For those of you that made it pass the prologue, I give you chapter one! Enjoy!

Summary: As a princess, you are given gifts, magical gifts! They truly define who you are. So what happens when they are unceremoniously stripped from you? Our formerly beautiful, musically-inclined, poised heroine is about to find out…

The Formerly Known

Chapter One: The Girl Says Once Upon a Time

"GRETCHEN!" This was not happening, oh this was NOT happening. This was a disaster!

"GRETCHEN!" Where was that woman! I swear she was a good-for-nothing old lady who was kept in the castle only because my mother fell for her sob stories. I went to take in another large gulp of air to scream for her again, but the frail woman came shuffling in.

"Yes, Princess?" she bowed.

"What is this?!" I pointed to the disaster in front of me.

"Your dress, milady, for your birthday ball," she mumbled.

"Are you daft, woman? THIS is NOT what I requested! I asked for a deep blue gown, one that would bring out my eyes. What color is this, Gretchen? Does this look like blue to you?" I pointed to the pink gown.

"Well?!" I demanded when she wouldn't answer.

"No, milady. I shall have it fixed for you," she whimpered.

"I should hope so! If you do not I shall see that you lose your job as well as your benefits for serving in the castle! Do we understand each other?" I threw the wretched dress in her direction. She nodded, picked up the dress, and shuffled back. I will never understand the limit of human stupidity. It must be infinite. I mean how hard was it to tell blue from pink?!

I did not have time to puzzle myself with this unsolvable mystery. Somewhere in the castle, my mother called for me. Picking up my skirts, I ventured into the hall in search of her.

Servants were bustling about, setting flowers and decorations for my approaching birthday. Sixteen: the first step into womanhood. I felt a smile creeping into my face at the thought of it. Suitors would come from all over for my hand in marriage. I could start training to become queen.

These thoughts made my heart leap: all these plans and my whole life ahead of me to accomplish them. I could do anything.

As I continued down the hall, I passed a mirror. Stopping, I fixed my long, golden blonde hair. My blue eyes were sparkling. My lips were as red as ever and my skin fair, just as they always were. The fairy who blessed me did good work.

Satisfied with my appearance, I turned to continue on my quest for my mother. All of a sudden, something cold splashed onto the entire front of my dress. I fell to the ground at the force of a rushing servant. The moment the water hit me, everyone in the hall stopped. No one breathed. I felt the heat rushing into my cheeks. My blood began to boil. I stood and glared at the small girl who spilled the water on me from the plant, ready to tear into her and have her fired, when my mother appeared from someone.

"Genevieve!" she scolded, "Come."

Taking one last glare at the servant girl that said 'This isn't finished yet,' I followed my mother into her small library. She shut the door.

"Genevieve," she began.

"Yes, Mother?" I smiled. My smile could get me nearly anything…

"What is the matter with you?!" she yelled. Except apparently with my mother.

"What do you mean?"

"You cannot treat servants, or people for that matter the way you do! I found Gretchen crying in the hall!"

"Mother, you would side with Gretchen over me? They made a mistake and should pay for it!" I shot back.

"People make mistakes, Genevieve! It is what makes the world go 'round!"

We were silent for a moment.

"Genevieve, dear, I love you, but you have become a selfish, insolate, arrogant, and bratty princess," she sighed. My mouth dropped open. These words hurt me worse than anything she could've yelled at me. How dare she say these things about me?! It is not my fault!

Infuriated by her words I stood, opened the door, and left for my room, slamming the door behind me. I could feel my face turning beet red. People moved out of my way in the hallway. Good thing. If anyone else made me mad, I would have snapped.

Once back in the safety of my room, I went to my closet to ready myself for dinner. I decided on an emerald green gown. Walking back into my room, I let out a little screech. It turned out that I was not alone.

"Hello Genevieve," the woman greeted, her face solemn. She was aged, nor wrinkly, but one could tell she had experienced much in life. Her brown hair was graying. She was short and stout and wore a simple, rose-colored gown.

"Who are you?! How did you get in my room?!" I demanded.

"My dear, I'm your fairy godmother," she replied coolly. My fairy godmother? I actually had one of those? I let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, well, that's great! You are just in time for my birthday celebration!"

"I understand you have not been treating your fellow people right, Genevieve," she commented. What?

"You have abused the gifts that my sisters and I have granted to you. You have no respect for anyone and care about no one but yourself, and for that, there are consequences," she continued. Consequences?

"Wait, what are you talking about?" I asked, frightened.

"Because you have abused our gifts, they will be taken away from you. Until you learn to respect other people, and sacrifice, you will not get them back," she declared as if she did this every day. After this, she began mumbling some gibberish. I could not understand her, nor did I understand what was happening…until it was too late.

I felt a rip and tear at my insides, as if my soul itself was trying to break away from the rest of my body. I felt myself scream, but no sound came out. The pain was so piercing, that once it was over, darkness overcame me. What did this witch do to me?

Finally, I woke up.

Who is this woman? What has she done to our heroine? And most importantly, will that "dreadful" dress be fixed in time for her birthday? R&R!