A.N. Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you like this chapter and have a good day!

Chapter 20

September 16th

I tried again today but I could not do it. I know how important the prophecy is to them but how can they expect me to kill him? I can't do this anymore.

No. I must be strong. I will end it tonight.

Gilbert

I woke up early the next morning and waited for Natalia to show up. I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. My mind had been too busy thinking about what Natalia had told me and how much more I had to learn, which caused me to toss and turn all through the night. I remembered when I first started to look for the way to end the curse and thought of how easy it seemed. All I had to do was kill Eli... Red Riding Hood and everything would come to an end. But last night I had barely begun to scratch the surface and I was starting to think that ending this would be more difficult then I thought.

My mind continued to spin as Natalia softly opened the door with a tray of food in her hands. Her hair was ruffled as if she hadn't taken the time to brush it that morning and her cheeks were red from excursion. Natalia closed the door and plopped down on a chair after setting down the tray.

"Were you that excited to see me that you had to run all the way here?" I ask with a smirk, my tail flicking mischievously.

Natalia glared at me but said nothing for a while as she caught her breath. "I would have you know that brother and I have breakfast together every morning so I had to get up extra early to come feed you. So I'm sorry that I don't look my best."

"Well then, thank you for this feast!" I exclaim as I dig in to the food, noticing that it was all different kinds of meat. Not a fruit or vegetable to be found! "And thank you for noticing that I don't have a fondness for the other food groups lately!"

Natalia nodded but said nothing while I continued to eat.

When I finished I looked at Natalia who didn't notice my gaze. She was looking out the window with a sad faraway look on her face. She seemed lonely. That's what it looked like at least. It looked like loneliness ate away at her. But why should it? She was always with her brother and she seemed happy with him. However, from my view from the outside, it sounded like Ivan saw her more of a possession then a sister. But maybe he was just being over protective. I actually have never heard Natalia speak of any parents...

I looked back at Natalia and realized that she had been staring at me. She shot me a small, knowing smile as she stood up, grabbed the tray and left.

The day seemed to drag on and on. It didn't help that I didn't dare look out the window, knowing that I would just draw attention to myself. I had finally decided to find Natalia myself when she opened the door with another tray in her hands. She was in the little girl form that I had first met her in.

"What happened to lunch?" I tease.

Natalia gave me a tired smile. "You're lucky you got breakfast."

She set the tray on the table and sat in the chair across from me. "Well I guess we should get started. I don't know how long this peace will go on."

"Ah yes... nothing ever lasts does it?" I say quietly.

"But that doesn't mean we have to stop fighting." Natalia replied sternly. "Or run away from the people we care about."

I could feel my cheeks start to heat up but Natalia continued on. "Now the farther we go in the prophecy the more it changes."

"What do you mean?" I ask

"I mean that if the parts of the prophecy haven't been fulfilled yet then they can mean anything and will continue to change until it is fulfilled."

"Um...okay?"

"Changed by smiles; And soft deceitful wiles; A sky that always bares a hint of sadness; Bound to the never-ending green grove" Natalia recited.

I didn't say anything but tried to concentrate on the words. I knew that they had to mean something... but what? Why couldn't prophecies be straight forward? They always had to have some secret meaning and mean something entirely different then what the actual words meant. The thought of trying to figure out this prophecy thing alone sent my head spinning and I was once again glad that I had Natalia to help me.

"You don't have a clue what it means do you?" Natalia said teasingly.

"I'm sure I'll think of something eventually..." I muttered.

"And we would be sitting here for a few centuries."

I slumped in my seat. "Just get on with your explanation."

"This part of the prophecy is about a person now and not the Fae. Whatever happened or is going to happen to them will change them greatly."

"It sounds like this person was tricked." I say. I was starting to secretly think that this part was about me...

"Why do people always assume that the change was a bad thing? Not one person thought of anything good." Natalia huffed.

"So you're saying that the change the person went through was good?"

Natalia gave me a look. "I didn't say that either."

"So which is it? Good or bad?" I asked but stopped Natalia when she opened her mouth to reply. "Wait, let me guess. I have to figure it out for myself?"

"You're finally catching on." She smiled.

"So this person was changed by something?"

Natalia shook her head. "Not something; another person."

"O...Kay?" this was seriously starting to sound familiar. "Well... what about the second part then?"

"What do you think it means?" Natalia tipped her head to the side.

I sigh and rack my brain for ideas. "Um... well I would say this part is about two people?"

"Are you asking or telling me?"

"Telling?" I say. Natalia lifts an eyebrow at me until I clear my throat and say sternly. "Telling"

Natalia smiled. "Okay."

I sat up straighter. "So did I get it right?"

"Well you're not wrong." She smirked.

"Then why doesn't it say two people? What does it mean by the sky and the grove being bound together?"

A strange looked flashed across Natalia's face but it was quickly replaced by a good natured smile. "All in good time Gilbert. I don't believe its time for that part to come to light."

"I thought you were here to help me?" I exclaim getting angry.

"I am. But something things are delicate and if they are figured out too prematurely then there will be terrible consequences."

I sigh, frustrated. "How am I supposed to figure this out if I have to leave out some pieces?"

"It will all make sense in the end Gilbert."

"That doesn't really help me right now does it?" I stand up and start pacing around the room, unable to keep still any longer.

Natalia continued to sit at the table in silence. She seemed deep in thought when I heard footsteps coming closer. Before I could open my mouth to warn Natalia, the door flew open and there stood Elizabeta.

Her hair was a mess from the rain that had started a few minutes after Natalia had arrived. I could hear the drops fall from her hair and hit the ground with a soft thump. She wore a white dress with a black corset. However, what caught my eye the most was the red cloak that she wore over her shoulders. The cloak seemed to shake me back to my senses and I glared at Elizabeta.

"What the hell is she doing here?" I demand.

Natalia said nothing and neither did Elizabeta. A heavy silence filled the small cottage as we stared at each other. I felt hot anger coursing through my veins but something was edging its way through my heart...sadness. I tried to ignore and overpower it with my anger but it refused to be ignored. This seemed to make me angrier.

Natalia cleared her throat and motioned for Elizabeta and me to sit. Elizabeta took a seat beside Natalia but I stayed where I was.

"You two don't have to like each other but to end this we must work together. That is why I told Elizabeta to come down here." She said sternly.

Elizabeta nodded but said nothing. Natalia looked at me, daring me to argue with her. As much as I hated it, I needed her to help me figure out the prophecy. If that meant putting up with Elizabeta for a few days then so be it. I yanked out a chair and sat.

Natalia looked at both of us and then spoke. "Now I know parts of the prophecy will be confusing now, but it will all make sense as time goes on."

"So you've said. What's the last part?" I ask trying not to squirm.

"One boy and one girl who remain alone; Death falls on one's shoulders; the other carries the burden" Elizabeta said quietly.

"So someone is going to die." I say as I look at Elizabeta. She stared back, her face showing no emotion.

Natalia's gaze traveled between the both of us deciding whether she should step in. She must have decided against it because she remained quiet.

"Well we all know how the story goes don't we?" Elizabeta replied.

"We know how it's supposed to go, but a story can always be rewritten."

"Isn't that what we are trying to do?"

I didn't reply to that. I looked at Natalia who pushed back her chair and stood up. "It seems that we won't be getting any farther with you two tonight so I will be taking my leave."

Elizabeta got up as well and left without a word.

Natalia gave me a hard look. "If you think you are going to get anywhere with the prophecy then you are going to have to get over yourselves. Think about the bigger picture and how many lives are at stake if we let the order of the Grimm continue on with what they're doing. I'll be back tomorrow night and if you two are willing to work together then I will be willing to let you in on some secrets about the prophecy."

This caught my attention. "Fine, I promise that I will be civil but I can't promise anything for her."

A sad look crossed Natalia's face. "If only you knew what she risked for you to keep you safe. She tried to keep you safe and you betrayed her with your recklessness."

I didn't say anything. Instead I turned away and walked towards by bed, flopping down on it. I could feel Natalia's gaze burning a hole in my back but I didn't look over.

"Someday Gilbert, you will learn how many people have sacrificed things for you to live. You would do best to remember that."

The cottage suddenly went dark and I heard the soft click of the front door closing.

A.N. Merry Christmas and please review!