Stepsister's Lament || Yandere!Cinderella X F!Reader

Ten O'Clock

Life in the palace wasn't easy. As you suspected, everyone knew you as the princess's wicked stepsister... And they treated you as such. Even the servants were giving you the stink eye. They couldn't do much about it, however.

But Prince Charming very well could. The face he made when he first laid eyes on you outside of the dungeon was one of total disgust. His nose immediately scrunched up as if you stank... Which you didn't!

Even though you were practically attached to Ella's hip, he didn't bother to address you. Instead, he turned to his betrothed and said, snidely, "When you asked if you could have a pet, I didn't think you meant her."

Well, it seems he's not so charming after all! You thought, barely restraining your answering scowl.

Ella just smiled placidly, stepped forward into his waiting embrace. His arms were always open for her. He wrapped his hands around her tiny waist and buried his face in the crook of her neck to better breathe her into his lungs.

You knew the scent of her intimately. She always used to smell of the hearth, but now she carried a floral, powdery scent.

She had been incredibly tactile with you as of late. Maybe she always longed for familial affections but knew better than to reach out in the presence of Lady Tremaine. Mother's eyes were always peeled, looking for an excuse to punish her.

Then again, maybe it was just because she hadn't made any friends besides you. The courtly ladies were courteous, even kind, to the scullery maid turned princess... But you had a feeling that Ella still felt out of place among them.

Even if she still had a ways to go in royal training, she certainly looked the part of a princess. She and the prince were beautiful together... Truly a couple right out of a fairytale.

"She's my sister," she sighed.

"The shoe doesn't fit," he answered.

"In more ways than one," you added in an aside. You thought it would be too low to hear, but Prince Charming gave you a glare like he had heard loud and clear. If looks could kill, you'd be dead.

Ella drew his attention away by running her fingers down his jawline. After they locked eyes, they quickly locked lips. You stood by, awkwardly looking away, feeling like a third wheel.

They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity. Even when they separated, they didn't completely pull away. They hovered close, just gazing into each other's eyes.

You bore it for as long as you could. If you stood silently by, you would be here all day. So eventually you cleared your throat, drawing their attention away from one another.

"Excuse me..." Your stepsister nodded, encouraging you to continue. "Will you be joining Ella and I for tea, Your Royal Highness?" You asked, voice cracking mid-question.

The prince clicked his tongue at you before his fiancée's content little smile caught his eye again, causing him to sigh in defeat. "She certainly looks and acts the part of a cur," he remarked, quite rudely. "Just know that, if your lapdog turns rabid, she will be put down."

His words sent a chill down your spine. Perhaps you weren't out of harm's way just yet.

"Sister will be on her best behavior," she promised.

From that point on, Prince Charming completely ignored your presence at his princess's side. So you continued to act as Ella's shadow from the crack of dawn to the setting of the sun.

To be fair, you didn't really know what your duties were as a princess's lady in waiting. And you were the only one, so it wasn't like you could follow someone else's lead.