Hi everyone. Enjoy the second chapter.

Chapter 2: Guardian of Earth

-April's P.O.V-

It has already been a year since father died on my eleventh birthday. I am now a twelve year old girl. I work around the house, doing simple chores such as sweeping the floors, making dinner, or going outside to collect firewood. As I tie my hair into the two usual braids that normally rest on my shoulders, I looked at my headband. The death of my father still troubles my thoughts as I carefully place the flowery band in my hair. From the way my headband rested on my head, with the ends are tucked under some strands of my hair, it could almost be mistaken for a tiara. I got up from my chair just as stepmother called for me.

"April, hurry up and make breakfast!" she hollered from the first floor.

"I'm coming." I told her.

Before I head out of my room, I took a light grey apron and tie it around my waist as I went down the stairs.

When I went into the living room, I saw my stepsister, Louise, sleeping on the armchair. She was wearing a different dress, having long sleeves and the skirt reaching to her knees. Other than that, most of her outfit remained the same with that dark green color. Looking to the left, I saw stepmother scowling at me, her arms crossed as she looked at me with intense hatred and animosity.

"Why are you just standing there, April? Hurry and make breakfast! Can't you see that poor Louise has been waiting a long time for you to get down here? Get to work!" Stepmother bossed me around.

As I walk into the kitchen, I heard Louise whining that she is so hungry. I took out some eggs and started to grab some plates. Today was Friday, so breakfast would be pancakes with maple syrup. It took me ten minutes to make the batter and a little bit more to add the syrup along with some fruits. Strawberries are my favorite fruit because of the sweetness. After I made breakfast, Louise was already waiting at the table.

"Finally, you took forever!" Louise complained. She exaggerated pronouncing those words to make it sound like she was some kitten clinging on a tree and help was slowly coming. It was dramatic, but unnecessary.

"It was only a few minutes." I meekly pointed out. I felt a bit disappointed that she didn't thank me for making her breakfast, but I was use to it anyway.

"Oh, enough about you. You're always trying to boast about yourself, thinking that you're better than anyone, you little self-centered girl!" Stepmother harshly told me. "Now, go outside and get some water from the well." she commanded me.

"T-the well?" I became worried.

"Yes, the well. Are you deaf? Now go and get it or no breakfast for you, young lady!" Stepmother yelled.

"Yes, stepmother." I answered miserably.

When I went outside with a bucket in my hands, the farm animals started to follow me. I considered them as my only friends since they would try to offered me comfort like what real friends would do. Because all the animals are my friends, including those from the forest, I can somehow communicate and understand them. A gift that isn't normally bestowal to human beings.

"There she is, the Princess of Springtime. How are you doing, April?" Jacob, the rooster asked.

"Hello, Jacob. I'm doing fine." I told him.

Jacob gave me the nickname "Princess of Springtime" because I was born during the spring and for the flowers that would mysteriously bloom during that time.

"Are you going to the well?" he questioned.

"Yes." I answered, trying to not show my fear, but it wasn't working.

"But aren't you afraid of wells?" he asked.

"I am, but stepmother told me to get some water." I explained to him.

"You shouldn't listen to that mean old witch." Jacob encouraged me. "If she wants water, maybe she'll melt!"

"Oh, Jacob. Don't say that. She is family after all, even though she hasn't been exactly kind to me." I countered. "And she isn't a witch."

"Well, she should be. I hope she gets back on her broom and go back to Oz... And take that wretched daughter of her's too." Jacob muttered as I decided to brushed off his comment.

As I got to the well, my body slowly became stiff, the feeling of dread overflowed in my mind. As I approached the round stone structure, I filled the bucket with water and quickly returned to the house.

"See you later, Jacob." I told him.

"Okay, see you soon, April." he waved at me with one of his wings.

-Letha's P.O.V-

It was unfortunate that I lost my second husband. Then again, I never really cared much for him anyway. I only married him out of pity, but it was mostly to support my sweet daughter, Louise. Now that he's gone, his entire cottage is mine, including the horrible thing that he calls his daughter. Ever since he left, his bedroom became mine while dear Louise takes the medium-size room. The ungrateful girl keeps her room since it was the smallest. When I told her that, she was relief. Ha, the fool. Why would anyone want the smallest room out of the entire house?

I was removing all of Jim's belongings from the room and replacing it with all of my stuff. It is my room now and I can do whatever I want with it. Jim didn't have much, just some old boxes that he left behind. I didn't dare opened them, it could be filled with old junk. As I move the junk out, the brat came into my view.

"What are you doing, stepmother?" the girl asked in curiosity.

"I'm getting rid of these junk. Can't you tell?" I told the girl.

"But these belong to daddy's." the brat pointed out.

"But these belong to daddy's." I mimic her in a mocking way. "Well, I don't care."

Just then, Louise came out of her room. She had dull eyes as if she was tire and was drained of all her strength. My poor daughter.

"What's going on?" Louise asked as she is rubbing her eyes.

"Nothing, dear. April was making a commotion, all because she couldn't let go of the past. Louise, sweetie, why don't you also get rid of the junk in your room?" I suggested to my wonderful daughter.

"Fine. After that, can I go back to bed?" Louise questioned.

"Of course, dear. You can do anything you want after you get rid of the junk in your room." I told her.

"Great." Louise beamed as she returned to her room. I turned to see that the brat was still here.

"What are you standing there for? Go and finish your chores." I yelled at her with no concern.

"Yes, stepmother." the girl answered sadly.

The ungrateful girl. She shouldn't make a big deal out of this. She should be happy that I still offered her a place to stay. I could've made her sleep outside, but no, I gave mercy to the girl. Yet, she isn't making my life any easier. I returned to my room to get more useless junk out of the place. Soon, I'll buy new furniture of a finer taste to replace all the junk I threw out. This is going to be a great day.

-Louise's P.O.V-

After mother told me to get rid of the junk that filled my room, I became happy. I never got any space for my own personal stuff because of the junk that was already there. Well, no matter. All I have to do is get rid of the boxes that takes up the closet space. At the end of the day, I got rid a total of five boxes. Honestly, they were the only boxes in the room since when I first came here, the place was practically empty with the exception of the bed and dressing table. I threw them outside of the house, that joined the junk mother already put outside. It was a total of fifteen boxes.

"Finally." I happily sighed as I returned to my room and collapsed on my fluffy bed. I can now go back to sleep.

-April's P.O.V-

I couldn't believed that stepmother and Louise were throwing away mother's and father's belongings. After stepmother sent me to do my chores, I watched in constant worry as they threw the boxes outside. It was like they were throwing a piece of me outside like they didn't care, which they normally do. Because I was busy with my chores, I didn't have time to collect the boxes. At least fifteen of them were thrown out.

'I'll have to wait until nighttime.' I thought to myself.

After I made dinner for my step-family and they've gone to bed, I waited for them to be really sleeping before sneaking out the house. When I got outside, there's exactly fifteen boxes. Unfortunately, it was raining so I had to hurry and take all the boxes back inside before the rain could ruin what's inside the boxes. Five boxes that belongs to father was large with the other five being medium-size. All of mother's were medium with one of them being small. When I finished moving the boxes into the house, I was already soaking wet, but I didn't mind. I first started with mother's and moved them to my room. Next is the first half of father's while the last five large ones took me some time, but eventually, I got all fifteenth boxes into my room.

After I closed the door, I undid my braids because my hair was already dripping from the rain. With a pair of scissors, I cut all the boxes open. The ones that are large contained some of the stuff that father achieve during his travels. The medium size boxes contained most of his clothes that he wore at my age. I then moved into to my mother's belonging. The four medium boxes are filled with beads, shells, and sewing materials. After I put the clothes in the closet, the crafts materials in the drawers of my dressing table, and my father's achievements on a small shelf, I look to see that only mother's tiny box is left.

I opened the cardboard box to reveal my mother's jewelry box. It was a silvery color with snowflake designs on it... And it was locked, but I believed I know where the key is. Searching for the key inside one of my drawers, I found a heart shaped one. As I slide it into the keyhole, I heard a click and turned it. It became unlock and I opened it. Inside is a spring flower necklace, a white daisy. It was attached to an ivory color chain and at the center of the flower is a diamond. A note was left in the box. Written on the paper is a handwriting that isn't father's. It says:

Dear April,

Though I might not be with you during your years of childhood to adulthood for I am very weak, I will always be with you. This necklace was made by me and your father to show our love to you. If you happen to find and read this note, then I am proud to give you this necklace and to have you as my daughter. Please wear it from now on, for it's like having a piece of me in you. Your father and I both love you. Remember that, April.

Love,

Your Mother, Sophia

I was shocked and at the same time, happy. I never knew my mother and to know that she loves me, really is surprising. Surprising, but expected. This time, the present was from mother. I now have both presents from those I loved, but lost. When I put my daisy necklace around my neck, the room suddenly became brighter as the moonlight was shining on me. The diamond in my necklace was glowing as I... I was glowing with a spring green aura.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please give your review. What did you think of it? I'd really appreciate it.