Chapter 3:
In the middle of the afternoon of Emma's fourth day in Storybrook, she called Bella and told her that she was right, that she was going to stay in town longer, maybe even for good. She had accepted the job of Deputy that Sheriff Graham had offered her the previous day and so Bella promised to come as soon as possible with everything.
She could write her books from anywhere and after what Emma told her about the little town, she couldn't wait to see it. Maybe it would inspire her to make her series of book longer.
Packing wasn't very long because Emma and Bella didn't own much. A few boxes of clothes, shoes and accessories, some pictures… Bella sold everything else and once everything was in her car, which was thankfully bigger than Emma's bug, she went on the road and drove straight to Storybrook, following Emma's directions.
She found it quickly and parked in front of the building Emma was staying in with Mary-Margaret. It was late afternoon and both women were home, waiting for her. As she got out of her car and grabbed a bag, Bella couldn't help but feel like she was being watched but then again, in a town this small and isolated, it was usual, even in non cursed places.
Bella was quickly introduced to Emma's new friend and Mary-Margaret invited her to stay in the loft with them.
"Thank you, it's very nice but I think it'll be too small for three grown women. I'll stay at the Bed and Breakfast until I can find another place." Bella declined politely.
"Are you sure Bella?" Emma asked.
"I'm sure. Don't worry."
"But we've never lived apart from each other since we moved in together after… Phoenix." Emma reminded Bella.
"It's not like we'll be apart Emma. I'll be right down the street."
"I'm sure we can make room…" Mary-Margaret offered.
"It's nice of you to offer but after what Emma told me about the Bed and Breakfast, I think it will be good for my inspiration. I've got a good feeling about this." Bella smiled.
"At least stay here tonight. It's getting late." Mary-Margaret insisted and Bella nodded while she helped unload Emma's boxes out of the car and gave her friend her half of the money from the sale of their furniture.
.
The next morning, Bella went with Emma to get breakfast at Granny's dinner, where Henry was supposed to meet them before school.
Bella went to the counter and was about to ask the old woman if they had free rooms and if she could rent one but the woman opened wide eyes before she said anything.
"You're… you're Isabella Swan! You're here in my dinner and you're Isabella Swan! You're here!"
"I am… How do you know me?" Bella asked her, surprised.
She knew that word traveled fast in small towns but this fast? How could anyone know her name yet?
"I've read all of your books, I'm a big fan! I'm the widow Lucas but everyone calls me Granny. What can I do for you Miss Swan?" It was amusing for Bella to see such an old woman act like a fan girl but she hid her amusement.
"Please, call me Bella. I was wondering if I could rent one of your rooms. I think this place will inspire me for my next books." Bella felt flattered that someone here knew her books and her work.
"Of course, I'll bring you back your key right away. Half off on everything, room, food, drink… Anything you want is half off, for as long as you stay in town." The old woman told Bella.
"Thank you. What if I decide to move in town permanently?" Bella asked her with a smile.
"Then you'll have half price forever." Granny replied with a gentle smile, making Bella smile a thank you before she gave the woman her breakfast order.
Granny came back later with the women's order and the key to Bella's room. Bella paid for everything and they explained to Henry, who had just arrived, that Granny was, apparently, one of Bella's fans.
Henry seemed happy to see Bella in town and he was convinced that she would help him make Emma believe. He reminded Bella of one of the young heroes of her books.
"I have to go to school but here, take the book and read it. I'm sure you'll believe afterwards." Henry assured Bella, handing her a large book before running off to catch his bus.
Bella vaguely heard Emma telling her that she was going to work but she couldn't move. From the moment her eyes landed on the book, it was like they were glued to it. It was placed on the table and she felt the urge to touch it, to read it whole, to hold it for as long as possible.
As soon as she touched it, with the tip of her fingers at first and her whole hand soon after, it was like every dream she had ever made in her life, every fairy tales and every story suddenly made sense.
She couldn't explain it but as soon as she touched the book, she couldn't let go and she felt a rush of familiarity come through her, like she had seen it or had held it before. The faded memory of a long forgotten dream came back to the surface… It was the man with the deep voice, walking pass her with the large book in his reassuring hands.
Henry was right. Bella didn't need to open the book to know it. The curse was real and Emma really was living with her mother.
"Are you alright there?" A young woman with a name tag labeled as "Ruby" asked her with concern.
"Red." Bella replied when she looked at the woman in front of her.
"What? Are you alright?" Ruby asked her once more.
"Yes, thank you. Sorry, I can get lost in my head sometimes. Can I have another cup of coffee please?"
"Of course." Ruby smiled.
Bella opened the book and it fell in the middle, with a picture of Snow White and Prince Charming meeting for the first time. Curious, Bella turned to the last page and sure enough, a baby named Emma was drawn. She was about to turn it back to the first page to start reading the book when more printing, on the very last page, caught her attention.
It was a small paragraph, kind of like it was announcing another book from the same collection with the title and author not printed yet. She decided to read that part first.
"He didn't have a choice but to send his daughter away to safety so he made sure that she'd always be close to the savior, Emma, with whom she was always destined to be friends. Together, they'd be stronger and always able to help the other one stand back up after being knocked down.
The price of his baby girl's safety was high but she'd be safe and that was the most important to him. She'd have magic, powerful white magic like the Savior, to protect herself and would never be alone for too long because of their friendship that was written in the stars.
He could handle a little heartache, he could handle being deprived of his sun, of his joy, as long as he knew that she was safe because he knew that once the curse was broken, once she and the savior accepted their powers to the fullest, someone would look for him and reunite them. She wouldn't be able to look for him herself, no matter how hard she wanted to, but the Truest believer would and he'd hold his daughter in his arms again.
Before her 31st birthday, he'd hold his beloved daughter Bella in his arms again."
Bella couldn't believe her eyes… There was no other name but her own at the end but did this mean that she had a father who loved her? Were her dreams real? Did he send her away to keep her safe from the woman with the cruel laughter? Was this woman Regina, the Evil Queen or someone else?
Fairy tales didn't lack in females villains from Regina to Maleficent, the blind witch, snow queens, red queens, Cruella or even Ursulla and so many others that she might not know yet.
Bella's head was filled with so many questions and theories, she took the book and, after settling in her room at the Bed and Breakfast, she started reading it, taking notes in an empty notebook as she did on different people, events and facts that she wanted to remember.
. The Sorcerer's thoughts.
All I have to do is look at my baby's face to know that the book worked on her and that she believes.
Good.
It will make everything that much easier on the Savior. The curse would be broken sooner and I'd be reunited with my daughter that much faster. Finally free, able to spend time with my daughter and guide Arthur on his right path to making Camelot the kingdom it's destined to be.
I was proud of Bella. She had become a writer and, having read her books, I couldn't help the pride that grew in me. She was talented and knew how to tell a tale that captivated the reader's attention until the very end. Her interest in books was what convinced me that a magical Storybook would help Henry keep hope and get him to find his mother.
Maybe she'd agree to take on the role of the next Author once we're reunited. It seems to be perfect for her. She'd be able to hold that role until Henry was old enough to take over.
I'm not sure how I feel about my daughter living alone at the Bed and Breakfast while Emma is with Snow White but she seems confident that she'll be happy. It's not like there's much I can do anyway.
As Bella sat down on her new bed and started reading the book, I held on to the one I was currently writing and closed my eyes, imagining me by her side, reading it to her.
One day...
.
Regina wasn't a happy woman. Not only did Emma Swan stay in town and was slowly taking over Henry's affection but now she had brought someone else in town. How was she even able to enter the town when it was magically protected? She should have crashed at the limit, unable to go trough. The only possibility was that she was magical as well, that she was from a land with magic.
Was it possible that Snow and her love had had twins instead of one girl? They didn't look similar enough to be twins or blood sister, their only thing in common seemed to be their age and size... One was blond, the other one a brunette... While it was obvious to anyone who knew her parents that Emma looked like them, Bella had nothing in common with Snow and Charming.
Who else could she be? Pinocchio was missing in town, he had never been under the curse but he could simply be a puppet stuck at the bottom of a trunk and he was a boy anyway, so he wasn't Bella.
Thinking hard about any child missing in town when the curse was cast, Regina couldn't come up with anything.
Cinderella had been pregnant before the curse but she had given birth days after Emma got to town, so that child couldn't be Emma's friend.
Didn't Rumpelstiltskin have a child a long time ago? She didn't know much about that child except that the Dark One had created this curse to find it. She tried hard to remember if she knew the gender of his child and had the vague memory of hearing that it had been a boy. But if that was the truth, then who was Bella?
Who were her parents and how was she able to go in town?
"Sydney, I need you to look in Miss Swan's friend who just came in town. I've heard that she's a writer, I want you to procure her books and a copy of every interview she's ever had. Maybe I'll find answers to my questions in them." Regina ordered over the phone.
"What kind of information do you want me to look for?" Sydney asked her, knowing better than to argue.
"Her parents, I want to know who they are, who she is. I want to know everything there is to know about her life and I want to know if she's here to help Emma Swan take Henry away from me." Regina replied.
"Very well Mayor Mills, I'll have it for you as soon as possible." Sydney replied before he hung up, going straight to work while Regina smiled in satisfaction, knowing that the job would be done and that she'd soon have her answers.
I hope you liked it. The last part about Regina is new.
A little (or big) review, please?
Lorelei Candice Black