Annabelle ✦

Annabelle would often compare her life to the story Cinderella. She was born into a house of nobility. Annabelle's mother was dead to her in a sense from a young age, after she left Annabelle with her father to pursue her own passions. He eventually remarried another woman with two older daughters, and then became dead to her as well when he unknowingly allowed his new wife and step-daughters to mistreat Annabelle. The step sisters often mocked and stole luxurious items such as outfits and toys from Annabelle. The step-mother often made her do all the hard chores, and her daughters made them even harder by creating messes. On top of her current lessons, Annabelle's step-mother enrolled her in ones to shape her into a "proper lady". All the lessons and chores gave Annabelle little time for rest, but often in her spare time during the night she taught herself to sew in order to create her own dolls. Often times she made the dolls "ugly" enough that the step sisters wouldn't steal them, as a decoy to hide her true prized self-made dolls. Aside from sewing, she taught herself doll-making with materials other than cloth such as wood, plastic, porcelain, etc. When she became a teenager, Annabelle decided she'd use her craft into planning her escape.

Annabelle would sell her dolls and take custom commissions from her classmates, and sometimes teachers. When she was around 17 Annabelle felt all her hard work and restless nights had finally paid off, as she felt she had saved up enough to leave her family and live on her own.  But then a letter came into the mail, inviting every member of the noble household to a ball hosted by the royal family. Although the step-mother told Annabelle she couldn't attend due to not owning any elegant dress, since her step-sisters stole them all, and threatened her if she were to ask her father for one. So in secret, Annabelle dipped into some of her escape funds to get materials to sew her own ball gown. She felt she absolutely had to attend the ball to meet a prince who'd she fall in love with, and would save her from her current life. She sneaked to the ball with her handmade dress on, and searched for the prince. But when she found him, he dismissed her as merely a lost child, and went to dance with the step-sisters. That's when Annabelle realized her story was different from Cinderella: she had no animal helpers (or any companions for that matter), no Fairy Godmother to guide her, and there was no Prince Charming to love and save her. Annabelle learned she had to make her own happy ending, and was about to leave the ball when a group of noble women approached her. One of them recognized her as her daughter's classmate who she commissioned to make an exquisite doll, and the rest showed great interest in commissioning Annabelle for dolls of their own for high prices. Through noble connections, Annabelle was able to earn back the amount she spent on materials and double the original goal.

Early in the morning before the sun would rise on Annabelle's 18th birthday, now that she had saved more than enough and finished with schooling, she began to make her leave from home before her family awoke. She made sure all the chores from the day before were left undone so everyone would have to clean their own mess, grabbed her birthday gift (an elegant outfit with a cross that belonged to her mother) and cake from her father before her step-sister's could, packed her things into the family's horse-carriage, and departed towards the next town. Annabelle didn't have a destination in mind, just a place far away from her family. 

On her travels, Annabelle eventually reached a small homey village outside of a forest, and rented a room at an inn to stay at. As she wanders the village she begins hearing rumors of an enchanted garden deep in the forest, ignoring the talks of a dangerous witch who curses anybody who dares enter it. Annabelle decided to travel to the forest to search for the garden, wanting to see such a sight for herself. Deep in the forest she comes upon a garden of beautiful purple roses, and investigates deeper into it. She finds a young woman around her age tending to the garden, and inquires her on obtaining some roses. But the woman tells her they're too valuable, which the Annabelle mistakes as a monetary sense rather than sentimental, and offers to make her a doll as a trade for a bouquet of roses. The woman pauses, before accepting the offer.

After the trade is agreed upon, the young woman introduces herself as Hecate. Annabelle asks Hecate if she can come visit her again, and would create a new doll for her each time for more roses. Hecate is a bit nervous, yet flattered that someone has a general interest in fairly trading with and befriending her, and agrees to the beautiful doll maker.  Which makes Annabelle overjoyed to have made her first "friend".

With Hecate's permission Annabelle incorporates some of the enchanted roses into the dolls made for Hecate to use for magical practices, and the rest saved or made into decorations such as flower crowns and leis. Eventually they started making the dolls together, with Annabelle leaving some of her doll making tools at Hecate's home so she didn't have to carry them back and forth to the inn and Hecate's cottage. As the two began to spend more time together, Hecate invites Annabelle to move in with her since her home is more cozy and people don't dare to go in it's direction from rumors of the cursed rose garden. To which Annabelle happily accepts, and the two then have a "totally not romantic" but obviously romantic celebratory dinner after finishing the move.

As they conversed during the meal, Annabelle reveals how happy she was to get to live with Hecate and that she doesn't have to be constantly worry about her family finding her (since, most people stay away from Hecate's place due to the rumors). Annabelle explains that the day she met Hecate in her garden was when she was finally running away from home, and then began to grow a bit uncomfortable. Hecate grabs Annabelle's hand and assures her she no longer has to worry about them since she's safe with her. Then without hesitation, an emotional Annabelle gives Hecate a tearful but kiss full of joy at Hecate's words. The sorceress is caught off guard and is flustered, but then asks for more love and smooches as she vows to protect Annabelle. Which made the doll maker even more emotional as nobody ever cared for her so much. A rain of smooches ensues as the couple begins to live happily together.

Annabelle and Hecate spend lots of time together designing dolls to fill their new dollarama and tend to their garden that began flourishing like never before.