Once upon a time in a faraway land, there was a tiny kingdom. Peaceful, prosperous, and rich in romance in tradition. There was a small farm that lived a humble farmer, and his daughter, Victoria. The Farmer was a kind and hardworking man that preferred the simple life as a farmer. However, his daughter was far from content with life as a farmer's daughter and desired for more in life. Before her mother died, she had her daughter promise her that she would be more than just a simple peasant girl. That she would have a better life for herself one day, along with her future children. Unfortunately, Victoria has never had the chance to improve her social class or to keep her mother's promise. But she knew why her mother named her Victoria, because she knew one day she would be victorious in becoming more than just a farmer's daughter.

The Farmer had been working hard on the farm since the sunrise, mainly working on his crop. He noticed his daughter was being sloppy in her chores, as usual. She was never good with the farm animals, especially when it came to feeding the pigs because she would always get dirtier than she already was. The Farmer never cared much about being dirty because he was used to it. He loved his daughter very much, but always had to criticize the way she did things because it was clear she didn't care about doing the job right, but rather just getting it done.

"Victoria, you need to stop being so sloppy and rushing through your chores!" stated The Farmer. "You're just making things more difficult because it ends up having to be done all over again. Why can't you just be more patient?"

"Because I hate living on this farm! I hate these stupid animals! And I hate having to live like a dirty pig wallowing in the filth!" answered Victoria. "I want more out of life than this! I want to be among the high-class nobles and royals, drinking wine and eat food without having to worry about how much I hate to save for tomorrow, so I won't starve to death!"

"My dear, that life is full of stuck up people that look down upon those lesser than them. Here we're among people who are friendly and would bend over backwards for their neighbor," responded The Farmer.

"Because they know misery loves company! Everyone here is miserable because they have to worry about food, having warm clothes, and having to live like the disgusting little beasts I'm forced to feed every day of my life!" argued Victoria.

"Victoria, those disgusting little beasts as you call them, are our source of food and making money," The Farmer reminded his daughter.

"They're also one of the reasons we don't have much money, since we have to spend money to feed those wrecked creatures!" retaliated Victoria. "I want more!"

"Greed is an ugly thing, my daughter," said The Farmer. "Even if you're able to move up in life, your greed to consume you until there is nothing left but an empty heart."

"How can you know for sure, if you never allow me to go anywhere near nobles to have a chance?" questioned Victoria.

"If you want to be with nobles, fine. Go ahead!" said The Farmer.

"Father! Really?" questioned the excited Victoria.

"Yes," said The Farmer before handing his daughter a heavy basket of eggs. "You can deliver these eggs to the palace for the royal ball tomorrow night."

"What a dream come true. There's a ball tomorrow night and all I get to do is deliver eggs. Pinch me, I must be dreaming," said the sarcastic Victoria.

"Not just eggs. There's also the flour, the milk, and the butter," added The Farmer.

"You expect me to deliver all of that by myself?" questioned Victoria.

"No, you have the horse and the wagon to help you," answered The Farmer. "Besides, I have to continue working on the crops and make up for the sloppy work you did with your chores. You better get going because the royal baker needs all the time he can get to make the cake for the royal engagement party."

"Engagement party?" questioned Victoria.

"Yes, the Prince has found a woman to marry and after their wedding next month, they plan on having a coronation for their crowning as King and Queen. So we need to make sure they like our service, so they'll pay us for both of those upcoming events," informed The Farmer. "Now get going!"

Victoria did as her father ordered her to do, but reluctantly. However, she did look forward to at least be near the rich and noble people, even if she'd be seen in her dirty rags. She finally arrived and the castle looked even more beautiful closer up than from the view from her farm. Victoria had looked at the castle from her farm several times a day ever since she was a little girl. The guards asked her what her business was and she answered that she was delivering eggs, flour, milk, and butter for the royal baker. They allowed her to enter, but no one seemed to be there to help her carry all of her supplies. She figured all the servants must be busy preparing for the ball, but she still wished she had someone to help her.

Victoria had almost finished unloading the supplies and only needed to unload one last bag of flour. However, as she was walking to the door, suddenly she tripped. She fell on the flour and got it all over her. She didn't just trip by accident, someone actually tripped her on purpose. It was a high-class woman, with grey hair up in a high bun, a golden ball gown, a pointy nose that rose high in the air, wasn't particularly pretty, and golden shoes, one of them was now scuffed from Victoria tripping over it.

"You clumsy little wrench!" cried out the snobbish woman. "You ruined my new shoes!"

"Me?" questioned Victoria. "You're the one who tripped me with your cheaply made shoes!"

"How dare you call my shoes cheaply made!" cried out the snob. "These shoes were imported from Spain!"

"Either way, it wouldn't have happened if you didn't trip me like some immature child!" retaliated Victoria.

"Don't you speak to me like that, you dirty country bumpkin!" replied the snob. "Do you even know who I am?"

"No, and I don't care," answered Victoria.

Suddenly a guard rushed in and interrupted the argument. "What's going on here?" asked the guard. Both women explained what happened and the guard took a moment before answering. "Are you alright?" asked the guard.

"I'm fine, just covered with flour," answered Victoria.

"I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to the Lady Tremaine," responded the guard.

"Excuse me?" questioned Victoria. "That old bat is the one who tripped me on purpose."

"You will not speak to her that way! Now apologise!" demanded the guard.

"What? Why should I be the one to apologise?" asked the outraged Victoria.

"Because if you don't, I'll make sure you won't receive payment for your delivery," answered the guard.

Victoria scowled for a moment, then got down on her knees. "I'm sorry for ruining your shoes and being so rude, Lady Tremaine," said the reluctant Victoria.

Lady Tremaine had a smile of satisfaction on her face from being able to humiliate this simple little peasant girl. She then walked off with her nose hanging high in the air. Victoria had a lot of hatred for this woman and it made her think that maybe her father was right. Maybe she was better off living with the peasants, who were a lot friendlier. However, she also wanted to be able to be among the high-class, so that no one could treat her that way again. She now felt more like those filthy animals on the farm that she hated so much than she did before.

Before she could gather the strength to get up, she suddenly noticed a hand reaching out to her. It was a young man, who appeared to be of high-class, though wasn't particularly handsome. He had red hair, a chubby face, which looked odd compared to his thin body, he had round blue eyes, a weird looking nose, and had lines on his face. He then asked "Miss, are you alright?" with a caring smile.

Victoria then reached for his hand as he pulled her up and answered "Yes, I'm fine. I'm just covered with some flour. But I'm usually covered with mud and dirt, so this is probably an improvement."

"You were right. You didn't do anything wrong," said the gentleman.

"I wish you had been here to tell that to the guard and that over-dressed hag, Lady Tremaine," responded Victoria.

"Wouldn't have done much good," commented the gentleman.

"Why not?" asked Victoria. "You're high-class, so they'd listen to you, unlike me."

"Well, that over-dressed hag is actually my mother and she never listens to what I have to say," answered the gentleman.

Victoria froze for a moment with embarrassment and wasn't sure what to say. Finally, she got up the courage to say "Oh... I'm really sorry. I didn't know..."

"No need to apologize," interrupted the gentleman. "You're right, she is unreasonable, stuck-up, and is a pain."

"Francis! The carriage is waiting! Come at once!" yelled out Lady Tremaine.

"I'm coming mother!" called out Francis. "Well, I guess this is goodbye for now Miss uhh..."

"Victoria," the farmer's daughter answered.

"Goodbye, Victoria," said Francis as he walked off.

Victoria waved her hand slowly as she quietly said "Goodbye... Francis..." and slowly put her hand back down. For the first time in a long time, she actually smiled. When their hands touched, she felt something so strong that nothing else seemed to matter. Then she snapped out of it long enough to finish unloading the flour, or what was left of it anyway. She was criticized for losing some of the flour, but she didn't care because of that gentleman who made her feel like a true lady instead of a filthy peasant.

As she road home, she couldn't help but smile the whole time, just thinking about Francis Tremaine. For a long time she hoped that she would marry the Prince, soon to be the King, and was disappointed when she heard he was engaged to another. But now none of that mattered. While he may not be handsome, Francis had stolen her heart. However, when she saw her farm, she realized that she didn't have a chance of being with him because she's just a farmer's daughter. At the ball, there would be many young ladies born of noble blood that have a much better chance of winning his heart than she does. They've had breeding, training, are rich, elegant, and sophisticated. How can a mere peasant girl compete with that?

Suddenly, as the wagon road into the dirt on the farm, a wheel came off and Victoria fell out. She became irritated but then noticed what caused the wheel to come off. It hit a big yellow rock that shined like the sun. Victoria looked at it with amazement, for it wasn't just any rock, it was gold. She hid it in her dress, to keep her father from seeing it as he came towards her.

"Victoria, what happened?" asked The Farmer.

"The wheel came loose and the wagon fell over," answered Victoria.

"You didn't hurt yourself, did you?" asked The Farmer.

"No father, I'm fine, just dirty as usual," answered Victoria.

"Well, I better get to fixing this wheel," said The Farmer as he began to fix the wagon. "Did you have a fun time delivering to the palace?"

"At first, yes, then no, and then yes again," answered Victoria.

"What do you mean?" asked the confused father.

"Well, the palace was even more beautiful up close. But then some snobby woman knocked me over on purpose and then I was forced to apologize to her," started Victoria.

"What?" questioned the outraged Farmer. "I knew I shouldn't have let you go! Nobody treats my daughter that way! I wish I could find that woman and spit in her food when she's not looking!"

"Father, calm down!" cried out Victoria. "You haven't even heard the best part! I met someone! He was so kind to me and treated me like a lady."

"Well, well, my little girl is in love!" said The Farmer with a smile. "What's his name? Do we know his family?"

"His name is Francis Tremaine and he's the son of that rude woman," said Victoria as her father scowled. "But he's not like his mother at all! He says she even treats him badly and never listens to him. He even apologized to me for his mother's behavior."

"But he didn't care enough to say something to his mother when she knocked you over!" declared The Farmer. "He's not good enough for you. Besides, he's of noble blood and there's no way he'd be able to marry you because you're not of noble blood."

"But he was so kind to me and didn't even care about that. He even asked what my name was before he said goodbye," responded Victoria. "If I could only see him again, I know that..."

"That what? He'd marry you?" questioned The Farmer. "Life isn't that simple! You need to let go of this fantasy and be content with what you have. There are plenty of eligible young men around here that would be much more suited for you."

"Suited for me?" questioned Victoria in anger. "You don't think I'm good enough for the life of the upper class? Well, mother sure believed I deserved more! I don't plan on being the wife of some farmer! I plan on being more than that! In fact, I plan on going to that ball tomorrow night, so I can find Francis and we can live happily ever after!"

"Exactly how do you plan on going to the ball?" asked The Farmer. "You don't have anything suitable to wear to the ball and don't even have an invitation or a way to get there. Stop being so delusional and let your wicked greed cloud your judgment."

"Well, I'd rather be delusional, greedy, and wicked than a pathetic, filthy, and closed-minded peasant!" yelled Victoria.

"That's enough!" yelled The Farmer. "You can't go to the ball and that's that! Now go inside this instant and clean!"

Victoria ran inside the house in tears, with her father feeling he was far too hard on his daughter. He only wants to protect her from being let down and not to lose her because she's the only family he has left.

However, Victoria wasn't planning on giving up without a fight. She thought that if she found one gold rock on her land, there had to be more, so she planned to get up and try to find more gold when her father is asleep. She had to wait a while to make sure her father was asleep and to make sure she was quiet about it. She dug for a little over an hour and couldn't find any gold. However, finally, she was about to find three pieces of gold. She continued to dig until she had two big bags full of gold, which took a long time to find.

She didn't get much sleep, since she had been up all night digging and filling up the holes so her father wouldn't notice. She made an excuse to her father that she was sick and had to stay in bed. She wanted to catch up on her sleep before leaving for town to buy a ballgown, jewels, make-up, and shoes. She knew she had to be careful not to spend too much but also to make sure she looked like a debutant. She made sure her father wasn't looking when she took the horse and the wagon. It was a close call a few times, but she managed to get past him.

Victoria went to many stores that had so many beautiful things, but everything was very expensive and the things that weren't expensive weren't exactly suitable for a ball. Finally, she found a store with a beautiful red and black ballgown that she could afford. However, it would cost everything she had. She knew she wouldn't be able to afford shoes, jewels, or make-up if she bought the dress. However, she knew it was better than nothing and she wouldn't be able to do any better. The store owner was surprised to see someone like Victoria his store buying such an expensive dress. Victoria simply said she was getting it for her mistress, which made more sense to the store owner.

Victoria was happy about the dress, but sad that she couldn't afford anything else. However, as luck would have it, she noticed Lady Tremaine walking by and saw her throw away the shoes she said Victoria ruined, but were still perfectly good shoes. Victoria couldn't believe anyone would waste perfectly good shoes, but didn't question it because it meant she had some shoes to wear to the ball. She noticed two other upper-class women throwing out perfectly good things. One said that her servant got her the wrong lipstick and the other one said that her necklace, earring, and headpiece were all wrong for her. Victoria took advantage of these women being so wasteful, for she now had everything she needed. She spent the rest of the afternoon by a lake, trying to fix her hair in a fancy bun, wash her face, put on lipstick, putting on her jewelry, and seeing how she looked in her gown. She looked like a real debutant and hoped that she would soon become one for real.

The time of the ball had finally come and Victoria figured out a way to get in without anyone noticing she was there without an invitation. The ballroom was enormous and stunning, the music was enchanting, everyone had such beautiful clothes, and the food looked delicious. Victoria managed to keep her focus on finding Francis Tremaine but it was him who found her first.

"Well, it appears we meet again," said Francis as he gently grabbed Victoria's hand and kissed it. "Would you honor me with a dance?". Victoria was stunned for a moment but then nodded her head yes. "I must say, Miss Victoria, you clean up very well."

"Well, thank you," responded Victoria. "That's not a compliment I hear very often, considering I'm usually covered in dirt or mud. Although I do occasionally get covered with flour." Francis couldn't help but laugh in amusement from how charming Victoria was. "Sometimes I even get covered with milk and eggs."

"You sure know how to get yourself into a mess," commented Francis. "How did you manage to get here without an invitation?"

"Well, if I get caught, let's just hope that I'm just as good as getting out of messes as I am at getting into them," responded Victoria.

"Well, you sure love to live dangerously, don't you?" questioned Francis. "Well, I'll help you if you get into any trouble."

The two continued to dance for several hours, enjoying each others company. They felt such a strong connection to each other, despite coming from different worlds. The future King and Queen had passed by them a few times, but they didn't even notice, which is saying a lot, considering the future Queen was a dreadful dancer and kept stepping on the King's feet. It's a good thing the future King loved her so much, since most men wouldn't be able to stand that. Unfortunately, Victoria and Francis' fun was interrupted by the Lady Tremaine.

"Well, well, what have we here?" asked Lady Tremaine. "Francis, go mingle with the other guests. I'd like to chat with your lovely little friend." Francis walked off, but kept close, in order to make sure nothing happened to Victoria. "You sure created a clever disguise, my dear."

"I beg your pardon," said the confused Victoria.

"Did you really think you would fool anyone with this. I know you're that dirty farm girl that I met yesterday. A true lady of noble blood can tell the difference between blue blood and common blood. Besides, if you wish to deceive someone, it's a good idea not to wear the shoes they threw out," said Lady Tremaine. "Did you honestly think that you'd be able to come here and just seduce my son? Now that my husband is dead, my son is in charge of his business. However, I'm still in charge of deciding who my son will marry. I will not allow my son to be associated with some filthy peasant girl. He may not be a looker, but I still have my standards that are above the likes of you."

"I love your son and am willing to do anything for him," said Victoria.

"Love isn't a factor I'm considering in who will marry my son. Love is weakness. Marriage is an agreement between two households and a way to improve ones social class. However, that doesn't include peasants like you. I plan on moving my son up to where one of my grandchildren will become the future King or Queen of this kingdom," responded Lady Tremaine. "Now tell me, how is it that you managed to get that dress? I assume you got your jewels from someone who threw them out, but there is no way anyone would throw that dress out. Did you steal it from someone?"

"No, I'll have you know that I paid for this dress myself," retaliated Victoria.

"How could a someone like you afford to buy such an expensive dress when you can barely afford food?" asked Lady Tremaine.

"Because... there is gold on my land," answered Victoria.

"What?" questioned Lady Tremaine.

"That's right! And since you have insulted me, you shall not reap the benefits of my land," responded Victoria. "Now if you excuse me, I must be going."

"Not so fast!" said Lady Tremaine as she grabbed Victoria's arm. "I'll make a deal with you. Give me your land, so we can destroy that farm and dig up the land for gold, and I will allow you to marry my son and live the life of the upper class."

"It's a deal!" declared Victoria.

"Not so fast!" said Lady Tremaine. "Your father owns the land and has to be the one to agree to the deal, unless something were to happen to him, in which case the decision would be yours. However, if there isn't a lot of gold on your land, I will claim you stole my shoes and have you rot in jail for the rest of your miserable life."

"I understand ma'am," answered Victoria.

"Good, well, enjoy the rest of the party, my dear," said Lady Tremaine as she walked off.

Francis then rushed to Victoria after hearing everything. "Victoria, are you crazy?" he asked. "How are you going to prove that you have gold on your land?"

"I do have gold on my land," responded Victoria. "In fact, I spent hours digging up enough gold to buy this dress, so I could see you again."

"You did that for me?" asked Francis.

"Yes, I love you," answered Victoria.

"No one has ever gone to so much trouble for me," said Francis starstruck. "I love you too, Victoria. But I want to do this right. I want to ask for your hand for myself," said Francis as he got down on one knee. "Victoria, will you do me the honor of being my wife?"

"Yes, of course," said Victoria with a huge smile.

The two then shared their first kiss. They then left the ball in a carriage to tell Victoria's father the news. Victoria hoped that her father would agree to giving up the farm, since it would mean a better life for the both of them.

When they finally arrived to the farm, Francis got out first and carried Victoria to the door, to keep her from getting her dress dirty. She knocked on the door while holding on to her fiance. Her father answered the door and was in complete shock. His daughter was in the arms of a nobleman and was dressed like a debutant. They walked in through the door and Francis put Victoria down.

"Father, this is Francis and we're engaged," Victoria announced.

"You're engaged?" questioned The Farmer.

"Well, almost," answered Victoria. "You see, I got this dress from digging up gold that's on our land and I told Francis' mother about it. She says if we give her this land, she'll tear the place down and have her servants dig for gold, and then we can get married."

"Well, you can just send your fiance back because that's not going to happen," said The Farmer.

"What?" questioned Victoria.

"If you need to do something like this in order to get married, then it's not a real engagement. Besides, this farm has been in our family for generations and has too many fond memories to just give it away," responded The Farmer.

"But sir, I would marry her with or without the gold. It's just that my mother won't allow it," said Francis.

"If you loved my daughter, you wouldn't need your mother's permission and would just marry her," responded The Farmer.

"Father, it's a lot more complicated than that," said Victoria. "This could mean a better life for the both of us. We'd be moving up in life and wouldn't have any more worries."

"I'm afraid all of this is already making my worries worse than they've ever been before," said The Farmer. "You went behind my back to dig up all that gold that you kept for yourself to buy material things instead of for things we need, you lied to me about being sick, you had me worried sick about you being missing, you disobeyed me and went to the ball after I told you not to, you're engaged to someone you just met, and now you want to destroy the hope you grew up in all for more money. I told you that greed is wicked and you've just proved my point with all of this wicked behavior of yours. If you become a high-class woman, you'll become even more wicked because you'll never be satisfied and always want more."

"Father, all I'll need is Francis. I love him!" said Victoria.

"Victoria, love doesn't exist for the upper class because they only marry to improve themselves and have more fortune to satisfy their greed," responded The Farmer. "You can't get married without digging up the farm, which you can't get without me agreeing to it, which I won't agree to. Now young man, get off my property."

The Farmer then stormed off to his room and slammed the door, leaving the two lovers alone.

"Don't worry, Francis, I will find a way to fix this. We will be together and live a wonderful life for the rest of our lives," said Victoria.

"I know, love will find a way," said Francis as he kissed his love goodbye and left.

Victoria had to come up with a plan because obviously her father wasn't going to agree to sell the farm. She then remembered what Lady Tremaine said about if something were to happen to her father, she would be the one who could decide to sell the farm. She tried to get rid of those wicked thoughts, but to no avail. Finally, she decided she would poison her father, even though she didn't want to. She came into her father's room with poisoned tea as a "peace offering." Her father believed her as he drank it with glee.

"You see Victoria, you can be happy without improving your social class," said The Farmer.

"You're right father, I can be happy," said Victoria. Suddenly The Farmer could barely breathe and his head felt dizzy. "But not here. I'm sorry father, I didn't want to do this, but you gave me no choice."

"I told you your greed would make you wicked and this is proof," coughed the weak Farmer.

"If I'm wicked, it's only because you made me that way but taking away any control of my life I had. You made me this way!" said Victoria as she saw her father die. "But I still love you... Goodbye father..."

News spread to Lady Tremaine about the Farmer's death, saying he drunk himself to death. The farm was destroyed and there were thousands of gold rocks found, which meant that Victoria and Francis could finally get married. On the day of the wedding, Victoria was getting dressed in her white gown, with her long brown hair loose and brushed so neatly. Suddenly, Lady Tremaine walked in on the bride and ordered the servants to leave, so she could talk to her soon to be daughter-in-law in private.

"Is there something you want, ma'am?" asked Victoria.

"Well, there's something I'd like to talk to you about. Your father's death. I know you're the one who killed him," responded Lady Tremaine.

"What? No, he drunk himself to death," stuttered Victoria.

"Don't lie to me! I know you killed your father!" said Lady Tremaine. "I say that you need your father's permission to sell the farm, so you can marry my son. Did you really think I wouldn't be able to put the pieces together?"

"Alright, so what now? Are you going to tell everyone to keep me from marrying Francis?" asked Victoria.

"No, I don't plan on telling your secret to anyone. It'll just be between the two of us," responded Lady Tremaine.

"I don't understand," said the confused Victoria. "If you aren't going to tell anyone, why are you here telling me this?"

"Because, I want you to know that I'm proud of you and I was wrong about you," answered Lady Tremaine.

"What?" asked Victoria.

"You proved that you have what it takes to be more than just a farmer's daughter. You were willing to kill your own father in order to get what you want," answered Lady Tremaine. "Did you love your father?"

"Yes, of course I did," answered Victoria.

"What did you feel when you killed your father?" asked Lady Tremaine.

"Sadness..." answered Victoria.

"Anything else?" asked Lady Tremaine. "Wasn't there any other feelings you had when you killed your father? Were you happy that you finally had control over your life and he couldn't keep you from your potential anymore?"

"Yes..." answered Victoria with a tear.

"You have discovered what that love only get in the way of getting what you want. You loved your father and he loved you, but he also got in your way. Even when you love someone, you need to make sure they know that what you want is yours and they can't take it from you or keep you from it. Love gets in the way. If you want your children to have a better life than you had, you can't let love or those emotions get in the way," said Lady Tremaine. "Now, it's time for you to begin your new life. But consider what I've told you because your child could become the next King or Queen to our kingdom. Or do you want them to end up being a nothing like you used to be?"

"No, I want them to have more than I had!" answered Victoria. "You're right, I can't let love get in my way anymore. I let it get in my way all my life and I'm never going to let that happen again. I will never go back to where I started. I am now and forever the Lady Tremaine"