Okay guys, so this is going to be a Cinderella type deal…It's based off the movie "Ever After," the Cinderella story with Drew Barrymore. It was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid (still is today). I've had this idea for a while now and thought I'd give it a shot! Tel me what you think at the end? :] Just a quick review will do. Thanks,

!UPDATE: I'M REWRITING THIS. I have lost interest and therefore need to make it more me. I have relied upon the movie too much.

Lthien~

Once upon a time, a long time ago, there lived a girl that loved her father very much…

"They're here," a kindly aged woman screamed happily, dropping the basket of apples she had in her hands to grip onto her skirts so she could run faster. A carriage rumbled by her and she attempted a wave but it fell short as it was too fast for her to keep up with. She continued in her frantic sprint towards a humble. yet well-kept, house of old stone and timber.

"Oh my stars they're here!" She screamed again releasing her hands only to join them in a joyous manner above her head.

"My lordship has returned?!" A middle aged man asked happily, popping his balding head out a rather beat-up window.

"Yes, yes! And he appears to have brought a Lady!" The woman all but screamed back, clasping her hands together happily once again.

"It's about time master wed again! Oh Merlin will be so happy! I think I saw a head of thick black curls too! Oh Gaius! There was a child, maybe two!"

Gaius laughed loudly, her joy piercing his heart. "That's brilliant news, Alice my dear!" He swept her off the ground in an attempt of a twirl.

"Gah! Put me down you old fiend!" Alice protested but the words didn't reach her eyes as she wrapped her arms around her husband's neck, planting a kiss on his cheek. Gaius let out a bark of laughter, setting her back on her feet, his arms resting around her waist.

"Speaking of Merlin, where is the girl?" Alice put her hands on her hips giving her husband a suspicious look.

"Don't look at me!" Gaius laughed, lifting his hands up defensively. "I've been working in th barn all morning!"

"Here! I'm coming Alice!" A joyous voice yelped from behind the side of the house.

Alice and Gaius sighed fondly and both wait patiently for the undeniable disaster that was sure to be storming their way.

"We're coming," another voice corrected playfully with a snort. Gaius quirked his eyebrow at the boyish voice but smiled all the same, giving a wink to his giggling wife.

Alice let out a gasp, and plastered both hands to her cheeks, at the sight of the mud covered children that had just skid their way to the couple, pushing each other roughly as to get to them first. Gaius could barely hold back his laughter and covered his mouth his eyes giving away his pleasure.

"Good heavens child! Is that anyway to look for your father?!" Alice screeched, her hands going to Merlin's ratty tresses to see what she could save.

"He won't care!" Merlin chirped happily but she smoothed her soiled skirt anyway, a slight flush appearing on her muddy cheeks, a pale arm coming up to wipe it embarrassingly under the storm-grey eyes that stared down at her disapprovingly.

"Why would he want to see her anyway?" A dimpled-filled face asked sarcastically and pushed Merlin roughly on the arm knocking her slightly off balance, as if she were a boy herself.

"Shuddup Will!" Merlin yelped red-faced and stomped her foot childishly, her blue eyes holding hellfire. "I'll whip you again," The raven haired girl warned, wagging her finger in his face and narrowing her eyes. Will just stuck out his tongue at her, the pink a huge contrast to the mud.

"Children behave," Alice scolded but smiled warmly as she pulled Merlin closer to examine her hair more closely. "Honestly child," she sighed, her fingers loosening Merlin's ruined braid to release her thick ebony tresses. "I would have liked to have shown a lady!"

"Well ya ain't gonna find one here!" William yelled joyously, in a futile attempt to get back at Merlin for her snide remarks.

"William Thatcher," Alice said sternly, her grey eyes landing on him warningly. "Don't make me have to speak to your mother!"

Will gulped and a blush filled his cheeks, one that could be seen even under all the grime. "Yes, ma'am…"

"Ha!" Merlin said smugly, her chin raised, a goofy grin distorting her face. "Ow! Alice! That hurts!"

"Maybe if you'd stop squirming, and being rude, that wouldn't happen!"

Gaius let out a laugh, causing his wife to roll her eyes, bringing the smiles back to the children's faces.

"They're here!" A servant warned suddenly, panting heavily as he too had run there, a smile wide upon his plump lips.

"Oh dear! Okay, thank you Tom! Now Merlin, you best be on your best behavior!"

"Yes ma'am!" Merlin said cheerfully, beaming a snaggle-tooth grin at her. Alice smiled lovingly at her childish features and planted kisses on both cheeks, the mud now mostly gone from her rosy face.

"Off you go!" She said and stepped aside as Merlin bolted off into the carriage's direction yelling "father!" as loudly as her little lungs could muster.

A smile wormed its way onto Will's round face as he watched Merlin leap joyfully into her father's muscular arms, her head of curls flying around chaotically without the restraining band.

"My girl…!" Balinor laughed lovingly and buried his bearded face into her slender shoulder. "I have brought you something wonderful," her father said brightly, releasing his daughter from his bear hug. He placed his hands on her shoulders so she could see the utter joy in his face. Merlin smiled back at him, the love in her eyes unrelenting in strength and devotion.

She loved her father, there was no doubt. He was everything to her, father, mother, best friend. He could do anything, according to Merlin. He was unstoppable and good—extremely so, in every way.

"However," Balinor said lifting an eyebrow at Merlin's mud-covered dress. "I was hoping to present a lady. Oh, I guess you'll do!" A bright smile blossomed on his strong features at the blush spreading like wildfire across his daughter's face; even her ears turned a bright pink.

"I heard," Merlin said shyly, smoothing her dress down nervously and craning her neck to see into the carriage behind her father.

Balinor threw his head back in a fit of laughter, dark curls, much like his daughter's, bouncing wildly in the crisp autumn air. Merlin laughed with him, her chubby hands pressed against his cheeks adoringly.

"Have you now?! Well! That just ruins the surprise!" Balinor released Merlin, grabbing her hand, and walked over to the carriage's door, giving Merlin an excited smile that the child could only return. "Katrina, my love, it appears that our surprise has gone flat!" A disdained snort spilled from the window, along with a few childish sighs.

Merlin raised her eyebrows at the sounds and tossed Alice, her nanny, an unsure look. Alice smiled warmly at her and waved her hands in a forwardly motion. A smile crept its way once more onto Merlin's face.

She wasn't alone, never would be. Why should she be scared?

"Oh, don't be that way Kat," Balinor laughed good-naturedly. "Why don't you come on out," he asked and leaned his arms onto the carriage's open window, the carriage leaning awkwardly under the pressure, his dark locks covering his strong shoulder blades.

"It's a lovely day! You too Morgana! Guinevere! Oh don't give me that sour look Morgs," Balinor said and scrunched up his face childishly, earning a heartfelt laugh from the two children. Merlin's uneasiness lessened with the laugh and a genuine smile warped her face.

"Alright dear," an aristocratic voice replied and Merlin let her mouth gape in shock. A smile swept across Balinor's face at Merlin's reaction and he opened the carriage door, holding out his hand which was soon grasped onto by a delicate, neatly permed, one.

Alice gasped and brought a worn hand up to her mouth, the other to her heart, her eyes widening.

Merlin's mouth only opened wider as a ridiculous amount of red fabric piled out of the, rather small, carriage door. Green eyes gazed past Merlin, and the other curious bystanders, and seemed to look at the house with disgust before they landed on Balinor's brown eyes and then a genuine-looking smile warped scarlet red lips.

"It's lovely dear," Katrina said, though the words fell flat to Merlin's young ears. The raven youth clutched her dirty dress almost too tightly; fingers trembling with nerves.

"Thank you," Balinor said and helps guide her off the carriage's wobbly steps. Merlin's eyes widened at the sight of her step-mother's shoes. The heel had to be at least four inches long…

She's gonna have a hard time helping out with the farm in those! Merlin thought and a giggle slipped out of her mouth. Katrina's scrutinizing stare is suddenly upon Merlin, the giggle earning the lady's attention.

"Ah, young Morgan I presume," the strawberry blonde woman said, her nose lifting towards the air. Merlin gulped, unable to correct her.

"Merlin," her father corrected, his smile falling from his face. "Her name is Merlin."

"Of course! Oh I'm sorry, my child! The journey has been long and treacherous!"

"It's okay," Merlin said coyly, her ears turning a brighter pink.

"Balinor," A snobbish voice said and Merlin saw a flash of green as a child's hand was thrust outside the carriage, obviously waiting to be helped.

"You may call me father Morgana," Balinor sighed but reached for the pale hand nonetheless. Merlin gasped at the beautiful girl that emerged from the carriage. Beautiful ebony curls…Elegant eyebrows, crystal green eyes (much like her mother's), and a perfectly crimsoned mouth that curled mischievously at the sight of Merlin making her squirm nervously again.

Alice gave Gaius a weary look, and a few other servants squirmed along with their young mistress. This was weird. They were weird…They don't belong here, not on a farm…

"Yes father," the raven beauty said dutifully and stepped next to her mother, not giving Merlin a passing glance, her hands clasped lady-like in front of her emerald green dress.

"Father?" A shy voice asked and a light cocoa-colored hand was seen sticking out nervously from the carriage. A genuinely fatherly smile blossomed across Balinor's face as he accepted the gentle hand in his calloused one.

Big brown eyes wandered curiously at their surroundings and Merlin's heart thumped excitedly as the similarly elegant, but seeming humble, girl stepped down from the carriage's steps.

Guinevere smiled warmly at Balinor and gave him a slight curtsy before smoothing her rumpled purple skirts down and flashing Merlin a shy smile. Her smile fell as her mother's and sister's green eyes looked at her expectantly. Guinevere glanced at Merlin once more before walking next to her sister, placing her hands in the same position.

"Well," Balinor said almost awkwardly, his hand resting upon his stiff daughter's shoulder. "Welcome to the Emrys manner! I do hope you'll like it here!"

"I'm sure we will, darling," Katrina said smoothly, like a snake, and batted her eyelashes at her new husband.

"My lady," Balinor said adoringly, offering her his arm. Katrina curtsied politely wrapped her slim arm around his muscular one, allowing him to lead her into the house.

"Come, my girls," Katrina said over her shoulder and the two girls immediately followed, almost in a robotic manner.

"Yes mother," the two beauties said almost in unison. Merlin openly gaped at them, not bothering to cover her mouth. Morgana looked at her with a disgusted look upon her elegant features whilst her sister muffled a laugh. Merlin remained gaping until the sound of the door closing woke her from her daze.

Will let out a deep sigh, of which he had probably been holding. He jogged over to the still stricken girl and slung an arm around her shoulders.

"Well, that was awkward," he said and squeezed Merlin's arm.

"I'm sure it will get better with time," Alice assured, walking over to them. "It's their first day! They're in a strange place, far from the city! Merlin, you're going to have to help teach them how to work around here!"

"Yeah," Will snorted, "It looks as if they haven't seen a farm before!"

"Well…." Alice said, her eyebrows lifting unsurely.

"Oh," Will gasped, his eyes widening.

"I'm sure it'll all work out," Merlin said finally, a hopeful smile cracking through her nervousness. "Papa looks awfully happy! If he's happy, then so am I!"

"You're such a sweet heart," Alice said and pinched the tip of Merlin's nose playfully. "Now, I reckon you'd best be showing your sisters where their rooms are, hm?" Merlin smiled widely, her cerulean eyes excited beyond measure. She immediately threw herself in the elderly woman's arms, her face buried in her worn bodice.

"Thanks Alice! Bye Will! See you tomorrow yeah?" Merlin bolted for the house excitedly leaving William's answer to fall short.

Alice shook her head; she could only hope that all goes well with this growing family.

Well? What do you think? Should I continue?

I have more, much more. :]

Best wishes always,

Lthien~