The rest of the week went by swiftly with nothing happening after the incident with the pirates. It was a relief to Ella and everyone else on board. Since then, the sailors had been grateful to her. She still couldn't believe that they praised her for using her magic against the pirates. The only person who didn't praise her was Hans. What made her curious was that Hans didn't criticize her for using her magic either. During their trip, they had said a few words to each other, but nothing about the pirates.
Despite many attempts, Ella could not bring herself to sleep in her cabin. Even though she was trying to convince herself that she was tired, deep down, she knew that the truth was that she was feeling the opposite. If she were tired, she would not have gone to sleep regardless. Outside her door, she could hear the sailors celebrating their successful voyage out on the sea.
When Ella slowly took a peek out through the door crack, there was a light in the nearby room. All she heard was the sailors and she swore that she heard one open a bottle of something, probably red wine. She'd rather stay in her little cabin until they arrived in Reignlen the next day, but something told her to get on deck to watch the ocean waves. She didn't want to listen to herself yet she knew that this was going to be her last night out on the sea. Ella slowly pulled the door open and left her cabin.
A group of ecstatic sailors were sitting around with bottles in their hands, all engrossed in a pleasant conversation. By the looks of it, none of them were drunk. Ella was just about to climb up the stairs to the deck when one of the sailors convinced her to allow them to make a toast to her.
Ella went to the middle of the room with the sailors surrounding her. One sailor stepped forward from them and everyone went into silence. "Here's a toast to—what is your name, my dear?"
She thought that they already knew her name but still, she couldn't be rude. "Ella."
"Here's a toast to Ella!" the sailor announced, raising his bottle in the air. The other sailors followed him. "To Ella!"
"To Ella!"
As the sailors cheered and went back to their little celebration, Ella gave them a weak smile and went up the stairs to the deck.
She opened the door and saw that the rest of the crew was on deck. The sailors were celebrating the same way that the ones below were. Ella turned to the ocean; it looked orange just like a sunset. She had to admit that, out of all the days of their voyage, this was the best day for the weather.
Captain Murphy announced to the sailors to retreat to the middle of the ship, which they all obeyed. She went over towards the railing and sat at the nearest barrel. Her gloved hands lay on the railing as she peered out at the sea. The waves were gently dancing along to the soft splashing. She noticed that someone else was off in a corner of the ship, watching the waves as well. She could only see the back of the figure, therefore couldn't tell who it was.
She smiled when Owl flew over towards her and hooted. "Hello, Owl," Ella said. She saw Cassandra go over to Captain Murphy after he called her for something. She peered back at Owl. "You're really lucky to be a companion to Cassandra. I don't have any." Her eyes dimmed and she peered down at the ground. "I don't even know if I had any friends."
A round of cheering was heard and Ella glanced over her shoulder to see that the sailors on board noticed her and were cheering at her. Captain Murphy and Cassandra turned to her with a smile. While the cheering continued, Ella remained still as she stared out at the crew. Maybe Cassandra was right after all about her deciding to let Hans take her to Reignlen? Although she was fearful of her magic, she couldn't help but admit that the Daaphelia would've lost the battle against the other ship had she stayed behind.
The cheering died once Captain Murphy ordered the sailors to get back to work and they obeyed. When Ella turned back to the railing, she saw that the figure in the corner was Hans, who turned back to the waves. Cassandra went over to her and Owl with a telescope in her hand.
"I can't believe they're cheering for me," Ella commented.
Cassandra smiled at Owl and peered through her telescope. "Well, you saved them all, Ella. You should give yourself more credit."
"But I could've harmed someone."
After Cassandra peered through her telescope, she put it away, peering at Ella. "You did what you had to do to save everyone. We would've lost the battle if it hadn't been for you. You need to quit beating yourself up."
"Cassandra, I'm more than happy that I saved everyone," Ella began. "Yet I still need to be cautious with my magic."
"We've been through this countless times," Cassandra sighed. Ella noticed that she had something on her mind before a small smile came. "You know, I think that my friend would like you. She always had a big heart and she never gave up on me even after I betrayed her."
"Queen Elsa's cousin? You think she would like me?"
Cassandra nodded. "She would like your magic and try to help you any way that she could." She turned when she saw Captain Murphy approaching her. "Yes, Captain?"
Ella expected him to address Cassandra, but instead, he turned to her. "Ella, would you mind bringing Hans over here?"
A minute of silence felt longer to Ella as she stood there with Captain Murphy and Cassandra peering right at her. She glanced over her shoulder only to see Hans quickly turn his head away from her.
As much as Ella mistrusted Hans, he did save her life from the soproises and got her out of the Northern Isles. Plus, she knew that she would have to approach him sooner or later and it would be a good time for her to talk with him about the pirates. "I'll get him."
Samul went over to Cassandra and handed her a small parchment and a quill. As Cassandra wrote on the parchment, Samul asked Captain Murphy about something. Ella took a deep breath and slowly went over to Hans.
Hans seemed to be focused on the ocean, deep in thought, broken when he glanced over his shoulder at her. "Hello, Ella. Do you need something?"
Ella grabbed onto her right arm. "Captain Murphy wants to see you, Your Highness."
Owl flew over them with a small parchment paper in his talons, fluttering away from the Daaphelia and further into the sunset sky. Ella could hear the chattering of Captain Murphy, Samul, and other sailors in the background behind them. One person was talking about how Ella saved them from the pirates, causing Ella to think about Hans' expression when everyone cheered for her below deck.
"Is something on your mind?" Hans asked. He was about to continue when there was a splash into the water. He peered over to the ocean, only to see that it was a fish.
The wind tossed a strand of hair into Ella's eyes. She tucked it behind her right ear. "Hans, I know that you didn't like that I used my magic against the pirates."
"Wait a minute," Hans said, glancing back over to her. "Why would you say that, Ella? What makes you think that I thought that?"
"You never said anything about it," Ella explained. "So I just assume that you disapprove of what I did."
"Ella," he began, "I never disapproved of you scaring off the pirates with your magic."
Ella placed her gloved hand on the railing, staring at him in awe. "Really? I could've harmed someone."
"True, you could've gotten someone hurt or killed," Hans admitted. He gestured for her not to get overwhelmed. "But you saved everyone on this ship. You would've been foolish to ignore your magic. Even though you have yet to control your powers, I believe that you did the right thing."
Ella turned to the ocean and stared out into the calm waves. The sun was getting closer to setting and being replaced by the moon. "Hans, why didn't you use your magic against the pirates?"
Hans was quiet for a long minute before he finally spoke up. "I just think that it would be better that I didn't use it."
Ella peered down at Hans' gloved hands. He still wore his gloves so was it because he lacked control of his magic or was it mandatory for him to wear them? She almost asked that, but she felt that he would just give her the same answer, therefore she decided to let it be for now.
They watched Cassandra throw an apple into the air and slice it into eight pieces with her sword. When Samul left, Ella and Hans went over to approach Captain Murphy.
Cassandra offered them two apple slices and Ella took one while Hans politely declined. Ella slowly nibbled on the apple, listening to some splashing in the water.
Hans laid his gloved hand on the railing as he peered at Captain Murphy. "What do you need to see me for, Captain?"
Captain Murphy gave him and Cassandra a look, making sure that they were paying attention. "I would like to inform you that we will be arriving in Reignlen sometime after the afternoon." He breathed easily and fisted his hips. "Honesty, I'll be happy when we land. We've had one heck of a voyage."
"You know," Cassandra said. "We had a long trip, but the most important thing is that we survived our journey. It's. . ."
While Cassandra spoke to Captain Murphy, Ella glanced back over to the waves. She was more than happy that she was finally going to get help from Hans' uncle, yet at the same time, she was afraid of how she would be treated.
"Just one more night, Ella," Hans said, "then we'll arrive in Reignlen and my uncle will help you."
Ella briefly peered down at her gloved hands before she glanced over her shoulders at Hans. "I hope that my powers won't ruin it for me."
"They won't," Hans assured. "My uncle will still help you regardless."
"He's right, Ella," Cassandra said, as Captain Murphy went over to a small group of sailors. "The Reignelians are used to magic."
"How did they react when they saw you with your magic?" Ella asked. Two sailors got into a squabble over something and Captain Murphy rushed over to break it up.
"I lost mine way before I came to Reignlen," Cassandra said. She peered over at Hans. "I'm surprised that your father didn't let you go there as much."
Hans' eyes dimmed. "I'm not." He peered down at his clothing and grimaced. "I can't wait to get new clothes when we get to Reignlen. When I was shipped off to the Northern Isles, all my father had packed was my royal outfits and I wore them when I shoveled the manure."
Cassandra frowned. "Uh, why?"
"That was part of my punishment," Hans answered. "I was required to wear my royal uniforms to show that I had become a disgrace."
Cassandra turned from him, muttering something about him trying to kill the queen. Hans questioned what she said and she said that it was nothing.
Ella watched the waves for ten minutes until she decided to turn in for the night. She backed away from the railing and went back below deck.
The sound of a clock nearby caused Ella's eyes to slowly open. She peered over to the clock on the wall and saw that it was eleven in the morning. After she tossed over her covers and drew her legs out, Ella went over to the nightstand. She poured some water into a bowl and washed her face with a towel.
As Ella removed the cloth from her face, her eyes fell upon a small hand mirror on the nightstand and she watched her bronze eyes change into brown. She stood there for a long minute, wondering how this was happening until she remembered what the elderly man said about her bronze eyes and Lieutenant Larson recalling her eye color before she got bewitched. She almost jumped when she heard a knock on her door.
"Ella?" Cassandra's voice called from just outside the doorway. "Are you awake?"
Ella placed the towel on the nightstand and slowly went over to the door. When she pulled the door open, she saw that Cassandra was already dressed in her uniform. "I just woke up. Is something wrong?"
Cassandra shook her head. "We will be arriving in Reignlen soon. You should head up on deck when you're ready."
"Alright, I'll just get dressed," Ella said, peering over to the nightstand. That's where the dress that she'd worn for the past few days—possibly more—lay. By the smell and the quality, she could tell that it needed to be washed. Hopefully, when Hans' uncle finds her a place to stay, she'll be able to do her laundry.
"Listen, Ella," said Cassandra. "I know that it's been really hard for you, but you should know that you did the right thing in coming with us. If you were still in the Northern Isles and you try to tell someone about your situation, they would not believe you now." Ella didn't understand what she meant until she recalled that her eyes were now brown. "I will be escorting you and Hans to Edgar when we arrive in Reignlen."
"How long do you suppose we'll be there?"
"It shouldn't be very long but still. you should get on deck. Hans is already there."
Ella nodded as she watched Cassandra slowly close the door. After footsteps moved away from her cabin, Ella slowly went over to the nightstand. When she reached the doorway, she peered at her cabin one last time. She was grateful and very fortunate that she'd been able to sleep in a room like this and she actually liked this little room. Finally, after what seemed like a long time, Ella stepped out of the doorway and closed the door.
When Ella stepped further onto the deck, she saw that she was the last person to arrive. Captain Murphy was giving an order to Samul and another sailor while the rest of the sailors were doing their work. After she heard two familiar voices in a conversation with each other, Ella spotted Hans and Cassandra by the railing where Owl sat nearby.
Ella turned to see Hans approach her. "That's right, Lieutenant Larson said that you had brown eyes, didn't he?" Ella nodded. "Good thing you didn't stay behind."
"I said the same thing to her," Cassandra said, approaching them. "At least we know that whoever bewitched her didn't use an oblivion wand."
"Why would you say that?" Hans asked, just before a sailor shouted something to Captain Murphy.
Cassandra sighed, placing her hand on her lip. "I accidentally used an oblivion wand on Rapunzel once."
"What makes you think that someone didn't use the same thing on Ella?"
"Because, a year before I saved Emperor Michael, I went to Belliville with your aunt, Lydia, Margaret, and a few other guards," Cassandra explained. "We were out when I heard three young men calling out for help. I reached them and I saw that one of their eyes was bronze, just like how Ella's were. The other two told me that their friend had lost their memories, and it reminded me of how I accidentally erased Rapunzel's, and I thought that the antidote would work on him. Owl and I made the antidote and gave it to the man, but it didn't work. A young girl overheard us and said that she saw a young wizard bewitch him without a wand."
"How did he get his memories back?" Hans asked. "Did he ever get his memories back?"
"I don't know," Cassandra admitted. "One of the friends mentioned something about a professor and I never saw or heard from them again. They never even told me their names."
Ella's eyes dimmed and she wrapped her arms around each other. She swore that she felt a tear in the corner of one of her eyes. She couldn't help but feel pity that someone else had endured the same thing that she was going through and hoped that he had gotten his memories back.
It was three hours later when Captain Murphy went over to Ella, Cassandra, and Hans, and said, "We are arriving in Reignlen."
"Thank you, Captain," Cassandra said.
Captain Murphy placed his hands behind his back. "I hop that other than the incident with the sorpoises and the pirates, you enjoyed sailing on the Daaphelia. It is one of Reignlen's most well known ships."
"I'm just glad that we all made it here alive and unharmed," Hans said. He peered over at Ella. "Thank God that she chose to come with us, otherwise, most of us would've been killed."
"I couldn't agree more." Captain Murphy nodded his head before looking to Ella. "Thank you for coming with us. We couldn't be any more grateful for all that you've done."
While Captain Murphy began a conversation with Hans and Cassandra, Ella slowly went over to the railing and was awestruck when she peered down at the sea.
Through the crystal-clear water, Ella could see damselfish, parrotfish, and goatfish racing in a reef. Then, a silhouette swam over the fish and changed into an unfamiliar sea creature. It looked pretty much like a dolphin except it was slimmer and its scales were bright gold.
"What is that?" Ella asked. Footsteps came over to her. "Do you know what this is?"
Hans reached the railing and peered down at the ocean. "That's a golden dolphin, Ella. I've seen pictures of them but I've never seen one in person."
Cassandra reached the railing, putting away her telescope and pulling out a parchment from her pocket. After she whistled to Owl, he landed on the railing and a sailor handed her a quilt. "This is the third time that I've ever seen one."
Samul raised his eyebrows and exclaimed, "Three times?! I don't believe it! Everyone else would be lucky to see only one! They're one of the rarest creatures in the world!"
"They're not as rare as you think, Samul," Cassandra said, writing something down on a small piece of paper. When she was finished, she gave it to Owl and he flew away from the ship with the note. "They're considered rare because they hardly travel outside of Reignlen. They're one of the most well known creatures of this country."
Soon after, when the golden dolphin leaped out of the sea, a pair of large butterfly-like wings spread out leaving Ella gobstruck. The creature floated in midair next to the railing of the Daaphelia. As the golden creature grew closer to everyone, a loud, smooth call was heard from it.
Ella swung her head to Cassandra. "Is it dangerous?"
Cassandra shook her head. "It's the friendliest creature of the sea."
The golden dolphin made its call again and leaped back into the sea. When Ella peered further out into the sea, hoping to see it again, something else caught her eye. The Daaphelia was sailing closer to a bay where fishermen were out on their boats and leisure ships were sailing. Beyond the bay was a large stretch of land with many stone buildings with glass roofs and skyscrapers with vines all over. They were colorful, and almost looked like they could be part of a castle. The townspeople were bustling and everything looked more lively and rich than in the Northern Isles.
"Welcome to Reignlen." Captain Murphy gestured to the beautiful country.
Cassandra smiled at Ella. "It's much more pleasant than the Northern Isles, isn't it? You're lucky that you came with us, Ella. This is one of the most expensive places in the entire world to live in."
Ella couldn't take her eyes off the sight. "I could never afford to travel here, let alone live here," Ella commented. "It's beautiful."
"You'll be more impressed when we step further inside," Hans said.
Ella's eyes shifted to him. "And you don't come here often with your family?"
After Hans shook his head, one of the sailors brought down a gangplank and gestured for Cassandra, Hans, and Ella to walk it. Ella moved automatically, her mind overwhelmed. But after Cassandra and Hans walked down, she stopped short. She was nervous about this country, despite its beauty. Were the people kinder than in the Northern Isles?
"Ella?" Hans' voice broke her thoughts. Ella shook her head and saw that Hans and Cassandra were already standing on the pier. "It's okay."
Ella glanced over her shoulder at the Daaphelia. This beautiful ship had helped her get out of the Northern Isles for good and she had saved the crew from the pirates. Although the voyage had been difficult, she appreciated the Daaphelia. She gave the ship one last smile before she caught up with Hans and Cassandra.
"Ah, Cassandra," a thin older man exclaimed, coming over. From what he was wearing, Ella assumed that he was a baker. "I'm so glad that you made it back!"
Cassandra smiled at him. "Thanks, Harold. How have you been?"
Harold smiled. "Couldn't be better! My wife and I finally repainted our bakery! We can't wait to reopen it!"
"Good for you!" Cassandra praised. "Peter and Margaret will be thrilled about that. I'll have to let them know when we get back."
Harold nodded. "Please do." He was just about to leave when he noticed Ella. "Hello there," he said in a friendly voice. "I don't think we've met?"
"She's new," Hans explained. "She came with me from the Northern Isles and I'm taking her to see my uncle."
"How do you do? Welcome to Reignlen! I'm sure that you'll make yourself at home here." Harold turned to Hans. "Are you Prince Hans Westerguard?" Hans slowly nodded with a blank expression. "Well, I hope you'll turn your life around. Anyway, welcome to Reignlen!"
Harold bid them farewell and stalked into another direction towards a small building. An older woman opened the door and when she and Harold met, they gave each other a quick peck on the lips.
"Harold still owns that bakery?" Hans asked.
"Yes," Cassandra replied. "He kinda reminds me of Monty back in Corona. I always thought that they would get along. Have you been there before?"
"I remember walking past it when I was a child and I've seen Harold around," Hans said. "But my father never allowed me and my brothers in there or much of anywhere. We only went to Edgar's castle and sometimes the forest. That reminds me, Cassandra, is Uncle Edgar going to send us some transportation for us to get to his palace?"
Cassandra nodded. "Yes, Edgar told me that he would send us some horses for us here. Lewis should be waiting in the town square with the horses. He wasn't sure which bay the Daaphelia would dock at so I sent Owl to let Lewis know where we are."
"What do you mean?" Ella asked, watching a group of people with small instruments in their arms stop short. The group performed an upbeat, and peaceful song that carried over the atmosphere, drawing attention from the townspeople.
"Reignlen has a total of four bays," Hans explained. "The North Bay, The South Bay, The West Bay, and The East Bay. We just left the West Bay."
"When we left to get you, we were at the South Bay," Cassandra added.
A distant sound of trotting was heard followed by some soft neighing. A young guard was carrying the reins of three horses behind him. One horse was light brown with a black braided mane and tail and blue eyes. The second horse was dun-colored with a black and white mane. The third horse was a grey chestnut with a fair mane parted in two opposite directions.
"Sitron!" Hans exclaimed when he saw the second horse. Ella suddenly remembered him bringing up his horse when they saw the foal back in the Northern Isles. "I can't believe he's here!"
"Edgar told me that your father was going to give him away until Lars convinced him to send him here," Cassandra explained.
"Did Lars say anything about me?" Hans asked. He sounded rather hopeful.
"That was all that he said about Lars," Cassandra answered. "If I were you, I would ask your uncle when we get to the palace."
When the young guard came to a halt in front of them, Ella was able to get a better look at him. He appeared to be only a little younger than Hans and a few inches shorter. The young guard was very fit and had chestnut hair and brown eyes.
"Welcome back, Cassandra," the young guard said. "I hope that you had a safe trip."
"We had a few incidents," Cassandra admitted. "But we managed to make it back."
"Thank goodness," Lewis said. "I can't imagine what Reignlen would do without you, Cassandra." He then noticed Ella standing beside Cassandra and Hans. "Ah, that explains why you needed a third horse. At first, I thought that Captain Murphy was going to be coming with you two to the palace. Who might this be?"
"This is Ella," Hans answered. "She came with me."
Lewis greeted her with a bright smile. "Welcome. I'm sure that you'll enjoy your time here." His smile faded when he peered back at the three horses and the musical group. "Your note said to bring the calmest horse for the third one so I decided to borrow George's horse, Chance, because Lydia's horse, Sunrise, gets easily spooked. I just hope that George won't be cross with me."
"George can get over it," Cassandra said. "We only need his horse until we get to the palace. If George has a problem with it, then he can go to me about it." She went over to the horse with the braided mane and smiled. "Hey there, Fidella. How are you, girl?"
Hans went over to Sitron and patted him. Before either of them mounted their horses, they turned to Ella who stood there looking at Chance. She had no idea whether or not she had ever ridden a horse before.
"It's alright, Ella," Cassandra said. "Chance is calm. You won't get hurt with him."
After heaving a deep breath, Ella strolled over to Chance and Hans helped her on him before mounting on his horse. Ella felt so high sitting on the large horse who just stood there, calm as a river. While she heard Cassandra thank Lewis, Ella brushed Chance's mane, causing him to neigh happily, which made her smile.
"I'll finish my patrol," Lewis began, "then I'll head back to the palace. Steven, Bruke, and Vincent just started their patrol."
Cassandra nodded. "I'll see you there."
While they watched Lewis go in another direction, Hans commented, "He seems nice. How long has he been on the guard?"
"Since he moved here last year. He is one of the youngest guards in Reignlen and he does his job very well. He's a good kid."
As the trio trotted further into the town, Ella couldn't help but peer around the beautiful country. The streets were clean and bustling with townspeople. She saw that there were people donating money to an orphanage and the unhoused. Whenever they ran into anyone, the townspeople were always welcoming.
"This must be the perfect country," Ella commented.
"Reignlen still has its flaws," Cassandra said. "Other than being one of the most expensive countries to live in, they are too peaceful, which makes them an easy target for anyone to attack, invade, or start a war."
"Oh. Like Gadstavion?" Ella asked, crossing her arms. Cassandra nodded her head. Ella noticed that two guards were patrolling the area. "Does crime happen a lot here, Cassandra?"
"Sometimes," Cassandra replied. "It's usually just thievery. We haven't had anything extreme happen here since Gadstavion's invasion." She noticed that Ella was starting to get anxious. "You'll be safe here, I promise."
"Cassandra, do you know what Uncle Edgar will be having me do in the palace?" Hans asked.
Cassandra shook her head."He hasn't told me yet. But I have a feeling that you're going to be helping me out with the guards. Before I left, I remember that he said something about you being an admiral. Didn't you help out your father before you left for Arendelle?"
Hans nodded. "Yes, I was my father's gofer." By the sound of his voice, he seemed to be regretful about it. Ella was tempted to ask why but something inside her told her just to let it be.
The buildings all around Ella made her feel small and safe and, from what she'd seen, the townspeople were kind and welcoming. Where would Hans' uncle give her a place to stay? Who would take her in? Apart from Hans and Cassandra, everyone was a stranger to her.
When Ella peered down at her gloved hands, she suddenly thought of her powers. "How would the King and his family react to my magic?"
"They may seem surprised at first," Hans answered. "But it won't be like what happened in the Northern Isles. There are plenty of people with powers in this country."
"He's right, Ella," Cassandra answered. "No one fears magic here and, like I said, they support it."
Eventually, the trio was heading towards a large bridge that hovered over the ocean and lead to a path surrounded by trees on both sides.
"It's been so long since I've been here," Hans said. "It feels like a thousand years ago."
Cassandra glanced over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow at him. "How old were you the last time you came here?"
"Fourteen," Hans replied. "The last time I came here was when they were celebrating Reignlen's six hundredth birthday."
Reignlen was that old? Ella couldn't believe it. For as old as the country was, it still looked beautiful.
When the three horses trotted over the bridge, Ella peered at the woods and asked, "Is the castle in there?"
"Yes," Cassandra confirmed. "That's why we needed transportation to get there."
"It always takes a while to get there," Hans said. Ella glanced over her shoulder, watching the city grow farther away from her. "We would always ride in carriages whenever we would visit there. I remember Lars said that once Father had three carriages bring us to the palace."
With the wind blowing her hair, Ella glanced over at Hans. "During your visits here, did you ever bring Sitron with you?"
"I didn't have him at the time," Hans answered as they reached the end of the bridge and went further on the path."If I had, Father wouldn't have allowed me to bring him."
For a long while, Cassandra, Hans, and Ella galloped on Fidella, Sitron, and Chance as they ventured deeper into the forest. Riding on Chance made Ella feel relaxed and watching the nature all around her made her feel safer. Lewis picked the right horse for Ella to borrow. A small smile appeared on her face as she petted his mane.
"How are you holding up?" Hans' voice said. Ella peered up and saw that Cassandra and Hans were both peering at her. "Is Chance giving you any trouble?"
Two sparrows flew over them, chirping as Ella shook her head. "Not at all. He's a dear." Chance let out a soft neigh, smiling up at her and causing her to smile back at him. "He is a sweetheart. George is lucky to have him."
"Maybe one day you'll find a horse of your own." Cassandra smiled, petting Fidella. "You could tame it and be its rider."
Ella's smile faded. Owning a horse sounded like a dream come true, but she could never afford one. "That sounds lovely but I know that it would never happen."
"You never know, Ella," Hans said. "You could end up riding on one in the snow when the sun's setting."
After hearing some more sparrows call, Ella peered up at the sky, which was barely visible thanks to the long branches stretching out across it. There were so many beautiful trees that she would lose count of them. She could tell that some of the trees were new while most of them have been around for a long time. Anyone traveling through this place would feel safe and at peace here. From what she'd seen, she couldn't think of what anyone wouldn't like about it.
"It's beautiful," Ella said. As she peered around the area and Hans asked Cassandra about something, she noticed that there was a small, old building on the left side of the woods. She narrowed her eyes at it. "What is that?" When Cassandra and Hans turned to her and asked her what she meant, Ella pointed to the building. "That. What is it?"
"Ah, that must be the warehouse," Hans commented, narrowing his eyes at the building. "I didn't know that it was still here. Cassandra, do they still use that for storage?"
Cassandra nodded. "I've never used it before, but I know that some of the guards do. I only went in there once a long time ago."
"Did they used to use that warehouse for something else?" Ella asked as they passed it by. "Or has it always been used for storage?"
When they trotted onto a new path, Hans glanced over his shoulder at Ella. "It used to be a stable long before my grandmother was born. When they made a new stable at my uncle's palace, they decided just to use that for storage."
"Have you ever been in there?" Ella questioned.
"Once when I was a child," Hans answered. "I got into trouble with my father by wandering in there."
Cassandra glanced over to him, raising an eyebrow. "What were you doing in there anyway?"
"I was playing hide and seek with Jonathan, Rudi, and Runo," Hans began. "It was our second time playing it and It was my turn to find my brothers and my cousin. I found the twins—actually, they found me first—and they told me that they saw Jonathan run in there to hide. I searched for him in there for a while and when I got out, that was when I had to deal with my father. It turned out that Jonathan was hiding in the cottage the whole time."
Ella raised her eyebrow. "Your uncle owns a cottage? What does he use it for?"
"When Reignlen was at its weakest," Hans began, "my grandfather feared invasion so he built a cottage out in the forest in case he and his family had to go into hiding. After he arranged marriages for Uncle August and my mother, he ended up not using the cottage, but my grandfather decided to keep it should an invasion ever happen."
"It's a safe house," Cassandra clarified. "It's farther away from the town and the castle so it's very hard for anyone to find it. I remember that Edgar said that his father showed him, August, and Eliza the cottage a few years before he passed away. Edgar decided that the guards should know the location of the cottage in case anyone would need to hide out there."
"Have the King and his family had to hide in there before?" Ella asked.
"No," Cassandra answered. "As I said, Reignlen is very peaceful, but it's better to be safe than sorry."
"Have you been in there before?" Hans asked.
Cassandra shook her head. "Have you?"
Hans petted Sitron, peering at Cassandra. "No, but I've been in the treehouse."
"The treehouse? You found the treehouse?"
"Yes, I found it the first time we played hide and seek out here," Hans explained. "It was Jonathan's turn to find me and my brothers. I tried to hide with my brothers in the greenhouse, but they wouldn't let me so I took off into the forest, hoping to find somewhere to hide. I found a tree and I was just about to hide behind it when I came across an entrance to it. I went inside it and I hid in there for a while. It was more like a small room than a treehouse. Eventually, I got out, and just when I thought that I'd won, Rudi and Runo—who had already lost—jumped out, scaring me, and then Jonathan found me."
"I suppose that your uncle owns the treehouse too?" Ella asked, looking around for it. To her surprise, both Cassandra and Hans both shook their heads.
"Vlad Moonstormer traveled around the world," Cassandra explained, "but instead of staying in inns, he created his own places to stay. One of the places that he created was a treehouse. When he left, he left the treehouse here and never came back. Over the years, some people have gone in it and stayed before. Edgar told me that he, Eliza, and August had tried to look for it many times when they were children but never found it. I've known one person that did, and they said that the inside looked more like an actual room."
"It did," Hans answered. "For as old as it was, it looked pretty good. They didn't tell you where the treehouse was?"
"They didn't remember where it was," Cassandra answered "They said that from the outside, it looked like an actual tree and blended in the forest. Do you remember where the treehouse is, Hans? If you do, you should show it to me."
Hans was about to answer her when they heard a shriek coming towards them, causing the three of them to come to a halt. They looked around until they saw something flying over to them.
Cassandra held out her arm for Owl to land on. "Did you see anything, Owl?" Owl hooted, nodding his head to the east part of the woods. Cassandra frowned. "Can you show me?"
Owl nodded and flew over to a branch on a nearby tree. Cassandra was about to dismount when Hans beat her to it.
"What are you doing?" Cassandra asked, dismounting anyway.
"I'm going to see what it is," Hans replied, walking towards Owl. "I thought that I saw some kind of red glow from that part of the woods. It might be what Owl saw."
"What do you mean?"
"While you were talking to Owl," Hans started, "I thought that I saw something light up briefly."
Cassandra glanced up at Owl. "Did you see it too?" Owl nodded. "Then we should see what it is." Cassandra peered over to Ella. "You should come with us too, Ella."
They probably wanted Ella to come with them just to be safe. After she dismounted , Owl led the three of them farther in the woods.
The sound of birds chirping grew louder as they passed through the large trees. Ella could hear the leaves rustling and twigs snapping underfoot. Already their horses were out of sight.
They had just entered into a clearing when Owl flew towards the forest floor and landed next to a red oblong orb.
"What is it?" Ella wondered, craning her head forward.
"I don't know," Hans answered. They stepped closer to the object to get a better look at it. It was about ten centimeters. "It's a dragon egg."
"I don't believe it," Cassandra commented in awe. "Dragons are very rare in Reignlen. No one has seen one here in a thousand years."
Ella peered up at the sky. "If there's an egg here, where's the mother?"
They cautiously searched the area but didn't see any signs of movement or hear anything past the wind rubbing against the trees, sending leaves to the ground.
"You don't think that she abandoned her baby, do you?" Ella asked. "A mother would not abandon her baby."
She noticed that Cassandra had a brief sad expression, which made her wish that she hadn't said that aloud.
"It could be anything," Hans said. "It could've been abandoned, the mother might've left it by mistake, lost it, or the egg could even be a dud. Most likely, the mother either died before she got back to her egg or she's looking for some food."
"Do they eat humans?" Ella asked.
"That part is actually a tall tale," Cassandra said. "Raya, who is a big dragon nerd, told me that. There are many kinds of dragons, and their fire can be dangerous, but none of them have humans as their prey." She broke into a chuckle. "I remember the look on Susi's face when I asked her that."
"I wonder how long this has been here," Hans said. When he stepped closer to the egg, a large red glow illuminated the entire area for a brief second before it went away.
Ella's eyes widened at the egg and she peered back at Hans. "Why is it glowing?"
"Maybe the egg is trying to locate its mother?" Hans suggested. He touched the egg and it glowed again.
"It could be," Cassandra said. "Though it seems to be glowing more when you're near it."
For a long moment, Hans just stared down at the egg. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around the egg. He was about to put it in his satchel when Cassandra stepped forward.
"I don't know if we should take it, Hans," she said. "I mean, what if the mother comes back and her egg's gone? We would be taking her baby. Some dragons would burn down cities to find their babies."
"How do we know if she's even coming back? She might've died for all we know. How would we find out where she is?"
Ella bent down to the egg, placing her hand on it. She was expecting it to glow but to her surprise, nothing happened. "When would she come back for it?"
"It would depend," Hans said. "If it's been here for a while, then she's not coming back."
Ella peered up at the other two. "Could we take the egg and see if the mother comes back? If she comes back, we could put the egg back."
Hans was quiet for a minute. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea."
"We could do that," Cassandra declared. She peered at Owl. "Owl, do you think you can keep an eye out for any dragons in the sky?" Owl nodded with a hoot. "Alright, Hans. Wrap up the egg and put it in the satchel. If the mother comes back, we'll bring it back here. If not, we'll decide on that when the time comes."
After Hans placed the egg in his satchel, the group went back to their horses and continued to venture towards the castle.
Ella's mouth dropped when they ventured into a wide-open landscape where a tall, white castle stretched out. It looked to be about thirty meters high, and Ella couldn't even guess how wide it was. Countless towers were located all over the palace.
"Oh my goodness," Ella said in awe, marveling at the beautiful castle. "That's bigger than I'd imagined it would be."
"It has over two hundred rooms," Cassandra said.
Ella's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"
Cassandra nodded. "It's even older than it looks."
Ella raised a questioning eyebrow, craning forward. "How old is it?"
"It is a thousand and thirty-one years old," Hans answered.
"It doesn't look that old. If you hadn't told me, I would've thought that it was a couple decades old at the most."
Hans chuckled. "I reacted the same way when Lars told me. Sometimes, I think that this looks better than my own back home. Whenever I would come to this country, I always couldn't believe that my mother grew up here. I wonder if she went through any of the secret passages here?"
After a brief glance at Hans, Ella peered back at the castle. For as old as this place was, it wasn't a surprise that there would be secret passages. "Have you ever been in them?"
"Once," Hans replied, turning his attention to the castle. "I believe that it was my second trip when I found one." He peered over to Cassandra. "Have you found any of the secret passages, Cassandra?"
"Most of them," Cassandra confirmed. "I haven't found a few of them yet. Some of them reminded me of the ones back in Corona's palace."
"When you were with Queen Elsa's cousin?" Ella asked. "Do you know why the secret passageways were created here?"
"When this castle was first built," Cassandra began, "Lord Godfrey, the original owner, didn't approve of magic. He banned everything that involved magic. A friend of his, the newly crowned King Anselm, who is Hans' ancestor, disagreed with him and ordered him to change his ways, but he refused, beginning a war in Reignlen. King Anselm ordered some wizards to break into the castle to curse Lord Godfrey for his stubbornness.
"However, a spy told Lord Godfrey of this. He found a magical stone called the Stone of Wishes and wished that his castle had secret passageways. From then on, he would successfully use the secret passages to hide from the wizards. One day, a wizard somehow got into the castle and cursed Lord Godfrey by turning him into an imp. As punishment, he spent the rest of his life as one. Afterward, King Anselm took the castle, restored peace, and allowed magic in Reignlen."
"How did someone curse him?"
"Here's the most interesting part: no one knows. However, that wizard realized that he had lost his bear pendant and no one ever found it."
They came to a halt right when they reached the stairway. Ella remained on her horse while Cassandra and Hans dismounted theirs. Just when Hans was about to help her down, they heard a large whoosh and turned to see that the castle doors were open.
A tall, muscular man in royal clothing marched out of the doorway with reins in his right hand. Following behind him was a young servant boy with a rifle in his hands.
"Your Highness," the servant boy said. He sounded younger than his age. "I don't know if I should be helping you. Norman will be furious if I'm not in the dining room."
"You worry too much, Cedric," scoffed the Prince. "I can't believe that out of all of the days for my horse to get stolen, it had to be today! I have very important affairs to attend to!"
"That's not my fault, George," Cedric whined, struggling under the weight of the rifle.
George noticed Ella on his horse and marched down the stairs with Cedric following behind him. Right when he reached the last step, Cassandra stepped in front of Hans and Ella.
"Hello, Cassandra," George said. "I'm glad you're back. Thank you for returning my horse and catching the thief! You have no—"
"She didn't steal your horse, George!" Cassandra snapped. Then she told him about how she sent for Lewis to bring three horses. Hans helped Ella down from Chance.
"Well, I can't believe no one thought to ask me," George said. "I have important things going on so it would've been nice for someone to let me know ahead of time. I would've prepared for it."
"We didn't know that we needed another horse until we were on our way back," Cassandra said. "And we didn't borrow Chance for very long."
Cedric went up to Cassandra. "Welcome back, Cassandra! I hope that you had a safe trip back."
Cassandra was just about to reply to him when George finally noticed Hans and approached him. "Hans, it's been twelve years since I last saw you. You look different."
"Hello, George," Hans said. "I've heard about your engagement. Congratulations. I hope that you two will make each other happy." George expressed his gratitude to him. "Do you know when you'll be getting married?"
"Antionette and I haven't picked an official date yet."
"Where is she from? I've never met her before."
"She is a duchess from Lacedrillelle."
"Oh, I've heard of her," Hans said. "Lars told me that they have strong connections with their neighboring country, Bronzadelle. How long have you known her?"
"I've known her for two years now," George answered. His smile faded away. "And I never pretended to love her."
Hans just stood there in silence. Ella didn't understand why George would say that and wondered why it would have anything to do with Hans. She was just about to question it when George noticed her. He apologized to her about Chance and she accepted his apology.
"I didn't know that we were getting a new servant," George commented, taking Chance's reins. After Hans told him why she was here, he inquired about where his uncle was. "I haven't seen him since breakfast."
Cassandra pulled out a watch and peered down at it. "He'd be in his throne room with your aunt at this time," she replied, putting away her watch. "They might even be done granting an audience."
George held his head high and went towards Chance. "Well, I would love to bring you to my parents, but I can't miss fox hunting with my friends."
Cassandra raised an eyebrow in annoyance. "Really? That's more important?"
After George climbed on Chance, he took the rifle from Cedric and trotted away. Everyone watched as they disappeared into the woods.
"Have you met his fiancée?" Hans asked Cassandra.
Ella turned just in time to see Cassandra nod at him. "They're a match in heaven," she replied in annoyance. Cassandra turned over to Cedric. "And why were you helping George?"
"He wanted me to help him find his horse," Cedric explained. "I was supposed to be cleaning up the dining room. Norman told me that I needed to get it done by tonight. I was supposed to have that and the pantry done hours ago."
"You're behind? Why didn't you get everything done earlier?"
"I overslept," Cedric replied. Cassandra sighed, shaking her head. "I woke up three hours late and I rushed to the pantry before Norman would notice me."
"How much did you get done?" Cassandra asked. "And does Norman know that George dragged you along to help him?"
Cedric shook his head. "I'm not sure he would believe me if I told him. I had just finished cleaning the pantry and I was just about to go to the dining room when George came in."
"You should get to the dining room, Cedric," Cassandra advised, peering around for anyone nearby. "Where's the last place that you saw Norman?"
"He was in the ballroom," Cedric recalled. He peeked back in the doorway and back at Cassandra when he didn't see anyone inside. "Lydia lost something and he and a few other servants went to help her."
Cassandra sprinted towards the right side of the castle and she took a peek around the corner. She went back towards everyone else. "Alright, you still have your key with you?" After Cedric nodded, Cassandra started to go back towards that area. "Follow me."
While Ella and Hans followed behind Cassandra and Cedric to the back of the palace, Ella was able to get a better view of the landscape. In the back was a large building, which Cassandra confirmed was the green house. There was a broad garden pond with lily pads and colorful fish and a bench. It was flanked by an equally large garden. In the middle of the yard were a large hedge maze and some trophies.
"Ah, I forgot about that maze," Hans commented, walking past the dove trophies. Owl flew over the trophies and in front of Cassandra. "I would always be the first one out of there because I knew my way around."
"Owl always showed me where to go," Cassandra replied. "George has gone in there with Antionette a few times. Lydia always refuses to go but Margaret and Peter have gotten lost in there before. I would always have to help them out."
Listening to some sparrows nearby, Ella peered at the maze as she followed everyone else. It made her curious, yet the thought of getting lost in there without help was frightening. Just before it, there was a large fountain with a giant statue of a dove. After Owl landed on the statue, Ella followed everyone else towards the fountain, sprinkles of water misting over them the closer they got. In the water, she could see blue, green, red, and violet fish racing past each other. Her eyes widened once she saw Cassandra remove her boots and roll up her pants to knee-length before telling Cedric to do the same.
Cassandra peered over to Hans and asked, "Is anyone coming?"
Hans scanned around the area. "It doesn't look like it."
After Cassandra and Cedric climbed over the fountain, they walked through the water, making sure to avoid any fish and head towards the statue. The water was no higher than their knees. Why were they walking in the fountain?
The two of them came to a halt and Cassandra reached for the talons of the statue. She pulled it up, revealing a tiny hole. Cedric took out a small key from his pocket, placed it into the hole, and turned it. As soon as Cedric pulled the key out, the statue moved upwards in a circular motion. The statue stopped once it was high enough, revealing a small door. A secret passage.
Cedric used the key on the door and opened it to a stairway going down. When he stepped in, he turned to Cassandra and thanked her. "What directions will I have to take, Cassandra?"
"Go down the stairs until you see a door," Cassandra instructed. "Then use your key again and go straight until you see a new flight of stairs. After you use those stairs, go left until you see the back of the painting. That will take you to the dining room."
"I'll do that." Cedric nodded. "Do I have to lock this door before I go down these stairs?"
"It'll do that automatically," Cassandra replied.
After Cedric expressed his gratitude to Cassandra, he shut the door behind him, and the statue went back to its potion likewise in a circular motion. When it stopped, Cassandra pulled down the talons and went back to Hans and Ella.
"I've never been in that one before," Hans said as Cassandra sat down.
"I just found it a few months ago," Cassandra said, putting her boots back on and pulling her pants over her knees. "Rapunzel would like it."
"Did you find a secret passageway back in Corona?" Ella inquired, gaping at the fountain.
Cassandra rose from the ground. "Not out of a fountain."
When Ella took a step forward, she felt something underneath her boot. She peered down and noticed a small rose brooch laying in the grass. Ella slowly bent down and picked it up. The brooch had numerous jewels scattered about.
"That's Lydia's brooch," Cassandra said. "That must've been what Norman and the servants were looking for."
"Lydia must've lost it out here and didn't notice until she was in the ballroom," Hans speculated.
"We'll return it to her after we see Edgar and Heidi," Cassandra declared.
A second later, they heard the voices of Lewis and another man speaking to each other. Lewis was confirming that Cassandra and Hans were on their way here. Once Cassandra and Hans started to make their way back to the palace doors, Ella followed behind.
When the trio came back to the front, they saw that Lewis was speaking with an older butler. Lewis spotted the trio and he and the butler turned to them.
"Ah, there you are," Lewis said with a note of relief. "We thought that you might've gotten lost."
"We were showing Ella the fountain," Cassandra explained. "You didn't run into George on the way here?"
"I did, but he ignored me."
The butler placed his hands behind his back. "I'm glad you made it back, Cassandra, and it's nice to see you again, Hans. I hope that you both had a safe trip." He was about to speak to Cassandra when he noticed Ella. "And who is this?" he asked in a polite tone. "Is she a new friend of yours?"
"This is Ella, I brought her with me," Hans answered. After he explained to Norman about Ella, he turned to her. "Ella, this is Norman."
"Nice to meet you," Ella said.
"Nice to meet you too," Norman answered. He then noticed the brooch in her hands. "Ah, Lydia was looking for that! I'm glad that you three found it."
"Ella found it," Cassandra said. "Do you know where Lydia went? We're going to return the brooch to her after we see King Edgar and Queen Heidi."
"She and Margaret just left the ballroom," Norman answered. "They went to the parlor to meet Iris Bellwood for etiquette lessons."
"Are Uncle Edgar and Aunt Heidi still in the throne room?" Hans inquired.
Norman shook his head. "They finished granting an audience with their subjects an hour ago. They are in the sitting room, taking a break. They had a long day and even finished royal documents before they went to the throne room." He then turned to Cassandra. "There is still going to be a council meeting today at four in the great hall."
"That's what I thought," Cassandra said.
Norman took a glance at the door. "Well, I should get to the dining room. I need to make sure that Cedric did his job. I best get to it before I head to the sitting room."
"How about you lead us to the parlor and then to the sitting room?" Cassandra suggested. "You're going to be heading to the sitting room anyway and the parlor is on the way there. Besides, I think that the King will need you to escort Hans to his room afterward."
"You know, that is a good idea, Cassandra," Norman agreed. Ella was impressed that Cassandra came up with this pitch to buy more time for Cedric so easily. Norman started to head towards the door and said, "Follow me."
Norman pulled the doors open, allowing Cassandra, Hans, and Ella to step inside. When Ella took her first steps inside the castle, she stopped short in awe. The corridor was bordered with large columns. The marble floors were white and the wall was a deep red. A bifurcated staircase stood before them and above was a large chandelier with diamonds dangling. She must have been the first beggar to step foot inside this grand place.
A servant came from the left and asked for Norman. When they stepped away, Hans and Cassandra began speaking as Ella looked around.
"Do you think that Cedric will have the dining room cleaned before Norman comes?" Hans questioned.
"The dining room is on the second floor," Cassandra began, "The parlor and the sitting room are both on the fourth, and the bedrooms are on the fifth. By now, Cedric should be arriving back in the dining room and, as long as he doesn't run into any more delays, he should have the dining room cleaned in time."
The servant finished his conversation with Norman and left the room. Norman led the way up the stairs with Hans, Cassandra, and Ella following behind.
Long paintings hung on the walls with vases and furniture sitting underneath them. The paintings were so detailed and Ella couldn't keep her eyes off them. She would never afford any of that art. She would never afford anything in this beautiful castle.
Ella lost count of the number of rooms they passed before Norman came to a halt and gently pulled a door open, allowing Ella to follow behind Hans and Cassandra through the doorway.
In the middle of the room was a small table where a middle-aged woman sat with two young girls. The first girl was tall with nicely combed auburn ringlets, rosy cheeks, and red lips. She was dressed in an elegant white dress and had a pink fan lying on the table next to her. The second girl was petite with green eyes, and like her sister, red lips. Unlike her sister, she appeared to be bored.
The second girl quickly reached for the tea kettle, but she knocked it over and tea spilled all over the table and poured onto the redhead's dress. The girl rose from her seat, glaring at her younger sister.
"How dare you, Margaret!" she fumed, holding on to her drenched dress. A large stain was in the middle of her dress. This was one of my best outfits and you just had to ruin it!"
"I'm sorry, Lydia," Margaret said, holding her hands over her mouth. Her face grew red and she burst into laughter, making Lydia even more furious. "I didn't mean it."
"This isn't funny!" Lydia pouted. She abruptly turned to the middle-aged woman. "Miss Bellwood, did you see what she did?"
Miss Bellwood shot both of them a stern look. "Margaret, what did I tell you about reaching out in the middle of the table? You should've asked Lydia to pass the kettle to you instead." Lydia was about to comment until Miss Bellwood turned to her. "Lydia, you should not have overreacted like that."
"But Miss Bellwood," Lydia complained, crossing her arms. "You don't understand. This was one of my best dresses!"
"It's not the end of the world, Lydia," Margaret chuckled.
"Margaret," Miss Bellwood warned. She was about to scold Lydia again when Norman cleared his throat and she turned to him. "Oh, Norman, I wasn't expecting you here until later."
Norman stepped forward into the room with Hans and Cassandra while Ella remained in the doorway. She didn't know why, but something inside made her feel anxious. As Norman was informing Miss Bellwood and the girls about Hans and Cassandra's arrival, Ella peered down at the brooch. She glanced back up to see Hans gesturing for her to come into the room. Ella stepped inside and went over towards Hans, Cassandra, and Norman.
"And they brought along a guest," Norman said, gesturing over to her. "This is Ella."
"She's really pretty," Margaret commented.
Ella stood there as Miss Bellwood and Margaret went over to her while Lydia remained where she was, moping about her dress.
"Nice to meet you, dear," Miss Bellwood greeted. "Welcome."
When Margaret reached her, she smiled. "Nice to meet you, Ella!"
After Ella expressed her gratitude to them for welcoming her, she held out the brooch and said, "I found this and I've come to return it to Lydia."
Lydia turned her head towards her, and her eyes widened. "What did you say?"
Ella peered over to her. "I found your brooch, Your Highness."
Lydia picked up her skirts and slowly went over to Ella. After Ella handed her the brooch, Lydia peered down at it for a minute. "Thank you for finding it, Ella. I appreciate it." A smile appeared on Ella's face. "It's pretty, isn't it? I made it myself and I'm fifteen. I don't know any other princesses that could do that at my age. I can assure you that if they did and you saw their brooches, you would prefer mine." She glanced over to Miss Bellwood. "Would you mind if I change my dress really quickly?"
As soon as Miss Bellwood gave her permission, Lydia held her head up high and left the room, not looking back. After she left, Ella heard Margaret call her name.
"Did you do that?" she asked.
Ella raised an eyebrow at her. "What are you talking about?"
Margaret pointed at her feet. Ella peered down and gasped at the ice that was forming around her feet. She had just arrived here and already she was letting her cowardice consume her.
"I'm sorry," Ella stuttered. "I didn't mean—"
Margaret was filled with amazement as she peered down at the frozen ground. "You can do that? That's amazing!"
Ella raised her eyebrow. This girl was not at all afraid of her powers. She peered at Norman and back at Miss Bellwood. Neither one of them was afraid of her magic either. Hans gestured for Ella to calm down and she did, her ice fading away.
"Can you do that again?" Margaret asked.
Before Ella had a chance to answer, Miss Bellwood went back over to the table and said, "We need to clean this up, Margaret!"
"We'll help clean up the mess," Cassandra began. "And then we'll get to the King and Queen."
"How about you three head to the sitting room?" Norman suggested. "I will stay and help clean up the mess. When I am finished, I will meet you three down there."
"If you're sure," Hans said.
"It'll be fine," Norman assured. "It won't take me very long."
When Norman went over to the table, Ella followed Cassandra and Hans out of the room.
They ventured further into the long hallway until Cassandra knocked on a closed door on the left. Ella crossed her arms as she and Hans came to a halt. Not even a second later, a woman's voice permitted them to enter the room, and Cassandra opened the door.
When Ella followed Cassandra and Hans further into the room, she was able to get a better look. There was a fireplace up against the wall with a large portrait over it and the room was filled with fine furniture. A tall, middle-aged woman, dressed in a blue elegant dress, was reading a book.
"Your Majesty," Cassandra bowed.
The woman peered up from her book and rose from her seat with a smile. "Welcome back, Cassandra. And welcome, Hans." When she went over to another chair, Ella noticed that a man was fast asleep with papers all over him. The woman gently tapped on his shoulder. "Edgar, wake up, honey."
Edgar snorted as he woke up with a jolt, sending papers in the air. He was a short, plump older man. He rose in his seat, peering at his wife. "Heidi? What is it, darling?"
Heidi smiled at her husband. "Cassandra and Hans have arrived."
Edgar peered over to Cassandra and Hans with a smile. After he gave his wife a peck on the cheek, he got up from his chair and went over to them. "Welcome back. Thank you, Cassandra, for bringing my nephew here."
"It was no problem, Your Majesty."
Edgar turned to Hans. "Welcome, Hans. It's been so long since I last saw you. What you did in Arendelle was horrible and I hope that there won't be any incidents like that again."
Hans was quiet for a moment before he said, "You don't have to worry, Uncle. It will not happen again."
"You had better keep your word," Edgar warned with a stern look. "You should be lucky that Lars convinced your father to let you come here." He peered over to Cassandra. "Last night, Lewis told me that you told him to bring three horses to you. Who was the third horse for?"
Ella stepped further, feeling a tingling of anxiety inside her. She felt like her anxiety was caused by meeting new people. She was sure that she'd probably met many new people before her memories were erased, but she couldn't remember what it was like.
"Hello, my dear," Edgar greeted with a smile. Heidi gave her a gentle smile as well. "What is your name?"
"Ella. My name is Ella."
As Hans went on to explain to his uncle and aunt about Ella, her heart began to thud. In an instant, the temperature in the room was getting colder by the minute. She shook her head when she saw that small snowflakes begin to cover everyone.
Heidi wrapped her arms around each other. "It's getting cold in here. Why is there snow?"
"What's going on here?" Edgar asked, trying to look for blankets in the room.
Cassandra turned to Ella. "Ella, you should relax."
"Ella, calm down," Hans soothed, stepping closer to her. "Go take a seat and relax. Just take some deep breaths."
After exhaling, Ella slowly went over to a large chair, wrapping her arms around each other. When she sat down, she took some deep breaths, and the temperature went back to normal and the snowflakes faded away.
"You shouldn't be scared of your magic," Cassandra said. "We survived the pirate attack because of you."
Heidi raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"
While Cassandra told them about the pirate attack, Ella kept taking deep breaths, trying to do everything that she could to remain calm.
Edgar and Heidi turned to Ella. "The Daaphelia's crew is lucky that you came along with my nephew," Edgar said. "We can't imagine what would've happened had you stayed behind in the Northern Isles."
"You should be proud of yourself," Heidi said in a soothing tone.
After Hans finished telling Edgar and Heidi about Ella, he crossed his arms and asked, "Do you think you could find her a place to stay?"
"What about her magic?" Cassandra asked. "What is she going to do about her powers?"
Ella's heart thudded and she took some more deep breaths, hoping that her magic wouldn't get out of control again.
Edgar peered at Cassandra with an arched eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Cassandra stepped forward. "Your Majesty, Ella saved our crew with her magic so I believe that she has potential. Wherever she ends up staying, someone should teach her how to control her powers."
After a long minute, Edgar peered over to Ella. "Have dinner with us tonight," he said softly. "Today, we are having a meeting with the royal council. We will discuss where to put you and, during dinner, we will let you know. Dinner will be at six."
"That reminds me," Hans began. "What are you going to have me do around the castle?"
"We will let you know during dinner as well," Edgar said. "Norman, can you show Hans to his room?"
Norman led Hans out of the room and a moment later the sound of a dog barking came from the direction they'd left in.
"Norman, is father and mother around?" a young boy's voice asked.
"Yes, Peter," Norman answered. "They're both in the sitting room."
Peter extended his thanks to Norman and shortly thereafter Peter entered the room. He was a tall boy with brown hair and from the way he dressed, he was prepared to travel somewhere .
"Father?" Peter asked, stepping further into the room. "Can Rollins and I go to the city?"
Shortly afterward, a golden retriever excitedly came into the room, barking with joy.
"Peter, what have I told you?" Edgar asked. "You are not allowed to wander off into the city without George."
"But he left for fox hunting!"
"Well, then my answer is no," Edgar said. "You know that you are not allowed to run off into town until you are fifteen."
"I'm thirteen years old," Peter argued. "I'm close enough."
As Peter continued to argue with his parents, Rollins came over to Cassandra with a smile on his face. Cassandra smiled, petting him back. Once he noticed Ella, he ran over to her and happily barked, causing her to let out a small yelp in shock, drawing attention from everyone else nearby.
Afterward, the temperature decreased, and small snowflakes returned. Peter peered at the snowflakes in amazement, Rollins tried to eat some of the snow, and Cassandra stepped forward to Ella, gesturing for her to calm down. Ella took a deep breath, just like Hans had told her before, and the snowflakes faded away with the temperature coming back to normal.
Peter peered at her in awe. "Woah, did you do that? That is amazing!"
Ella slowly rose from her seat and backed away from Rollins, hoping to leave before her magic got out of control.
"Don't worry, Ella," Heidi said, soothingly. "Rollins is very friendly and he loves people. His favorite thing to do is to play."
Rollins slowly went over to Ella, smiling and panting. Ella stood there, breathing in and out.
"I think he likes you," Cassandra said with a smile. "Why don't you pet him?"
Ella slowly bent down to the dog and gently patted his head. Not even a second later, Rollins began licking her face. A smile appeared on Ella's face and she petted him again.
"If you want," Peter began, "you can go to the courtyard with me and Rollins. We can play catch."
Ella appreciated the kind gesture, but she felt like she should be alone so she could prevent her powers from spiraling out of control. "No, thank you," she politely replied.
"Is there anything that we can do for you, dear?" Heidi asked.
Ella shook her head. "Do you mind if I go to the garden?"
"Be my guest." Edgar smiled.
For the next few hours, Ella stayed alone in the garden, peering at all of the flowers. Her powers had yet to get out of control again and she intended to keep it that way. She did everything that she could to relax, but despite that, she had a lot on her mind.
At this time, Edgar would be in the great hall with Heidi, Cassandra, and the other members of the royal council to decide where to put her. Out of all the places in this beautiful country, where would she go? Who would take her in? At least she knew that regardless, she wouldn't receive the same treatment that the Northern Isles had given her.
But how was she going to handle her magic? Even though this country supported magic, she felt that her lack of control would prevent anyone from taking her in. Wherever she would go, there was always the risk that she could harm someone.
"Ella."
Ella slowly glanced over her shoulder where Hans was approaching her. "Yes, Your Highness?
Hans came to a halt, peering down at her. "We should get to the dining room. It's almost time for dinner."
Time had flown by in the blink of an eye. Ella nodded, slowly rising from the bench. "Do you know where they're going to seat me?"
Hans shook his head. "I have no idea. Cassandra would know, but I haven't seen her since Norman took me to my room. I looked for her, but Norman told me that the meeting will go until five-thirty and that they will all be present at dinner. Occasionally, the royal council joins Uncle Edgar, Aunt Heidi, and my cousins at dinner after a meeting."
Ella heard herself sighing, peering down at the ground. "Where do you think they'll put me?"
"Ella, they'll find a nice place for you," Hans reassured. "Don't worry. Uncle Edgar knows what he's doing. Same with Cassandra." He then noticed that her facial expression. "Are you alright?"
Ella slowly turned from him, peering at the fountain straight ahead from her. "I'm just nervous."
"It'll be okay," Hans assured. They both saw Margaret racing past them with Miss Bellwood ordering her to slow down. With her head held up high, Lydia walked past them in a ladylike style, making sure not to ruin her perfect pink dress. "We should get to the dining room. Follow me."
On her way to the dining room, Ella felt her heart pounding and she paid no attention to the lovely painting on the wall. With each step that she took, she kept reminding herself to calm down. She should be hearing some good news and she'll know where she'll be staying.
She caught a glimpse of the clock as they rounded the corner and went towards a wide open room. When Ella followed Hans inside, she saw that in the corner of the room, there was a grand piano and bench. The room was spotless—Cedric must have succeeded in cleaning it in time.
The sound of people chattering reminded her to find a seat. Ella glanced towards the table where many seats were taken and there were some unfamiliar faces. She figured that the unfamiliar faces must be the members of the royal council. Hans went over towards the middle of the table and took a seat across from George. Lydia was seated next to him, making sure that her perfect hair was in place.
At the left side of the table, Ella saw that Margaret was sitting across from Cassandra. Once Margaret noticed her, she gestured for her to come over. Cassandra glanced over her shoulder and when she noticed Ella, she rose from her seat and went over to her.
"Ella, come here!" Margaret called.
Cassandra chuckled and ushered Ella towards the table. "I think you have a new friend, Ella."
After Cassandra returned to her seat, Ella took a seat next to her and across from Margaret. Margaret smiled at Ella. In an instant, Peter went over towards the girls.
"Excuse me?" he asked. "May I sit next to you?" Cassandra and Margaret nodded at him and he sat next to Ella. "Thank you! I don't want to sit by George again. He'll just keep bragging about his fox hunting trip and those are boring!" He peered over at Ella. "Hey, can you do your magic again?"
"Oh, yes!" Margaret exclaimed. "Can you make snowflakes appear?"
For god knows how long, Ella sat there speechless, unsure whether to be touched or horrified at the idea. "Uh…"
Cassandra noticed Ella's facial expression and said, "Ella's not comfortable using her magic right now. It's nice that you like her gift though."
"That's alright." Margaret smiled. "Maybe another time?"
"You could even turn the ballroom into a winter wonderland!" Peter exclaimed.
Ella's eyes peered down at her plate. "We'll see."
While the majority of the people were engrossed in a conversation with each other, a few servants came in and poured wine into everyone's glassware except Peter and Margaret who were given milk instead, and Lydia who wanted tea. Ella was just about to ask Cassandra about the meeting when a council member started a conversation with her about her trip on the Daaphelia. As Ella sat in silence, she peered around the table where everyone was talking with each other except for one person. She noticed that Hans was sitting in his seat while no one else paid any attention to him.
Not even a minute later, a savory scent filled the room as servants came out of the kitchen with large trays of food. While the servants placed the elaborate meals on the table, Ella could make out breadsticks, chicken, ham, and mashed potatoes. Once she gathered some chicken and a breadstick on her plate, she tasted it and she felt like she was in heaven. From where she was sitting, she heard Lydia complaining to a servant that she wanted rolls instead of breadsticks, resulting in her being berated by her parents. Ella had nothing to complain about; she was just grateful that she was given a meal.
Some time passed and she waited for Edgar to inform her about where she would be staying, but he was engrossed in a conversation with Heidi and another council member. The servants took the plates from everyone and replaced them with bowls of chocolate mousse.
"Ella?" Cassandra asked. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm alright," Ella replied. Now would be the best time to ask her about the meeting. She couldn't wait to hear where she would be staying.
Ella was about to ask Cassandra when a spoon clicked against glassware multiple times, alerting the entire room. At first, Ella thought that it was Edgar or Heidi but instead, she saw that George had risen from his seat with his glass in his hand.
"I would like to make a toast," he declared, raising his glass in midair. "To my engagement to Antionette!"
"To your engagement!" everyone bellowed before clicking their glasses.
After George droned on about his engagement, Edgar rose from his seat.
"I have some announcements that I would like to make," Edgar announced. "Ella, the council and I decided that you will be staying here. After dinner, we will show you to your room."
Ella placed her spoon in the bowl. This was the last place that she was expecting to stay in and she was pleasantly surprised. "Are you sure?"
Edgar nodded after he took a slip from his goblet. "Heidi and I both decided to take you in before the meeting even started. You don't seem to act well with strangers so we thought that it would be best that you would stay here since you know Hans and Cassandra."
When Ella showed her appreciation to Edgar and Heidi, she caught the expressions of their children. Peter and Margaret were excited, Lydia didn't seem to mind, and George turned to his father before Ella could even see his expressions.
"She can't stay here," George said. "She isn't part of this household and she's not a servant. This is a castle, not a bed and breakfast."
Cassandra was just about to give him a piece of her mind when the King beat her to it.
"Well then where would she go, George?" Edgar asked, giving his son a frown. "She doesn't have anywhere else to go and she can't afford to sleep in an inn.
"I am very disappointed in you," Heidi rebuked. "You're better than that. It is unkind of you to make her feel unwelcome."
"She can and will stay here," Edgar said sternly. "Do you understand?"
George sighed and took his goblet. "Yes, sir." Oblivious to the fact that his father had more to announce, George turned back to everyone else at the table and spoke up before his father could open his mouth. "Oh, I have got to tell you all about the fox hunting—"
"It's not all about you, George," Cassandra said, her icy eyes turning to him. "You know you just interrupted your own father."
George frowned and rolled his eyes at Cassandra, putting down his goblet. "Don't correct me, Cassandra." He glanced over to Edgar. "I'm sorry, father. I didn't know that you had more to say. I'll go back to telling everyone about my fox hunting trip after you finish."
"Could you bring up another subject, George?" Hans asked, masking his irritation through clenched teeth. "You already talked about your fox hunting trip three times already during dinner."
"Good idea, Hans," George said discourteously. "Let's make it all about you then. We'll make it all about Hans, who disgraced his own country and is now acting as if nothing happened." Ella swore that she felt the room temperature heating up. "So, tell me, Hans, what exactly are you planning to do here? Are you going to do nothing but enjoy the luxury here?"
"Now, George!" Heidi scolded. "Don't be so disrespectful! You are raised better than this."
After George gave everyone an apology and sat back down, the room temperature went back to normal. Edgar cleared his throat, making sure that everyone was paying attention.
"I do have some announcements concerning Hans," he addressed.
Hans placed his spoon on the table, peering over at his uncle. "What will I be doing around the castle, Uncle Edgar?"
At first, Edgar was quiet, likely making sure that George wasn't going to interrupt him again. "Hans, we have decided that you will help Cassandra with the royal guard three days a week."
Hans stared at his uncle with a puzzled expression. "I'm sorry, why am I only working three days?"
Edgar took a sip from his goblet. "Originally, I was going to have you collect the taxes, but after today's meeting, the council and I decided that you will help Ella with her magic."
A stirring of mixed emotions rose within Ella. While she was glad that she was getting help with her magic, Hans was the last person that she was expecting to train her. She did appreciate that he'd brought her here but at the same time, she still mistrusted him.
She noticed that Hans was frozen in his seat, and wondered what he was thinking.
"Why me?" Hans asked. "Why must I be the one to train her?"
"Cassandra told us that you've handled her magic very well," Edgar explained. "And you have powers of your own just like Ella."
"I understand," Hans said, "but I don't know if I'm the right person because of my crimes. Don't you think that someone with a clean background would be better?"
"Yes, but she already knows you," Edgar said. "We agreed that she should be trained by someone who knows her and is magical. Since you will be working here, you will help her learn to control her powers. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Uncle Edgar," Hans answered. "When will we start?"
"Whenever she's ready," Edgar replied.
"Your Majesty, would it be alright if Hans and I start on my lessons right away?"
"Are you sure, dear?" Edgar asked. "Wouldn't you like to adjust here first before you begin?"
Ella peered down at her mousse then back at the King. "Thank you, Your Majesty, but I would like to start learning to control my powers as soon as possible."
"Alright," Edgar said. "You are welcome to change your mind anytime that you like. You and Hans will have to work out when he can start teaching you."
After everyone finished their desserts, they all began to leave the room. As Ella slowly got up, she watched Cassandra approach Hans, calling his name just when he left his seat. Cassandra said something about her showing him something and they both left the room.
When she slid in her chair, Ella spotted Heidi coming over to her with her hands folded. She stood up straight and gave her a curtsey. "How do you do, Your Majesty?"
"I am alright, my dear," Heidi smiled. "Would you like a tour of the castle before I show you to your room?"
"That would be great."
Since there were so many rooms, it took over three hours for Ella to see everything. During the time, she saw that everything was bright, luxurious, and immaculate. There was nothing that she didn't find attractive. This had to be the most expensive castle with the most expensive things of all time.
After they left the gallery, which was the last room that Ella needed to see, they took the stairs down to the third floor and entered into a large corridor. There were portraits of past families hanging on the walls. One portrait in particular caught Ella's attention, causing her to draw to a stop.
This portrait had a woman seated with her three children: a teenage boy, a preteen girl, and a young boy on a large, green couch. All three of them were formally dressed, poised, and graceful. The first boy was tall and had a small black and white kitten sitting on his lap. The second boy bore a resemblance to Edgar and was sitting on the woman's lap. She was dressed in a green dress with ruffles and her dark brown hair was up in a tight bun.
The girl bore a resemblance to Hans and even shared his green eyes. Half of her red hair was tied back in a little bun with the rest cascading down her shoulders.
"That's Hans' mother." Ella turned to see that Heidi was standing right next to her. "Edgar said that she had just turned twelve when they sat for this portrait with their mother, Bridget."
Ella peered back at the painting. She figured that the youngest boy was Edgar and the older boy was August. As she stared at Hans' mother, she wondered how she'd reacted to his crimes in Arendelle. Was she disturbed? Disappointed? Both?
Footsteps came up to the foot of the stairs. "Hans," Heidi said. Ella turned around to see that Hans was heading in their direction. "Did Cassandra show you the training grounds?"
"She did," Hans answered. His eyes caught sight of the portrait and a brief sad expression formed on his face. "She just left to assign patrols for tomorrow. I am to report there every morning for attendance even if it's not a day I'm serving." He noticed Ella. "Would you be alright with starting your training tomorrow after lunch?"
Ella nodded her head. "Where are you going to train me?"
"Meet me at the library at one o'clock," Hans said, turning away from them and returning down the stairs.
Ella peered over at Heidi. "What time do you have lunch?"
"We have lunch at eleven-thirty," Heidi replied. "Breakfast is at eight-fifteen and you already know that dinner is at six. We have all three meals in the dining room."
The library was on the same floor as the dining room. She would have no problem arriving early for her training. Heidi continued down the corridor with Ella following behind. This was the corridor to the private quarters and guest rooms.
Heidi went over to the fourth room on the left. She pulled the door open and said, "This is your room, Ella."
Stepping further inside, Ella's eyes wandered around the small room. The walls were white and the floors were wooden with a large green rug lay in the center. There was a tall white wardrobe on the left side of the room and a vanity on the right side. In the center of the room was a large chair and ottoman. Against the wall in front of her was a four-poster bed with golden covers, pillows, and drapes.
"You are welcome to use any of the clothes in there," Heidi said, pointing at the wardrobe. "Once, my friend's daughter—who is a seamstress—was rebuilding her home so she could turn it into a clothes shop. We allowed her to stay here until she finished with her shop and home. She's about the same size as you. I think that you would fit into them."
When Ella reached the wardrobe, she gently pulled the door open to a row full of dresses. She was looking forward to changing out of the one she was wearing.
"I know that it's not much," Heidi said. "But I hope that you'll like it."
Without hesitation, Ella turned to her. "It's perfect." It actually was too perfect. Ella couldn't be any more grateful. This was a room that she and anyone else like her would dream to have. She was fortunate that these people had taken her in. "Thank you so much."
Heidi smiled at her before she turned to the door. "Just make yourself at home, dear."
After Heidi shut the door, Ella peered back at her room. Her eyes dimmed when she thought that many other beggars like her would never get to be in a room like this. As much as she loved this room, she knew that she didn't fit in because of her status and her magic.
Overwhelmed with everything that was going on, Ella went over to her bed and lay down. She was almost tempted to burst into tears, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. Her eyes widened as ice trailed up to the ceiling, creating a crackling sound. She took a few deep breaths until her magic faded away.
She understood why Edgar and Heidi thought that she should wait before being trained, but she felt like she should learn to control her magic as soon as possible.
Morning came with sparrows singing outside Ella's window where a light shone in. As she rose from her blanket, she closed her eyes and stretched out her arms, a smile forming on her face. The covers were comfy and warm. She had slept better here than on the ship.
After she bathed, she put on a yellow dress with long sleeves. In the drawer, she picked out a matching pair of gloves. She brushed her hair and put it in a casual half up and half down hairstyle. She was so glad to finally be in a clean outfit.
Ella spent most of her time in her room until it was finally time for lunch. When she arrived, she peered around the room and Hans wasn't there. She also noticed that Cassandra and the other guards weren't there either. They must have their lunch somewhere else or at a different time. While she was having her lunch, all she thought about was her training. How was Hans going to train her? Had someone trained him before? Her heart kept thudding as she repeated those thoughts, but fortunately, she kept taking deep breaths so her magic didn't get out of control.
As soon as she finished, she felt like she should get to the library despite the fact that it was only twelve-thirty, so she left the dining room. When she reached the library, she only had to wait five minutes before Hans came.
"Ella, I didn't expect you to arrive early."
"Did you not want me to?"
"No, early is better than late. Now, are you sure that you don't want to wait?"
"I'm sure."
Hans eyed her, placing his hand on the doorknob. "Alright." He pulled the door open and stepped inside. "We will start your training today."
Out of all of the rooms that Heidi showed her, this was one of her favorites and one of the largest. The entire wall was lined with books. Ella could see her reflection on the golden floor underneath her. There were so many reading chairs and tables spread out that it could be a classroom. There was a mural of angels on the ceiling.
Hans gestured for her to follow him farther in the room, which she obeyed. There were so many suits of armor that she lost count.
"I'm sure that my aunt has told you this," Hans said, "but you are welcome to read anything that you want to read."
"Have you read anything in here?" Ella asked, peering at the books in the room.
"My father wouldn't let me take any books home," Hans answered. "I still don't know where all of the sections are. Cassandra was going to show me where the magic section was, but there were so many servants cleaning that we had to leave. She's going to show me today."
Ella remembered seeing servants clean this room when Heidi showed it to her. "Are we going to use a book to help me with my magic?"
Hans took a right and went farther into the room. "We will use a book to teach you everything about your magic. I'm hoping that it will have everything with my magic as well."
Ella glanced at the many tables they went past. "Where are you going to teach me?"
When Hans came to a halt in front of a bookshelf, he peered at Ella. "I'm not teaching you in here. Sometimes other people use this library and I'm afraid that you'll lose concentration."
Ella narrowed her eyes. "Then why are we in here, Hans?"
Without turning away from her, Hans stretched his left arm out and pushed his hand against the shelf. Like a door, the shelf pushed forward, revealing a small space with a wooden wall and a wooden spiral staircase. Ella stared at it in amazement.
"Have you been in here before?" she asked, stepping inside behind him.
"Not in this one," Hans replied, shutting the shelf behind them. "Cassandra showed it to me right after dinner, before she took me to the training grounds." He stepped forward to the staircase with Ella following behind him.
When they reached the top of the stairs, Ella's eyes widened. There was a small room with a wooden floor and walls. There was a desk in the left corner, a bookshelf in the right corner, and in the middle of the room was a small wooden table. Behind the table was a large window with a view of the ocean, the forest, the city, and the entire country.
"This is amazing," Ella whispered, stepping forward in the room.
"I was surprised when I saw it too," Hans said. He gestured for Ella to sit at the table. "Cassandra calls it the hidden study. She said that this was the third passage that she found here."
When Ella sat down, she was able to get a better look at the table. There was a globe towards the right end, a candle in the middle of the table, and on the left end of the table was the egg. The egg was all wrapped in a blanket.
"Is there any word about the mother?" Ella asked, peering at the egg.
Hans halted in front of the table. "Not yet. I asked Cassandra this morning and she said that she was going to send Owl to see if he can find anything."
After Hans placed a peach on the table in front of her, he gestured for Ella to remove her left glove. When she obeyed, he told her to stretch out her arm.
"When I tell you to grab the peach," Hans instructed, "you will do so. I will see if you can hold the peach without freezing it. It'll help you learn to control your magic."
Hans pulled out a bandanna from his jacket, causing her to flinch.
"What are you doing?"
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you, Ella," said Hans. "I am going to blindfold you as part of your training."
Ella didn't like the idea of that. "Why?! I won't be able to see anything!"
"Remember in your cabin when I told you about how your emotions affect your magic?" Hans asked. "Using your mind will help you with your emotions and your magic. I will be right here, so you don't have to worry."
Ella let out a sigh, nodded her head. She stayed still as Hans went behind her. As he blindfolded her, she felt like she was in a pitch-black room. Footsteps went back to the front of the table.
"Pick up the peach."
Her hand reached out and gently picked it up, feeling the soft, smooth texture. Her heart thudded when she thought that she heard crackling. She couldn't tell if she's using her powers or not.
"Calm down, Ella," Hans said softly. "You should relax. Listen to my instructions."
They hadn't even got started and already, she was doing poorly. She took some deep breaths. This was going to be hard training.
"Ella," Hans began, "unfreeze the peach."
She felt ice trailing off her fingertips, concealing the soft peach. Her right hand slowly started to come near her blindfold.
"If you take off that blindfold, we'll just start over."
She felt her right arm fall flat into her lap. This wasn't a good idea. Did Cassandra or anyone else know about this, and if so, did they agree with it? Luckily, no one else was in the room with the two of them. Should her magic get any worse, she could hurt them by mistake.
"It's okay," Hans said soothingly. "We'll just try again. Take deep breaths."
She listened to herself exhale and her heart calmed down. She repeated the process until she no longer felt her ice.
"Good. You've unfrozen the peach."
Ella sighed in relief. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all? She sat there in stillness, waiting for Hans' next instruction.
"Just hold the peach without freezing it."
For now, she could still feel the smooth texture, but that could change at any minute. How much longer could she go without turning the peach to ice?
"You're doing well, Ella."
Her heart started thudding. She wished that she could tell whether or not she was freezing the peach.
"You're freezing it again. Calm down."
Calm down. Just calm down. Again, all she could hear in the room was her breathing and the ice crackling. A small smile formed on her face when the ice crackling disappeared.
"Good. The peach is back to normal. You were doing well at first."
For a minute, she remained still. Was this it? Was this over? If not, what will Hans tell her to do next?
"Freeze the peach."
Her mind went blank. Did she misunderstand him? There was no way that he was telling her to use her magic on that peach. Why did he want her to freeze it?
"I said freeze the peach."
Ella thought of freezing despite not knowing what she was doing with her magic. Everything was silent until she felt ice covering the peach in her hand.
"Good. Now unfreeze it."
She had to keep going. Ella tried to take a moment to calm down, but it didn't work as usual.
"Ella, you're not thawing it."
This wasn't helping. She could almost burst into tears. She wished that she didn't have to be blindfolded. Everything would be easier if she could see.
"We have a long way to go," Hans muttered. She heard him sighing. "Alright. Put the peach down."
Ella did what she was told. After Hans removed her blindfold, the first thing that she saw was ice thawing off the peach, creating a small puddle. When Hans went back in front of her, he didn't look angry or disappointed.
A long period of silence passed before Ella spoke up. "I'll say it now. I did horrible."
Hans sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Honesty, maybe we should wait until you adjust—"
"No, I'm learning now," Ella cried, placing her head in her hands.
The longer she waited, the more likely she could harm someone with her magic. These people had the heart to take her in and she couldn't afford to hurt them. She felt the temperature grow cold as she sobbed harder.
"Why have you brought me here?" Ella asked. "I can't control this! I never will!"
She removed her hands and saw that Hans was staring at her with sad eyes. Why was he like that? Was he feeling sorry for her?
"Ella," he said. "You will control your magic. I promise."
Ella wiped her eyes. "How would you know? Were you like this when someone helped you?"
"No one trained me," Hans said. "I just wore gloves all of my life. No one helped me."
He turned away from her, peering into his reflection in the window. Ella could see that a tear was coming out of the corner of his eye. His eyes dimmed. He then wiped his tear, turning back toward her.
"Are you alright?" Ella asked.
"I'm fine," Hans said softly. "I was just thinking about something."
Ella's eyes dimmed as she stared back down at the peach, then her bare left hand, and back at her glove that sat on the table. She peered down at her gloved hand in her lap. She wondered how she'd gained control of her magic before being bewitched. Was it possible that she hadn't?
"Ella?" Hans asked. "Do you still want to continue? We could go back to training you when you're ready."
"Yes," Ella answered. "I want to continue."
For the next three hours, Hans trained Ella with the peach. She still struggled with it, but Hans was patient with her and she didn't break into sobs as much. At one time, she nearly froze the entire table, coming close to throwing off her blindfold.
Finally, her lesson was done for the day. Ella rose from the table and was about to turn towards the stairs when she heard Hans call her name.
Ella glanced over her shoulder. "Yes?"
"Just give yourself time," Hans said. "This is your first day of training, so you're not going to learn to control your magic all in one day. You just need to gain confidence. Only you can give yourself confidence."
"I'll try," Ella replied.
Hans went over to the desk to work on something. The egg glimmered in the room. After letting out a deep breath, Ella went down the stairs to leave for the day.
