Chapter 3:

~Fine's POV~

I panicked. There was no way out? How was I supposed to go back?

I jumped off the bed and started for the door, then tripped over who-knows-what, and, arms flailing wildly, fell toward a full-length mirror. I had just enough time to look up before the impact I was sure was going to happen. What I saw chilled me to the bone: a white dress imprinted into the mirror, just floating there. Added to my fear of ghosts, I would have fainted again if I wasn't getting ready for the big crash…that never happened.

Instead there was a sort of feeling passing through me like when you step into water from air. It felt as if in slow-motion. Then I hit the floor for real.

But when I looked up, I wasn't in the bedroom anymore. I was in a circular space with mirrors, big and small, floating eerily around. I thought I heard the ticking of a clock somewhere.

Looking back, I could see the mirror from which I came here, but instead of showing my reflection like the other mirrors, it showed the bedroom I was in just a second ago. I shivered. Could this be a…

…parallel mirror world? I thought.

Slowly getting freaked out, I looked down and saw…nothing. There was no floor, even though I was somehow standing after getting up from my sprawling position. I took a few tentative steps forward. The tap-tap of my shoes' heels echoed around the place.

Heels?

I wasn't wearing heels. I gasped. I was wearing the ghostly white dress reflected in the mirror before I fell in. Now that I thought about it, it wasn't so ghostly after all; in fact, it was kind of pretty. The only kind of decoration on it seemed to be the endless amount of sparkles twinkling over the whole thing. Apparently I'd switched shoes, too. Now I had on some plain white flats with a little bit of heels.

On a hunch, I touched my hair. It was the same style of curls like when I used to transform into the magical me.

The ticking-clock sound grew louder.

What am I going to do? I thought. The mysteries just kept piling up.

The ticking grew louder again so that I had to cover my ears.

Suddenly something—I have no idea what—swerved down from above and came charging toward me. I realized just in time, and with a quick yelp, fell backwards through the full-length mirror and into the bedroom.

Breathing hard, I glanced around. Everything was silent and the mirror reflected things like it normally should. I was still wearing the dress.

I quickly pulled myself up and reached for the doorknob. Hurrying out the door (and without even bothering to close it), I ran down the hallways filled with warm yellow light.

~Normal POV~

Not knowing which way to go, Fine opened every door she came upon until she finally opened one that led outside the palace.

Relieved that she could escape, she ran across the snowflake path, then slowly stopped as she noticed a building the shape of a dome beside the path in what appeared to be the palace garden.

"Meet us in the royal Snow-dome…" The words rang in her head.

Backing up, she walked along the crystal-covered ground, reaching the door of the dome. Pushing it open, she stuck her head inside and marveled at all the different plants she'd never seen before. The Snow-dome was like a greenhouse, only the plants bloomed in winter. Standing in the doorway, Fine wondered if this kingdom ever had spring.

"Come in," Someone said from the back of the dome.

Taking baby steps, she cautiously stepped forward to find the boy/prince sitting at a round ice table, sipping tea.

The boy gestured for her to sit, and Fine sat down, staring at the steaming hot tea.

The boy gave her a look and explained, "Just because we live in a cold environment doesn't mean we eat cold food all the time."

Embarrassed again, Fine said, "Right, sorry."

She'd never felt like this before in front of a boy. Most cases, she would've just laughed it off, but now, her face was getting slightly redder and she turned her head away.

The boy smiled inwardly, and then said, "Here, have some tea. I'm Akihiko. The others couldn't arrive today so you'll meet them tomorrow. You probably want to ask a lot of questions, but I'll explain later. Right now we need to discuss our wedding."

Fine spit out her tea, dropped her cup, and knocked her chair back all at the same time as she abruptly stood up, hands clutching the edge of the table.

"What?"

Calmly, Akihiko replied, "Don't you remember me?"

He waited patiently as Fine took a trip down Memory Lane.