Victoria Chamberlain sat up and cringed as her head hit the wooden shelf that was over her heed.

She groaned and crawled out from her spot, avoiding the shovels, rakes and other tools that were around her "Time to start a new day." she pushed a piece of hair from her face, then looked warily at her soot smudged hand.

When she was ten, her step-siblings had snuck up behind her and dumped several buckets of soot over her head, which resulted in her hair nearly always looking black, since she wasn't allowed to get a bath. Sometimes the black would start to wear off, but then she'd have to clean the chimneys, and it would just turn back black again, which also gave her step-siblings the idea to call her Cinderella.

She stood to her feet and stepped around a large shovel and pushed the door to the tool shed open. The bright sunlight reflecting off of the snow momentarily blinded her.

She shivered as the cold wind blew against her skin. Her tan potato sack dress did little to keep her warm. The sleeves had long since been torn off till they went a mere four inches down her arms, and the bottom of the dress was jagged and torn up to the middle of her calf.

She looked down at the foot of snow, then slowly stepped into it.

"That is cold!" she said under her breath as she finished stepping out. Then she made a run for the house, which was a mile away. Her bare feet were numb before she even made it halfway to her destination. When she finally reached the kitchen door to the mansion, she found it locked.

"Edmund must have locked me out again." she sighed and shook her head. It happened quite often. Especially when it had been snowing. But, she wasn't allowed to have a key.

She reached over to the window sill and grabbed a butter knife that stashed there a few days ago and began picking at the door. Thankfully, Edmund hadn't dead-bolted it.

A few moments later, the door swung open, and Tori was met with the welcoming warmth of the fireplace.

She knew she didn't have much time before the eight upstairs would start to stir, then demand their breakfast.

She quickly put a pot over the fireplace for tea, then started the breakfast. Every morning they demanded a full seven course Breakfast. And cooking for eight people, that was a lot of food.

She had just finished placing the last bit of food on the plates when several screams echoed down the hall "CINDERELLA WE WANT OUR BREAKFAST! NOW!"

Tori picked up five of the platters, two on each arm and one on her head, and went up the stairs as quickly as she dared. After she delivered the five platters, she ran back down the stairs and retrieved the other three. She delivered her Stepmother's food last, knowing that she was going to get a list of chores to do.

"Running a little late, are we Tori?" Francesca asked "You are so lazy."

Tori didn't respond. She knew the beating she would get if she did.

"Don't forget to do your normal chores today." Francesca said "And, I want you to shovel the snow off of the driveway. And I want all of the snow off of the outside of the house. I don't want to see one flake of snow!"

"Yes, Stepmother."

"And then after Lunch, I want you to walk to town and pick up my orders from the perfume, dress, suit, shoe, and jewelry shop. There should be about thirty items. Understand?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Now get buys! You useless child!"

"Yes Ma'am." Tori quickly retreated from the room and went back down the stairs.

It had been fifteen years since her father had died, and it never got any easier.

Prince Ethan rubbed his forehead as he listened to the Princess chatter on and on about... What was she talking about? He tuned his ears back in for a split second, then sighed. Oh yeah. Herself.

"And it was just perfect how I was born with Chocolate hair." the girl gushed "Because we match perfectly! Except I've got the most beautiful emerald eyes while you have blue, but..."

"Please, just stop." Ethan said quickly "You don't need to say any more. You can leave now."

"B-b-but, we're perfect for each other!" the Princess cried.

Ethan shook his head and started for the door "I might as well marry a Hyena." he mumbled under his breath.

"How did it go?" Him mother, Queen Clarabelle asked as he walked into the throne room.

"She wouldn't quit talking!"

"Well, every girl likes to talk."

"About herself." Ethan said "Ooh! My chocolate hair and beautiful emerald green eyes! My nails are always one-eighth of an inch past the tip of my finger!"

"Ew." Clarabelle shook her head "That girl talks to much." she then pulled out a notepad and marked off a name "Well, seventy-five out of three hundred and fifty."

"Mom." Ethan said quickly "No more. None of them are right for me."

"How would you know if you never meet them?" His mom said quickly "I mean like, how are you supposed to know that the Princess from Norway is right for you if she never leaves Norway!?"

"Does Norway have a princess?"

"I don't know!"

"Please, Mom. No more." Ethan walked over and pulled a dusty shirt and overalls on over his prince clothes.

"Where are you going?" Clarabelle demanded "Even the garden doesn't require that getup."

Ethan pulled on a large, dusty coat "To town. I need to clear my head."

"There is a girl out there for you." The Queen called after him "I promise."

Ethan pulled the door closed behind him and shook his head "I doubt it."

(I know, this chapter is really short, but I hope you enjoyed it anyways. :) Thank you for your review Jesus' girl 4ever. Laterz!)