A/n- First of all, I just want to say that I am SO SO SO sorry for not updating in like, seven months. There was school, and then there's my whole procrastination issue… yeah, they don't mix very well. Anyway, thanks to all my reviewers, and anyone else who bothered to read this. You guys rock. :D
By the way, I HAD written replies to the reviews I got, but somehow I lost them. I know, I suck. I promise I will reply to them next time, and actually keep track of what folder it's in.
Okay, onto the next chapter, which I stayed up until 2 every night for a week writing. :cough cough: It starts out kinda slow, though. Sorrys.
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Chapter 3
Ella's POV
When I woke up the next morning, the first thing I felt was pain. Pain in my abdomen, in my neck, in my torsos, just everywhere on my body. It felt as if all my bones were dislocated as I fought to stand up, holding on to a tree branch for support.
An "oof" was all I managed before I collapsed to the ground again, clutching at my stomach. The pain was excruciatingly sharp, almost unbearable. I'd most likely throw up all the contents of yesterday's meal if I tried to move a single inch. So instead of trying to stand up again, I leaned back against the sturdy tree trunk and tilted my head up to study my surroundings.
Different kinds of huge trees surrounded me on every side, but they wasn't frightening. Not at all. Their leaves and branches swayed gently in the morning breeze, and if I didn't know any better, I could have sworn that they were trying to calm me by waving and welcoming me to this forest. Even the sounds of the various species of animals in this place did not sound threatening. The chirping of birds, the galloping steps of deer… none sounded intimidating at all. My smile grew as I watched two black bunnies playing and crawling all over each other in the distance. My grin grew into a laugh as one of them mischievously took one end of the other bunny's ear in his mouth and began to drag him away. The scene was so cute, so adorable, and it also made my heart ache.
That could have been me… so carefree and happily frolicking with friends in my youth, if it weren't for the curse. If I didn't have to obey every single command bestowed upon me, then I could have had a wonderful childhood. I could have made real friends, instead of ones that took advantage of the spell and me. I could have been a normal girl. If only…
Of course, I knew that being normal comes with a price. I knew it was either normal and ignorant, or cursed and not… ignorant about the world of fairies, magic, curses, and the effect they can have on a perfectly plain girl, especially when she falls in love.
Char. Just thinking of him brought tears to my eyes. Tears of regret, of remorse, of sorrow, of every single emotion my disappearance must have caused him. The thoughts and feelings he must have had when he saw me at the ball. He was surprised, but at the same time, rather happy. I glimpsed that emotion in those beautiful eyes of his before I was forced to cover my face and run from the castle. Char was mad at me, hurt because of the fake letter I sent him. But he was also determined to not let me escape again, that I knew for certain. If he hated me for my deception and lies, he still would try with everything to find me and demand the truth. Char was that kind of person.
What he must have felt when I escaped again… I wondered as fresh new tears poured down my face. They were somewhat cleansing my face, which was covered with soot and dust from my run in the forest the night before. I didn't wipe the tears away. I let them fall freely, and slowly dropped my head onto my knees, sobbing my heart out.
If I could make Char happy, if I could free him from worry and my betrayal, I would do it in a heartbeat. If I could prevent him from undergoing disappointment time and time again as he reaches out to me, only to find thin air… I would gladly do whatever it takes. I would give anything for Char to have a blissful life with the girl he loves, whoever that is if it can't be me, and rule the kingdom proudly and live to a ripe, old age. And that realization, as it gradually sank in, is what convinced me once and for all that I would rather be normal and ignorant… as opposed to cursed and knowing.
Because the truth is, if Lucinda hadn't given me the "gift", then I would have just been an ordinary girl, and Char might not even have noticed me in the first place. And having never known Char is better than him being betrayed by the likes of me, right?
Except maybe, just maybe, I might have actually died with Mother if I wasn't cursed to follow Mandy's order to drink that curing soup. Perhaps-
Oh my God. Mandy. Mandy had told me to go on while she created a diversion for Char's knights. She made me keep running as she struggled to hold them back. She risked her life and violated her policy of never using big magic just so I could escape. She didn't have to do any of that. She could have surrendered, as I was getting ready to do, and hand me neatly over to Char. Char wouldn't have harmed me anyway. He might loathe me for life if I could not give him the explanation he deserved, but he wouldn't purposely do anything that might cause me even an iota of pain.
But Mandy didn't. She didn't let any of them catch me. She believed in me. By her actions, she sent me the message that my time wasn't up. She knew I wasn't ready to face Char yet, and have him discover my secret. I wasn't ready to encounter him face-to-face and disappoint him yet again. I wasn't ready to meet his eyes and give him the truth, and nothing BUT the truth.
Mandy understood that. She understood what I didn't even understand myself. And now, because of her loyalty to me, and my own stupidity, she is probably lying wounded or hurt in the woods somewhere.
I lifted my head up, worried about where my imagination might take me next. Well, wherever she is, I thought to myself, she is NOT dead. I have known Mandy my whole life. If deer and bugs are right now pecking at her remains, than I would have long fathomed it.
Gazing up at the bright sunlight streaking through the trees, I knew that I had to go find her. Now.
I stood up reluctantly, grimacing a little at the pain in my stomach. It had eased a bit, but it was it still there, throbbing and throbbing. After dusting myself off the best I can, I set off in a random direction, hoping it would lead me closer to Mandy, not farther away. Of course, I didn't know for sure which way I came running from since my body was in a most peculiar position when I fell asleep. I had to make do with my intuition and hope Mandy would be looking for me also and we were walking toward each other.
I wandered around all morning, trying not to get too discouraged as the hot sun beat down against me, signaling noon. My tummy was grumbling. I knew I had to stop searching and eat soon, or else I wouldn't even have any energy left to walk, much less find my fairy godmother.
A glance was all it took to know that there were no foods at all in this place. Any that are edible, anyway. There wasn't even berries, or bananas, or any other fruits hanging from the trees. You would think… in this forest, filled with nothing but trees, there would be a fruit tree at least.
But no. There were none. So I kept on going, trying my best to ignore the dull ache in my stomach that was then resulting from hunger as well as the run last night. I had nothing with me, not a bag, not money, not my magic book. If I didn't find Mandy soon, there was no way I was going to survive with absolutely nothing.
I searched the whole afternoon, but Mandy was still nowhere in sight. I paid attention to all the little cracks on the ground here and there and the scattering of branches on the road, hoping they might provide a clue or two. I even called into the openings of caves when I came upon them, thinking that Mandy might have been in there, still sleeping.
I had no such luck. No matter where I looked, no matter how hard I searched for her, I couldn't find even a trace of her. By then, I was feeling very much resigned and discouraged indeed, and I guess the animals around me sensed that, for as I sank down into the ground for the second time that day, rabbits, squirrels, and deer all crowded around me, looking at me questioningly with sympathetic eyes.
One of the black bunnies I saw earlier scooted closer to me, nudging my hand with its furry little nose. Its tongue rolled onto my fingers gently, and the rabbit proceeded to jump onto my shoulder and lick away the tears that were brimming in my eyes again. I scooped the bunny up into my arms and sobbed into its soft black fur.
My exhaustion, hunger, and disappointment were making me weak and helpless. I was worried to death that Mandy might not be okay, that somehow, she ended up anything but fine and dandy. I mean, really, what if she's not fine? What if in her determination to let me escape, she put herself in danger's way and was harmed? What if her magic wasn't strong enough? What if she wasn't enough of a fairy? And worse of all, what if my assumptions of fairies being able to do anything have just been as childish and untrue as everyone else's?
I had thought fairies would be able to take off this curse of mine. I had thought fairies could make the impossible happen. And maybe they could. But when I had asked Mandy to cease the rain, she had refused. Not because she couldn't do it, but because of her reluctance to mess with nature.
What if she only did what she could to let me get away, but refused to continue her magic, resulting in her getting captured?
That horrible thought, creeping into the back of my head, was too much to bear. I was scared for Mandy, for myself, and was completely bawling my head off. I knew both Mandy and Mother would have wanted me to act strong and behave like a lady in such a situation, but thinking rationally has gotten me nowhere. I had earlier convinced myself that Mandy was somewhere here, alive and well, looking for me, and where had that thought gotten me? I was back to where I started, but this time, a little worse than before since I was hungrier, dirtier, and as tired as I've ever been my entire life.
Not even my slave days at Dame Olga's house had me this worn out. At least, when I was under her and the Evil Stepsisters' control, I knew that I would always have Mandy by my side. At least I had a good meal at the end of the day and a somewhat comfortable bed to sleep on. At least I had water to wash myself in, even if I lacked good soap. At least I had never felt as lost, as confused, as empty as I did right then in what felt like was the heart of the forest.
Just as I was getting ready to give up for the day and lie down on the dirt ground to sleep the night away, in the distance, the sound of the thundering steps of hoofs and wheels slowly approaching reached my ears. I sat up abruptly, trying to discern what this could mean. When I finally figured out that someone was actually was coming, that I was close enough to the outside of this woods and the real road that I could hear it, I immediately jumped up and began running toward the sound.
I brushed away the branches that thrashed at my face. I paid no heed to the rocks and tree stumps on the ground that tripped me several times. I didn't care that there was an all new cramp in the side of my stomach. All I knew was that I had to get to the carriage in time. That was my only hope.
At last, I reached the edge of the forest, panting and feeling as if my lungs would explode. Standing by the side of the road, I watched the wagon approaching. It was still rather far away, just a little more than the size of a matchbox in the distance. Still, it was going at full speed this way and not too long after it was close enough that I could make out how many horses there were and that there was one driver dressed in a laborer's clothes.
I guess seeing it that close was when I realized how stupid I was being. What was I going to do, jump into the middle of the road and demand the wagon to stop? Shout to the driver as he's passing by that I'm lost and need help? He'll no doubt think I'm some kind of a call girl looking for action.
I stepped back into the woods and watched with growing anticipation as the carriage drew nearer and nearer. I bite my lower lip and chided myself not to cry, that nothing good will come out of getting the driver to notice me. But I couldn't do it. Tears were swimming around in my eyes and soon cascaded down my face like huge crystals, falling down to the ground.
The sudden movement to my left startled me out of my wits, and I noted with horror as one of the black rabbits darted to the middle of the road, just sitting there calmly. It turned its shining, beady black eyes on me, cocked its tiny head to one side, and looked out toward the approaching wagon again. I was completely stunned, thinking the bunny was suffering from temporary insanity or something.
"Here here, little hare," I whispered, holding my hands out. "Come back to the forest. Come on, hurry, it's heading straight for you!"
The rabbit was paying me no attention at all. It still sat in the middle of the road, not moving an inch. I was getting frantic. With every looming second, the carriage came closer and closer, until it was approximately only five feet away.
I made up my mind at the last minute. Just as the cart was getting ready to consume the poor little thing, I dashed out from my hiding place to the other side of the road, picking up the bunny on the way. My haste and momentum had me lying in a heap on the other side, my face completely in the dust.
I rolled over and was seeing stars above me when I faintly heard the sound of the horse hoofs stopping. After a few faithful seconds, I could make out the shape of a body before me, looking down at me with a surprisingly worried expression on his face. The person laid a comforting hand behind my head and lifted me up gently. Holding me in his arms, he wiped wisps of hair away from my face and spoke to me softly.
"Miss? Are you all right?"
I could hardly move at all. I was still dizzy and feeling quite faint, but I did manage a small nod. I was really surprised at how kind his tone was, how his voice sounded urgent and worried and guilty and anxious at the same time. I gazed up at him and was met with the most amazing pair of gray eyes I have ever seen. At the time they were smoky, like an early morning fog that hasn't entirely dissipated yet. But it gave me the notion that they weren't always that color, that they sometimes were dark like the smoke erupting from a chimney, or at times as light as the cirrus clouds high up in the sky.
Just seeing those eyes seemed to calm me somehow. They were soothing, just like his voice. He was talking to me again, saying something that I didn't have the energy to comprehend. I merely looked at him, much too tired to do anything else.
"Miss? Please, you've got to answer me. Who are you? Where are you from? What could you have possibly be doing in the Forbidden Forest?"
He sounded more urgent than anything else now. I blinked and tried to sit up to answer his questions. I didn't want to just lie in his arms all day, appearing like a needy girl who can't take care of herself.
"I'm Ella," I choked out, deliberately leaving out the "of Frell" part. "Please, can you take me to the nearest town?"
I expected the guy to shower me with more questions. I expected him to demand some answers before he granted any of my requests. I really did. I mean, isn't that how it's supposed to be? Who in their right mind would just take a random girl he comes across and help her without knowing anything?
Apparently, this guy would. I was grateful for it, too. In my state right then, I couldn't think straight, much less think up of a story to feed him. Thankfully, he didn't ask any more questions. Taking one last worried look at my face, he wordlessly picked me up off the ground and carried me to the carriage. He held me as if I weighed nothing at all, and I felt as light as a feather in his arms. I was acutely aware of the ruggedness of his body, the callous on his fingers.
When we reached the carriage, he swept aside the curtain and gently placed me on one of the seats. I got in as comfortable a position as I could, lying down on the mattress and placing my hands on top of my stomach.
That was when I realized I was clutching the black bunny. After I rescued it from being run down by the cart, I hadn't acknowledged that it was still with me. Smiling a bit, I brought it up to my face and nuzzled its fur, the softness of it comforting me.
"It won't be long before we reach the nearest town, Miss. Will you be all right?"
His face appeared above me, a troubled frown visible on his rough features. I remember thinking how nice and sweet and new it was, a complete stranger worrying himself over me.
"Please, call me Ella," I spoke quietly. "I'm fine. Just a bit dizzy, that's all. I'll be okay in just a few minutes."
I smiled at him as a reassurance, and he smiled back, murmuring something about taking me to a doctor as he disappeared to the front of the carriage. Soon, we were moving, well on our way.
During the ride, I drifted in and out of conscious several times. I was so tired, wanting a more comfortable space to sleep on. My body ached even more than before, and my stomach was grumbling louder than ever. At the times I was awake, all I thought of was how much I needed food. That, and some other things, I guess.
Finally, about a couple of hours later, the wheels stopped rolling and I felt the carriage halt. I sat up, feeling somewhat disoriented. I clutched the bunny, who had been quiet during the whole journey, tighter and closer to my body. Looking down at it, I was startled to see that it perhaps wasn't a rabbit at all… it actually looked part ferret also.
"Ella?" The gentleman swept aside the curtains and poked his head in. "We're here."
He reached for my hand. I extended my left one, transferring the rabbit/ferret to my shoulder. His grip was strong, sure. My hand felt clammy and small in his.
He led me down to the ground slowly, placing me upright as I stumbled. I mumbled my thanks, and when I finally stopped blushing enough to look up, I was startled to see the silhouette of a beautiful town, outlined by the diminishing lights of the day.
I turned toward him expectantly. He smiled at me and started walking, his hand still in mine.
"Welcome to Bast, Ella."
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A/n- Next chapter will be in Char's point of view. And the one after that will be in Ella's. And then it'll be Char's again. And so on…
'Kay… review?
