Hey, everyone! Thanks for sopping by to read MY VERY FIRST FANFIC EVER! It's basically a Cinderella/Ever After type setting with a few character twists ;-) enjoy!
Once upon a time, if you were to walk down a quiet country road and step through a purple grove of wisteria bushes, you would stumble across an old and well-worn path. Follow it, and you would find a house that had obviously spent many days in the sun until the surrounding trees grew tall enough to shade it's walls. Inside lived a man, a woman, and their little girl. The girl's name was Haruhi because she was born on a warm spring day. What you wouldn't know, however, was that very soon, the little girl's mother would grow very ill, and eventually pass away. And you wouldn't be able to tell that her father would remarry to a wicked woman who had two daughters that hated Haruhi. Or that the little girl's father would go away from a very long time and never return. And I bet that you wouldn't guess that this is her story. It starts the day of her 9th birthday.
Haruhi stood in the window of her room, watching the road expectantly. Father would be home today, and he had a surprise for her. Suddenly, the carriage came around the bend in the road, and Haruhi could see father at the front working the team. She made haste to the door, only stopping to collect her cat Belzniff from the stairs. She dashed outside, cat in arms, and sat on the porch.
Her father's whistling filled the gentle spring air as he drove up. He stopped the coach and cast loving eyes down at his daughter; his only remaining family. He climbed down off of the carriage and wrapped her into a tight hug. She giggled and squealed as he tickled her sides.
"Ranka, dear." A soft voice came from the carriage, and Haruhi stopped laughing. Curiosity got the best of her, and she stood on her tiptoes to see over her kneeling father's shoulder.
"Oh, I almost forgot your surprise." Her father winked as he stepped over to the coach and opened the door. Out stepped a woman in a lavish light-green gown. Her short brown hair blew softly in the warm breeze.
"Haruhi," Ranka said, "This is Benio. She will be your mother. Happy birthday!"
Haruhi tried her best to smooth her pale pink dress and stand up straight. Ranka laughed. "There's more, Haruhi." Benio stepped out of the way, and two girls emerged from the carriage. The first to emerge was a girl about Haruhi's age. She had blond waves in her hair and sported a red dress. She was taller than Haruhi, and a lot less dirty.
"Chizuru."
A younger girl stepped out. She only looked to be about 6, and had short, curly brown hair. Her dress matched the purple wisteria flowers on the bush that Haruhi's mother had planted in the front garden.
"And Hinako. These are your sisters."
Haruhi smiled and tried to look nice.
"I have to leave." Ranka broke a long silence.
"What?" Benio looked horrified.
"I have business, dear. But I'll be home soon. And I will bring back to you whatever you desire."
"Candy." Little Hinako said.
"Pearl earrings." Chizuru requested.
Haruhi knew it was her turn when her father looked gently down at her, and she tried to think of something fast. "A book." She decided. Her step sisters looked at her strangely. Ranka laughed. "Yes of course! And for you my dear?" He looked at Benio.
"A necklace to go with my ring." She extended her left hand, which sported a glimmering ring. Haruhi's father smiled and kissed his bride's cheek.
"I shall see you soon! Farewell! Happy birthday, my daughter!" He hugged Haruhi one last time, whispered that he loved her in her ear, and was gone. That was 6 years ago, and no one had seen or heard from Ranka Fujioka since.
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