Chapter 10

What the hell? Anna pressed her chilly fingers to her right temple, biting her lip. Something was happening within her head. She could not say what exactly it was… but it was worse than a simple headache. She felt – no, she saw – or thought that she could see it - everything around her disappearing… slowly, slowly… She felt a desperate need to hug someone. Or, at least, to touch something, anything, a tree or a wall. She took a deep breath. It appeared as though somebody was deleting something from her mind… The very next moment she realised what was happening and that she could do nothing about it-

Gabriel threw a quick glance to Anna, who suddenly swung her desperate look at the ground. He noticed something was wrong with her, and sprang up to her side suddenly, forgetting both Sigrún and Carl:

"Are you well?"

"…no," she brought out and collapsed on the cobbles.

Gabriel instantly sent the witch the look that no human could endure...But the red-haired sorceress now appeared to be very busy studying her palm-lines.

But she could not fool the one who knew her better than anybody else…

For a moment, everyone stood still.

"Anna!" Gabriel pressed his hand to her neck. The pulse wasn't gone.

"What have you done to her?" Van Helsing exclaimed, in a fluster.

The witch shrugged, smiling fixedly. "I didn't want to do that, but-"

"What!"

"I did her a favour." She winked.

"What favour?" Carl and Gabriel exclaimed in unison.

"You'll see… Don't worry, she will be fine, I assure you!" the witch grimaced, and blew a kiss to Gabriel. "I'm sorry, I really enjoy your company, but I have some unfinished business in my beloved Iceland. That's where I will be, if you need to find me."

Both of the guys followed her figure until it could no longer be seen.

"Flew away. She flew away!" Can you believe that?" Carl shouted.

"I can, it's not the first time. And I'm afraid it's not the last either. Now I'm much more worried about-

"…Anna." The friar gasped. "She's gone."

Gabriel closed his eyes for a moment. "I should have known something like this was going to happen!"

Carl didn't know what to say. "Calm down, my friend, there's nothing we can do! You'll have to forget her, just like many times before... you can do that, can't you?"

Van Helsing threw him a frightening glance. "Perhaps there is nothing you can do. But I am not going to let this happen, not again!" His voice was stiff, tone certain. A once forgotten memory came back to him, and he heaved a sigh.

"What are you talking about? I thought I knew everything about you!"

"Nobody knows everything about me, not even I myself," he whispered, and motioned to Carl. "Are you coming with me?"

"Where?" Carl was confused.

"To Iceland…" he encountered the shocked sight of the friar. "She... they will be waiting for us."

Sigrún threw a short angry glance at Anna, who was lying peacefully on the bed.

I can see why you fell in love with her. She's beautiful. She's brave. And she's clever.

Just like you.

She glanced to the mirror and winced. The hellcat really hated what she saw. I look so much like her now… So much like your Anna! Her face furrowed again, as she heard the princess sighing in her sleep.

Forgive me, mother. Forgive me, Gabriel. I don't know, I'm not sure where this will lead. I'm not sure of anything anymore, but I will try… And this try will make you suffer, I swear! One tear of anger rolled down her cheek.

Why am I doing this? What will I get?

She really hoped that her plan was going to work… In fact, somewhere deep inside, she knew that it will. And that knowing, that conviction has made her sad, really sad… You will never be mine…

Many different thoughts were burning in her head. Sometimes she wanted to stop. To stop hurting everyone around her, to forget about her powers and abilities and just be like everyone else… But she could not. It's in my blood… I HATE my blood. I hate you, mother. On the other hand, she enjoyed being bad, as those dark humans had named it. Many times she tried to figure her inner self, but she couldn't… She had to pretend, she was pretending all the time. Otherwise, nobody would have accepted her the way she was…

And here it comes again.

"Anna." She smiled to the princess, who opened her eyes slowly. Anna blinked a few times, and looked around.

"My dear, how do you feel? I was really worried about you!" The play begins now...

Anna smiled back to the strange form before her. "Hello…" Suddenly she realised she knew nothing about the place around her… neither about the person standing before her eyes. "I feel- dizzy. Yes, I feel a little bit dizzy." She couldn't think at all.

"Is that all? Are you sure you're alright? Oh my, why are you looking at me this way? Do you remember me?" Sigrún hated what she was doing, but she knew she had no right to make even one single mistake now…

A strange thought run through Anna's head.

I know nothing! I remember nothing! She looked at her hands, panic taking all over her. "Excuse me… what were you saying?"

"Do you remember anything?"

Anna blinked, both startled and confused. "Nothing… I remember nothing." She whispered.

"No, I can't believe it!" the hag exclaimed, trying her best to hide the joy inside her. "What is your name, tell me? What is the name of the one you love?"

"I…" Anna shook her head, pouting insensibly. "I can't say! I know nothing, nothing!" She closed her eyes, feeling a wave pf panic overtaking her. Her mind was empty…

Sigrún hugged her. "Shhh… I will help you to remember everything… I love you more than anything, my dearest sister…"