Ever After, Chapter 1

[writtensword]

Title: Ever After

Rating: PG-13 (this chapter)

Pairing: Andy/Miranda

Length: 4000ish words (this chapter)

Summary: AU, sort of a crossover with a certain 1970s girl-power Cinderella movie version.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Cinderella or the Devil Wears Prada, I only (ab)use them for fangirl moments!

A/N: Um... this is my very first go at writing. Ever. So expect newbie mistakes ^^; And English isn’t my first language either. I just really, really love alternate fairytale versions and Andy is such a Cinderella that it seemed to fit. Oh and yes, this has not been beta-read. I hope you will live through that. xD I haven’t started on chapter 2 yet but the story is nearly complete in my head. If people enjoy what’s here so far, I’ll write more. ^^


Ever After

Chapter One:

Once upon a time there was a girl, named Andrea Sachston, living just outside the small village of Southbridge on her father’s modest estate. Andrea, was a lively girl, who loved the outdoors as much as any boy, resulting in everyone just calling her Andy. Her dark hair was kept long, because her mother loved brushing it, but Andy insisted on it to always be tied up with ribbons. Her deep brown eyes were always full of mischief and an intelligence far beyond her age.

Her father, Richard Sachston, was a horse breeder, the best in the region, known for his outstanding thoroughbreds but also several successful lines of work horses to supply the local farmers. He was a man of high spirits, with a love for his horses, for Andy and especially for Andy’s mother, who held his heart and soul. Andy’s mother, Elizabeth, was a beautiful woman, who loved the arts, especially the written word. As a result the Sachston estate harboured an extensive library which Andy started to explore at an early age and she could already read by the time she was five.

When she was ten, Andy would spend most of her afternoons in her mother’s library reading or, as she still preferred, have her mother read to her. It wasn’t that Andy didn’t like being outside, but it had become increasingly difficult for her mother to leave the house. She had trouble breathing, and would often cough terribly, which frightened Andy. Even though she still caught plenty of moments helping her father in the stables and learning about horses or going hunting, she decided to spend the rest of each passing day with her mother.

When winter came Elizabeth had gotten so sick that she could no longer read to her daughter so Andy spent their afternoons together reading to her mother instead. Her parents didn’t talk to Andy about her mother’s condition but Andy was smart enough to understand what was going on. She really wanted to speak to them about it, but instead she pulled herself together and played the part of the brave little girl. She’d make sure she’d enjoy every minute in her mother’s presence and committed it fully to memory.

On a particular freezing night Andy was woken by her father. Once she had opened her eyes and glanced at her father’s silent features she knew it was time. Hand in hand they walked over the cold floor towards Elizabeth’s bedroom and Andy came to a stop in front of her mother’s weak form under the thick duvet. The moonlight cast an angelic light on her mother’s features and Andy felt tears well up in her eyes. She let go of her father’s hand to clasp her mother’s and slowly crawled under the covers, scooting closer. Her mother’s breathing was shallow and slow and Andy clasped her hand even tighter.

“Andy...” Now Andy couldn’t control her sobbing any longer and turned to bury her face in her mother’s shoulder.

“Shh, my baby, it will be alright. You’re such a wonderful, incredible girl, Andy.”

She slowly reached up to her child’s hair and started to stroke it tenderly.

“Mommy...” Andy whimpered.

“I love you, my little princess,...” her hand slowly fell back onto the duvet. She continued in a whisper, “Don’t ever forget that.” And with that her breathing slowed.

“I love you too, Mommy.” Andy whispered back and clung onto her mother’s still form.

***

Life after her mother’s death changed on the Sachston estate. Andy’s father became withdrawn. He barely spoke and never stepped foot into the library again. He’d leave Andy alone most of the time, working in the stables or riding out on journeys. Andy still spent her time reading and re-reading all of her mother’s books. The more her father withdrew from her, the more time Andy spent in the library, curled up in the chair her mother had loved so much, where she had sat and read stories to Andy and where they had simply talked about their combined love for books. It was a long winter for Andy, especially because it had gotten too cold to ride out and she didn’t enjoy spending time in the stables anymore when her father was there.

Then finally spring thawed at those icy tendrils of sorrow. Andy still spent most of her days inside but as soon as the first trees started to blossom in the orchard she went back to riding and spending more time outside. Her heart still got heavy when thinking of her mother, but she was determined to keep her mother with her, through the love they shared for the art of words. She’d climb her favourite tree and sit nestled in the crown reading a book.

Either her father didn’t notice her increased absence or he didn’t care. Over the course of the summer they barely saw each other at all. Andy spent her eleventh birthday alone by the river. Her father had left for another trip down the kingdom. Andy didn’t know where Richard went. He had once mentioned trades, but Andy never saw any of their horses being sold anymore.

When the first leaves started to turn orange Andy and her father didn’t speak at all anymore.

That was, until one October afternoon, when he arrived back with a fancy looking carriage. To Andy’s utter surprise, a tall, round lady in bright yellow garb and a fat little girl in matching dress exited behind her father. Andy had just returned from her ride out, and stood in front of the stable door with a saddle bag slung across her shoulder. She couldn’t do anything but stare as the round lady crinkled her nose and took in the main building of the estate.

“Hmm, shabby, but it will do for now.” Andy could hear her say in a high-pitched voice.

Then she clapped her hands and Andy could hear the jingle of the many bracelets and rings as the woman turned toward the girls. “Danielle, go find your rooms and freshen up.” She then turned to the driver and commanded, “Giles, bring the trunks inside.” Andy stared in horror as the girl ran toward the house, her house, and tore open the door before disappearing inside, the clacking of fine boots moving up the stairs audibly. Then the round lady looked around the estate and her tiny eyes came to rest on Andy.

“Richard.”

Her father, who had until now just stood there idly, turned to Andy and after a moment of hesitation, motioned fo her to come over.

As Andy walked up she kept her eyes on the round woman, who’s face showed clear disdain.

“Andy, this is countess Clarissa,” he didn’t look Andy in the eye. “Her, and her daughter will live with us from now on.”

Andy’s eyes went wide. She stared at him for a few moments until she heard a loud voice coming from her bedroom window. “Mother, this house is tiny!! And it’s full of trash!” Andy could only watch in horror as one of her books was flung from the window and landed on the cobblestones of the courtyard with a loud thud.

Surely her father was going to say something, wasn’t he. Wasn’t he? Why wasn’t he? A red hot anger started boiling up in Andy. She had never felt very angry before, there had never been the need. She had felt a little angry at her father lately, for withdrawing, but it was intermixed with compassion and sadness. What Andy was feeling now, however, was brand-new. With one last glance at her silent father she dropped her saddlebag, stomped over to pick up her book and started to dash into the house and up the stairs. When she arrived at her bedroom door she saw the girl roughly go through her things. Clothes lay piled on the floor, books were scattered everywhere and her most prized possession, a drawing of her mother her father had made two years ago was lying crumpled in the corner.

“Get out of my room!!” Andy yelled. Danielle startled and turned toward her. Andy saw that her eyes were as small and venomous as her mother’s and she had the same sickeningly sweet blond curls. “Or what?!” Danielle spat. Andy couldn’t think properly. She was completely unprepared for this. She couldn’t form any words, so all she could think about was hurl out a scream and launch herself at the girl who in turn screamed and hurried out of the room. Andy slammed the door shut behind “Goldilocks” and dragged a dresser over to block it from further invasion. She could hear the girl yelling for her mother but Andy didn’t care. Glancing around the room she took in the mess and slid slowly to the floor in front of her barricaded door. Thick tears started to spill over her cheek. What was happening? Why did her father bring over this woman and that horrible girl? Leaning over she tenderly reached for the crumpled-up drawing and carefully tried to flatten it. “Mommy, I wish you were here!” she sobbed.

***

As it turned out, what was happening was that her father wished to marry countess Clarissa. Less than a year after her mother had passed away. The first day had only been a taste of what was to come for Andy. Clarissa, it turned out, was a wealthy widow who liked to have everything glimmering and shiny around her. One of the first things she did was to have the library cleaned out, much to Andy’s protests and unanswered pleas to her father, and to redecorate it as an “entertainment room”. Andy tried to save as many books as she could carry and hid them in the stables. Everything else was sent off by carriage to be sold, including her mother’s favourite chair. Richard just let it all happen. When confronted he just told Andy that he wasn’t using those rooms anymore and he wanted Clarissa to feel at home.

Danielle turned out to be a complete horror. Wrapping Andy’s father around her chubby fingers she’d get away with teasing Andy and playing nasty tricks on her. Every time Andy tried to complain to Richard, he’d just declare his disappointment in Andy for not being more civil to her new “sister”. It also didn’t help that Andy was kicked out of her bedroom and had to move her few personal belongings to a tiny chamber on the attic. Danielle was not about to share a room with her. Fine. It wasn’t like Andy would have wanted it either. The attic room was drafty and damp and the constant howling wind kept blowing out Andy’s reading candle and distracted her from her books.

Beside her driver, Giles, the countess had also brought along her cook and maid. The cook was a scrawny looking boy called Nate, who was only barely sixteen and had quickly become infatuated with Andy, and the maid was a young girl, with rich brown skin, only just twelve. Her name was Lilly, and her and Nate quickly became the only people Andy still talked to at the estate. Sometimes Lilly would join her on her rides to the river or they’d go down to the village and play with a boy called Douglas who loved fussing over Andy’s news dresses, hand-me-downs from Danielle of course. Sometimes Nate would join them and they’d sit together in Douglas’ father’s barn and Andy would tell the newest horror tales of Danielle and the countess.

***

The years passed by and Andy grew into a beautiful young woman. Her father had stopped breeding horses and had switched to trading, what exactly Andy wasn’t sure. It meant, however, that her father was away from home even more often, which gave Clarissa and her daughter full reign over the estate. Andy would spend most of her time reading by the river or with her friends. Andy herself had started to write short stories and poetry by the age of sixteen, sharing it with her illiterate friends who, even though they sometimes had trouble with some of the intricate words, would applaud her and praise her talents into the heavens. Andy knew they weren’t the most unbiased critics but it wasn’t like she could show her work to anyone else. Her father wasn’t showing any interest in her anymore. He barely even looked at her. Andy wondered if it had to do with the fact that she started to look like her mother, more and more each day she grew up.

She had also taken up hunting again. Although she did not spend any time with Richard anymore, Andy still remembered all the early lessons and came home with pheasants, rabbits and the occasional deer for Nate to cook. Clarissa was apparently wealthy, however there simply wasn’t much fresh meat available in their village and the traders from the town and castle only stopped by once a week. So Andy, in honor of the bond she used to have with her father would go out on two or three hunts each week.

On occasion Lilly and Douglas would accompany her, but it usually ended in them complaining so much about being bored or tired that it chased Andy’s prey away. So going on solitary rides on her thoroughbred Stallion Jura and with her father’s old crossbow was quickly becoming one of Andy’s favourite pastimes.

When she was 19 Andy would ride out every day. Although she only really hunted when Nate was out of meat and Clarissa was in an exceptionally bad temper, but recently Andy had become increasingly restless. She felt confined at the estate, despite the fact she still could enjoy plenty of freedoms. Andy had a hollow feeling in her chest and though she tried to fill it with writing it only made her yearn more. She wasn’t sure for what, though.

On a particularly sunny winters day, Andy rode out a bit further north, to a forest closer by the castle town. The weather was beautiful and she wanted to get a bit further away from the countess, Danielle and her father. And an increasingly pushy Nate. She had made it clear years ago that she wasn’t interested in his advances but that didn’t stop him from trying. Him and Lilly where still her only friends at the house and Andy loved them both. But today was one of those days where Nate just got too whiny and Andy had set off early to sneak out for her ride.

She was wrapped tightly in the green riding cape, covering her woolen dress which was a green and cream piece of fabric that came to just below her knees. Her friend Douglas, now a tailoring apprentice, had decorated it with a dark red border, and fitted it with a beautiful sash to cling to her gentle curves nicely and flare at her hips. He had also taken the liberty to attach little strings to her riding boots, gloves and patterned her cream stockings with little red lines.

Andy enjoyed spending time with Douglas going over her clothes. He wasn’t like Clarissa, who treated clothing as nothing but a status symbol. She wanted the most expensive, and the most ridiculously flamboyant and she carelessly tossed anything away that didn’t strike her fancy anymore. Sometimes Andy would be able to sneak a garment out of the estate and bring it to Douglas who would squeal in delight as he went to disassemble the various pearls and sashes for his own creations.

Andy shook her head and smiled at the sun, thinking about her friend. It was mid-February and Andy knew that the sun would lure out small critters, especially rabbits and subsequently birds of prey. She’d make sure to return to the estate with some kind of meat.

As Andy made her way through the thicket, leading her horse by the reigns, she suddenly heard a hunting parties’ horn in the distance. ”Oh great.” Andy sighed. Big parties always chased off the potential dinner. She tied her horse to a nearby branch and whispered “Stay here, Jura. I’ll be right back!”. She gently petted his dark brown fur, took her crossbow from the saddle and stepped through the ankle-deep snow toward the horns she had heard.

The hunting party consisted of four. Three hunters and one man holding the horses and equipment several yards in the background.

Andy snuck a bit closer, and noticed that two of the hunters were women. The smaller one had shoulder-length red hair and was wearing a dark brown coat over brown tights and a black cape. A small feather stuck from her pointy felt hat and she was carrying a crossbow, staking out the blue sky while slowly stepping forward.

The other woman, Andy noted, was a bit taller, and although her bobbed hair was white as snow, curling in a single thick lock above her left eye, Andy realized her features looked soft and free of creases. She was wearing snow-white stockings, perfectly fitted riding boots, a delicate long, red velvet tunic over a white long-sleeved shirt, pulled together by a slim leather belt at her waist that had a beautifully crafted quiver dangling from it down her side. She wore a riding cape over an elegant shoulder and Andy pondered that Douglas should be there to see it. It was black on the outside, yet red on the inside and rimmed with white fur. The look was completed by a black triangular hat with a long pheasant feather.

Andy watched as the white-haired woman narrowed her eyes up into the sky, browsing for birds of prey. The third hunter, a shorter man dressed all in black except for the ruffled sleeves and collar of his shirt, was fidgeting with his garments, brushing off snow with loud strokes.

“Nigel!” Andy heard the smaller woman hiss. “Stop making noise! You’ll scare off all the hawks!”

“Emily, I can’t believe I’m stomping through this pile of snow with you two blood-thirsty ladies, ruining my perfect new cape!”

At that the red-head, apparently Emily, rolled her eyes. “Just be quiet already!”

Suddenly the white-haired woman had spotted something in the sky and quickly, but quietly pulled an arrow from her quiver, loaded the crossbow and aimed up. Emily proceeded to do the same and Nigel just adjusted his spectacles and squinted upward.

“Hmrpf, he’s too high.” Emily sighed and lowered her bow. The white-haired one still followed the bird with the bow but after a while gave up as well. “Indeed.” Nigel continued to brush off his cape and his boots. “Maybe we can go some place where the snow is less high.” Just before the women could respond they heard the zooming of an arrow through air and then a distant thud. A few seconds later something fell out of the sky. The red-head quickly stepped forward through the snow and bent to pick up what appeared to be a hawk, pierced by an arrow. “Huh?” She stared at it incredulously, and turned to show it to the others. Nigel raised his eyebrows “I thought he was too far away.” “He was,” Emily rambled, still staring at the dead animal in her hands.

The white-haired woman instantly looked around them until she spotted Andy, who had slowly started to make her way toward their party, crossbow slung over her shoulder.

The three hunters eyed her quietly until she came to stand a few feet away and offered a shy smile. “I believe that is mine.” she said, pointing at the dead hawk in Emily’s hands. The red-head just gawked at her and the white-haired woman started to narrow her eyes. Ice blue eyes, Andy noticed. The skin of the woman looked flawless, not a single furrow showed on her forehead as she pierced Andy with an icy stare.

Nigel offered a stuttered “You... you shot that... down?” Andy glanced at him hopefully. “Yes, it looked like you had decided you didn’t want him.”

“But he was way too high! At least 25 yards!” Emily dropped the bird onto the snow and stepped to grab Andy’s crossbow. She eyed it and turned to the white-haired hunter. “It’s just a normal old bow. Ours are of a higher quality...” Now Andy saw the pursing of lips and then the white-haired woman spoke. “If it was indeed you, who shot down the hawk, you won’t mind demonstrating your skill to us again.” Andy couldn’t help but shiver at the tone the woman was directing at her. It wasn’t necessarily malicious. Certainly nothing like Clarissa’s spiteful tongue. But there still was a certain steely edge to it. And it was a bit mocking. “Alright, but I’d rather not shoot another animal, I have enough meat for today.” The white-haired woman gave a slight nod and then turned to Emily. “Find something.” While Emily looked around for potential targets, Andy glanced over at Nigel who seemed be to be fascinated by her attire, staring intently at the red strings on her boots.

“There, shoot that pine cone from over here. The one all the way in the top” Emily pointed to a single tree standing taller than the rest, about 30 yards away, and handed Andy back her crossbow. Without hesitation, perhaps motivated by the mocking tone of the white-haired lady, Andy loaded the bow and took aim. She thought back to her childhood, when her mother had still been alive and her father had still been a happy man. He had taught her how to aim properly, how to adjust to the angle and the wind, even such things as temperature and humidity. Andy took a deep breath and then squeezed the trigger. The projectile hit it’s mark and the pine cone tumbled down into the snow. While Emily stepped over to fetch it, Andy turned back to the white-haired woman and saw a glimmer of something, amusement maybe, in her eyes.

“Bloody hell!” Emily returned, huffing, holding up the arrow with the pine-cone pierced on it. Nigel clapped his hands together in delight. “We have a winner!”

“Winner?” Andy frowned at him. “Yes, we were having a competition.” Emily whined as she handed the arrow to the white-haired woman who regarded it and then Andy for a few seconds with an unreadable expression in her eyes. “Miranda, I think she won fair and square. Just give her the prize already.” Ah, so it’s Miranda, Andy thought to herself as she looked back into those piercing blue eyes. “Nigel, shut up, you just want to go home, because you’re scared to ruin your clothes!” Emily hissed at him. Seemingly coming to a decision Miranda dropped the pine cone and held out her hand to Nigel as Emily started to pout. Nigel reached into a leather sachet that was hanging by his side and pulled out a ring with a large blue stone. Andy noted how the blue matched Miranda’s eyes as she glanced back into the other woman’s face. Miranda reached down to grab Andy’s riding glove-clad hand and held up the ring. “You are the master of this hunt.” she said in an even voice before slipping the ring onto Andy’s index finger. Andy’s eyes went big.

“Oh, I cannot take that! It’s way to costly!” she stammered. Ice-blue pierced her. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

Andy stared at the big stone on her hand and didn’t know what to say. “Th... thank you!” She glanced up into Miranda’s eyes and for a moment she was lost in their mutual stare. Suddenly Miranda blinked, breaking their connection, and waved her hand in dismissal. “Time to go.” And without further acknowledgement toward Andy she spun around, her cape twirling in a mad wave of white, black and red and began walking elegantly through the snow toward the horses. Emily followed after her, turning her head to Andy and giving her a sulking glare. Nigel remained with her and asked, “Darling, your attire is exquisite, would you mind telling me who tailored it?” Andy blinked in surprised “Uhm, my friend Douglas did. He lives in our village, six miles south.”

“Nigel!!” Emily yelled from the horses. Miranda was already in the saddle of a snow-white, tall mare, waiting impatiently. “Sorry, I have to go.” Nigel squeaked and stalked quickly toward the waiting party, all the while trying to not let his cape trail in the snow.

Dumbstruck Andy quietly returned to Jura, and started her journey back home. She studied the ring on her finger. That truly was the strangest thing that had ever happened to her.

Chapter 2