Factors
(Thursday Night- Friday Evening, August 1st – 2nd)
"Mom. Mom," Lonnie shouts.
"In here," she announces.
Lonnie strides into the master bedroom, and she sees her mother sitting in front of the vanity with clumps of hair on the table, "What are you doing?"
"Maintaining my hair," she says, as she examines the evenness.
"What happened to science proving that guys are attracted to long, healthy hair and that I should maintain mine?" Lonnie laughs, "What? Should I cut mine?"
Her eyes widen at her, "Don't even think about it."
"But you said you were maintaining yours by cutting it," she frustrates.
Her mother sighs, before she faces her, "I've been sent back to work. I can't exactly wear my hair down, can I?"
"Aren't ballerina buns allowed now?" Lonnie mentions. "Why do you need to cut it?"
"I'll be gone this weekend," she informs. "I've been tasked with guarding the ship entrance, once the monthly drop has been made to the Isle of the Lost."
"You're," Lonnie quiets, "going there?"
"It's not any worse than Camelot," she reasons. "And thanks to King Ben, there's no magical dragons on the Isle anymore." She smiles at her, "They're here now."
"Mal," she frowns.
"Anyhow," she continues, "You'll be fine on your own, won't you?"
Lonnie hesitates, "I don't see why I wouldn't be."
"No running off, no seeing any carnivores, and make sure to keep up with your lessons," she lists. "And I know you haven't been practicing your violin. You need to do that."
She takes a moment, "Yes, Ma'am." and after she watches her mother snip some strands, she sighs. "I still don't get why you needed to cut your hair. It doesn't make sense."
She sets the scissors down and looks at Lonnie in the mirror, "Your father likes it shorter. After so much time away, I thought I should do this for him."
Lonnie's eyes lower, "But you said guys like long hair."
"Most do," she agrees, before she turns towards her. "Lonnie." She looks up, and her mom asks, "You like long hair, don't you?"
Her eyes shift, "It's been nice."
"Good," her mother nods, before she advises. "If there's ever a guy you're interested in, the first question that needs to be if he likes long hair. If he doesn't, he's not the one for you. You understand?"
"I guess," she murmurs.
"You guess?"
Lonnie straightens, "Yes, Ma'am. I understand."
She smiles, "Good." before she turns back to the mirror.
Lonnie glances down, "Mom. I did have a question."
"What is it?"
"Well," she starts. "How long is it supposed to take for someone to heal."
"Oh. Um," she thinks. "You know, it depends, really, on certain factors: how healthy someone eats, how much they exercise—the age." She strains a smile, "Why?"
"It's just," she hesitates, "I heal faster than my friends. I was wondering why."
"You've always healed fast," she dismisses.
"Yeah," Lonnie accepts, "but why?"
She places a hand to her forehead, "Lonnie. You act as if I have all the answers."
"Don't you?" she accuses. Her mother fails to speak, and she claims, "I'm clearly not normal, so why? I mean, if I'm not adopted, then why can't you do what I do." She painfully grins, "Did dad have like an affair or something?"
She chuckles, "Your father with another woman?"
"It would explain why you hate me so much."
Her mother falters, and Lonnie's expression slips. She stands from the vanity and faces her, "I love you, Lonnie. How could you even think—" She shakes her head, "It's getting late, and I need to leave by daybreak."
"Mom," she sadly says.
"No," she interrupts. "I'm too tired for this. You may leave."
Lonnie turns to the door, glancing over her shoulder, before she heads out of the bedroom. The door closes behind her, and she hears heavy breathing of silent sobs from the other side. She's made her cry somehow for some reason, and she will never be told why. She walks to her room. It's bigger than thinking her love is less than love. She knows what she did, and not even her mother's parents would have treated her that way. Girls might have been more of an investment back then, but damaged goods can't be dowered. Lonnie sits down at her desk. Her mother's nearly killed her, and that's not some messed up form of parenting they used back in the day. She opens up her laptop. If her mother won't tell her why she heals fast or becomes as hot as an open flame, then she can figure it out herself. She types in 'blood healing', but the results show white blood cells, explaining why they're so important. She tries again, searching for 'magical healing blood'. One of the first results are of a doctor, who was sent to the Isle for thinking blood transfusions from children could reduce the aging process.
After she catches sight of a news article, she clicks the link. "Princess Rapunzel heals knight with her tears." Last month, Sir Eugene Rider, previously known as the wanted thief Flynn Rider, rescued Princess Rapunzel from a witch's tower in the Norwegian islands and offered her safe passage back to the kingdom Corona and returned her to her parents. In the process, he had been stabbed, and when she cried, her tears healed him in minutes.
Lonnie leans closer. When Queen Arianna had fallen ill during her pregnancy, Rapunzel's parents had their knights scour the continent for a cure, and eventually they were led to the legend of the golden flower. The Sun Drop flower, although rare, can be found on the outskirts of Camelot. Guarded by the dragons which live there, this flower glows when in bloom, and the knights found it just in time. The flower healed the queen, and soon after the princess was born.
Little did anyone know, the flower did more than turn the baby's hair gold. Rapunzel's hair retained the same healing properties the flower had, but it was more than her hair. Sir Eugene Rider had cut the princess's hair, so the witch wouldn't want to keep the princess any longer. The power from the hair faded, but they later found she had the same power in her tears. This is it. Her parents fought the dragons. They were right there. This has to be it. Now, she just needs to prove it.
The following evening, Lonnie uses the door knocker on the castle door, and almost immediately, Belle answers it, "I thought I told you to have someone meet you at the door."
Lonnie takes a moment, "My mom took my phone. I'm sorry."
She huffs, "Well, why would she do that? Phones keep people safe."
She glances down, "She's away for the weekend, and I'm not allowed to talk to any carnivores." She meets her eyes, "She thinks if I can't text them, I have no way to meet them."
Belle settles, "Mal's having a moment. Now's really not the best time."
"I was actually here to see Ben," she informs. "Why? What's wrong with Mal?"
Belle eyes her folded hands, before her voice strengthens, "Well, Ben is in the hospital, and Mal is taking it really hard. She blames herself."
Lonnie hesitates, "Can I see her?"
"She's drunk," Belle blatantly warns.
"I don't care," she counters. "I want to see how she is."
"Belle," Adam voices from behind her. "What's going on?"
She opens the door wider and faces him, "Lonnie's worried about Mal. I'm trying to convince her to wait a day or two."
Adam walks up to the door and solemnly expresses, "Mal really isn't doing well right now. You should wait."
"But if she's hurting now," Lonnie negates, "she needs someone now."
"Evie's helping her," Belle reassures.
"I want to see her," Lonnie asserts.
Adam takes a step back, "Belle. Her eyes."
"I know." She touches Adam's arm, before she looks at Lonnie, "You can see Mal, if you insist; however, if any smoke alarms go off, you're leaving."
Lonnie attempts a relaxing breath, "I'll behave."
Belle nods, "Good." but when she steps out of the way, he doesn't move. "Adam."
He stares at Lonnie, "I'm not letting whatever she is in my castle."
"She's been here before," Belle points out. "Nothing's happened yet."
He faces her and whispers, "We don't even know what she is."
She smiles at Lonnie, "Have you figured that out yet?"
Lonnie hesitates, "That's part of why I was asking about Ben earlier. I read about that flower from Camelot that gave Queen Rapunzel her healing powers. If I had a way to meet her, then maybe I could figure out if that's why I'm like this."
"Rapunzel can't make fire," Belle reminds her.
"Elsa can make ice," Adam's eyebrows raise.
She laughs, "But Elsa's powers don't come from the flower."
"Actually, it does." Adam adjusts his glasses, "Elsa is Rapunzel's twin. She was sent to live with her cousin after Rapunzel got taken."
Belle grins, "Well, that never made the news."
Adam takes a moment, "You thought we were the only family with secrets?"
"So, it's possible, then?" Lonnie inquires.
Adam frowns at her, "It's possible, but I don't know if it's something they're willing to discuss anymore."
Belle reassures, "Ben can probably arrange something for after one of the counsel meetings, but he needs to get better first."
"I understand," Lonnie nods.
"I'll take you to Mal," Belle frowns, before Adam steps out of the way and she heads inside. "Try to be patient with her, please."
"Wait." Belle turns back around, and she questions, "What happened?"
"I told you." She relays, "Mal blames herself for Ben's hospitalization."
"Yeah." Lonnie asks again, "But why?"
Adam takes a deep breath, "I'm just going to go make some tea."
"You do that," Belle stresses a grin, and after he heads up the stairs, Belle frowns again. "Adam hit Ben in the stomach, and it caused internal bleeding. Mal didn't tell anyone, and Ben could have died from it. She's been drinking to try to forget, and we found her cutting her stomach to try to match Ben's pain."
"That's horrible," Lonnie whispers is shock.
Belle widens her eyes, "Anyhow, Charming is with Ben at the hospital."
"But you had to stay for Mal," Lonnie assumes.
Belle glances over her shoulder before facing her, "I stayed for Adam."
"Okay," she takes a deep breath. "I don't understand."
Belle nods, "You know, I'm not sure I do anymore either." before she forces a smile. "Seriously, now. Mal is in the East Wing with Evie. I'll walk you there."
"I know where that is."
"I'm walking you there," she smiles wider.
Lonnie takes a minute, "Okay, then."
When Evie opens the door, she narrows her eyes, "Oh." She places her hands on her hips, "It's you."
"It's who?" Mal asks, before she makes it to the door and frowns. "Uh, no." She sternly eyes Belle, "Evie can't be around Lonnie." before she gapes at her. "You know that."
Lonnie excuses, "I had to see how you were doing."
Mal smirks, "I'm actually running a little low." before she faces Evie. "You don't mind, do you?"
She stares at Lonnie, "Whatever makes you happy."
"Cool," Mal says, before she runs her thumb and forefinger over a section of Lonnie's hair. "Let's take this to my room."
"Mal," Lonnie hisses.
Her eyebrows raise, "You don't want to take this to my room?"
"Your girlfriend's right there," she furiously whispers.
Mal grins, "And the nice thing to do would be to have her not see anything." before she turns her down the hall.
Evie sees Lonnie look back, before they exit through the wings' dividing door. "Do you want me to stop her?" Belle offers.
"She'd probably just hypnotize you to get out of her way," Evie mumbles.
"Technically, an intoxicated person can't consent to sex in the first place," she notes.
"Okay," Evie grins. "If Lonnie actually lets that happen, I will legit kill her."
"Seriously, though," Jay mentions, "that whole 'cool' thing was a cold burn."
Evie twists around, "Not as cold of a burn as you leaving your wife to die."
"I'm not even married," Jay eyes over her, before he stands from the chair and walks past her. He faces Belle, "Seriously. Can you get her to eat? She's starting to freak me out."
After Jay leaves, Belle widens her eyes at Evie. "What?" She defends, "Just because Jay can eat an entire pizza and not gain a pound doesn't mean I can—or should."
"But have you been eating at all?" Belle questions.
Evie laughs, "Well, yeah. I just had a bunch of almonds last night."
"You mean, tonight?" she corrects.
"No," Evie disbelieves. "To intermediate fast, I have to go twenty hours without eating. If I ate that tonight, it'd only be twelve hours."
Belle takes a moment, "I believe the idea behind that concept is to eat all the calories you need in four hours. You're not actually supposed to starve yourself."
"It's a good thing Ben's never done this, then," Evie concludes. "And I definitely didn't look through his notebooks for bad ideas."
Belle gapes, "Pardon?"
"Gesundheit."
"No," she lifts a hand. "You said Ben's notebook gave you this idea?"
Evie purses her lips, "No. I'm pretty sure I said I definitely didn't look through Ben's notebooks for bad ideas, because he's definitely never done anything like this."
"Right," Belle folds her hands. "So, these notebooks that don't exist, where would they definitely not be?"
She giggles, "Well, if they don't exist, they can't be anywhere, can they?"
Belle eyes her leather top, "Sorry." before pointing. "Your pocket is glowing."
Evie covers it, "Leather doesn't glow."
"But enchanted mirrors do," she recalls.
"It's called a witch's glass," Evie corrects.
"A witch's glass," Belle takes interest.
Evie takes a deep breath, "Okay." before she takes the small mirror out of her pocket. "Belle. This is my father, Mark."
"Oh, um." Belle unsurely smiles, before she squats to the mirror's level, "It's very nice to meet you, Mark." The mirror shows a picture of the plaque that hang's on Ben's office door. "Is that where the notebooks are?" Evie hurries to place the mirror back into her pocket, and Belle stands back up, "Thank you, Evie. This information is very helpful."
"Oh. Come on, Lons," Mal complains, as Lonnie gets up from the bed.
She picks up the leather jacket and turns to her, "I'm not a homewrecker."
Mal's face scrunches, "What does that even mean?"
"Wasn't there a rule about kissing?" Lonnie reminds her. "I'm not letting you cheat on your girlfriend. Because, I know I'm so hot that you don't need to do that."
"How is that supposed to be any help?"
Lonnie shakes her head, "You know what? Just thank me when you're sober." before she exists the room; however, when she heads for the stairs, she hears crying coming from the dining room. She slowly steps into the area and sees her, "Belle?"
She wipes the tears from her eyes, "Oh. Lonnie." before she faces her. "You and Mal finished, then?"
Lonnie takes a moment, "That's probably not the best phrasing. But no, and that's a good thing, I think, for Evie."
Belle takes a deep breath, "How considerate of you."
Lonnie takes the seat across from her and sees the notebooks, "What is this?"
"You're on good terms with Ben," she assumes. "Aren't you?"
"Uh." Lonnie answers, "Yes."
She pushes the notebooks towards her, "Just look for yourself."
Lonnie opens the first one and sees the year at the top, before she sees the lists of goals for the season; however, they're in French. "Sorry. I can't read this."
"Right." Belle points to the goals listed. "These columns are school, health, and other." She points to the numbers and holds her breath, "This is weight, I imagine."
Lonnie sees the numbers go down by tens and fives, "Oh my goodness."
Belle turns the page, "He has rules here: keep to less than a thousand calories, at least a hundred grams of protein, and run a mile for every item of which he doesn't know the content." Lonnie looks over the spread sheet of what he ate for that week, and when she flips the page, there's only one day he ate more than a thousand calories. Belle hands her the small jumbo book, "He has his exercise in here. He never even counted his tourney training."
Lonnie opens it and glances over the pages, "He wouldn't have been able to measure that." before she faces Belle.
She continues to cry, "I just don't understand why he's been doing this. I mean, it's been a year. Aside from me encouraging him to be king—" She places her hands over her eyes, "Was it stress? Did I make him do this?"
"If it makes you feel any better," Lonnie informs, "my, um, boyfriend has been trying to help Ben with this."
Belle meets her eyes, "Your boyfriend?"
"He's a wolf," she explains. "You know, like a werewolf, but that's an offensive term, so—"
"Lonnie," she interrupts. "How is he helping him?"
"Well, sometimes he sees Ben walking through the woods, and he will offer him meat and keep him company." Lonnie's jaw drops, "Oh, no."
"What is it?" she concerns.
"Ben can't try to hunt anymore," Lonnie urges. "He can't even walk through the woods. There's hunters who put down a bunch of bear traps. My boyfriend just walked into one the other day. No one can be in the woods right now."
"These woods are our private property," Belle frowns.
"They're targeting wolves," Lonnie warns. "They're not putting up signs. They're hunting carnivores, and if they claim they saw a wild wolf, they have permission to shoot on sight. He can't take that chance."
Belle shakes his head, "He never even told me he was doing this. How am I supposed to warn him of it?"
Lonnie thinks, "I can do it." before she falters. "I mean, if you let me."
She nods, "Give him a couple days. I want him to heal more first." She watches her eye down, "Is something wrong?"
Lonnie looks at her, "When my boyfriend got caught in the trap, he got injured really bad. But then, when I offered my blood to him, he healed within a day. If I could do the same for Ben, maybe he could get better sooner too."
Belle shakes her head, "That's very nice of you, Lonnie, but Ben's injury was in his stomach. He's not allowed to eat anything right now."
She eyes the table, "I finally found a way to help people, and I can't."
After a minute of quiet, Belle anxiously asks, "Where's Mal?"
Lonnie slowly answers, "I got upset with her. I left her on the bed."
Belle stands from the table and strides over to Mal's room. She knocks, "Mal?" There's no answer, and she opens the door. There's no sight of Mal, but when she walks over to the bathroom, she sees her standing in front of the mirror, "Mal?"
She stares at her reflection, "Who am I?"
"Well, you're you," she rationalizes.
"The girl that slipped the king with a love potion or the girl that turned her mom into a lizard. Or the girl that went to a brothel for heat and got surprised when she was raped."
Belle walks up behind her and places her hands on her shoulders, "You are a strong, young woman that overcame a lot to get the life she has today."
"The life where I'm in a country where being with my girlfriend is illegal and my girlfriend gets jealous over my sexual outlets."
Belle takes a large comb from the counter, before she starts at the back of Mal's curly hair, "Nowhere is perfect, but you have people who love you. You have people who would break the law for you. When you have people who love you that much, you have everything you need."
Mal scoffs, "Everything?"
"Everything you need to get everything you need."
Mal looks back at her reflection, "I'm such a mess."
She starts combing the right side, "That's why we're doing this. The first step to put yourself back together is look put together. It will make you feel better, and you will have the encouragement you need to do better."
"I wish I could believe that," Mal doubts.
She starts the other side, "It doesn't fix everything, but it does make things easier."
Mal frowns, "Things would be easier without curly hair."
"Some hard things are worth it," Belle smiles, before she sets the comb down. "Hold on a minute. I'll be right back."
Lonnie watches as Belle leaves, and Mal turns to her, "Still mad at me?"
"I wasn't mad," Lonnie evenly expresses. "I just don't want to hurt Evie."
Mal looks away, "It's sad."
"What is?"
She looks back into the mirror, "How good of a pet you really are."
When Belle returns, she shows Mal the hair accessory, "We put this side of teeth on one side of your hair, and the other side goes into the other." She pinches the teeth together, "This will help keep the wind from knotting your hair, and it makes you look elegant."
Mal touches the glass beads on the back of her head, "It kind of hurts."
"As all things do," Belle smiles and places her hands back on Mal's shoulders. "You get used to it."
- I did see Frozen 2 after I wrote this chapter. Personally, I still very prefer the YouTube theory for Elsa's power's origins.
