Chapter Two: The Branding
A/N: Hope you enjoy.
She shot him a look, then stepped into the forest.
He followed after her; she was sure - she could feel his presence.
There was a few minutes of silence as she pushed through the irritating grasses, not even sure where she was heading. A little annoyed, she turned and almost gasped when she realized how close he was to her - she could almost feel his breath on her face. She took a step back, feeling her cheeks warming up and smacked herself mentally. "Where - how am I supposed to know where I'm heading? Shouldn't you lead the way?"
He tilted his head to the side. "I thought your legs would eventually lead us back to the right path. You know - those magical shoes of Dorothy's..." He peered down at her boots curiously, "are they magical?"
She glared hard at him, though her cheeks were burning with embarrassment at his teasing. "You - " She suddenly realized the black glove on his right hand as he lifted it up to ruffle his hair. "What's the black glove for?"
He froze for a moment, then chuckled darkly, "I doubt you'll ever understand."
Her eyes narrowed; was he doubting her intelligence?
"Relax," he said, shrugging, his expression bored as ever, "what a temper Gretel has."
"What the hell - " She snapped, both annoyed and - sadly, amused - by his repeated reference to Hansel and Gretel.
"Gretel, learn to relax."
"My name isn't Gretel! It's Bella!"
He eyed her for a moment, his expression unreadable. "Well, follow me, Gretel."
A side of his lips tugged up to an amused smirk.
She decided to let it go, picking up her speed to follow him - he was a stranger after all; he even bothering to help her was lucky itself. She shouldn't piss him off or he might just throw her at some random abandoned place and leave her there to rot.
"Well, here we are." He stood and gestured to the cottage at the end of the path. The sky was still dark, though she deduced it to be approaching dawn. It had to be more than an hour that she was gone.
"How do you know where...?" She shot him a questioning look.
He simply shrugged. "That's a trade secret."
"Oh." Bella fidgeted a little, then mumbled, "thanks."
He looked at her from the corner of his eye, seeming to contemplate something, then turned away. Abruptly, he said, "Your friend is coming over."
Sure enough, a pixie-like figure had burst out of the cottage and had started making a run towards Bella.
He pulled up his hood and Bella stared, a little puzzled. Why was he suddenly pulling his hood up?
"Bye, Gretel," he said, stretching his arms lazily, yawning as he started back into the woods.
"Darn that was tiring," she could hear him mutter to himself. She made a silly face to his direction.
Alice bounded to her quickly, turning to see where he was but he was already gone. She opted for fussing over Bella for a few minutes as Bella tried, to no avail, to tell Alice that she was perfectly fine.
"That was - who was that guy?" Alice asked, after she made sure Bella had no injuries.
Bella opened her mouth, then closed it. "Oh, right. I didn't get to ask for his name."
"Why didn't you trust me?" Alice asked suddenly, looking a little angry as she grabbed Bella's shoulders. Her outburst didn't have a good effect on Bella; she felt her gut clench uncomfortably and tried to wriggle herself out of Alice's grasp to no avail. "You could've asked."
"You said it wasn't possible! And I was only looking around... I'm sorry." Bella struggled for a little more, feeling more and more uneasy by the sudden exclamation. It didn't seem like Alice. The latter immediately released her after she noticed her expression and looked apologetic.
Alice's face turned grim. "It's really dangerous for you to be out there - for you and me."
Bella furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"
Alice led Bella back to the cottage, her eyes darting about the area furtively, looking more disturbed than Bella would've liked.
"It is a decree by someone who holds the most power of this world - to never let a human know of our existence. If he had known I brought you back and nursed you... not only would I be in danger - you'd have a high probability of getting killed because you've broken the number one rule."
"You have a rular?"
"Three, in fact, but Aro - " Alice slammed the door shut and bolted it. "Aro is the one who wields the most power. He is absolutely dangerous and treats humans as toys, you can say."
"Toys? So he collects them? But isn't a human getting in here rather unusual?"
"Yes, it is unusual. What you've went through is most likely something called a portal, so you were there in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Sometimes our worlds manage to brush past and a passageway is opened from the connection - but it normally stays there - a few minutes, at most, before it is gone." Alice sat down on one of the wooden chairs and gestured for Bella to do same. "And in that span of that few minutes, sometimes, a human gets through it. Normally those people will end up getting captured by Aro in a short period of time."
"So.. I'm considered fortunate to be found by you then?" Bella said, a nervous edge in her voice.
Alice smiled brightly, "I guess so." Her expression darkened a little as she continued, "I don't like the way Aro operates. He is merciless - not only towards humans, but also towards his own kind. He grabs spirits, even, for his own use if they have great gifts."
"Gifts? Like you being able to manifest something out of thin air?"
"Well, yes, but that is just food - a common gift. Most spirits can do that. What I'm referring to is an additional one." She paused as she considered something, "that guy just now - did he have any brandings on him?"
"Brandings?" She exclaimed, her voice pinched with shock. "Isn't that for animals? How can there be branding? Much less on a spirit?"
"Well, it is inhumane, as you beings call it," Alice shook her head, her fist clenching on the wooden table, "he brands them to remind them that they will always be under him. They are his to control and manipulate. The brandings are normally in the shape of a triangle with the letter 'F' carved in the middle. It stands for 'Follower'. It is disgusting. Absolutely revolting."
Bella sat on her seat, too shocked to offer any soothing words to her furious friend. "No one ever tried to overturn him? Especially those under him?"
Alice shook her head. "Aro normally holds something to control them so they won't turn against him. Or the spirits themselves may just willingly serve him, under rare circumstances. However, there may be some who're brave enough to stand up to him. That is only something most can hope for."
Bella bristled visibly. "That is horrible."
Alice took a deep breath, attempting to calm herself down. "So? Did he have any brandings?"
She thought back hard, then shook her head. "I don't remember seeing any."
Alice tapped her chin. "I hope he didn't have it hidden anywhere else."
"If he is under Aro, he may report us to them!" Bella exclaimed, suddenly realizing why Alice was so worried.
Alice nodded, "I'm glad you caught on fast."
"Is it not safe here anymore?" Bella asked, a little guilty. If she had not wandered out at night, everything would have been fine. "Would he send people here after us?"
Alice reached over and patted Bella's hand reassuringly. "I'd be able to know if that happens. Before it does, I'd bring you someplace safe."
"How would you be able to know?" Bella inquired, her voice quivering as she thought of what might happen because of her carelessness. Alice was probably just trying to make her feel better. She felt tears welling up in her eyes and berated herself for being so weak. She forced the lump in her throat back down. "I'm so sorry, Alice. I not only intruded in your life - and now I'm endangering you as well. I'm so, so, sorry."
Alice glared at her, "Stop apologizing, you idiot. I told you I will know it if that happens, so believe me. Don't fret when nothing has happened."
Yet. Bella added silently. She nodded and Alice gave her hand a gentle squeeze before she withdrew.
"Now, are you hungry?"
Bella shook her head. "Thanks, but no. I am still a little tired because of yesterday.."
"Oh, right, go on, head to bed! Tell me if you need anything, all right?" Alice said cheerfully as if the previous talk hadn't taken place. She admired Alice for her strength and kindness. She didn't know if she would be able to take in a stranger and sacrifice her life for one.
"Thanks so much, Alice." Bella smiled at the pixie, more than touched. "This really means a lot."
"Oh, Bella, stop the formalities," Alice said as she laughed, "we're friends now, aren't we?"
Bella stood there for a moment, then her eyes crinkled a little. "Yes. Friends."
Alice watched as Bella slid under the covers, and slipped into a peaceful slumber almost immediately. Her smile disappeared in a flash and she opened the nearest window, peering out as a worried expression overtook her face. She rubbed the back of her neck absentmindedly and pushing her spiky hair up in the process as she sighed heavily, then pushed her hair back down to hide a triangular mark.
Bella shot up from bed, her forehead drenched with sweat, her breathing ragged as she attempted to calm herself down.
She actually dreamt of the model-like guy and Alice chasing after her... She shook her head hard and pulled the blankets around her and drew her legs to her chest, taking deep breaths. "Calm down, Bella, calm down."
She reached for the necklace lying between her breasts and pulled it out, pressing the cool surface of the oval jewel against her lips. "Please, let everything be okay."
A sob escaped from between her lips as she let the necklace fall on her shirt. Bella immediately turned to check on Alice, but she was still sleeping and smacking her lips like yesterday night. Bella almost smiled. She turned her gaze to the huge beautiful moon and the starry sky, then decided that she should just head out for a little bit. For just a small walk around the cottage. It'd be fine. No one would be out here, anyway.
She crept out of her bed and unbolted the door, slipping on her boots. She took her torch from her pocket and shone it about, trudging around the little house. Reaching the back of the cottage, she sat at the backdoor and rubbed her bare hands as she attempted to gather more warmth.
"Darn, it's cold." She blew air on her pale palms. "I didn't realize that yesterday."
Bella sighed, looking up to the big round moon. Her thoughts ran rampant around her mind, wanting desperately to go home, to see her father, Jake and return to her beloved job back there. She had taken a five-day leave. If she is gone for more days than she should, it'd definitely anger her boss - And she had finally gotten inspiration for her script, too.
"I really want to go back," she said out loud, "I really, really want..." She trailed off at the end of her statement and buried her face in her knees as another sob escaped her. She didn't want to stay here any longer and endanger not only her life, but Alice's as well. She didn't belong here. Tears streamed down her face as she was hit back a new kind of desperation - to survive and not be caught by the rular.
She wiped her tears away but they kept on flowing. "Who?" She asked. "Who can listen to me?" Her words sounded muffled, even to her. "Who can help me?"
The sobs wrecked her body mercilessly and she kept sniffling, her chest heaving. If only Jake is here - he'd have listened to her patiently and tell her what to do. No, she shook her head, she has to be independent - she can't keep relying on other people to help her when she's in a bind. She stood up and wiped her tears on her sleeve roughly, close her eyes to get a grip on herself, then turned back to the cottage.
She can't break down anymore.
A/N: Please drop by a review to tell me your thoughts! Constructive criticism is always welcomed.
-C.A.