chapter one: Anastasia

Yeah, stupid name, I know right? Who names their kid Anastasia? Well the answer is my parents. I don't know them that well.

It's pathetic really, the little girl who's mother died when she was so young and who's father went missing during a "buisness" trip. Luckily she has a step mother and a step sister to keep her in place.

Yeah as if. All they do is make me cook and clean while they go shopping. That's my father's money that they're spending! Not theirs, mine! Oh, poor Anastasia.

I'm 18 and I can't even get married off. Why can't I just get married off? Because my stupid step sister has to get married off before me. I can't out marry her, as in marrying someone better than her husband. Stupid much, I know right.

I'll show them that if you mess with me you'll get left in the dust. My plan is simple. There's a monthly party at the castle in a couple days. I can wear my mother's dress and sneak in. Run into the prince and act like a princess, dance a little, draw his attention, and then boom Cinderella moment.

How simple is that? I go in stay a while and go home. Easy peasy. I'm a little worried about the guards but I heard rumors that as long as you're dressed nicely they won't ask questions.

"Anastasia!!!" Uh-oh. RUN. RUN. RUN! After hearing my name I know that I forgot to wash the dishes. As I was running I tore my long skirt off to reveal my pants and boots. Just keep running.

While I was running I ran past a bunch of men racing in the streets going twice their speed. They all stopped wide eyed to stare. Simple turn, salute, and RUN.

I ran all the way across the town to my fathers old farm. I'm going to be here a while. It was just about sun set when I got there and may I just say that the view was breath taking. "All right let's do this."

This is where I'm going to get ready for the ball at. Plenty of horses and an old carriage that I worked on to make it look brand new. A couple of my friends from the old days are coming to help me by acting as a coachman and such.

I have nothing to do. Wait. Yes I do. I shuffled through the hay until I found what I was looking for. My father's old sword. He taught me until I was 10. The he married miss le troll who said and I quote, "Swords aren't made for horrid creatures like this child, they are made for handsome ones like you darling." Ugh, the way she would insult me and then suck up to my father.

I grabbed the cold hilt of the sword. If I close my eyes I can see my father handing me his sword to show me how heavy it was. I could barely hold it up. That's when I saw here. My sick mother smiling and laughing at us especially when father let me win.

I opened my eyes and started swinging at a play dummy filled with straw. Perry, perry, thrust, thrust! My fathers voice rang through my head. I can do this all day, just fighting a dummy. I'm not leaving without this wonderful sword of mine.