A/N: I'm sure you guys are sick and tired of my AUs at this point.

Well, too bad! I've got another one!

I've recently seen Cinderella, the live-action one, and fallen in love. I really love the rawness of it, and it's such a beautiful film. Seriously, if you haven't seen it, go.

Anyways, I thought: wouldn't it be interesting if the roles were all reversed? So, in this Cinderella tale, you will not find a Prince and a servant girl-instead, you'll find Princess Emma and servant boy Killian Jones. I have loved writing this story so far, and I truly hope you all enjoy it as well!

Without further ado, enjoy!

Killian Jones and his family had lived a humble life.

His father had died when he was young, but he always had Liam, his older brother, to fill his spot. Liam and his mother worked very hard each and every day to ensure that Killian would grow up an honorable man.

The three of them became a perfect, little family, and when Killian was seventeen, his mother finally decided to take a husband. He was a noble man, with a noble occupation.

Killian and Liam didn't like him very much, though.

"Killian, Liam, this is Lord Gold." His mother smiled as the man and his two sons stepped out of their carriage.

Killian swallowed hard and looked to Liam, who smiled and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Let's go say 'hello' to our siblings, okay?" Liam whispered, giving Killian a gentle shove forward. Killian looked to his brother before following him down the few steps.

"Killian, Liam, it's a pleasure to meet you." He smiled, and nearly instantly, Killian was terrified of the man. He had a creepy smile that was anything but nice.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, sir." Liam smiled, holding his hand out to shake.

"Liam, I'm assuming?"

"Aye, that would be me. And, this is my little brother, Killian." Liam smiled.

"I'm not little." Killian grumbled, looking up to the man as he held his hand out for him.

"Killian, be kind." Liam whispered, causing Killian to suck in a deep breath and force a smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Killian smiled, shaking the man's hand.

"Thank you." Liam whispered to his younger brother.

"These are my sons." The man said, gesturing to the (interesting-looking, Killian thought) boys behind him. They were about Killian's age, he thought, but kind of weird looking.

But, Liam had taught him to be kind.

He was going to be kind.

"Boys, this is my eldest son, Neal." The man spoke proudly, gesturing to his son.

The first boy was a little shorter than Killian, and had mousy brown hair. He didn't look particularly mean, but-

"Small house." The boy spoke, interrupting Killian's thoughts.

"I'm Killian." He smiled, holding his hand out. The boy simply looked up at the house before walking around him and into the home.

"August." The other boy replied, walking by him.

Killian took a deep breath and looked to Liam, who simply smiled.

"It'll be okay, Killian." Liam smiled.

It was only about two weeks of them living there before Killian's mother came down with a sickness.

One she wasn't going to recover from.

Killian wasn't allowed in until the doctor had come out, so he paced around outside, waiting.

"Killian, there's no use in-"

The doctor finally came out, and Killian hurried past him, into his mother's room.

"Mother." He spoke through tears as he hurried to her bedside.

"My boy. My little Killian." She whispered, pulling him close.

"Mother, please don't leave me." Killian cried.

"I won't leave you, Killian." She replied softly, tugging away with a small smile, "I'll always be here."

"Not if you die." Killian cried.

"I will always be right here. With you." She whispered, pressing her hand to his heart, "Promise me you'll know that."

"I promise." Killian nodded.

"Make me another promise, love." She whispered.

"Anything." Killian sniffled.

"Have courage, and be kind." She spoke with a small smile, making Killian smile and nod, biting back his tears, "If you do that, my love, you will create magic everywhere you go."

"I will." Killian promised.

"Mother." Liam spoke from behind them. She waved him over, and suddenly, Killian felt his brother's arms around him, as well as his mother's. Killian crawled up to lay on the side of her bed, curled into her side.

Only minutes later, he was dragged out of the room by Liam, crying and screaming for her to come back.

He couldn't live without her-especially since Liam was joining the Navy soon.

Killian was going to be alone.

Three months after grieving over his mother's death, Killian began to notice that his new stepbrothers and stepfather were not at all kind.

They threw parties in the home constantly, and when they did, Liam and Killian would be forced to stay out of sight. They were forced to help the people in the kitchen, and when they did, they weren't paid or given any sympathy for it. It had become expected of them.

Tonight, the night before Liam was planning to leave for he Navy, Killian sought him out in his room.

"Liam?" Killian asked, knocking on his door.

"Come in, Killian." Liam replied. Killian opened the door and slipped in, closing it behind himself.

"What time are you leaving tomorrow?" Killian asked bluntly.

Liam looked up from the work he was doing at his desk with a sigh.

"Early. Probably just after breakfast." Liam said.

"Please don't go." Killian pleaded.

"Killian-"

"I can't stay here alone, Liam."

"You won't be alone." Liam replied with a small smile, "You'll have Stepfather, and Neal, and August."

"None of which are fond of me." Killian spoke with a halfhearted laugh, "I'll be alone here!"

"Hey, hey, hey." Liam sighed, standing up and pulling Killian into a hug. Killian finally let some tears fall, holding onto his brother tight.

"Liam, I don't want to be alone."

"I'll be back in six weeks."

"That's so long, Liam."

"I know, I know, but I'll be back." Liam replied, "What do you want me to bring back for you?"

Killian tugged away and wiped his tears, making Liam smile.

"I don't know."

"Well, Neal and August want pocketwatches and new clothes-what do you want?"

"Anything you think I'd like." Killian sniffled with a small smile.

"I can do that, I think." Liam smiled, "What about the first piece of rope I string the masts with?"

"I'd love that." Killian smiled.

"Good. That's what I'll get you, then." Liam beamed, clapping a hand on his shoulder, "For now, I've got to pack."

"Can I help?"

"Of course." Liam smiled.

In the morning, after breakfast, just as Liam promised, he was packing up the carriage.

"Promise you'll be back soon?" Killian asked.

"Aye, I promise I'll be back soon." Liam smiled, clapping a hand on his shoulder, "With a piece of rope from the first mast."

Killian forced a smile before hugging his brother tight.

"Be careful."

"I will be, little brother."

"I'm not little anymore."

"Yeah, you are." Liam smiled, tugging away and hopping onto the carriage, "Be good, Killian!"

"I will." Killian smiled, waving to his brother as the carriage drove away.

Killian followed to the front gate, still waving as Liam waved back.

Gods, he was going to miss him.

He felt tears pricking at his eyes, continuing to wave until he could no longer see him around the bend of the road.

Killian took a deep breath and walked back to the house, realizing that his stepfather and brothers had gone back into the house already.

He wiped away his tears as he walked inside, closing the door behind him.

This was going to be a long six weeks.

Only three weeks had passed before an officer had shown up at their door.

Killian answered the door, and suddenly wish he hadn't.

Liam's ship had been ransacked by pirates, and his body was lost at sea. The officer only had a loop of rope that Liam had saved for his brother.

Killian couldn't help the tears that flowed from his eyes, nodding and thanking the officer for bringing the piece of rope to him.

Liam had kept his promise.

"Killian?" His stepfather called from his office.

Killian made sure his tears were gone before he stepped into the mysterious man's office.

"Good evening, stepfather." Killian offered, "What do you need?"

"Come, sit."

Killian blinked a few times before sitting beside his stepfather on the sofa, swallowing hard.

"Stepfather, I-"

"You don't have to call me stepfather," He grinned, "Sir will do."

"Liam was killed." Killian spoke softly.

"Oh, pity." The man sighed, "Such a good man, too."

Before Killian could speak again, the man started again.

"Anyways, Neal and August think their room is quite small for two people." He said, "It's hardly enough space for two lads of their size to share."

Killian knew what he wanted to say, but in the back of his mind, he heard his mother's voice: Be kind.

"My room is quite big-aside from the master bedroom, it's the largest in the house." Killian offered, "I shared it... I shared it with Liam."

"Oh, Killian, that is so sweet of you."

"I'll just move my things into their room-"

"Oh, no, no, we can't have you do that." His stepfather grinned, "You'd be much better off in the attic."

"The attic?" Killian all but squeaked out.

"Yes. And, you can take this stuff up with you." The man said, rising from the sofa to grab Killian's books.

"But, I-"

"Neal, August-Killian's given you boys his room!" The man called, and Killian winced at how quickly the two ran across the home to Killian's (old) room.

"Here." The man smiled, putting Killian's books into his arms and nudging him towards the stairs.

Killian took a deep breath before opening the door to the attic and stepping in.

He looked straight up to see the seemingly endless flights of stairs before starting his venture up.

Once he got to the top, he sighed as he looked around.

There wasn't much there.

He wanted to just scream. He'd lost his father, his mother, and his brother, and now... Now, he was truly alone in the world.

As more tears fell, he tried his hardest to make the room feel like home, vowing to sneak into his old room later to grab his things.

Killian would just have to make do with what he had. That was the last thing he wanted to do, but there was no other choice. He had to be strong, for the family he'd lost.