Chapter 3: Birthday Gifts & Secret Weapons

Three Days Before Amanda's Trial

"Oh come on Willa! Take it!" Finn's best friend held out a necklace with the royal family crest on it to her. "It's the perfect birthday present!"

"But I'm not apart of the royal family!" She crossed her arms. "It'd be false advertising."

"Oh who cares about those big fancy words! After Wanda you're the closest thing I have to family."

"That's not true and you know it!"

"I'm being serious! You're like the little sister I never had! I don't care if you're related to me or not. I will treat you like a sister and you will like it!"

"Is that an order?" Isabel uncrossed her arms and walked toward Finn. "Did you just order me to do something Finn?"

"I'm the prince after all." Finn's smile stretched across his face. "And you're not."

Isabel laughed. "Of all the things to order me to do, you order me to let you treat me like a sister? That's like the worst order in the world! I know you can do better than that!"

"Fine! I order you to take this necklace as a birthday gift from me!" He extended her hand out, dangling the necklace from his fingers.

"Fine!" Isabel grabbed the necklace from his hand and placed it around her neck. "Happy now your highness?"

"Are you mocking me Lady Isabel?" Finn squinted his eyes to glare at her.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Isabel smiled innocently and walked past Finn. "Now if you don't hurry we have a lesson to get to."

"But it's geography! Who needs to know about that?" Finn whined from behind her. Isabel turned around.

"You never know Finn. You might get stuck in the woods all by yourself. And if you don't pay attention in this lesson today, you might be lost forever."

"Me? Lost?" Finn laughed. "That would never happen." Isabel rolled her eyes and continued down the hallway toward the classroom. "Why would I even be in the woods by myself anyway?"

Isabel awoke with a start. That was the day before the rebel raids—her last memory with her only friend, Prince Finnegan. Ever since her father had bought himself a royal title, Isabel had become a student under the same tutor as the prince. Not long after beginning lessons there, the two had become friends—but their relationship never went past that point, despite her parents' hopes. To Isabel, Finn was a brother, not a potential husband. She didn't want to be a queen, and Finn respected that.

All of the memories flooded back into Isabel's head, causing her to cry. She missed her best friend, her family, and her old life. For four years she had been locked in a cell with little food and water. Human contact extended as far as the two guards and Maleficent herself.

The cell door opened and in stepped the rebel leader herself. The room instantly got colder.

"Well, well Isabel. Seems we've kept the tears to a minimum today."

"Why am I still alive? Why put me through four years of torture?"

She laughed. "Why dear, you're going to stay in her until the time is right."

"And when is that?" Isabel said sarcastically.

"When Prince Finnegan is finally dead."

Isabel stood up so fast she got a tad bit dizzy, but she quickly dismissed the feeling. "You said he was dead four years ago! That he was killed in the rebel raid along with the king and queen!"

"I might have stretched the truth. Any threat to my power will not be tolerated."

Isabel moved closer to Maleficent until the she was face to face with the rebel leader. "If he's still alive, that means there's still hope for the kingdom! You can still be defeated!"

"I will NEVER be defeated! I'd bet my life on that!"

"If Prince Finnegan is alive…" Isabel's smile had never been this big. "I guess that means you're a dead woman."

Maleficent slapped Isabel so hard that she hit the floor.

"You must learn to control that tongue of yours Isabel. Traitors are not dealt with kindly in my kingdom." Maleficent turned and stormed out of the cell.

Isabel sat up and leaned against the wall of the cell so that she could watch the cell door. If Finn has really been alive all this time, there's hope after all! For the first time in four years she finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. This could be her chance at getting her life back.

"Psssh! Wake up!"

Isabel sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Psssh! Over here!"

Isabel looked over at the ajar cell door. In the doorway she saw a young woman in a long green cape that covered her face. Isabel figured she couldn't be more than seventeen or eighteen years old. A small part of her raven black hair was showing, contrasting her pale skin.

"If you want to get out of here, I'd get moving if I were you! We have a very small window of time here!"

Isabel sprang up and followed the woman out of the cell. Slowly and quietly the two made their way through the secret passageways of the castle in order to get out, as the young woman promised.

Once safely one hundred yards into the woods beyond the castle, the young woman stopped. She reached into her cape and pulled a small leather bag, a canteen and a dagger out and handed them to Isabel.

"Take these. Inside the bag is enough money to buy yourself food for about a week."

"Why are you doing this?"

"I want Maleficent out of here as much as the next person, but we need Prince Finnegan to do it. You're the closest thing he has to family left."

"Oh, you must be mistaken. I'm not really royal."

"Then why are you wearing the royal family crest around your neck?" The young woman pointed to the necklace on Isabel's neck.

"A friend gave it to me for my birthday…"

"So if you're not of royal blood, did you even know Prince Finnegan?"

"Of course! We had the same tutor! My parents insisted on the best education for me."

"Well that's all that matters."

"What? That I got a good education?"

"No." She shook her head to signal that Isabel wasn't catching on to what she was suggesting. "That you know Prince Finnegan."

"Why is that important?"

"You need to find him and convince him to come back and fight for the throne."

"ME? Why would he listen to me?" Isabel crossed her arms in protest. "Besides, where is he? How am I supposed to find him?"

"That's your problem, not mine." The young woman said defensively. "I got you out here and gave you enough supplies to do so. The sooner the better, Isabel. Maleficent's reign of terror can't last much longer."

The young woman turned back toward the castle.

"I didn't catch your name!" Isabel yelled after her rescuer.

"That's because I didn't give it!" The young woman stopped, but did not turn around to face Isabel. "All that's important is finding Prince Finnegan."

Isabel stood there with the items the young woman had handed her. She didn't know where to even begin in the search for Finn. He could be anywhere in the world by now. He left four years ago. And then it hit her like a bucket of cold water. She almost jumped for joy. Her last dream was the clue. It was almost as if her brain knew what was coming. She knew exactly where he was: his favorite secret hideout.

The Day After Amanda's Trial

"Look who decided to be a part of the world today!" Dillard said when he saw that his friend Finn had finally woken up. Dillard was sitting by the newly kindled fire and was peeling one of the oranges.

"Is Amanda awake?"

"Nope. Should I wake her?"

"I had trouble sleeping. I had a lot to think about."

"You mean you had a lot to fantasize about."

"What are you talking about?" Finn sat down beside Dillard and took a piece of orange from him.

"You totally like Amanda. And don't even bother denying it." Finn reached in for another piece and Dillard promptly swatted his hand away.

"So what? She's a beautiful girl. How am I supposed to not like her?"

"She's a girl. Girls are moody and annoying and all they want are little babies." Dillard turned to Finn. "Not worth it man."

"If you say so. But we're stuck with her, you know. You two are outlaws now."

"Oh, and I suppose you were an outlaw before us? What are you the expert on being an outlaw?"

"Yeah, something like that." Finn said without looking up from the fire.

Before Dillard could answer, Amanda sat down on the other side of Finn.

"Morning boys."

"Morning." Dillard and Finn both said unenthusiastically.

"So what's the game plan Finn? We can't stay here for much longer."

"We can't leave!" Finn said defensively. "No one will catch us here! I've been here for years!"

"But this place is made for one person! Either we have to expand or we move on." She looked down at the ground. "I've always wanted to see the coast. I hear it's beautiful this time of year."

"You've never been to the coast Amanda?" Dillard asked. "I thought everyone had been there!"

"Not me. I've never had the luxury to leave. I only got paid in food back in the village."

"They never paid you in money?" Finn asked. "That doesn't sound right."

"Well Finn, when you're as poor as dirt and have got a sister to feed, you do whatever you can to get food. Money isn't everything you know." To Finn it seemed as if Amanda was trying to convince herself of the last part.

Dillard stifled a laugh. "Your sister? You mean—"

"Don't talk about my sister Dillard."

"It's not my fault she left—"

"Shut up Dillard." Amanda closed her eyes and spoke firmly.

"—and joined Maleficent's court—"

"I said shut up Dillard." Finn felt like he was the only one noticing that Amanda's fists were clenched.

"—and was never heard from again!"

"I said shut up!" Amanda stood up and unclenched her fists and both Dillard and Finn were sent flying back ten feet.

Finn could only stare at Amanda. She said she could do things others couldn't. Could she really be a witch? No, impossible! Witches aren't real!

"Finn…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to."

"WHAT WAS THAT?" Dillard yelled.

"I'm sorry, I just got so worked up, and I…I…"

"Amanda, what was that?" Finn asked softly.

"I…I can…push things without really touching them." Amanda looked at Finn, then glanced at the ground. "It only happens when I get all worked up and don't have time to cool down."

Finn got up and walked up to Amanda until he was right in front of her. Dillard stood still right where he had hit the ground, waiting to see what was going to happen next.

Amanda looked Finn right in the eyes and burst into tears.

"I'm so sorry. I…I didn't mean to! I just can't control it some times!"

"Is there anytime that you can control it?"

"Uh…yeah. I guess if I tried really hard." Amanda looked up at Finn, who was a few inches taller than her, and stared into his green eyes. "I'm so sorry Finn. I understand if you want me to leave."

"No." Finn answered firmly, and probably too quickly.

"What?" Dillard protested.

"Don't leave Amanda." Finn put his hands on her shoulders. "So you have powers? That could come in handy, assuming you can control it. It could be our secret weapon." Finn smiled.

"You…you really want me to stay?"

Finn nodded and pulled Amanda into a hug. After a few seconds, before Finn let go of Amanda, he looked past her and saw two people walking toward them. He immediately let go of Amanda, found his sword on the ground by the fire and pointed it out toward the two people.

"Who are you?" Finn yelled out at the two walkers.

"Prince Finnegan? Is that you?" A female voice yelled back.

Finn was too stunned to reply. No one had called him that since the night he left. He let the two approach but did not lower his sword. The two walkers looked to be his age, one female and one male. The male had red hair and was dressed in armor that Finn hadn't seen since Maleficent took over—a great sign for the rightful king. The female was in a muddy blue knee-length dress and had her brown hair pulled back in a messy braid.

"Finn?" the girl asked. "Do you remember me? I'm…Isabel Angelo, but you called me Willa. We used to take lessons together before…well you know…"

Finn lowered his sword and stared at the young woman. "Willa?"

Thanks everybody for the reviews! I didn't realize y'all would like this one as much as y'all seem too! Keep the reviews coming! I love reading them! And please be honest! I'll try to have another chapter up as soon as possible! :)