7 Life as a Commoner

Drizella stares at the sky in a daze, not knowing what to say at her current situation. In one hand she was holding her little sister's hand and on her back is a wood carrier.

Before she left Amalia said: "Those that don't work don't eat! You and your sister need to work!"

She is fine with herself working since it was the same as on Earth. If you don't work, you don't earn money for food. But her sister is only two-year-old and her body right now is only three-year-old--how can someone let a child carry woods when they are only three-year-old. This is child abuse, you hear me! Child abuse!!

"Nini. Tired!" Anastasia said shaking her hand. She opens up her arm for Drizella, "Cary! Cary, Stas!"

Drizella hesitated for a bit. She looks around their area and drags Anastasia to a tree with the most shade. She said: "Let's rest here for a bit then. Ok, Anastasia?"

Anastasia nodded her head, she hugged her sister's leg as a sign of happiness. She lay down on the grassy grass and went into sleep.

Seeing her sleeping face, Drizella can only sigh. She drops the wood carrier and picks strong, long, and thick woods that has fallen around their area. She put them on the wood carrier and fasten them up. Before leaving Amalia has told her that she just have to pick up sticks that are strong and not wet. She also taught her how to fasten the wood carrier.

After filling up the wood carrier to the bream with all the sticks she lay down next to the tree. Drizella combed Anastasia's hair as she slept soundly, from time to time Anastasia would mumble 'mama' out. Drizella knows that she is missing their mother and she also is too but she didn't want to be a bother to her mother so she'll do her best while living with their grandparents.

She kept having the feeling that her mother's parents really hated her dad's parents. It seems like there is some history between the two families. This is just her speculation but maybe the Wilson never saw her father as their son. She remembers that none of the Wilson family came to pay her father respect at the funeral. The only time they came was to demand back the small inheritance her father got from their grandfather when he passes away. In her opinion, the Wilson family is the worst in how they handle their family situation.

She didn't understand why they can't just pick up woods near their house but have to go further to pick woods. Now that she thinks about it they are closer to the town than they are to Amalia's house... What's the meaning of these bizarre circumstances she is in, it's totally unlike what she thought the story Cinderella would be like. Even if the story didn't show the stepsisters life when they are young, the stepsisters' life shouldn't be this bad.

...

Her life as a commoner is full of chores to do but she didn't dislike it. It helps keep her mind accompany from wondering what her life would be like. Her chores are from learning to help out around the kitchen to pick up woods. She also helps Ana and Lia watch over her sister when she has nothing to do. Amalia has her own work and Matthew would sometime go hunting bringing back food. Later she would help around the house, it almost makes her have the feeling of living on a farm.

Amalia would teach her letters and numbers. Without a chalkboard or paper, the only creative idea she can come up with is writing her letters and numbers on soil or sand using a long sharp stick. She would also teach Anastasia little things and let her draw on the soil. After she would smear the sand/soil erasing everything. She learned that counting numbers isn't very different from Earth, only that they use an abacus to count numbers. She doesn't prefer that way so she just does mathematics like she was taught when she was still Luna. From time to time, she would visit the town, Hadleigh with Amalia and Matthew. Hadleigh is the town that they arrive in first before traveling to where her grandparents live. Her journey from going to Hadleigh taught her that 100 copper coins are 1 silver and 10 silvers are 1 gold.

Sometimes they would walk there and other times they would use the court when Matthew have to transport items into town. Matthew like Amalia isn't old, he is around the forties like Amalia. Both their faces are still full of energy and their strength is more than what she usually see in Earth. They are like Superman being able to lift a car with both hands. She decides to change her view of people in this world. Whether they are old or young they are the same... but the people in town show her that those two are the unnatural ones.

Anastasia and she made friends in Hadleigh and there are children following them each time they would visit. They were having fun and became a part of Hadleigh. Their mother, Camilla also came back to visit them. At first, there were complaints when Camilla in Hadleigh but knowing who and what she is they stop their rude behavior (which Drizella doesn't get why). However, Camilla doesn't always go with them, she would only go one day a month.

...

Drizella is already four years old and it was almost Anastasia's birthday. She wanted to celebrate her sister's birthday so she asks her mother, grandparents, Ana, and Lia to help her plan the celebration. They paused for an adult discussion only so Drizella went to play with Anastasia. After an hour, her mother called for her telling her the news that they are ok with it.

Ana and Lia are encharged of inviting people. Amalia and her mother will do the food while Matthew's job is to help with decorating the place. Drizella is to help keep Anastasia busy and if she has ideas she should tell them now. Drizella wanted to make a cake, without a cake it isn't a birthday celebration. There are also candles that go on the cake. Using a flat board that her grandpa made and a charred stick, she draws what she wants the cake to look like. She also wrote down the measurements needed to make the cake according to the kitchen types of equipment they have. Drizella asks her mother and grandma to make improvements if she was wrong somewhere.

She was the one who came up with the idea but she was also the one who didn't have any work to do. She took Anastasia into Hadleigh to play with the town children. They roam around the streets with everyone and they would help the adults with material to gain some money for spending.

The next morning Drizella did the same thing only this time they didn't go to town. They stay in the forest playing around. Drizella and Anastasia only not make friends with the town children but also children who live out of town like them. They play games that she invented such as kick the can or learning how to read and write. They also play around the lake, swim, and try to catch fishes. It was a fun time.

Both Drizella and Anastasia returned back to the house for lunch. In both of Drizella's hands are about three to five common carp that are about 18 inches tied to a string while Anastasia is holding a basket of fresh red raspberries. They were both dirty and wet that Ana and Lia hurried to dry them with towels and make them took a bath. After bathing, drying, and wearing clothes, they were then only allowed to eat but not in the kitchen rather outside in the front yard.

"Daisy and Stacey go to town and pass these letters to the people written on it. And these ones are for those that you guys like. Be back before evening alright." Lia told them while wiping their messy face.

Anastasia stares at the envelopes with question marks in her eyes. The color of the envelopes are white with a pink ribbon tied to close it: "Why? ...Love letters?"

Lia's face blush scarlet red and she hurriedly said with awkwardness, "No... Of course not! How... how can that be! Hahaha!"

Drizella looks at her, she hides her snigger with her hand coming to a realization that one of the letters with name must be someone she has a crush on.

They pass the envelopes around Hadleigh to people they have a good relationship and to those that are written. Since there were a couple left and the sun hasn't begun to set, Drizella decides to pass them to those that live out of town.

Drizella and Anastasia sit in a daze looking at the trees as the wind blow the leaves side to side. Anastasia glance at her big sister and was taken by her beauty even if right now she is dirty. With the wind soft gale, her hair was flowing the wind's rhythm as she stares out into space. She was different from her even though they are sisters... her sister's hair is light brown with the tip being lightly blond... must be due to her sister always being in the sun. The only thing they both share is their brown eyes but her sister's eye color is darker than hers.

Drizella's face was right in front of her with a smile: "What do you keep looking at me for... Too pretty to look at."

Anastasia's mouth mumbled, "Weird hair."

Drizella's stare at her in shock, she grabbed her hair speculating: "Maybe I should cut the tip off so that it won't look unnatural?"

"No! It's pretty!" Anastasia shut out looking very sincere in her answer.

Drizella laughs when she saw her face looking very serious. She patted her sister's head and gestured that its turn to return.