Hey guys, sorry for the wait but it is up just like I promised. Hope you enjoyed the video and that you'll enjoy this chapter.
Let me know what you think, and thank you to those who reviewed you beautiful people
JJ X x
Do you remember me? Well you should
My name is Princess Callina Mills, daughter of Her Majesty Queen Regina Mills… but you can call me Callie
My life before the curse was a good one and so was the one after it. I grew up loved and wanting for nothing, but I heard the whispers, the things they called her… 'The Evil Queen' … I hated it, liars.
My mother isn't evil, she's heartbroken, angry, I think she's lonely to, but she's not evil… she's my mom.
So the reason I'm here is to tell you the real story, the story of a woman and her daughter…
It was a sunny day, the light gliding along the blackened walls of the palace and makes it shine like ebony bleached diamonds; I remember skipping through the halls overlooking the gardens below. I was wearing my sunflower yellow gown, it seemed to brighten my bottle green orbs and strawberry blonde ringlets, I remember how my mother once ran her hand though my curls, speaking about how my father's hair was the same gold kissed crimson as a boy but had darkened with age and she hoped mine never would.
At five years old I knew nothing of the world beyond my own, because children are free of such burdens. I bounce into my mother's chamber with glee as I lean but look around the room to find it abandoned, turning to the nearest surface that captured my image I smiled "Mirror, where's mommy?"
A blue opaque face appeared "Why hello little princess, I believe she's in the memorial"
I bite my lip with a firm nod before merrily skipping away "Thank you mirror…"
I look to the guards as I pass and they show their respect with a bow, I am a princess after all. I walk by them with a smile and into the vault I knew well. Following my feet I find the brightest room in the vast prison, windows allowing the flood of light to swim over the frozen form of my beloved father. On the far wall stood a portrait of him, an image that would never be as he stood beside a captured version of my mother and me, if it was possible to be envious of a likeness, then I was. I never knew him, but my heart still called for him… as did my mothers
I see her stood over the crystal cage, her hand quaking on the glass as sobs of heartbreak echo through the sanctuary drowning out my footsteps as my small frail hand slips into her soft warm fingers, she looks down at me quickly wiping away her tears "Callie, darling, what happened to your tea party?"
I shrug and smile "I wanted to have tea with you and Sir Piglet kept complaining about the cakes"
She laughs at that, her grip tightening around my hand before brushing back my curls. I see the mask of a smile as tears glitter on her flawless face, so I do what I think is best, I hug her "don't cry mommy, it's going to be alright. Daddy and I still love you"
Without thought she lifts me into her arms for a loving embrace before placing a kiss on my head and cupping my cheeks with tender adoration "then I'm truly the luckiest woman alive. Come along Callina, let's find grandpa and have ourselves a tea party. We'll show that Sir Piglet exactly what he's missing"
We walk out the chamber, hand in hand, however with a gasp I run back to the coffin with a smile and a kiss on my fingertips. I place my hand over the glass besides my father's cheek and smile "Love you Daddy"
The twitch of the crimson pained lips of my queen burns my heart as I retake her hand, that day we had tea and cake, I spit milk on grandpa and we laughed, we played hide and seek without my innocent younger self realizing they let me win.
That night I laid in my overly large cloud soft bed, I remember thinking it I could get lost in the creamy cotton sheets. My room was every little girl's fantasy, layers of decorated pink, gold and ivory with overgrown dolls, toys and gowns piled neatly away. My sealing was an enchanted starlit sky, made by my mother's hand to sooth any night terrors with shimmering shooting stars. It was perfect.
"Tell me a story mommy" I smile up to her as she tucks me into the cohune of blankets
Her chocolate orbs sparkle before climbing in beside me, pulling my small body to hers with protective love while I nestle into her breast as her soothing hand glides over my rosebud curls and her voice warms my placid heart "Once upon a time, there lived a girl, not a princess or a queen, just a girl. She was good and gentle and she met a man, not just any man, a stable boy"
"Was he handsome?" I asked with half lidded dreams
"Very, but more so than that he was kind, passionate and he loved her, so much; They loved each other so much they planned to elope. However one day a girl came into their lives, she lied and deceived them and in the end the stable boy was lost to his bride. Over time she grew up, grew powerful and vowed to get justice for the evil that had taken her love. She did things she never thought possible, that she never would have before." I looked up to see her pensive expression and far off gaze; it wouldn't be until years later I would be able to truly comprehend the story
A wisp of a smile tugs at her lips and she had never looked more beautiful as her proud eyes met my revering gaze "but it was all worth it, because if she had never done those things, she might never have been given the greatest gift of all… her very own little princess who she loved profoundly"
I beam up to her with tired eyes, clasping onto her with unyielding love as my emerald orbs flutter to wash through the magic of my dreams "I love you to mommy"
By eight years old I knew every step of the palace, including the plot where I had been bloomed. The tulip was still large and boisterous but the petals unsettled me as they change color with each mood I took, like I was connected to it.
"Callie!" a voice calls out and I turn with a smile to see a bouncy blonde skipping over to me with glee in her blue gemmed eyes.
"Odile!" I embraced her with a smile as we twirl around the gardens
Oh right, Odile. Well I'm sure you've all heard the tale of The Swan Princess, correct? Wrong!
I had met Odile a few short weeks before my seventh birthday, she was bright and brilliant, her father had dealings with my mother, so she would often come about and we even had the odd sleepover. Little did I know then that this girl was to become my best friend, perhaps my only friend outside of my bloodline. After all it's not easy to make friends with your mother persecuting every person in league with the vulgar girl responsible for your father's death; turns out there are many
Robert Rothbart was a court sorcerer for many years, like his father before him and he was loyal, perhaps too loyal. His king had married a bright eyed beauty by arrangement, it was only chance that the golden locked queen and the sorcerer had found love. That love was pronounced in the form of twin girls. Odette and Odile
This king was not a merciful leader, but for Rothbart's past service he granted him banishment as an alternative to execution and one of his children, the other left to be raised as heir, for the king could not bear children. Rothbart had agreed to these terms, thinking only for his children and love, he thought Odette and Olivia would be safe and provided for in the palace. He trusted in his king… he was wrong.
Not but a few days after Rothbart had fled the kingdom with Odile in hand was Queen Olivia executed for treason, Odette was kept as ransom for whenever the king needed Rothbart's skills, unaware that her adoptive fathers attentiveness was not affection but imprisonment.
After that Rothbart sort nothing but to unite his daughters and avenge his queen, but his eldest child had been turned against him with lies woven through fine silk and jewels. It wouldn't be until years later that he would reclaim Odette, but she would be too far gone, poisoned against him. So in order to make her stay he cast a curse, turning her into a swan and binding her wings to the lake of his home, the home he had built for them. Odile would visit her every day, telling her the truth she had been blinded to and stories of her childhood, but more than often than not Odette would turn up her nose at her twin, saying foul things or peck her.
Binding her to the lake would be her only protection as he hesitantly sent his darling Odile in her place back to the palace, the plan was simple; gain entrance to the palace, kidnap the king, have him confess to Odette, kill him and the three of them live happily ever after… but that didn't happen. Odette's fiancé noticed one thing no one else had: Freckles. Odette's rosy cheeks and button nose was dusted with pale peach freckles, Odile's was not. He had warned the king of this betrayal; stupid, stupid boy
So when the night came to be faced with moon lit confessions the king had taken precautions, Prince Siegfried had followed, he was a well-trained soldier after all, but how was he to know that the replicated woman with a knife to her throat was his beloved, that the man whom had raised her would so willingly take her life to save his own.
The arrow pieced her hart and her body fell into the lake she had come to call home, Rothbart would become outraged with grief and anger, but it would be his remaining child to repeatedly spear the man with his own blade and tears burning her eyes. Siegfried would hold the body of his beloved in realization; he would then carry her body down to the depts. Of the lake and join her in death.
Odile would never truly recover… but that would come later…
I looked to my friend in joy, her blue gown shimmering as we laugh at her unannounced visit "what are you doing here?"
"The queen sent for daddy and I. She wishes to speak to you in her chambers" she smiled her bright smile; I sometimes thought she was made entirely of sunlight with how brightly she blazed. Merrily we linked our pinky fingers and capered to my mother's call
As we near the entrance I see a lean well-dressed man with a grizzled russet beard "good day, Lord Rothbart"
He offers me a smile while taking Odile with a protective arm "Princess Callina"
I walk then past the guards and into my mother's chamber, she was pacing. That wasn't good, when my mother paced it was never for anything bur rage or worry "mother? What's the matter?"
Without thought she rushes over to me, kneeling in her black feather collared frock to meet my eye level "Callie, sweetheart do you know how I told you grandpa had to go away for a while?"
I nod, grandpa had been gone for near a week now and I missed him, he always told the best stories. She takes my hands in hers before offering me a weak smile, she was scared for her father but refused to show it "well I have to go and get him, I'm not sure how long this journey will take so instead of leaving you here with dusty old Graham and the stuffy castle guard Lord Rothbart has agreed for you to spend to weekend with him and Odile, how does that sound?"
I fill with instant panic, a night yes, but a whole weekend? I've never been that long without my mother and her and Rothbart were hardly friends, just business associates. If it weren't for their daughters friendships they would never trust the other with their own child.
I bite my lip, flooded with uncertainty my gaze locked on our entwined hands, she's wearing gloves but I know just beneath them were the hands that cradled me, soothed me, loved and protected me. The beautiful queen tightens her grip on my hands and asks with a tilt of her head as if reading my mind "you'll be perfectly fine, I promise. It's just a few days Callie; can you be my brave girl until then?"
Lifting my head high, because ladies hold no shame, only dignity, I smile to her "of course mother, I won't let you down"
"That's my little princess" she beams with pride, leaning to place a kiss upon my head.
The weekend was fun, but a shred of doubt filled me, because eight year olds aren't as indifferent as you would think. I knew my grandpa wasn't on a 'trip' mother had been jittery since his disappearance and if there is one thing I know in my short years is my own mother.
I sat in Odile's room overlooking the lake, there was a flock of swans and I honestly couldn't tell you if they were once human or not "Callie, she'll be fine. Come let me braid your hair"
I sit on the floor with my drawings while the buttery haired girl twists my curls before tying them with a tight red ribbon "there, perfect!"
She takes a seat beside me on the floor, looking to the picture I drew of my mother before giggling with a menacing smirk and raised pinky "do you want to go play dragons with cook?"
I match her smile, entwining our fingers as we dance down to the kitchens to torment the cook.
I stood in my room on a pedestal before a large mirror tailored in diamond jewels and pink lace; my tiara sat perfectly against my gold weaved strawberry tresses "you look beautiful Callie"
The man in my mirror wears blue and a tender smile "thank you grandpa, do you think mother will like it?"
"She'll be thrilled, but today is not about Regina, it's about our little princess. This is your day…" I paint on a smile, today is my thirteenth birthday ball and we have all the creatures from the Forbidden Forest and the dark realms arriving in a few short hours. I know you're thinking these people are evil, cold, murderous beings but there's one thing none of you seem to grasp, something I've been trying to tell you… evil isn't born, it's made and villains? Villains are just the victims whose story has been left untold, waiting for their happy ending
The door opens with a creak and in walks the fairest of them all, my mother "Oh Callie, sweetheart you look beautiful. The perfect princess"
I look at her in the reflection and smile a faultless smile, but hers falls at the sight. Chocolate orbs washed over with concern "Daddy could you give us a moment please?"
"Of cause my dear. Happy birthday princess" he calls back as the door closes, leaving with a warm hearted smile
Her ruby encrusted crimson gown tailed against the marble floor as her perfectly manicured hands come to rest on my flush sealed arms "it's going to be alright sweetheart, you don't have to be nervous. If you want we can cancel the ball, have just a small gathering with whomever you want"
I pull on her hands, wrapping them around me as a child would a blanket, my security. My emerald orbs meet her chocolate glazed gems, her chin resting on against my robin red curls before I smile with a sigh "no, no today is important and people are already arriving…"
"Forget about them, you are Princess Callina Mills and today is your thirteenth birthday, whatever you want, is yours!" she smiles with a strengthened nuzzle
My hands are still locked in hers as I lean back to the warm I knew as home "we have a ball, mingle, eat cake, allow them to lavish me with gifts them make them leave and dance until I feel sick. That's what I want"
Kissing the curls under her chin the magnificent queen nods "then it's yours"
I was announced with bells and cheers, my head held high. I remember thinking how strange all these people looked coated in darkness when every surface was shrouded in layers of pink. My cake was impressive, the rosebuds leading a trail through each tier and making a pathway to the mouthwatering castle above "Callie!"
I turn from the cake and mountains of presents to see my best friend rushing through the crowd with her rosy cheeks and cerulean glittered robes "Odile, you made it!"
We spin around in glee as I look over to see mother cavorting with Rothbart and others, business no doubt. With her sunshine smile Odile thrusts out her arm to offer a small pink paper wrapped box "Happy birthday!"
I look wide eyed before ripping free the gift and opening the box, my mouth falls open in awe at the offering, a beautiful diamond encrusted crown ring "oh Odile it's exquisite"
She claps her hands in liberating joy "I'm so glad you like it. Look!"
She raised her hand to display a matching ring crowning her pinky finger. Slipping the crown onto my own hand we lace our fingers together in delightful laughter.
The ball was a success, people had fun, mother made deals and I played games with Odile and the other children, I got gifts, mother even got me my own silvery-white ribbon tied unicorn… but something was missing, so under the mass of people and the tide of dancing I quietly leave my party, unaware of the eyes watching me, following me.
It's quiet in here; the sun had fallen into slumber as the moon smiled down with a guiding glow. It always amazed me how bright this room was even in the dead of night. I twirl around in my dress, presenting myself with a weary smile "do you like it? Mother had me sit with the tailor for hours to design the very dress of my dreams. She almost set the woman aflame for continuously pricking my during the fitting"
My laughter dies as heartache bubbles through my veins. With a light sob I look to the casket and ponder "I wonder if you'd like me?"
"He'd worship you!" my head snaps to find the sensational brown eyed beauty strolls to my side
"Mother I was just…" she raises a hand to halt my words, the other burrowing into my perfect curls
Looking to me father the queen sighs "Callie, sweetie, Daniel, your father was the best man I ever knew and I know that if he were here today he would be so proud of you, just like I am… I was going to wait until the speeches however this seems more appropriate"
I tilt my head in curiosity as she pulls something from the swell of her pocket and dangles it before my wonderstruck face. It was a white gold heart pendant hanging on a chain of diamond cut silver, a delicate frosted 'C' embedded on one side. Unlocking my hands I let the cool metal fall into my waiting palm "Open it"
I look from her to the locket and gasp, unable to fight any tears that see fit to break from the prison I buried them in. inside the locket was the most detailed cameo portrait, making my inheritance of his eyes indisputable, on the other side was a glass centered lock of chestnut with only a shimmer of cerise.
"Now you will have him with you always… as you have me" I don't realizing I'm not breathing until my arms are encircled around my mother's neck, my tear stained face buried into the nape of her neck
And I free her from the death grip embrace I smile brightly "thank you mother, it's perfect. Could you?"
After clasping the necklace around my diminutive throat she brushes away my fallen tears with tender love and devotion "come on princess, your missing your own party"
Our arms cloak the other as we smile and walk back into the party… these are the days filled with joy and innocence, the greatest of my memories, I was happy and I like to think I made her happy to, the woman who's fragile heart had known nothing but suffering and pain.
I wished for those days to never end, but that's the magic of a moment, it's fleeting and forever chased by the next, but those moments would not be made in the dream my precious queen had built for me, but in the cold reality of the haunting past…
But in these moments we were happy, we were loved… we were free!
If only things could have been as they were, if only good could prevail…
