Five years later

"And Prince James, and Princess Ella lived happily ever after." She heard a mother telling her child.

She shuddered as the memory of her being locked in her room with little to no food and water comes to mind. After her fifth day of no water, she was sure she was going to die, but her step-mother stepped in and saved her.

She can't believe that, that happened five years ago, to her it still felt like yesterday. She remembers so vividly sitting in that room thinking she was going to lose her mind if she didn't get out soon. Her cries and pleas for help are still fresh on her mind when she falls asleep.

Scoffing she has a strong urge to tell the little girl the truth. She can't believe Ella fed the people a bunch of lies like—mice turned into horses, the pumpkin was her carriage, and the geese's were her drivers. She absolutely refuses to think about, how Ella said that her fairy godmother just knew what she wanted to wear, a blue dress and glass slippers, that were magically created out of her rags, and that was the reason she had to leave at midnight, because they would change back. Such lies!

Ella had never worn rags a day in her life.

The real story went like this; Isabelle's fairy godmother knew about the ball weeks before and pulled some strings, so that she would have a ride the day of the ball. So no mice, geese, or pumpkins. Actually the one time Isabelle attempted to help a mouse who's been separated from her children, Ella brutally murdered it in front of her. And a blue dress really? She wore blood red for crying out loud. Glass slippers, hell no! She wore ruby and Safire, because at the time she had no fashion sense. Also Isabelle's dress didn't magically appear, her fairy godmother had a whole wardrobe of clothes for her to choose from. The real reason she left at midnight, was because the last time Ella caught her sneaking out she said she'd kill her just like she did the rat.

It's still a touchy subject for Isabelle, especially if you bring up the fact that Ella supposedly had an evil stepmother and two evil stepsisters.

Ella basically retold Isabelle's story with a twist. Isabelle's stepmother was actually kind to her. It was Ella, Drizella, and Anastasia who were the problem. After Ella's and Isabelle's father died, Ella sent their sickly stepmother away. Drizella who is ten years Isabelle's senior played the role of stepmother, and Ella and Anastasia were the step sisters. You can imagine who Cinderella was, poor little Isabelle without the animals to help.

"Hi." She said to the little girl who the story was being told to. "That's not how it really happened and everybody knows that. Plus even if you did believe that, happily ever after doesn't actually exist." She looked as if Isabelle just told her that her parents just died.

"What do y-you mean." Isabelle could've swore she saw a tear fall done the girl's cheek.

As she opens her mouth to tell the little girl the truth, her mother glares daggers at her. Deciding to take pity on the little girl, Isabelle bites her tongue.

"Gotcha!" Isabelle fakes a smile lifting the little girl's head, she says "I was just joking but I bet you believed every word."

For the sake of the little girl in front of her who probably believes in the story with all of her heart, Isabelle says. "Everything happened exactly that way. The mice being horses, pumpkin turning into a carriage, geese into men, glass slippers, red dress and all." She smiles, but looks a little confused.

"Red? I thought the dress Queen Ella wore to the ball was blue." Isabelle's eye twitches, she almost nailed it.

She laughs it off. "It was blue wasn't? Sorry love, sometimes I mix up the colors." Isabelle smiles a genuine one this time.

This girl is without a doubt a hopeless romantic. This world is gonna break her, but who would stop a poor child from dreaming while she still could?

The girl goes into a fit of giggles. "You really got me there, miss." She manages to squeeze threw her laughter.

Her mother mouths, 'thank you,' and as Isabelle turns to go the girl grabs my hand.

"Please miss, before you go tell me your name." Recalling the mistake she made five years prior, she smiles.

"It's Isabelle. Isabelle Tremaine." Very similar to her sister Ella's, she know it would probably be best to change it, but she doesn't have the heart to. Changing her name is like stripping the last part of what's left of her identity off.

Maybe it was because some part of Isabelle liked being Ella's twin sister.

"Like as Ella Tremaine?" The girl's eyes lit up.

In that moment Isabelle wanted nothing more than to tell the little girl who she was. She was the sister who was suppose to live the glamorous life her evil sister does. She the Cinderella in the tale. Instead she smiles, that's who she was suppose to be but not who she is. She's Isabelle Rae Tremaine. A middle class girl living with her sickly stepmother.

"No, we just have the same last name." The girl's face falls a little more with each word that comes out of her mouth.

She clearly wasn't pleased with Isabelle's response. Isabelle however, does not regret her decision to deceive the girl.

"Oh, I guess that's cool too." She says with no enthusiasm whatsoever. "I'm Snowele White, but everybody calls me Snow." She smiles, but anyone who looked at her could tell it was fake.

"Well Snow White, I should really be on my way, wouldn't want to leave my stepmother alone for too long now." Isabelle turns and walks away.

"Goodbye Bella, I hope I'll see you again soon." She yells.

'Bella? Hmmm, it doesn't sound too bad. From now on I'll be Bella, not Isabelle.' Isabelle thinks.

Maybe a name change is just what she needs.

////////////////

She begins to worry after hearing a twig snap for the third time in a row. These woods aren't called the woods of fear for no reason. Most people heed the warning signs and don't enter. If you have any fears the woods will bring them to life and they'll come for you.

Isabelle, has no fears.

Another branch snaps. Whoever's trailing her isn't very wise because they keep making themselves known. Isabelle, after being left in that room all helpless and defenselessly decide she never, ever wanted to feel that way. So with the help of one of knights who's she's known since childhood, she trained everyday since. She's at the point wheee she could kill a person faster than they can blink if she wanted to.

"If you value your life I suggest stop following me. I have a knife, and I'm not afraid to use it." Though she wasn't carrying a knife she could still do some major damage to whoever's there.

Plus, not many women know how to wield a blade, so most are not foolish enough to believe so.

Another twig snaps. Isabelle smirks admiring this persons fearlessness. If someone had told her they had a knife she would walk. Even though she knows what she's capable of, she also knows never to underestimate your appointment.

"I mean no harm, I just want to talk about what you said early to the little girl. I believe you." She can't pinpoint exactly where the voice is coming from, but she knows it belongs to a male.

"Yeah, like anyone would actually believe that Ella had a twin sister, and her twin was actually the one who danced with Your richness." As the words fly out her mouth,she can't believe she's saying all this to a mysterious man who keeps following her.

"It's really you!" A familiar smooth husky voice says.

Isabelle turns around and locks eyes with none other than a demon from her past.

Your Royal Richness.