Chapter 1
Three years. It had been three years since her father's death. Levy had found out that on his way home, her father's carriage had been jumped by bandits. Him, the driver and two other companions had tried to fight them off, but failed. There were no survivors.
Lady Minerva had mourned her Levy's father just as much as the rest of his former friends and Levy, for about a week. A few days after the funeral, she had disowned Levy as her daughter, and instead treated her as a slave in her own home.
Levy now slept by the fire place; the cinders were her new bed and the eerily dancing flames were her new warmth. Lady Minerva had gotten rid of her books and forced her to turn over the little belongings she had to her step sisters.
She now had only one change of clothes: a dirty gray gown that was about two sizes too big, and a filthy apron that was once white, but is now a musty brown. Levy wore no shoes, and had only a strip of fabric from a burlap sack to tie her hair back with.
Day after day, Levy was put through back breaking work and stayed up for hours at a time, mending clothing and shoes. She would wake early, before the sun even peeked from behind the castle, to make breakfast for her siblings. She was never allowed to eat with her family anymore. She was stuck with bread and butter and a small glass of water to eat in the mornings. She sat amongst the ash of the dying fire, and savored her little food before returning to work in the garden, or to clean something inside the house.
At first, Levy was miserable. Her father, her only source of happiness, was ripped from her forever, and she was forced into slavery by her cruel Step-siblings. Her depression made her days gray, and her moves sluggish. Her once right hazel eyes were now dull, and lifeless. That is of course, until she met them, a year after her father's death.
*Two Years Ago*
"Excuse me, Lady Minerva," Levy spoke up from behind the door that led into the family's dining room. Lady Minerva and her two daughters, known as Eve and Anna, were currently eating the breakfast that Levy had prepared hours before.
"Levy," The dark haired woman spoke in a low, dangerous voice. "You know the penalty for interrupting me while I'm eating," she dabbed at the corner of her dark red lips with a pale napkin.
"Yes I know. I apologize for interrupting you," Levy bowed her head in respect.
The eldest of her stepsisters, Evangeline, crinkled her nose in disgust, "Stop apologizing you wretch! You know that you shouldn't be interrupting us, and yet here you are, dirtying the floors with your filth," she snapped.
"Ugh, I think I'm losing my appetite," Antoinette pushed her fruit parfait away from her.
Levy stared her sisters with dull, lifeless eyes. Evangeline sat at the seat closest to Lady Minerva. Her long hair was a deep purple, twisted into a knot at the base of her neck. Her tall, thin frame was adorned in a deep emerald gown that hung off her shoulders, revealing the milky white skin underneath. Her cold black eyes regarded Levy with pure hatred.
Her sister on the other hand, gazed at Levy with disgust. As if Levy were some dead animal the cat dragged in. Her dull red hair framed her slender face with elegant curls, trailing down her back. She of course was clothed in Levy's old orange gown. One that went all the way to the floor and went all the way up her neck, hiding her pale skin instead of showing it off.
"Hush now girls," Minerva scolded her daughters, "I want to hear what is so important. I mean," she chuckled humorlessly, "It must be something important if you felt the need to interrupt us for,"
Levy decided not to beat around the bush when she answered. "I wish to go visit my father's grave," Levy spoke clearly. Today was the first anniversary of her father's death, and she wanted to spend her day with him instead of pick up after her siblings.
Minerva's face contorted with rage, "You want to go visit his grave?" She snapped, standing from the table. "You felt the need to interrupt my meal by asking to go visit that man's grave? He was the one who left us! He was the one who forced us on our own, who forced me to care after his only child! And you want to visit that traitor's grave?" She spat. As she spoke she got nearer and nearer to Levy, who had not moved an inch.
"Yes ma'am," Levy spoke softly, staring into Minerva's rage filled eyes.
"Then go!" she shrieked, "Go and do not return until dawn tomorrow!" Minerva had grabbed Levy's arm in a vice-like grip and yanked her towards the grand doors of her large home. "A night in the graveyard ought to teach you your place!" Minerva threw Levy down the steps leading up to the house and slammed the door.
It wasn't until Levy heard the soft click of the lock that she began to walk away. Tears built up in her eyes, but she forced them back. She was not going to give her Step Mother the satisfaction of her sorrow.
AN: Wow, I just love Minerva don't you? Such a sweetie. Lol do not worry faithful readers! More of Minerva's bitchiness will be shown in later chapters so yay! I'm going to be honest, I usually won't update back to back, so this is kind of special! Lol hope you enjoyed!
Later Taters!
~Icy
Ps: This chapter went on too long so I had to cut it so... Maybe….. I'll publish Chapter 2 later… we'll see ;D