Modern Fairy Tales

This fairy tale was actually a ballad known as 'The Cruel Sister'. In the original one sister kills the other (by drowning in a river) over a guy that was stringing them both along. The dead sister is found by a minstrel who strings his harp with her long blonde hair. In the more gruesome version the entire harp is made of her body parts. The harp sings at the wedding of the surviving sister and the guy revealing the murder. The bride is executed and the guy who started it (usually a knight or prince) gets off scot free. I hope that you like my modern version.

The Swan Sisters

Once upon a time there were two sisters...

Anne's eyes swung around the baggage claim. Dmitri was trying to find their bags as the conveyer belt trundled around. Anne was more interested in seeing if her family had actually showed up to get them from the airport. She hadn't seen them for over three years, not since she had left in an absolute rage over their preferential treatment of her younger sister. Half sister, she reminded herself. It had been a culmination of sixteen years of feeling like an outsider in her own family; ever since her father had married Marie.

She glanced back at her boyfriend of six months, now her fiancé and grinned at his dark beauty. He was handsome with black curly hair, golden tan skin and a body that Adonis would be jealous of. How she had managed to catch his eye she would never know but she melted every time he looked at her with those laughing black eyes.

She had met Dmitri through an internship at the university she was attending in Europe. Horticulture was her obsession and she had overjoyed to have been chosen as an intern for his family's winery for six months. He had taken an instant liking to the shy, introverted American and had spent quite a bit of time pursuing her. Anne still wasn't sure why. Dmitri was all of the things that she wasn't; popular, outgoing, handsome, and a now recently graduated Master of Business. She had been the quiet type that spent all of her time studying.

Her eyes roving again she spotted her father and step-mother coming her way and waved. Her step-mother was looking as polished as ever, even in casual cloths. Her father looked absolutely unchanged from the last time she had seen him, tall, blonde and beefy. Marie spoke to her father even as Anne turned to Dmitri.

"Dmi they're here," she told him, her voice pitched higher in nervousness. Emily wasn't there, 'thank God' she thought to herself. She was not looking forward to seeing her again.

"Got the last one," he told her in his lightly accented Greek, wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing her on the forehead.

Her parents pushed through the crowds and Anne felt her stomach fluttering with nerves. The moment of reckoning came and she felt almost sick.

"You must be Dmitri," her father said, extending his hand.

"Yes, sir," responded Dmitri, giving him a firm handshake and an engaging smile.

Anne was struck by the picture they made. Her father was still big and bulky from his years as a football player and Dmitri, a head shorter, was as dark as he was blonde, his lithe, graceful body shown to its advantage in jeans and a slightly too tight polo.

"Welcome Dmitri," her mother said and gave him a quick hug," so nice to meet you at last."

"It is good to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Swan," Dmitri said in his slightly accented English. "Anne has told me a great deal about you both."

Anne smiled mechanically from where she was, tucked up next to Dmitri's firm body. It didn't surprise her that her dad and step-mother had made straight for Dmitri and practically ignored the fact that she was there. That was pretty par for the course with them. She wondered why she had bothered to be nervous in the first place. Dmitri's arm around her with his thumb rubbing lazily against her ribcage took a good deal of the sting out of it though. She tightened her arm around him slightly.

Dmitri looked down at her and grinned. "I have been taking good care of your daughter for you."

Anne laughed out loud at that. If anything Dmitri had pulled her kicking and screaming out of her shell and opened her eyes to the fun to be had when studying abroad.

"That is wonderful," said her father, hefting one of the suitcases. "But please, call me Alan."

"And I am Marie," interjected her step-mother giving Anne a brief kiss on the cheek and a one armed hug. "You look so tan Annie dear, you must be careful in that Mediterranean sun."

"I'm tan Marie," Anne replied, "not burnt." Anne noticed the look of irritation on Marie's face that was quickly erased. She had called her Marie from the moment that she had met her at the age of four. It had always irritated her that Anne didn't call her mom. Anne grinned inwardly. She wasn't going to take Marie's comments like the doormat she had always been. Dmitri had bolstered her confidence and taught her to stand up for herself, and she was going to take them to heart when it came to dealing with her family.

"I have the car parked in the 10 minute parking zone," said Alan, "we should get moving. Is this all the luggage?"

"Yes," laughed Dmitri, "I have taught Anne the secret of packing lightly for our trips around Europe."

"Well, maybe she can teach Marie a thing or two about that," laughed Alan. "Every time we go anywhere it is like we are taking her entire closet with us."

The trip home took about two hours as traffic was light. Conversation consisted mostly of family news and catching up a bit. Toward the end of the drive she began to doze a bit, jet lag catching up with her. She was grateful for Dmitri's comforting presence. She had not wanted to be here but he had insisted on meeting her parents. 'After all," he told her, 'they are to be my parents too. I would rather meet them before the wedding takes place." With that he had kissed her senseless and she had decided to let him win.

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Emily wasn't at the house when they got there. Anne was grateful, she was still angry with her younger sister. Years of silent resentment, living in her sister's shadow, had erupted when she had gotten Great Aunt Silvia's garnet bracelet.

Anne's favorite great aunt Silvia had doted on Anne, calling her the spitting image of Silvia's sister, Jane that had died young. The bracelet had been Anne's favorite and Silvia had let her play dress up with it and borrow it for things like her senior prom. She had always promised Anne that it would be hers some day and Anne had had dreams of wearing it at her wedding.

Finals had been brutal and college graduation had felt more like another obligation to attend rather than a celebration. Her father had actually driven the six hours up to see the graduation and help her pack up her dorm room. She had gone to see Aunt Silvia, still going strong in her assisted living apartment and had a great visit. She had passed away in her sleep that night of a stroke and two days later Anne woke to a 104 degree fever and chills so bad she thought that she would shake herself to pieces.

Silvia, being 95 years old did not have a huge circle of friends and so the funeral had been small and quiet. Anne had pulled herself together for the funeral and graveside service and then gone straight back to bed. Emily had helped her father sort through and box up Silvia's belongings. Surprising everyone she had left a considerable amount of money to Anne with directions that her personal belongings be divided among the family. Her father had been executor of the will. While they were cleaning things out of Silvia's safe Emily had seen and asked for the bracelet. Alan, feeling that Anne had received the lion's share with the bulk of Silvia's money had given it to her.

Anne had seen her sister wearing it two days later and had exploded. Alan refused to give in and Emily had gloated behind her father's back at her older sister. Anne had slapped the look off of her sister's face, earning her a sharp reprimand from her father. In an absolute rage she had packed up her things and left the house vowing to never come back.

Surprisingly enough it was Marie that had made the effort to stay in touch with her. Holiday cards, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and even ones like Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day had arrived promptly with small notes on the family's doings. Anne had responded with postcards from the various places she had visited in Europe and so a tenuous communication had been maintained.

Anne's last card had contained news of her engagement and after a lot of soul searching and Dmitri's urging she had agreed to accept Marie's invitation to visit.

Her old bedroom had been transformed into a tasteful guest room with attached bathroom and she collapsed gratefully on the bed.

Dmitri laughed as he caught sight of her. "Be careful Anne," he teased, "or I might find more energy than I think I have."

Anne giggled. Sex with Dmitri was incredible and he was always gentle with her. After an abusive relationship early in her college years she had been hesitant to get physical too soon. Dmitri had been very patient with her and when they had finally made love she had kicked herself for not jumping him from the start.

They had refused dinner and gone up to bed as soon as they could. Both of them were jet lagged and exhausted.

Spooned up around Dmitri's warm body Anne drifted off into sleep. Perhaps she would just have to seduce him in the shower in the morning. She smiled at the thought of Dmitri pressing her against the tiles in the bathroom, wet and lusting, making those sexy noises in the back of his throat as he came. In the morning, she promised herself.

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Anne closed her eyes as the water beat down on the front of her body and Dmitri leisurely scrubbed her with a soapy washcloth. He pulled her back just a bit and she could feel his erection, hard and strong against her butt. She ground against him as his hands caressed her body. She moaned as he turned her to the side and guided her hands to the support bar on the shower wall.

"God Dmi you feel so good," she moaned as he entered her gently from behind. She loved the feel of his hard, strong body against hers. Even more than that she loved the panting moans in her ears that told her how good she was making her lover feel.

"So tight," Dmitri gasped as he thrust into her, overwhelmed by the feeling of slickness and heat in her body. Faster and faster he thrust, grinding his hand into her clit, until he heard her cry out and her sheath tightened rhythmically around him. He let go then, emptying himself deep into her again and again. He loved the feel of her body in his arms.

After toweling one another off (interrupted more than once with playful kisses) and dressing they wandered downstairs to get some breakfast.

"Morning guys," came a voice and Anne saw that her sister was seated at the island eating breakfast.

To say that she had grown up was an understatement. Emily was now an 18 year old high school graduate and was wearing a bikini top and shorts than showed off her deeply tanned skin and a lean muscular body that had earned her several scholarships to college for sports. Her hair was a bleached blond that looked completely natural and probably cost her a pretty penny at a salon. Emily's figure had definitely filled out and more skin was exposed by her skimpy bikini than covered. To top it off she was beautiful, looking just like her mother with hint of their shared father in her features.

"Hi," she said brightly, extending her hand, "you must be Dmitri."

"It is nice to meet you Emily," said Dmitri, shaking her hand.

"Hi Anne," Emily said.

"Hello Emily," Anne replied rather coolly. "Would you like me to make you some breakfast Dmitri?"

"Only if I get to help," he laughed.

"Anne can cook?" laughed Emily, "This I have to see." She settled back on her stool and continued to munch on her cinnamon roll.

The comment irritated Anne. She had been twenty-one when she had last seen Emily. Emily had been fifteen. Considering the fact that Anne hadn't actually lived in the house since Emily was 12, how the hell did Emily have a clue as to whether or not Anne had cooked or not.

Anne choked back the angry words that she wanted to shout at her sister. She and Dmitri soon fell into their comfortable routine; they cooked together a great deal at the winery. Between Dmitri and his mother, Anne had gone from a girl who knew the basics to a very good cook. Since she and Dmitri and she had become engaged she was treated like a full member of the family. She had never felt happier when Dmitri's mother had complemented her on several dishes she had helped with for an important wine tasting event. This was one of the many reasons that she adored his family.

Anne was very conscience of the undercurrents in the light conversation between the three of them. Emily was being very flirty with Dmitri, who responded like a much older brother rather than flirting back. Anne started to relax a little. As annoying as Emily was it was plain that Dmitri was not going to encourage her.

"So are you guys going to come down to the beach?" Emily asked. "I have some friends coming over this afternoon about 2."

"Anne has told me about the lake," replied Dmitri, "I would like very much to see it."

Anne smiled at Dmitri. "Don't forget I want to take you hiking at the state park too," she reminded him.

"Hopefully we will have time to get everything in before we have to go back," he said, popping a bit of sausage into her mouth.

Anne grinned at him. He had told her in explicit detail what he wanted to do to her on the beach. It was fairly secluded and at least a hundred yards from the house. They would have to go down alone if Dmitri wanted to keep his 'promise'.

They spent the rest of the day together revisiting Anne's childhood haunts. They also took flowers to Aunt Silvia's grave.

Dmitri knew the story of Silvia's bracelet. He had been supportive of Emily's anger and hurt, but had privately wondered what the fuss was. Now that he had met her family he was beginning to understand her attitude. They did tend to ignore Anne, something that he felt she must have exaggerated until he actually saw it. It didn't help that Anne was naturally shy and reserved and kept herself in the background. Emily on the other hand was an outgoing and aggressive personality and it was apparent that her parents were very proud of her. Too much so he felt. He didn't like the blatant flirting that she launched his way, especially in front of her sister, his fiancée. It was almost like Emily was trying to get a rise out of Anne, seeing how far she could push her.

Listening to Anne talk about Silvia, Dmitri got a much clearer picture of the lonely child she must have been and her attachment to the one person in her life that had doted on her. Anne's mother had adored her daughter, but she had died suddenly when Anne was four. Six weeks later Marie had moved in and five months after that Emily had been born. It didn't take a math genius to figure that Alan and Marie had been having an affair and that she had been pregnant with Emily when Anne's mother had died. Marie had tried too hard to replace Linda, Anne's mother, and Anne had resented her from the beginning.

Dmitri shook his head. He was beginning to be glad that they would be living an ocean away from these people.

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The next day they had planned for hanging around the house and catching some rays. Anne woke up with a raging headache. Dmitri knew why. Anne had spent a good portion of the night crying and Dmitri had spent it fuming.

Dinner that night had been a fiasco. Dmitri had watched again and again as Anne had been interrupted and ignored by her family as they talked around the table. Emily had been the worst offender but neither Alan nor Marie called her on it. They had even seemed irritated with Dmitri when he had gently pointed out Emily's interruption and asked Anne to continue her story.

That morning Dmitri made her breakfast in bed, provided Tylenol and some snuggling and told her to go back to sleep. Anne crashed and Dmitri went downstairs to clean the kitchen.

Anne woke up to see that it was past noon. "Shit," she said softly. She hadn't meant to sleep so long. She stretched, relieved that her headache had subsided to a dull ache.

On the counter in the kitchen Dmitri had left her a brief note.

"Hey love, Emily is taking me down to the beach. I decided to let you sleep as you looked so tired. Join us when you wake up! If you are still not feeling well don't come down. I love you. I'll be back up to check on you. See you in a bit. Dmitri."

Anne ate a quick sandwich while she changed into her suit. She was walking back down the hallway when she caught sight of Emily's half open door. Curious, she poked her head in.

Emily was a slob. Clothing was strewn all over the floor, the bed was unmade, the small vanity table with its mirror was littered with make-up, hair ties, tissues and discarded jewelry. In this mess Anne caught sight of the small, rather shabby jewel case that had held Gwen's bracelet.

Anne had to brace herself against the anger that surged through her. It still hurt: that the one thing that she had wanted, a relatively inexpensive piece of jewelry had been denied her. Why Emily hadn't chosen Silvia's pearls or diamond tennis bracelet Anne would never know.

She picked up the box, smiling at the fond memories of Silvia that the threadbare velvet brought back. She popped it open. It was empty except for a folded piece of paper that lay on the discolored silk. Anne was a little disappointed. She was denied even a glimpse of it. Curiously she opened the paper that had been folded down to fit inside the 4 x 4 box. At the top was her name written in Gwen's rather angular, jagged writing.

My dearest Anne,

I promised this bracelet to you and I am keeping my promise. Wear it and remember me. I love you. Your Loving Aunt, Silvia

She stared at it. With her next few breaths she came to the realization that Emily had lied. She had taken the bracelet knowing that it had been meant for her. She had lied to their father and Marie and then laughed when Anne had become so angry.

Furious, Anne took the box and note with her, shoving it into her beach bag. She was so going to rip into her sister. Not even her parents could argue with a note in Gwen's own handwriting. She slammed the door to Emily's room closed and stomped down the stairs and out the back door. She was halfway down the path when she realized she had forgotten her shoes and the gravel was hurting her feet. She slowed down and walked on the side of the path that was more dirt than gravel to cushion her bruised feet.

For this reason she was quieter than she usually would have been, concentrating on where to place her feet. Almost to the beach she looked up and stopped in shock.

Dmitri was lying on a beach towel, his sleek body writhing as Emily took all of his cock into her mouth. In that moment she felt unable to breathe, like the time she had had the wind knocked out of her. Dmitri and her sister, she was supposed to be the only one to watch him like this. Her vision blurred for a moment as tears gathered before falling down her cheeks. Without thinking she moved several feet to her right and sank down to her knees. Shielded by the vegetation, she felt numb as she could hear Dmitri moaning and the sickening noises of her sister sucking and slobbering on his cock. She watched as Emily's head bobbed up and down and Dmitri's beautiful body squirmed under her as he moaned.

How could he do this to her was the thought that shouted over and over in her head. How could he do it! How could he cheat, with her sister, her own goddamned sister!? She thought that he understood her, loved her. And Emily, how could Emily do this to her, did she hate her that much!? What had she ever done to deserve this? What had she done? "Anne!" he moaned, startling her, obviously climaxing. She thought, just for a split second, that he had seen her watching and then she understood. He thought it was her giving him the blowjob.