Sima

I don't know how long I passed out or if was I dead, who knows slowly my eyes opened, blurry, but becoming clearer by the second. I heard three small dogs growling and playing with bones. I tried to get up; unfortunately, my muscles and bones are stiff and aching burning pain. I turned to the three cubs as two of them yipped away. I groan in pain and frustration that my eyes haven't cleared up yet. The blurry cub was mixed white and gray or is it black, trying to back away as whatever it is getting closer to me. I waved my hands in the air for it to leave me alone.

A small still voice, the sound of a child speaking, "Sima?"

"Who's there?"

"Caleb."

He's watching me closely with curiosity then runs off, "wait." I hoped he would come back with someone, but my eyes couldn't stay open.

My eyes flew up, jumped up from the hard stone bed, touching my eyes to see if there was anything different, but everything seemed the same. I looked around my surroundings in a small tent, nothing is there except for this hard bed. What's the fuck happened back there?! I looked down while touching my body, everything is still the same except my arm, the symbol curved in black exhibits bilateral symmetry with each half spotting two spirals. What does this mean? Why this symbol holds significance to Mills' bloodline?

Oh shit, I have to go back to master before he notices me missing. I hurriedly put my clothes back on, a plain black royal suit while walking out of the tent.

"All mother." She gladly appeared in front of me, checking my wounds, then I thanked her for nursing me back to health.

"Come."

My eyes crossed, wondering the reason for needing to follow her, but I was compelled anyway. I stopped when I felt someone pulling my shirt then looked down at a small boy, "are you here to save us?"

I shook my head with an apologetic tone, "no, I am not." I got on my knees, his honey-brown hair is long, almost down to his shoulder and his face is muddy and dirty. He looked starving, so I searched in my bag for bread and then gave it to him. I laughed as he happily ate then continued following Teersa. I never realized until today that our families are as many as the stars, people walking or running in different faces and colors as if they were a tight-knit community. They sleep under the stars, but few sleeps in worn-down tents. I scanned through the people when she was calling me, "Sima. Come."

"Sorry, all mother," I quickly caught up with her until we reached a cabin, a small one with only one room, a bed in one corner, a small bucket in the other, and a table in the middle. She kneeled down in her white bag of books and then gave me a yellow book.

"What is this?" She opened the book to the first page and there was the same symbol on my left wrist. "What does this mean?"

"Odo Nnyew Fie Kwan."

I still don't understand what that means my voice rises as I grumbly sigh while waiting for her to proceed, painfully patient as my patience is short.

"Love does not lose its way home. Love runs through our blood and always ends up where it is supposed to be. Everything happens for a reason, Sima. Learn to listen to our love."

"Is it already lost, Teersa?" Alice is killing everybody and never-ending wars between all families, who knows what else they are doing to each other. It's gone and lost, there's no way left for me to save it, anyway.

"Love is never lost. They need you, Sima."

No, chuckling to myself, "no," I threw the book at her. "I apologize, all mother, but I can't." Master is waiting for me and I am already late. The moment I walk through the door, he'll punish me even if I am five seconds late. I can't do this. Teersa secretly smiled as she picked up the yellow book, then carefully picked the pixie dust from her small pocket, waving over the book. It teleported to Sima's bag when she was running to the horse.

Within minutes, I arrived at my master's dark castle, opening both doors in tears and anger with myself. Master Treik looks up in surprise, "you're an hour late."

In other words, why am I here, "where I go, Master?"

"I was held up for I was caught," lying through my teeth, but thankfully he nodded in understanding. He gave me another piece of paper, "you have another mission. Two days." I studied and carefully read the paper, it is one of Alice's guards, "the Queen's guards?"

He angrily looked up at my questions, "growing conscience, too late are you?"

"No, Master," I quickly apologized and bowed before him then walked upstairs to my room. I hated my room, it was more of a prison than a room since it only has a large comfortable bed and a sack of weapons than more weapons. My wardrobe only has 3 sets of clothes for my journey and five folded black suits on the bottom for my targets. I dug through my bag and found a yellow book, again, "how the hell did she put this in my bag?!"

I silently forced myself to read, the new name I never heard or read before anywhere throughout Enchanted Forest, Berta. Berta Smith, whispering to myself, first few pages, tells the story of her mother and how she lost her goddess powers then about herself with an abusive drunk father in Wonderland.

I had no idea Regina was the Dark One, I only heard whispers of the Dark One's dagger that is hidden somewhere in Enchanted Forest. Some said the dagger is with Regina, others said it returns to its rightful place, but others said it's buried with Emma. I skimmed the last few pages, not wanting to read the book until I caught the name Bertha in one of the pages with the twins, Regina Scarlet and Reginald Sebestian Mills.

Wait, the twins in the cornfield, they are …, it hit me where they came from, oh my god, my hands slam on my forehead then angrily throw the book across the room. I wish I could scream at the book, but I forced my voice to remain silent, clearing my throat. I have to know, I searched for my master on the first floor and then the next room in the huge library, I inhaled as I walked into the library, spotting my master reading a book.

"Master Triek."

"What is it, Sima?"

He didn't look up from his book, "I have to know, Master. Who is my family?" Why did Alice kill them, did he know already? Who am I?

"In your name, the family name is at last because it's the family name that lasts. To find riches is a beggar's dream, but to find love is the dream of queens. In your name, you can live without society but not without a family."

My heart is boiling cold as I listen to his words, in my name like he speaks as if I am the lost queen, my eyes watered with tears, "you knew who I am?" He has been using me the whole time for his own personal gain, waiting for my magic to return then I realize the reason, he's afraid.

"Their blood runs through you," he looked up into my eyes, "did you find them?"

The stones and werewolves, but I shook my head as water ran down from my eyes, "no, a person told me."

"Who is this person you speak of?"

"I don't know," answered honestly. I really don't know anything about Enchanted Forest and so little information about Alice. I asked again as years before, "what is the reason you seek the stones?" I search into his eyes when he didn't answer, "you want its' magic?"

"The infinite knowledge of magic is encoded in the stones."

He doesn't know how it's connected to my bloodline except for the power and magic in the stones, "what does it have to do with me, Master?"

"There was a man who came to me one day years ago," he urged me to sit down so I sat at the opposite end of the table to protect myself from him when he proceeded.

"He made me a deal in exchange for protection and freedom for his family."

The Dark One, remembering back in the yellow book, he's the Dark One, I gasp in fear, "you're the Dark One?"

"He said that the Queen is killing his family in the White Kingdom."

He changed it after he obtained the dagger, hopefully not, "you changed his bloodline?"

"He gave me a book, Rumplestiltskin's book."

Who is he, I wonder. My mind is filled with questions.

"It showed me so many things. I gave him and his son an escape from the Queen."

"How did you do it, Master?"

"It didn't give me magic, but it gave me such knowledge of magic."

His thirst for power and greed, "and you believe I can give you this power?" He's going to kill me the moment I find all the stones.

"No, but it speaks of a woman who can open the stones," he picked up one book from the shelf, a simple leather brown book, he skimmed to a specific page then showed me. I took the book from him, and it was a drawing of a woman in black, and next page, it's a strange list of statistics. The picture of the woman looks similar to me, but it's not me even though at the bottom of the page, there's a quote written by Sima Mills that I can't read its language. That's weird, it's my name, looked up at him confused, "and you believe this picture is me?"

"Why are you telling all of this now, Master?"

"At this moment, Alice is ordering troops to the last remaining of Mills' bloodline. It is nearing, Sima."

"You told her, didn't you?"

"I simply gave her a nudge in the right direction."

"Fuck you!" Wait a minute, confused about how Emmett Mills is the last, looking back at the wall of the family tree, "Emmett Mills?"

Emma Swan, she's the Charming? "What?" Emmett Nolan is Charming? Storybrooke, trying to connect the dots, how is that possible? He threw a thick dark red leather book across the table and left the room. It's a book of Charmings' family tree which he wrote himself, recording each person, it shows commitment though. Impressed with the Master, he even uses it for evil. Wait, looked up towards the door, he copied from the wall, oh.

I remember Snow and David Nolan on the wall, and it wrote the same thing, Ruth and Robert to twin sons, but James died by being stabbed in the back by the Behemoth. King George VIII adopted James, but he died, so replaces David Charming. What does it have to do with me?

I keep on reading, Emma Swan, David and Snow are her parents? Alice wanted to kill Emmett Mills' bloodline, but not Henry's, so that makes the White Kingdom ancestors from either Henry or Neal. Alice obviously doesn't care about them, two names are the same just to trick Alice. I don't see Emmett Nolan except Neal Nolan. He changed the name from Neal to Emmett, oh my god, he wants Alice to kill them all, but why.

I search for my name, following Emma and Regina to the last two pages of the book, Sima Mills with my three sisters and my parents that are crossed out. Last page, must be the man he spoke of with his son, did he say that the Queen ordered guards to find them? I went back to the middle of the book to each person and right below it is the year they died, Josephine and over 50 people of the exact same date in Storybrooke.

She killed them all, every single person, woman and child, and their children. I tore the last page to find them and then hurried out of the library, but unexpectedly Master slams me onto the ground. I fought to remove his hands on my neck, choking and losing my breath, "Master, I can't breathe."

"Where are they?"

Is he really going to kill me for those stones, "I don't know, Master?" He slammed me onto a hard shiny stone floor again and again until the back of my head started to bleed a little. He could easily overpower me, but I refuse to show fear in him. He grabbed his knife from the back of his belt, "No! No!" I wiggled my body and fought with all my might to free him, "Last time, Sima. Where are they?"

My life or my family, but he doesn't know, I felt the pinch of the edge of his knife going down to my stomach. I silently whimpered in tears as the scar tore onto my skin, groaning as he slowly pushed down his knife into my left stomach. "Master, please," quiet begging for my life.

He has to know, I fought to stay awake, "hundred …. miles" He slapped my face to keep me awake, "where are they?!"

"West … Northwest to the cave," passed out as the blood was everywhere in my stomach.

I held my stomach as I woke up, in a prison cell in the dungeon with my things. Why couldn't he use pixie dust to heal my stomach, I felt the cloth wrapped around my body but no shirt. Asshole. My yellow book, oh no, he has it. Shit. I lean back onto the wall, waiting for my Master to free me. I silently prayed that they were gone before he found them.

I woke up to the sound of a woman screaming, I grumbled that I forgot that I'm still in Alice's prison underground. I stood up, watching the guards take a woman to the next cell, "where are you taking her?!" I rattled the bars for them to stop hurting her, "stop it! Let her go!" One of them slammed the bars to order me to be quiet. I couldn't see the woman when they dragged her of her hair. Her screams became deafening, and my heart tore into two that I couldn't save from her cries. I knew they were going to abuse her and then burn her at the pole. The woman across from me with a missing child, sits quietly in the corner, afraid for herself and the child's life.

Two tall soldiers walked from the opposite direction from the forest instead of from the castle then they cut off the guard's head guarding the path. I grinned when he took off his helmet, "Caleb."

"Governor Mills."

White hair and gray eyes, the adorable young man, "how did you know I was here?"

"Lydia. There are more of us outside waiting," unlocking my cell as I thanked him for freeing me. I freed several others, but the mother begged to find his son. I reassured her that he was probably hiding somewhere close to their house. The younger woman immediately embraced me after she took off her helmet in her worried tone, "Sima."

"I'm alright, Leigh. I'm okay," warmly hugged back while Caleb urged us to keep on walking. Half of the wolves transformed into humans and the others stayed as wolves, so many different furry colors, black, brown, white, gray, and even dark yellow. I was saddened for a moment that I have to go back to Alice. I have to try again, "go. I will see you soon."

"No, we are going with you," the commander of my people ordered them to protect me. Carter started dividing into 3 groups, but I stopped him, "Carter, I have to talk to her alone." My heart warmed when they remained stubborn and refused to leave my side, so I gave in to give them another task to keep the guards busy, "there are more prisons underground, free them while I talk to the Queen." I knew they could easily overthrow the guards for the sword would not pierce their thick skins. Only three followed me to take down guards from the prison to the castle, the others went another way to get inside to free the prisoners.

Four guards, shush them, and back away to the stairway with a whisper, "go back. I can go from here." Thankfully they obeyed as I walked the spiral stairway all the way to the top with no weapon in my hands while hearing the screams and yelling below from the guards and werewolves. I tiptoed quietly through the hall with no guards, looking at each room for Alice. I saw her mixing potions and doing magic on the table in the second to last room, "I knew you would return, Sima."

She didn't turn her face, "Alice, let my people go."

"No, I do not know who you are, so I will not let them go."

"Why are you not taking them away from their burden?"

She was about to do magic on me, "Alice, I am deeply sorry for your brother. I am sorry that I took your brother away."

"Apologizes. Apologizes," furiously glaring at me, "Words don't mean a thing to me."

"It does to me, Alice," I tried again, "let my people go. You have done evil in our name and you have not delivered Enchanted Forest at all. You made us stink in the sight of them and you put swords in their hands to kill each other. When will this end?" She magically threw me across the room and then threw fireballs at me, "You bring her to me!"

"Killing her will not bring your brother back. Even if she brings back magic into the Enchanted Forest, you are dishonoring your brother. Let my people go!"

"Take heed, Alice, for I can take my hand throughout Enchanted Forest to bring great judgment upon you. Your time is over."

My eyes widened and spitting blind the moment she stabbed my same wound, my left stomach as I looked into her fiery eyes and wild curly hair, "every sweat and blood is on yours, not mine, cousin" then pushes me onto the ground while calling the guards repeatedly, but no one came. Three hallways towards here come four large werewolves with their bleeding teeth from the guards, growling at her.

I held my stomach and shook my head with a struggling whisper, "no," worried that they would harm Alice. Alice conjured fireballs when Caleb transformed back to human to carry me, "no, Caleb." They stopped growling and walked away. I couldn't keep my eyes open as my body became colder. From that day on, I lay in a coma in the same cave while Alice raises taxes in every town throughout Enchanted Forest. The guards became more brutal to every person and attacked every castle while supplying more weapons for them to destroy each other. Everyone lays the blame on me and most of them left because it became more difficult to survive. The entire forest burned down to a crisp, and the people worked three more times harder to serve Lady Beelzebub.

Masha

The shipwrecked by the Queen's Royal Navy Guard, everyone dead on board except Masha floating on the open wide sea top of the broken wooden board, rescued by small fishermen. My mouth threw up seawater from my lungs when one of the older fishermen performed chest compression to restart my heart. I looked into the man who saved me, a salt and pepper beard with a sweet older voice as he gave me water, "here."

Where am I?

I freaked out about my things in my sack, sighing thankfully when my sack was with me, but soaking wet and pages were ruined, well everything is ruined, taking one by one to try to dry them out. The older man introduced himself by shaking my hand, "my name is Duke."

I kindly nodded, but my pencil is no good anymore and my papers are wet, so I couldn't write what I wanted to say.

"Don't be afraid," reassured me again in a kind voice. I nodded with a smile that I am okay.

"Welcome to the Weselton Kingdom," his arm spread out pointing at the largest but ugliest castle with run-down villages all around with moldy walls all around. I don't know if I should be surprised at how awful it looked or how big it is, but nods with a smile anyway.

I put my things back in my bag and walked out of the small boat, bowed in thanks toward Duke. The first thing that comes to my mind is food, I'm so starving and I have no money to buy food. Duke caught up with me to hand me bread and fish, "for your journey for I know you must be famished, yes?"

Oh, I am, bowing respectfully again in thanks, then he pointed at the gate, "if you go through the gate, go right, you will reach the town square." I continue through the large gate and then explore each area throughout the kingdom with curiosity until I reach the beautiful foundation in the middle which I am assured is a town square. It's the only thing they kept sparkly clean in the entire town. I took a bite of the bread as I scanned the people working and playing in old rag clothes, younger women wearing much nicer than the children. I'm disappointed when my pages are still wet because I cannot read where I am supposed to find this stone, trying to remember the photo on one of the pages, a map. There's a castle and town on the right side of the page, but the town was a little further south than a lot of forests all over the page, which is more confusing. I continued walking through the next gate to the castle but I was blocked by the guards. I was heavily sigh, disappointed that I wasn't allowed to go in then I remembered Davina said, only royalties were allowed and granted permission for a person to enter. I observed between the guards, that a large door opened, looking beautiful inside from afar.

I was shocked when a man bumped into me, whoa and he apologizes for not paying attention. He had two scars above his lips, not formed properly and his face crossed in question, "hey do you have a place tonight? The storm will be nasty tonight."

I shook my head with wonder if the storm was that bad or not.

"You won't survive the night if you don't find shelter, ma'am."

I nod in thanks with a small smile, and strangely friendly, I mean the people are usually friendly here and I'm not used to people being forward like that. The fisherman, a few people, and now him, what's going on? He studied me up and down, and noticed how wet I am, then stopped for a moment a few feet from me. From the looks of it, he's trying to decide about something.

"Come on," he turns back to me, "you can stay at my place with my family for the night."

I hesitated for a moment because no one has ever done that for me, and invited me out of the blue, but I want roaring fire and meat, at least a meal before my eyes. I followed him while he was still talking, amazed me about the town, the history, and how bad the storm will become. I don't know why but I felt surprised at how actually his house is, painted light blue with a roof, a simple small house of two rooms with a kitchen and half the living room of two chairs.

"Shawn, you were supposed to be home an hour ago!"

The woman, which I believe is the wife, was puzzled and angry looking between him and me, "what's this?"

"Another whore of yours?"

"Lisa, my love, it's not what you think. I found her and she doesn't have a place for the night."

It seems that she didn't believe him, humming and nodding in disbelief, "Dinner will be ready in 30 minutes."

"Please excuse my wife," took my bag but I took it back. He pointed at the fire, "warm yourself."

Oh, I nod in thanks with a kind smile and let him take my bag as he put it over the wood near the fire, my books, and the bag to let it dry. I sat on the floor near the fire to warm myself from the dampness of my clothes from the ocean. My stomach growls at the smell of the food, chicken and mashed potatoes with green vegetables, so good and starving. I could eat all day if I could, food and other thing is all on my mind.

The woman called his son, David to come in from outside in the back while Shawn boarded up the house to prepare for the storm. I wish I could write to them to clear things up between them because Lisa is still furiously mad and barking at him about me. She believes that he was cheating on her with me, but he kept ignoring her. It made it harder for me to enjoy my meal now, silently grumbling at myself. He touched my arm when I heard a loud noise, shook up, and was a little afraid, reminding me that I'll be fine and it's only the storm."

She barked at him not to touch me, but it was an innocent touch, or is it?

The storm, I was not expecting to be this loud, the sound of small rocks banging on the house, hail, and ice storm, so hard that it made holes in the windows. I lean closer to touch the small stone, it's ice, what's the ice doing in the far reaches of the earth, on an island like this? The mother hid the boy from me, told him to go to their room to shelter him from the storm then redirected to me, "you can stay in my son's room for the night but the sun rises, I want you out of my house!"

Rude. I fought the urge not to roll my eyes as I grabbed my things from the fire, thankfully fully dried. Shawn reboarded the windows from inside when the storm broke in the windows while I tried to make sense of the notes in my book about the stones in David's room.

Meanwhile, Prince James secured protection and freedom in his kingdom when his parents were killed by the Queen's guards to look for the mystery girl that no one knows. Everyone in the village mourns for the king and queen of the Charming Kingdom, but the crown was immediately handed to James before the possibility of the stolen crown. Prince James forces himself to forget his love and commoner, and return to his rightful place. First order of business, he ordered all the borders closed and the gate pulled up to make sure no one gets into his kingdom. He ordered his guards to close every secret pathway into the castle, and investigate each villager in his Kingdom to find the spy and people who allied with the Queen. The Charming kingdom grew three times bigger over the years.

The Queen appeared in black spoke in the grand hall and ordered every officer and counsel to leave the room to give her privacy with King James. He nods towards them to respectfully leave for everyone is afraid of what she might do, everyone bows before her then quietly leaves the room.

"Your Majesty, you forge contact with my father, what is it you want?" The contract with his father spoke of the promise to leave his kingdom alone and no guards allowed into their kingdom.

"Your bastard broke the promise and he's no use to me, James."

James' eyes crossed about the promise, the new information that he never heard before today, but remained composed in his chair, "what is this promise you spoke of?"

"It's of no importance, James. I'm here to congratulate you, King James. I hope I do not have to kill you," in truth, she has no quarrel with the boy.

He's getting tired of the sarcastic tone in her voice, "what do you want, Your Majesty?"

"I received news that the girl was originally from your kingdom, kindly allow my guards to investigate to find her," although, in reality, she never needed permission from anyone, so all of this is a ruse and test to see what kind of person King James is.

There's talk throughout the Enchanted Forest, about a girl who will save Enchanted Forest and break the curse. I secretly prayed that she is not reading my mind about the magic I have seen from my … former love; thus, it's impossible that the baby survived the drowning after the ship exploded, so it cannot be her at all. I mean, everyone died on the ship except 3 men and myself. I thought hard about this, what is it, my kingdom or the Queen? I know one thing for sure, "My father and before him kept a census of every child born in my Kingdom and I assure you none of them listed that we recognized as … unique for none have survived the birth of every 50 years as you plagued upon us." Every child of age 5, I think, and under has survived the illness and mass murder from the Queen.

"Kindly allow me to look into your census, King James," you can feel the threat behind her words as he swallows his throat. I nodded and ordered my officer to lead her to the recorder room, "Joseph Chamie will help you and I hope you will find the person you seek. Please return the kindness to leave my kingdom alone."

Alice

His carriage arrives at the Queen's castle and is greeted by the guards, he tends to be a frequent visitor and close friend. Alice looks up from the paperwork and her research of every census in town to find the mystery person, "Robert, I am not in the mood for your theatrics."

"Now, Now, Alice, be kind because I have something for you."

Alice forces herself not to lose composure and a fake smile on her face, "Please do tell, Robert."

"I placed a spy among Lycan clans, and so it happens, Sima has sent a crew to Weselton's Kingdom," shot a knowing look with a smirk.

"I received a word from my captain for he already sunk her ship and none has survived," rolling her eyes at him while hating him every fiber of her being. He leans closer to my desk, "but did you know that the girl is on board?"

My eyes widened and abruptly stood up at that news, "what?!" I silently growl as he laughs and waves away, "see you later, my dear." Alice walks furiously to the other room full of magic mirrors, to a specific old mirror of Regina's, "show me the ship!"

It's an Indian woman who Alice has trapped for one purpose only, for the magic mirror. "Yes, Your Majesty," the mirror changes to the ship where everyone was drowning except the young girl rescued by a fisherman. Alice studied curiously at this strange young woman, "who is this girl?"

"She has no family or friends for she has been living on the streets," showing her every year of her being dirty and alone throughout the forest and eating raw meats except for the house where she resided for a few years.

"Where did she come from?"

"The White Kingdom," the truth but she didn't ask whose parents, though. Alice was confused by this information since the census did not show any children born in the same year, whispering to herself, "she can't be no more than 15 years old."

"Show me," Alice wants to see where she is currently as the magic mirror showed her the Island, she's walking through the forest and eating bread in the light of the day. "She doesn't look very much like Queen Regina, doesn't she?"

The young lady in the mirror shook her head, "No, Your Majesty."

It seems even the magic mirror is protecting her identity, so she decided to test it, "who is her biological parents?" The Indian woman tried to show, but for some reason, it wouldn't let her, Alice immediately quieted her before she opened her mouth, "It seems Queen Regina knew I would find this magic mirror."

Alice waved herself to change into an older woman, with white wavy hair, an artist to know more about this girl and follow her to see if she finds the stone before her. Let's talk to this girl, secretly smiling to herself as she looks into the long mirror. With a long gray dress, small lips, clear white skin, and brown eyes, no one will even notice her. What shall I name myself, wondering about the perfect name, Samantha Reyes, perfect? The dark black-green smoke circled her, teleporting her to the Island miles from the girl who was exploring the forest and still eating bread.

Does she ever stop eating?!

I began setting up my art supplies to start painting when I knew she'll look back at me just for a moment.

Masha

My pages aren't helping any, still uncleared and with ink smudges on the pages, but here am I, hoping for inspiration in the right direction while walking through the forest on a small island while eating bread. I have the strangest feeling that I'm being watched, looking back and noticing an older woman painting, but was she there before?

She smiles at me and resumes painting, then I simply return the nod and continue walking. I heard her running with her art supplies, yelling at me, "wait up."

Why is my instinct telling me to run in the opposite direction when I heard her telling me to wait for her? "What are you looking for?"

I didn't say a word when she asked, she tried to wipe the paint on her hands on her clothes, "oh, I'm sorry. I'm a mess," laughing to herself then putting her hand out to shake my hand, "my name is Samantha. Samantha Reyes."

I didn't shake her hands though, but respectfully nodded and was curious, then she continued, "maybe I can help if you tell me what you're looking for?"

I couldn't answer even if I could, I wouldn't tell her exactly what I am looking for anyway. Her eyes change into understanding and shock-like she knows something when she whispers, 'oh.' I stopped and angrily shot her a look to leave me alone.

"My apologies."

I waited until she disappeared out of my sight so I can continue on, now she was gone and I can focus. I circled back of the palace to see any familiarity of the place from the art, which is still blurry as I scan through damp pages. Useless book angrily and furiously threw the book in the air without a care. My thoughts lead me to Davina, I hope she's alright, whatever she's doing in the cabin. Sometimes, I do wonder about the child, is it a boy or girl? What did she name it? Why did she do it with him? Why him? Did he force her or did she want this? I never count the days, so how long has it been, a couple of weeks or months?

I don't know anymore.

Was Samantha following me? My eyes crossed when I turned when I felt a tap on my shoulder, "You're going the wrong way."

I do not care! Leave me alone! I grumbled at her while she struggled to hold all the art supplies. She beams with a great idea, "wait! I have an idea." She set up her art with whatever that is, a white square, then handed me the brush, "write." I hesitated to take the brush from her, puzzled then what am I supposed to write. I have a name, but I still don't know if it's my actual name, "No name."

She seems to understand when she nods, "You don't have a name?"

I shook my head, no.

She asked me again what am I looking for but that was the answer I cannot say, instead I wrote, "Traveler. Nowhere."

She looked confused as if she wasn't expecting that answer or if it was something else she wants from me. She backed away while apologizing to me, why is she apologizing?

Alice

Her attire tells a different story but she acts like she doesn't know anything even though I could smell powerful magic from the mute girl. She can't be the same person who will free Enchanted Forest. She has no identity or status of any kind. Strangely, as if magic erased her from history like she doesn't exist but she's here. No magic is protecting her even though magic mirrors and every bit of magic cannot show her. Worst of all, she cannot talk! Her family is dead, all of them. Whose the fuck is she?

"My apologies," I gathered my art supplies yet again after she wrote simple words, no name, and nobody. Although if she is who I think she is, then it's the perfect way to navigate throughout the Enchanted Forest since she's nobody and has easy access to any place because no one is paying attention to her. Taking a piece of her hair will be pointless since somehow and someway she's protected but not protected if that makes sense.

I will never forget the day I lost my brother. It's so easy to steal magic from them the next day. I always hang out with her in the office and she knows I would be the one who will wipe the Mills' bloodline. She sacrifices herself to secure the future, especially her future, eyeing the girl, mute girl walking to nowhere and still eating, rolling my eyes. It's definitely a Charming trait, the bottomless pit. Unfortunately, I do not see any Mills' bloodline in her, and doesn't have any Lycan blood in her either; which makes it even more strange.

I think it's her voice that makes everything closed off that it doesn't give her the ability to … mmm Why her voice, what's so special about her voice. I sat back down at my table in the office, sighing heavily as I refocus on my paperwork and orders while studying the mute girl's identity as I left my captain to attack the Island and capture the girl.

Sima

Lydia yelled at everybody when they wanted justice for Sima and to take the throne from Alice; which is not happening anytime soon without Masha. For now, we need to focus on finding the ship that Sima sent to the Island, "listen!" They kept demanding and talking at the same time, so Oliver growled at them to be quiet. Lydia kindly rubs his back to keep calm when they all back away afraid, whispering sorry.

"Thank you, Oliver," rubs back to go on then redirects to the angry crowd, "I know you all are angry and hurt … Right now, we need to find out about our crew. They are missing and I assume the navy guard sunk our ship. If Governor Mills were here with us, she would want us to continue …" Everyone bows before All-Mother when she appears beside Lydia, "All-Mother."

She is strikingly similar to Berta Smith, but her hair is much longer with braids and dressed from the old world. She's wise beyond her years and the most honorable woman. She waves them all to go back to their business, "go on, everyone."

Lydia sighs, "you'll have to tell me how you do that …. Get them to listen to me." She lightly chuckles and leads her back into the cave with Sima in the middle, "what is it, All-Mother?"

"You have to find her, Lydia."

She speaks of Masha, the mute girl, but truthfully, I don't know where she is. She disappeared a day after we started searching for the stones. "Why is it important we find her, All-Mother?" She picked up the small brown box, it was beautifully curved to show her what was inside. I was shocked to find it was one of the stones, "it's … Ummm is this?"

"Find her. She needs us because she may be in danger. Oliver and his brothers will go with you." She walks out of the cave to leave Lydia alone in her thoughts. I smiled when Oliver walked inside unafraid, with clear gray eyes with dull brown hair, but muscular and strong for his age for he's only twenty-two years old. "Oliver," showing him the beautiful curved small chest, "do you ever wonder if we are not meant to find these? What if there's a reason they are hidden?" Lydia is more afraid to discover the stones and believes the secrets are for a reason, to be left alone. What if the secrets bring us more terror and cruses than we realize?

Oliver sat next to Lydia and took the stone from inside and Lydia was surprised to see it was not hurting him at all, "We watched all our families massacre and there's nothing we can do to save them. We tried very hard to rescue them, even one little child from Alice, but somehow she always found them. When she does, that means we have to move. We never have a home, we go from one place to another. It only lasts six months at most, sometimes when we are lucky a year. I hear stories from my grandparents about the stones and how the savior will return to save us."

Lydia spotted a small tear below his eye, you can see the horrors he has seen, the blood, and everything he has seen reflecting back to me. I heavily sighed when he put back the stone inside the small chest then he continued, "You know, I tried to do the cornfield one time, but it wouldn't let me in," you could hear the anger in his voice.

Lydia remembered the story from Sima, the twins would never accept anyone from the Lycian clan when she looked back at him and then at Sima who lost so much more than anyone can imagine. He told the story of the day after the earthquake and the huge rumor that the True Queen is here. Everyone had mixed emotions, some were afraid but others were so excited and immediately started fighting against Alice's guards and spies.

It was after Robert Tyriek threw Sima into the dungeon with wounds on her stomach and on her back. Her clothes were torn apart and he refuses to help her in any way. No one knows how long she's been in the dungeon and eating stale mold bread. The only reason she was released and asked to never return was because of that day, the earthquake, and the new magic. We don't know where it came from or how it happened. The Lycan clan moved to another place, so she didn't know where. He gave her a horse, but nothing else then she passed out from wounds that were never properly cleaned. She had a terrible infection and some worms were eating her wounds. One of the Lycan clan always goes back to check to see if it's safe to return by scouting the area and so it happens Marcus found her on the ground in the middle of nowhere or anywhere near the cave. I sigh one last time to mentally prepare for the next mission, "let's find her."