A funeral was held after the girls, Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, and Drizella received the news of Sir Charles' passing. Lady Tremaine dismissed the servants soon after. After the servants said their goodbyes to the girls, Lady Tremaine and her daughters gave them a number of chores to do. Lady Tremaine said to the girls that working would distract them from their grief. Later on at night when everyone went to bed, Alyssa Rose would have more nightmares. She would wake up screaming, "Papa! Mama! Papa! Mama!" Ella would jump out of her bed and comfort her by giving hugs and wiping tears with her handkerchief as Alyssa Rose sobbed in her arms. When Alyssa Rose calmed down, Ella sang "Lavender's Blue" to help her sleep again.
As time went by, the stepsisters and stepmother treated them more like servants instead of sisters and stepdaughters. By the time their work was done, it was nearly time for dinner. Alyssa Rose could hear her stomach growl every time she and Ella were outside doing the gardening and washing the laundry. Luckily, Alyssa Rose would pick apples from the tree near the garden for her and Ella to munch on. When they come in for dinner, every piece of food was nearly gone and the girls must eat what's left so they don't waste anything. One night, when the girls headed into the kitchen to eat, they heard squeaks coming from under the kitchen table. The girls turned around and smiled when they saw Jacqueline and Gus-Gus with Teddy and Matilda. Ella bent down and said, "There you are! Have dinner with us, won't you?" The mice squeaked in reply. Ella smiled and turned to her sister. "Lissie, bring a cup over here, please." Alyssa Rose nodded as she found a teacup hanging on the hooks over the countertop near the sink. After Alyssa Rose sat down and gave her the cup, Ella placed it upside down on the floor with a napkin to cover it. "A table." She gave the mice a piece of carrot and a crust of bread. After the sisters gave their food to the mice, they began to eat. Later on, when Lady Tremaine and her daughters went to bed, Ella made the fire to keep the chateau warm while Alyssa Rose cleaned the dishes. On some nights, the attic was too cold to sleep. Tonight was one of those nights. After the dishes were washed and dried, the girls tried to go upstairs, but it was too windy. "Sissy, I'm cold," Alyssa Rose said. "Let's go sit by the fire." Ella nodded and the girls went to the fireplace in the parlor. Ella set a blanket down near the fireplace. When the girls laid down on the blanket, they fell asleep.
The next morning, the girls woke up to the sound of the servant bells ringing. They jumped up and started working on their morning chores. Ella washed and dried the laundry, swept the house, pulled weeds out of the garden, while Alyssa Rose fed the animals, shined Lady Tremaine's shoes, helped Anastasia and Drizella get dressed, and set the table. After setting the table, Alyssa Rose went to the kitchen to quickly prepare breakfast as Ella came back in the chateau. Lady Tremaine came downstairs dressed in a tacky orange gown with black spots and found Ella at the fireplace. "I thought breakfast was ready," Lady Tremaine said in an annoyed and tired voice. "It is Madame," Ella replied. "I'm only mending the fire and Lissie should have breakfast on the table in a moment." Anastasia and Drizella were already seated at the table when Alyssa Rose started serving breakfast. "Oh, in future can it not be cold until the work is done?" Lady Tremaine asked as she walked over to the table. "As you wish."
Ella started pouring the tea when Lady Tremaine said, "Ella, Alyssa Rose, what's that on your face?" "Madame?" Both girls asked, confused. Anastasia took a look at them closely and said, "It's ash from the fireplace." The stepsisters began to laugh. "Do clean yourselves up," Lady Tremaine said. "You'll get cinders in our tea," Anastasia said as Ella and Alyssa Rose wiped their faces with their aprons. "I've got new names for them," Drizella tittered. "Cinder-Wench and Icky Lissie." "They look so dirty. Oh, Dirty Ella and Dirty Lissie!" Anastasia laughed. Drizella's face brightened. "No, no, Cinderella and Cinderlissie! That's what we'll call you!" "Oh, girls. You're too clever," Lady Tremaine laughed. With embarrassed looks on their faces, Ella and Alyssa Rose began to serve themselves breakfast. "Who're these for?" Lady Tremaine asked. "Is there someone we've forgotten?" "It's my place," Ella answered. "And mine, too, Madame," said Alyssa Rose in a shaky voice. "Oh, it seems too much to expect to prepare breakfast, serve it and still sit with us. Wouldn't you two prefer to eat when all the work is done, Cinderella and Cinderlissie? Hm?" Alyssa Rose's face flushed in anger and embarrassment and Ella started breathing heavily. The girls gathered their plates and walked to the kitchen as Lady Tremaine and her daughters laughed. Ella's plate and teacup slipped from her hands and broke into pieces. She sunk down to the floor and began to weep as she took a look at herself in the reflecting teakettle. Alyssa Rose did the same.
Alyssa Rose gave Ella her handkerchief and she wiped her eyes. "Thank you, Lissie," she sniffled. When Ella looked up, she saw the tears running down Alyssa Rose's cheeks. Ella gave her a hug and a kiss on the forehead and said, "Let's go for a ride." Alyssa Rose nodded and without being seen by Lady Tremaine, the girls went to the stables. Ella hitched up Major and hoisted Alyssa Rose up before she got on. After Ella got on the horse and told her sister to hang on tight, she let out a "Hyah." The girls headed for the forest. When they were deep in the forest, the girls heard a loud bellow. A white stag was coming toward them. Alyssa Rose gasped in fear. "Hold on tight, Lissie," Ella cried as she pulled the reins. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!"
Major stopped as the stag kicked its legs up and looked at the girls. Ella knew why the stag was acting this way. She heard voices of the hunters coming. Facing the stag, Ella said, "Run. Quickly, friend, or they'll catch you. Go!" The stag looked at the girls and did as he was told. Major started to gallop again faster than before. "Oh, easy! Easy, boy! Whoa!" Ella cried. "Come on, boy, slow down!" Alyssa Rose screamed and buried her face in Major's mane. One of the hunters heard the girls and went over to help. "Miss!" he called. "Miss, are you girls alright? Hold on!" "We're alright, thank you," Ella replied. "We're fine." The young hunter finally caught up with the girls and grabbed the reins. "Whoa! Whoa, whoa!" Major finally stopped running and the girls breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you girls alright?" The hunter asked the girls. Ella and Alyssa Rose looked at him. He was the most handsome fellow she has ever seen. He had beautiful brown hair and sparkling blue eyes and wore a green jacket with a blue ascot, cream riding pants, and black boots. "We're alright, thank you," Ella said. "But you nearly frightened the life out of him!"
"Who?" The hunter asked. "The stag!" Ella answered. "What's he ever done to you that you should chase him about?" "I must confess, I've never met him before. He is a friend of yours?" The hunter asked again. Ella smiled. "An acquaintance? We met just now. My sister and I looked into his eyes and he looked into ours and we felt that he had a great deal to do with his life, that's all." The hunter smiled back at Ella. "Miss, what do they call you?" "Never mind what they call me," Ella said as she looked away. "You two shouldn't be this deep in the forest alone." The hunter replied. "We're not alone, we're with you, Mr…? What do they call you?" Ella asked. "You don't know who I am? They call me Kit. Well, my father does when he's in a good mood." Kit chuckled as he looked at Alyssa Rose with a smile in his eyes. "What do they call you, Little One?" "My name is Alyssa Rose," the little girl answered bravely. "But my sister calls me Lissie." Kit smiled at her. "I have a brother about your age, Miss Lissie. His name is Thomas." Alyssa Rose giggled and turned her head as Kit winked at her. She hoped that she will be able to meet someone her age someday. "Where do you and your brother live, Mr. Kit?" Ella asked. "I live at the palace," Kit answered. "My father's teaching me his trade. Thomas is not old enough just yet. He will learn when he's fifteen." "You're an apprentice!" Ella exclaimed. "Of a sort." "That's very fine. Do they…do they treat you both well?" "Better than we deserve most likely. And you and Miss Lissie?"
"They treat us as well as they're able." Kit looked at her and Alyssa Rose apologetically. "I'm sorry." "It's not your doing," Ella replied. "Nor yours either I'll bet," Kit said. "It's not so very bad, Mr. Kit," said Alyssa Rose. "Others…others have it worse, I'm sure." She sighed. "We must simply have courage and be kind, mustn't we?" Ella asked. "Yes," Kit answered as he smiled at Ella. "You're right. That's exactly how I feel."
Just then, the girls and Kit heard the rest of the hunters calling for him. Kit knew that he has to get back to the hunt. "Please don't let them hurt him, Mr. Kit," Alyssa Rose begged. "But we're hunting, Miss Lissie," Kit said to her. "You see, it's…it's what's done." Ella spoke up. "Just because it's what's done doesn't mean it's what should be done!" Kit agreed with her. "Right again." "Well then, you'll leave alone, won't you?" Ella asked. Kit looked at Ella and then at Alyssa Rose, who gave him a small pout with puppy-dog eyes. Kit smiled and said, "I will." "Thank you very much, Mr. Kit," the girls said together just as the Captain came up to them. "Ah, there you are, Your Highne…" "It's Kit!" The young man interrupted. "Kit! I'm Kit! I'm on my way!" The Captain chuckled. "Well, we've better get a move on…Mr. Kit."
Kit chuckled and to the girls, he said, "As I said, on my way." Ella and Alyssa Rose smiled at him. "I hope to see you two again." "And I you," the girls said together. Kit smiles at them and then with a "Hyah!" he rode away. Ella and Alyssa Rose looked at each other and smiled before riding back to the chateau.