The Enchanted Forest. I had been born here, and visited a little when a was 2-3. But mostly, we'd stayed away. They said it was unsafe. And I suppose they were right. This was where it had all happened. I preferred the Land Without Magic. I wanted to go back there. Even if Charlotte wasn't there anymore. At least there were no ogres or dragons or potions or curses. Also, I'd been told that I had powers yet to be discovered. And being back here, in my homeland, well... I didn't want to know what they were.
...
About 2 weeks after we arrived, I was walking through the forest, foraging for food, when I ran into none other than... Baelfire. I inwardly cursed. Of all the people in all the world, it had to be my brother. I'd wanted to speak to my Papa first.
"Hello", he said, surprised.
"Hey", I replied.
"What are you doing in the forest on your own?", he asked.
"I could ask the same of you."
"I'm looking for someone. You?"
"I'm looking for someone too."
"Oh really? Who?"
"My Papa."
"Your..."
"Yes. My Papa. I haven't seen him in over a century."
He looked at me abruptly.
"A century? Were you in..."
"Neverland? Yes, Bae, I was."
"How - how do you know my name?"
"Wendy told me all about you. How you went to Neverland for her. It's just like what I did for Charlotte."
"Who's Charlotte?"
"Um... no one. Anyway, I'm Elizabeth."
"Well, nice to meet you, Elizabeth. Why... why do you look so familiar?"
I inwardly cursed again. I'd forgotten that I looked just like my mother... our mother. "I guess I just have one of those faces", I tried.
"No, that's not it..." He gasped. "You look just like my mother!"
I tried to keep a neutral expression, but I probably conveyed something like Oh crap, he knows.
"Elizabeth, what are you not telling me?"
"I'll tell you, but I wanted to talk to my Papa first."
"Who is he?"
"You'll see. Who are you looking for?"
"Belle. She disappeared... again."
"Again?"
"It's been happening all week. I'm getting worried..."
"Well, I'm a good tracker. I bet I could find her."
"Allright."
And with that, my unknowing but slightly suspicious brother and I set off to find Belle, and I wondered how the hell to keep this secret from him.
...
After a while, my tracking skills proved handy and we saw Belle chatting with another woman. Bae seemed to know her.
"Mulan..."
"Why are they talking?"
"I have no idea", Bae replied.
I figured Mulan was a member of Robin Hood's Merry Men, as I could see them just over the ridge. As for Belle... I guessed they had some sort of history. They got up. Suddenely, I had a flash - a vision. But it wasn't the past. I ran as fast as I could to Belle and yelled, "Run!"
She just looked confused, so I pushed her out of the way.
"What the -" Before Belle could finish speaking, the area where she had just been standing burst into flame. She looked at me, a terrified look in her eyes.
"How did you -"
"My guess", I replied, "Is that this is one of those 'yet to be discovered powers' that I've been told about."
"By who?"
"Does it matter?"
"Um... yes!"
"Peter Pan."
Her face turned as white as chalk. Just then, Bae came out of the forest.
"Belle!", he said, "This is Elizabeth."
"Nice - nice to meet you", she said.
"You too", I replied. I realized that Belle probably bore a strong animosity to both my parents, so it was rather awkward for me to be exchanging formalities.
"How do you know Mulan?", Bae asked.
Belle looked over at her. "Oh, she's just an old friend." Mulan smiled.
"We should get back", said Bae, "Elizabeth, you coming?"
"Of course. Like I said, I've been waiting over a century to see my Papa again. And the fact that he doesn't remember I exist is only a minor setback."
"He... what?"
"He drank a potion so he would forget about me."
"Why?"
"To keep me safe from his enemies. That's why he dropped me off in the Land Without Magic. And I'd been hoping...", I said, looking around, "Never to see this place again."
"I'm with you there", Bae said, "But who is your father?"
I sighed and looked at him. "Well, Baelfire, you'll just have to see."