The smell of manure hung over the dirty little town where one wicked and the other not so wicked, but lovely stepsisters of Cinderella were shopping. They had just received invitations to the royal ball. Now everything was a competition between them, who was prettiest, had the best dresses, feigned the best manners around guests. Cinderella tagged along behind them wishing that she might someday be as lovely as her sisters.

The shop, unlike the world outside, was small and smelled of rose water and lavender sprigs. The shop was full of the gorgeous gowns. Olivia, the shorter sister, had picked out a black dress with silver beads and strings of pearls. Elizabeth who was at least four inches taller than Olivia was admiring a pale lavender dress with generous amounts of embroidered flowers. She would look very delicate in the gown, with dark romantic curls piled upon her head. When they had finished looking they paid for the dresses, piling then on Cinderella to carry, and returned to their awaiting carriage.