"Rin, come now, you must wake up. I have to go." He gently shook her, but soon gave up after she mumbled and shook her head. Still smiling, he put her on her bed and put her blanket over Rin. Len kissed her and left.

The next morning, Rin woke up confused, remembering falling asleep in Len's arms, but awaking in her bed. Maybe it was just a dream. She sighed and got up. Rin fixed her hair and got on with the day after lifting her floorboards to check for the flowers that Len had given her last night. To her surprise they were there, along with the Carmel letting her know he was real. She felt pang of hurt as she thought about him. Rin shrugged it off and went and did her chores in a dreamy haze.

"Cinderella! Cinderella!" She heard her stepsister, Neru, call her. At first she didn't know whom Neru was calling after being called by her real name for one night.

"I'm coming!" She called. Rin followed the calls into Neru's bedroom.

"Finally! I've been waiting for you!" Her sister had long, blonde hair and as usual texting away on her cell phone. Rin took notice that Neru's hair was down and in a mess. She then made the assumption as to why she was called.
"You called?"

"Yeah, see my hair?" She pointed up, "I need you to help me put it up. Also when your done Mom wants you to check the mail. Now get the brush." Rin did as she was told, and brushed her stepsister's hair into the side ponytail that it normally sat in. Neru showed Rin a cruel core but really on the inside she felt bad for Rin. Though, she would never voice this, nor call Rin her true name for fear of her mother. Neru pretended to scowl at Rin as she left to go check the mail. After exiting Neru's room, she glided outside to the mailbox. Inside were two envelopes; one was addressed to her and the other the whole family. She put the one that was for her in her pocket and headed inside.

Inside she took the letter to her Stepmother in her room. Inside the room was dim with only a little bit of sunlight from the windows; expensive tapestries, portirts and lovely jewelry boxes were found though out the room.

"Stepmother, there is a letter for the entire family. Would you please come out with us?"

Coolly her Stepmother replied, "I shall. Please open the curtains though and get my gown. One last thing, go make breakfast. I don't care what you make, as long as it is good."

"Yes, Stepmother." Rin did as she was told and left to go make breakfast. Soon enough she found what was needed to make French toast and made it. Once it was finished and on the table, she ate her fair share then called every one to the table.

Not long after, she saw Neru, Miku and her Stepmother. Her Stepmother was a tall, elegant woman with short brown hair, and wore a short dress of blood red with white fur at the ends. Grand indeed, but that was to be expected, as she was lady of the house plus her fortune that could scarcely be called her own. She inherited it after her husband died, and gave none of it to whom it was supposed to belong to, Rin. But Rin had no idea that it was supposed to be her's, and so she suffered the worst. Changing her name, becoming a maid, and practically followed orders every day after her father had died.

"Cinderella, hand me that darned letter you were telling me about earlier."

"Yes, of course." Rin handed her the letter. "Would you like for me to open it?"

"No," She opened the letter and read, "To the Haradra family, I hope that this pleases you as you are invited to a ball in honor of The Prince Len Kagamine. Your entire family is to come. Maid, family, servants, all are to attend. On the chance that someone does not come, this person will see the prince alone, if not you will be imprisoned. Your regards, Len Kagamine." Every one at the table froze and stopped eating. Even Neru who would normally be on her phone, paused and sat, frozen. For a moment, time stood still. Rin decided she had enough of this and started pouring drinks.

"Mother, what do you make of this?" Miku asked.

"I don't know my dear. At the bottom there is the date and time of the ball. Rin will you please fetch water from the well so you can wash our gowns and clothes?"

Rin hid her happiness as she thought of the name on the letter. Len Kagamine. Is this my Len? But, Len's not a prince, is he? It took Rin a moment to hear her Stepmother, and answered, "Yes Stepmother." With that, she left the house and got the water as was told, all the while thinking about her 'Romeo', Len. She thought about last night, how the two of them talked and talked. She smiled then halfway skipped to and from the well. She skipped happily at first but by the time she got back into sight of her house, Rin's mood went down almost instantly. It was like she was being dragged down, her limbs felt heavy and weak, and her heartbeat slowed down a bit. A feeling of dread for no appent reason swept upon her. However bad it may feel, she would never show it to her sisters or her Stepmother. Rin faked a smile and walked into the house to find her sister, Miku, staring at a letter. At first Rin was not alarmed thinking it only to be the letter meant for the family. But then the sent of Irises and Carmel filled her nose.