Into Another World

(Aurelie's POV, New York)

5 years from the end of 'Forest of Fireflies'...

I dashed back home as soon as the bell signalling for the end of the school day rung. Given that it was a Friday and my parents would not come back until later in the evening, I had the whole afternoon to myself. Once I arrived back in the small apartment where I live with my parents, I threw down my schoolbag and rushed to the kitchen to preheat a bag of popcorn. If I were lucky, I'd be able to binge through two movies, and do my homework of course, before my parents are back. I liked having this freedom to do whatever I pleased. My parents were always nagging me to do this and to do that. Well, that's mainly mum. Dad is pretty laid back and quiet for most of the time.

Recently, I couldn't help but feel as if he's hiding something though. I don't know what it was, but his face would always be etched with stress or sadness. Sometimes a combination of both. Yet, it couldn't possibly be from his work. After all, how could it? He loves working with the horses up in the Bronx. It must be something else, but I couldn't imagine what was causing the strange mood that has gradually overtaken him. I've asked her mum if daddy was ok. Every time, the answer I receive is one I'd rather not hear. "He's fine. What makes you think he's not ok? Now, don't you have homework to do?"

I settled down with the freshly heated bag of popcorn and turned on the TV. I especially enjoyed those of the fantasy genre, no matter how much mum and dad seemed to hate those films. I couldn't understand why they tensed whenever I mention the word 'magic'. It's absolutely absurd considering that they don't believe in such things. However, I can't help but notice how anything fantastical or remotely fairytale-like makes them paranoid. I sometimes wished that she could have powers like the characters in her books or on the television. It would be so cool, to make things appear, to turn them into various objects.

The following couple of hours went by in a flash and soon, the credits were rolling for the second film. I got up and turned off the screen before looking over to the small clock sitting on the kitchen bench. 8:30pm. My parents should be back. Where were they? I reached for my phone and called both of them. Nobody answered. My heart started to race a little but I reluctantly pressed down the anxiety.

Then, I prodded to the pantry and scrimmaged around. Surely there would be a pack of 2 minute noodles sitting in there somewhere. A tiny corner of yellow packaging peeked out from the top shelf and I got out the pack in glee. Since mum isn't there to make dinner, I'll just have to settle for the unhealthy option. Halfway through my meal, I heard shuffles outside the apartment. Then, the familiar jingle of keys.

My parents burst into the door, startling her a little. "Oh good, I'm glad you've found something to eat. I'm so sorry. Your father and I were both caught up because of an accident down in the subway," mum said as she went over and peered into the bowl of noodles.

I shrugged, "It's ok. I called you both twice though." Then, I added with an eyeroll, "Did your phones lose battery again?"

Daddy laughed, "You know I'm bad with technology. I forgot to charge my phone overnight."

Silently I thought to myself, only the old say they're bad with technology. Dad's only like...38. It's not that bad.

"Aurelie, you could have ordered takeaway. You know those noodles aren't good for you," mum commented.

I shrugged and sat back down to finish the bowl. When I was done, I left the bowl in the sink and went into my room. I had to get started on that homework sooner or later...

Midnight

I had woken up pretty early for basketball training in the morning so by 11pm I was already sound asleep. However, I was woken up by the voices in my parent's room next to mine. I rolled over and pulled my pillow closer in hopes to muffle out the sound. I realized that it wasn't going to help. What could they be arguing about at this hour anyway?

I pressed my ears against the wall and smiled when I figured I could hear almost every word of what they were saying. I could tell they tried to speak quietly but as their bed was pretty much just opposite of mine behind the wall, there is only a certain degree of sound that could be snuffed out.

Mum's voice echoed back, "No! You mustn't go! You can't waste our only chance of getting back just on a possibility. An uncertainty. You don't even know for sure if they're in need-"

"Lena, I've trusted Elias to give us updates about them. He was my best friend, he'd never lie. I must go!"

There was a short pause between them. Then, mum replied, "Alright, let's say Elias was telling the truth...but he wouldn't know everything about them! He's not the most reliable source after all. He lives in the village, which is far from them."

"Yes I know, but he was the only one I could trust. We weren't supposed to have ties with anyone remember?"

Mum's voice dropped a notch but I was able to hear her mutter, "Yes I do. But...why Daniel? That was the past. Why go back to it now?"

Dad suddenly raised his voice, "They are family to me, Lena! I love you no matter what, but...but I can't hide here and do nothing when they could possibly be in danger!"

"We discussed this! Please don't bring it up again. You cannot leave, or else we'll never be able to see you again."

"Then come with me!"

Mum hissed, "And take Aurelie with us?! Are you mad? Let's say we really returned and did whatever you want to do. Do you think she'll want to see you again? If she sees our daughter, what do you think she'll do to her?!"

My heart pounded. What on earth were they talking about? None of their argument made sense but I was already suspecting something wasn't right. My parents are serious about what they were talking about...yet whatever it entailed sounds dangerous. I was distracted from my thoughts when Dad replied rather loudly, "That's ridiculous, she won't hurt Aurelie now. It's been years now."

"Years. Do you have any idea how long she has held a simple grudge for? Right, you weren't there." Mum spat. I frowned. Does somebody...does somebody want to hurt me? Why?

There was a pause but Dad filled that silence up when he replied, "That's different. Lena, please. just listen. We have to go back. You, me and Aurelie."

"No."

"It wasn't a question."

"Daniel! No is no! I won't allow it! I won't let you drag us all back to what we've fought to escape from! Now, you aren't going to take it out of the pouch for this purpose."

Dad didn't answer but the door of my parents' room opened. I quickly fell back onto the pillow on my bed and shut my eyes. I felt a light on my back and knew immediately that he was standing at the door of my room. Although I was breathing rapidly, I tried to hold it in for I didn't want my parents to figure out that I had heard their conversation. Whatever it was, it's clear that they're hiding something big from me.

As the door closed and I was plunged into darkness again, I remembered one thing from the argument. The pouch. Mum mentioned taking something out of a pouch. Maybe that'll be the key to figuring out what was going on. I'd find it in the morning, when my parents had left for work. Given that their incomes weren't much, both of them have to work six days in the week. Normally, I wouldn't be left at home alone on the Saturday but mum had to cover a sudden shift in the morning. I sighed and rolled around to face the other side of the room. I was too anxious about finding 'the pouch' and what was inside to fall back to sleep immediately.

The following morning

"Sweetie, don't do anything naughty when we're gone. I've left you some lunch in the fridge. Just go and preheat it and you're all set ok? I'll be back at around three and your father will be back around four."

I nodded and pretended to be digging into my breakfast eagerly.

"Did you hear me?"

"Yes, mum!" I shouted back. I looked up and saw her smile at me before closing the door. Once the lock had clicked, I set down the spoon into my cereal bowl and glanced around. A cold kind of feeling entered me. I really shouldn't be snooping, but it had to be done. The things I have overheard last night have bugged me the whole morning. Now...where could they be hiding this pouch?

I made my way to my parents' bedroom first. Carefully, I opened all the drawers and dug my hand into them. Nothing out of the ordinary. The socks were ordered in a neat manner so it wouldn't be hard to find something that didn't belong there. Same goes for the others drawers. After that, I proceeded to the wardrobe. I doubted there would be anything there but I searched it nonetheless. Nope. I sighed as my cheeks started to flare up. I continued to look in every nook and cranny in our small apartment but naturally, nothing turned up. Dejected, I flopped down onto the couch and stared at the Harry Potter book sitting on the coffee table. Wait...

For whatever reason, it gave me an idea. Harry used to hide his quills and textbooks underneath a loose floorboard. There's no way my parents would have done the same, right?

I went back into their room and stared at the rug before their bed with conviction. In my mind, I was praying that a miracle would happen and that my only shred of genius thinking would actually turn out to be correct. I pulled the rug to one side and examined the floorboards that was below it. There didn't seem to be anything weird about the planks of wood on the floor below my feet. However, as I walked over them, I noticed a strange creaking when I stepped in a certain place. I dropped to my knees in shock. The edges of that particular floorboard were frayed at one end. In fact, there was a line split in the middle of the long plank of wood, as if it had been placed there last in a spontaneous action.

My heart thumped against my chest as I dug my fingernails along the frayed edges of the wood and into the crack. I latched into the pulp and lifted my hand slightly. The plank moved a bit. I held my breath, growing more impatient by the second. This is it.

I tried again to take out the wood and this time, managed to get it a crack more than last time. I quickly slide my other finger under it and pried it up. As I moved the plank to one side, my eyes didn't move from the spot below me. There was a space in the flooring and it was quite deep as well, to my surprise. I quickly got out my phone from my pocket and turned on the torch, shining it into the hole. There was something that looked like velvet cloth. I dug my hand in and took it out, placing it onto the floor beside me. As I flattened it out, I realised that it was a bag. The pouch!

Excitedly, I put my phone down and reached to undo the string around the pouch. There seemed to be something small inside and when I poured it out onto the palm of my hand, I was confused. There, staring back at me was a little bean shaped object. I didn't know what it was made of, as it had a strange glow to it. It was almost like resin, but I could see that it was glowing from within. It couldn't be plastic, it looked way more beautiful than that. I frowned and moved so that I could sit cross legged before the hole in the floorboard. I squished the little bean between my fingers but I was afraid that it would burst. Was this thing what my parents were talking about? What is it? Why is it connected to...to whatever past they've tried to conceal from me?

I frowned and took out my phone to shine into the hole again. Something glittered back at me. I peered into the space and took out a medallion, the shiny silver or gold kind that you would find on the uniforms of high ranking officers in the military or something. Some of the British royals wear them too, at official ceremonies.

In the middle of the medallion and surrounded by an array of diamonds arranged in the shape of a sun, there was an elaborate script depicting the initials; DC. I gasped. No way...could I really stand for Daniel Colter, Dad's name? Where on earth did he get this? I was plunged once more into doubt and suspicion. If this belongs to father, then he must have had some kind of past that was way more exciting that growing up here in Brooklyn, New York.

I didn't realise that I had shed a tear until something cold went down my cheek. I hastily wiped my hand across my face, unbelieving that I was getting emotional over this. I flipped the medallion over and there was a symbol, set in lacquer with a gold edge. Beneath an elaborate black crown, there was a line of red flames sitting above a white square pattern. This was all enclosed in a shield-like shaped outline. The crown was what made me confused. If this was a coat of arms of sorts...it had to belong to a royal house. But...

I picked up my phone and switched off the torch quickly. Then, I opened the internet and typed in, 'coat of arms' and 'royal families'.

A list came up and I scrolled through them. None of the crests on my screen matched the one on the medallion. I closed my eyes, suddenly feeling stupid. What if this isn't even serious? What if I was simply imagining things? The symbol on the back could mean anything.

I opened my eyes and looked at the crown again, feeling drawn towards it. No. It has to mean something. Besides, the argument that my parents had last night proves that there is something wrong. I put down my phone after endless minutes of scrolling. This was useless. Yet, I felt something within me, drawing me towards the meaning of the medallion and the bean. I sighed and put the medallion into the pouch. Then, I replaced the board back into the flooring. I tugged the rug in place and stepped over it, trying to feel if there's something abnormal about the loose plank. It was seemed untouched to me.

Then, I picked up the pouch whilst standing up. However, the bean slipped past my fingers and fell onto the ground. I watched as it rolled across the room to the mirror in the corner of the bedroom. I stepped forth to pick it up when bright light suddenly erupted from where the bean was. I almost fell in shock. Beneath that white light was a swirl of clouds. What the hell?!

I edged slowly closer to the whirlwind both in fear and curiosity. How is this possible? What is-

I felt an invisible tug from my chest that seemed to be wanting me to fall into the swirl of clouds. My mouth dried up as my heart pounded. I had no idea what was happening, nor what is behind the bright hole in the ground. However, Mum's words came ringing in my mind, "I won't let you drag us all back to what we've fought to escape from!"

I glanced down at my hand that was gripping the velvet pouch tightly. I was shaking uncontrollably. Well, if this was the way to 'go back' as my Dad said...then I'll just have to follow through. I was already past the stage of thinking that all of this is fake. It must be real. I'm not crazy am I?

Well, there's only one way to find out. I let the pull of the swirling winds draw me closer to the bright light. Then, just as I closed my eyes, I felt my whole body fall. I thought of nothing but the mystery that shrouded in my parents' conversation. Who were 'they', and who was the 'she' that Dad referred to?

I collided with cold wet dirt. Grunting, I got up and dusted myself. Then, I looked around at my surroundings; an endless sea of tall lush trees met my eyes. Wait, I'm in some kind of forest?!

I pinched myself, just like they do in movies. Nope. Still awake. I felt around my pocket and breathed a sigh of relief to find both the pouch with the medallion inside, as well as my phone. I immediately got out GPS to locate where I was but no matter where I moved, I couldn't get a signal. Great.

I turned off my phone in annoyance and decided to walk for there was nothing left to do. Despite the initial wonderment and shock that I was in, my senses soon came back to me in a horrible pang of realisation. What if this was it? I'm stuck in a forest because I've clearly meddled with something strange that I didn't know how to control or how to deal with. I felt as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice cold water down my chest. Then, I started running. I needed to get out of here.

The panic that had suddenly entered my system caused me to go faster. I almost cried out of joy when I noticed a dirt road amongst a clearing of trees. Civilisation!

No sooner had I set foot on the road, I heard a whinny of horses. Confused I looked to the direction of the noise and could see the heads of horses coming this way. Oh maybe this is a horse riding trail. As they came closer however, I stopped and stood rooted on the spot. No way...

The riders were wearing medieval garb, as if they came out of an illustrated fairytale. I was too shocked to speak or do anything. Not even when the four horses came to a halt before me. One of the riders got down and I immediately recognised that he was some kind of knight.

"Who are you and what business do you have in the King's forest?"

"K-k...King's?!" I squeaked.

The knight looked weirdly at me before signalling to his partner, "Take her."

At that, I widened my eyes and said, "No wait! Please, I...I don't know where I am. Please I just want to go back home to New York."

Before he could reply however, a boy's voice exclaimed, "New York?!" I looked up and for the first time, I realised that behind the knights were two teenagers, probably only a year or two older than me. They both had concerned looks on their faces. I swallowed just as the girl said to the knights, "It's ok. You can go back to the castle now. We'll be right there."

"Are you sure, mi'lady?" the knight answered. The girl nodded so both the knights left, galloping away on their horses. I quickly turned around when I heard a thump. The girl had gotten down from the horse. She was quite pretty actually. She had long dark hair with matching coloured eyes. Her cheekbones were high, giving her a natural contour, not the mention the perfect shape of her jaw. I immediately felt a little shadowed by her, especially as I was wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, unlike the long navy blue dress that she was wearing. Then, the boy got down from his horse. He was a little taller than the girl and had similar features.

Quietly, I whispered, "Are you siblings?"

They gave each other a weird look and chuckled. The girl replied, "Yes, but we're not blood related. It's a little complicated..."

"Wait, you mentioned New York?" The boy immediately asked.

I nodded and continued, "What's going on? I'm so confused. One moment I was in my apartment and...wait, you understand what I'm talking about don't you? Where are we?"

The boy looked at his sister before turning back to me to explain, "Yes, we know where New York is, but it's in the Land Without Magic. We're very far from it."

"The Land without what now?!" I practically shrieked. "You're saying that we're not in the US?!"

The girl gave me a look of sympathy and said, "Hey, it's ok. You can get back to your land easily. I'm not sure about Camelot, but in the Enchanted Forest, we have magic beans, portals and..."

"Magic beans?! You mean...you mean the little transparent glowy things?" I asked as my heart thumped.

She laughed and said, "Yeah, that's what they look like. I suspect you came here by one then?"

My breath seemed to leave my lungs as I replied simply, "Yes. I mean, I think it was it. I don't know...I-" I was about to mention having found it in my parents' possessions when I suddenly decided against it. Mum seemed to be scared of whatever Dad was mentioning last night and if these two teenagers come from whatever 'going back' is referring to, they could be dangerous to me.

The girl gave her brother one look and turned back to me. "We'll bring you to our mother. We're not in our homeland either, but as she's good with magic, she'll be able to help you."

"Your mother's a witch?" I said slowly. The girl laughed and winked, "She prefers sorceress or magic practitioner but yeah." Seeing my hesitation, she sighed and said, "I'm Daniella by the way. And this is Henry. Come, we'll take you back to Camelot castle. We've only just arrived here yesterday."

I nodded and said quietly, "I'm Aurelie."

"Nice to meet you, Aurelie," Henry said pleasantly. I smiled back but when I turned to Daniella, she seemed to be staring at me. "Umm..."

She broke off and gave me a sheepish smile. "Sorry, you just remind me of someone that's all."

"Really, who?"

Daniella shrugged and said, "Nevermind. I sometimes feel like I recognise a face but that's ridiculous. I've never met you before."

"Not unless you've been to New York?"

She chuckled, "No. But I was in Maine for a while. Don't ask, it's really complicated."

I gave her a smile but when she turned away, I bit my lip. The fact that they say everything is complicated just made me want to distrust them. However, they were the only source of help that I could find.

Author's Note:

So...how are you liking the first chapter? This fic will alternate between Aurelie and Daniella's POVs so we'll be hearing from Daniella's perspective very soon. As always, I'm grateful that y'all have been following this fic since the first installment, 'Forest of Fireflies'.

*Remember, time runs differently between realms, so whilst Daniella is 16, Aurelie is already 14.