets. He refused to believe he would lose another member of his family today.

"The doctor! Someone get the doctor! NOW!" Warren yelled frantically. No one moved. Everyone knew by the amount of blood on the sheets that it was too late for Margaret. "No…," Warren murmured, falling to his knees. As if that one word would stop the Fates from cutting another string from his life. First his son and now his wife, he knew if he did not have his precious daughter to take care of, he would not have lived for much longer after this day. He could feel his heart shattering into millions of pieces as he now watched his wife accept her fate.

"Ella darling, come here" Margaret whispered. Ella, having jumped away from her mother at the sight of the blood, crawled back up next to her, curling into her side as tormented sobs forced their way out of Ella's tiny body.

"D-don't leave me mummy. P-please d-don't leave me," Ella moaned into her mum's side, clinging to her with all her strength.

"Listen to me sweetheart. Be good and righteous, and God will always take care of you, and I will look down upon you from Heaven, and will always be with you. Remember this for mummy, ok?" Ella nodded, as her mother wiped the tears from her cheeks and kissed her forehead one last time. "Warren," Margaret said gravely as she turned to her true love. With a quiet sob, Warren scooped up his family in his arms. He planted a tear-stained kiss on his wife's lips.

"I will always love you," Warren whispered against his lover's lips.

"And I, you." Margaret placed a hand against the side her husband's face; he leaned into her hand, closing his eyes and placing his own hand over hers. "Do not dwell in mourning. Move on. Live. Laugh. Remember to love." She commanded this, for she did not want him to be unhappy. When he started to shake his head she continued, "Warren. You cannot fall apart. You have Ella. Do not forget to watch her grow. Do not forget to cherish her. Do this for me. Please." Her voice cracked with her last words, her voice becoming weaker as Death crept its was ever closer.

"I will," Warren promised, and with these words Margaret fell limp in his arms, her eyes closing as Death overtook her.