~Chapter 41~

Noella

This woman circled us like a lion would a deer. Joel pushed me behind him defensively as he looked angrily upon this woman. His body language said it all because clearly this woman was no ally.

"What are you doing here?" Joel growled.

"Oh I'm checking in...same thing you should be doing." The Nightingale jeered.

"Stop this!" Joel shouted, "Leave us alone!"

"She doesn't like to be kept waiting." The Nightingale said.

I looked at Joel curiously because clearly I wasn't in the know.

"You have a job to do Huntsman." The Nightingale smirked.

"What job?" I asked growing more and more frustrated.

"Corissa would like our company in the new province." The Nightingale said suddenly.

At hearing that name, my heart stopped and I felt sick. Maybe I had hallucinated up until this point.

"What name did you just say?" I asked the woman.

"It's Corissa." She replied with a sneer, "He was assigned to kill you." She said looking at me smirking, "Ah, I think I've said too much."

Joel quickly threw a knife in her direction, but she disappeared before another word was spoken. He grumbled under his breath looking frustrated before taking a calm breath looking at me.

"What did she mean, Joel?"

"Noella…" He said calmly coming toward me.

"No, don't come any closer!" I snapped angrily.

A thousand emotions were flooding through my mind and I think my brain was having trouble processing even a single one. It was too much all at one time. I took a few steps forward and snatched the knife that he threw at that Nightingale woman moments ago. Defensively, I pointed the blade toward him while my hands were trembling. Right now, I was no credible threat, but I wanted answers and those could only come from the man I love.

"Do you know who Corissa is, Joel?" I snapped.

"I'm her huntsman." Joel replied glumly as if he was ashamed of the title. "I was tasked to gain your trust and snuff out your light."

"To kill me." I corrected.

Joel sighed heavily rubbing his hand through his hair agitatedly.

"Yes…" Joel replied simply, "But once I got to know you...things began to change and it wasn't a job anymore. I fell in love with you."

"Once you got to know me?" I said throwing down the knife, "So if we didn't get to know each other at all over the past months, you would have slit my throat. Is that it?"

"I didn't have a choice." Joel mumbled.

"There's always a choice, Joel." I snapped.

"She has my parents and was going to kill them unless I became her huntsman. I know it's complicated, but I told you so now you know."

"It's complicated?" I asked raising an accusatory brow, "That Nightingale woman or whoever she is I don't want to know, told me the truth before you did."

"I was going to. She just unfortunately beat me to it." Joel replied rationally.

I started pacing cupping my face in my hands.

"Well, here's another truth Joel. Corissa is my mom." I said quickly.

"What?"

"Uh huh, so extra points of betrayal for you, Joel." I snapped. "First, not only were you trying to kill me from the beginning...you actually knew my mom this whole time and kept it from me."

"Whoa, hold on. Corissa never mentioned family and you never told me your mother's name. So to be fair, I didn't know." Joel reasoned.

I was so mad, I didn't even know how to process these feelings.

"Well, I guess my goal is to find my mom still and maybe this Elsa woman that the mirror mentioned can help me." I turned my back to Joel and headed for one of the horses.

"Come on Noella, let's go together. My wanting to help you has never changed." Joel insisted coming from behind. I stopped dead in my tracks listening to his steps approaching behind me. Finally, I turned around with my fists clenched.

"Noella, I meant what I said before. I love you and that hasn't changed. Let me make this right." Joel pressed.

With tears in my eyes, I spun around quickly striking Joel across the face. He looked stunned, but he deserved it.

"You hurt me and I want you to get away from me." I growled as tears streamed down my cheeks.

"Noella…" Joel pleaded.

"Go!" I yelled.

I turned around and there was Eugene staring blankly at us wondering what had happened.

"What's with you guys?" He asked, "I leave you alone for a couple of days and now you're at each other's throats? What gives?"

This had been a bang up week for me. We get to Agrabah, help Aladdin and Jasmine out, Joel and I kiss and he tells me he loves me, and finally admits to being part of a plot to kill me. Love and betrayal all in the same week. This was impossibly sad even for me. The first relationship I truly had invested in and put myself out there for actually wanted to kill me. Great Noella...just great. I walked up to Eugene patting him on the shoulder.

"I'll explain later." I nodded.

I walked right by Joel not looking him in the eye hopping in the horses' saddle.

"Noella." Joel muttered.

"I told you to go, Joel." I mumbled trying to stuff my emotions, but my eyes couldn't lie.

"I'll go, but I insist that Eugene goes with you." Joel replied.

Eugene looked at us both confused by all that was happening, but Joel simply walked up to him patting him on the shoulder.

"Take care of her." He nodded before walking away.

"What about a horse?" Eugene called out.

Joel bent down picking up his knife without facing us.

"I'll find another. Goodbye Noella." Joel replied with his back to us and walked off in the opposite direction. I was angry sure, but part of me wanted Joel to look back at me just once. He never did honoring my wishes I suppose.

"Goodbye Joel." I whispered.

Corissa

Once that barrier fell, it was time to move. I sent my Nightingale to go check in with my Huntsman because I was ready for that woman to be eliminated. The light within in her was so strong, it was almost tangible. She had been a thorn in my side long enough. The mother inside my head was becoming quite the nuisance especially with her daughter's death imminent. I silenced her voice the best I could. I hoped that once her daughter was gone, she would vanish too. With all these thoughts of family floating around in my head, I glanced at my sister Kadri, a once powerful enchantress, now a weak prisoner of mine. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

The Nightingale gave me her report through the mirror I had given her. Joel had failed me. My suspicions warned me of his loyalty, but I had high hopes that he wouldn't be a complete disappointment. He would regret double-crossing me. I requested my Nightingale meet me in the new province, which I would track her to her specific location using the mirror. A change needed to be made and I quickly summoned my other Huntsman, Kaleb.

"You called, mistress?" Kaleb said as he came into the room.

"Your brother has failed me." I growled tapping my staff on the stone ground harshly.

"Typical." Kaleb scoffed.

"Joel is a grave disappointment to me, pray you don't make the same mistake." I warned.

Kaleb bowed his head in acknowledgement and kissed the top of my hand.

"I hear and obey, mistress." Kaleb said coldly.

As Kaleb left, I glanced around my dark, ruined castle and took a breath.

"It's time to leave this foreboding place." I said aloud to my various servants and guards, "The final province that Noella so graciously made available is where I plan to stay."

My mirror mentioned to me of a queen of that final province. I would have to give her a warm greeting. Summoning forth a powerful spell, I swept my staff across the room and everything and everyone in the room froze and were pulled into the orb on the top of my staff. This made moving so much easier. I then teleported myself to that distant province of such an intense climate. Passing beyond the barrier, I followed the light I felt, but similar to my Nightingale, this light was fighting against something dark. The Nightingale was dealing with loss at the time I found her, but this light was dealing with immense fear. However, the light remained supreme and found my way to a unique residence of high elevations. I burst through the front doors taking immediate notice of all the intricate architecture. My host descended the glossy stairs to greet me.

"Who are you?" She asked, "Nevermind...it doesn't matter. Just go home now." She said angrily.

"But I am home." I said coldly.

AN: Gosh, this chapter was an emotional ride, huh? I outlined this betrayal moment over a month ago and it turned out better than I had originally outlined. Love it when that happens! ;D

Anyways, the final province awaits...the final mirror to find...and of course Noella reuniting with Corissa. Stay tuned readers! All the traffic in views really encourage me to whip out content that much quicker. You all rock!