Chapter Eleven: Brooms and Spin wheels

And they thought they could keep me out! Pft!

Bloom thought smugly with a small smile as she eyed the castle that was drawing nearer to her in the distance, if she weren't so intent on her destination with furious determination she would be much more panicked by now. She gripped the broom that sailed high in the air with strong fingers that turned white with the effort, she whole hands locking onto the long piece of wood like a clamp that refused to let go under any circumstances. She was quite aware how ridiculous she must have looks riding that broom and she couldn't help but think of the old cliché about witches and their brooms but that didn't matter now! She was going to rescue her best friend from the castle dungeon and nothing was going to get in her way, but first she had to figure out how to land the broom, the memory of that first landing after the ball had been emotionally blocked out after the traumatic experience and it wasn't helping her now.

So after ten minutes of flying she finally found herself hovering high above the castle itself, deciding that she didn't really want to try and jump onto a ledge with a window and possible fall to her death she angled the broom to the ground and let it lightly glide to the green grass just after the high stone wall. It felt immensely good to be back on the ground and Bloom let herself just stand there for a moment to make sure she wasn't going to collapse in relief the moment she started walking. Hiding the broom under a bush Bloom crept toward the tall castle with a lump in her throat, feeling personally responsible for her friend's arrest. As she walked she couldn't help glancing into the wide clear windows in hope that she would see Stella with her long golden hair and that smirk of a princess she always wore but nothing appeared in the windows except the occasional servant in the hallway.

Finding a side door Bloom crept inside the castle and found herself in a long corridor with red carpet and rich green walls, walking swiftly while glancing back to make sure no one was following her. Walking fast around a corner she bounced right off a stunningly familiar chest, closing her eyes and stumbling back Bloom held herself against the wall to make sure she didn't knock anything over in her clumsiness. After a long drawn out breath she opened her eyes to look up at Sky who looked down at her with a curious smile on his face with an arch in her eyebrow, as if he couldn't believe she was standing in front of him.

"Damn it! Every time we meet we end up literally ramming into each other, seriously you need to stop getting in my way!" Bloom exclaimed in a tough voice as she stared at his chin, determined not to look him in the eye and find herself swooning over him.

The lips above the chin smiled wider and spoke "Then maybe you should stop being places where you shouldn't be, first the forest then the ball-"

"Everyone was at the ball!" Bloom yelled in a whisper, trying not to reach out and slap his arm in anger.

Sky continued "-You weren't invited. I checked. And I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to be here either but I'm beginning to see that getting into trouble is a regular thing for you, so then Bloom" Sky stood up straight and gave her a fake serious look "I'm afraid I'll have to escort you out and possible back home and make sure you stay there"

Bloom's mouth hung open as she stared at him right in the eye "What? You have no right! I'm not going anywhere" She folded her arms in front of her and took up a stubborn stance.

"Oh yes you are!" Sky looked annoyingly smug "Even if I have to drag you out of here and strap you to a chair in your own house you're not going to be involved in this situation"

Bloom's face burned hot "You're not the boss of me! Beside that's my best friend in your dungeons and she didn't do anything wrong, so I have to help her"

Sky's eyes turned a little softer and the smile turned less smug "I know she's your friend and I can see that you love her but Bloom, this is too serious. Do you know the trouble you'll get into if you even try and help her, the queen will have your head. Anyway the prince is on Cinderella's side, he doesn't think she could have poisoned his sister Aurora, and he doesn't intend for her to stay in this castle any longer than he can help it. He'll save her, hell that's what prince's do!"

Bloom felt the determination in her dull a little and relief at having friends around her again but she still felt the unnerving fear for her friend "But Sky she's such a girl, she doesn't do well in dungeons"

Sky chuckled "That's not a problem at the moment. Come on, let's get you home" He gently grabbed her by the elbow and led her down the hallway toward the foyer, Bloom dug her feet into the carpet "But Sky she's going to be trailed for murder, she needs my support. I mean Brandon has my full trust in getting her out of here but really Cindy's the kind of girl who needs to be reassured...a lot!"

Sky didn't look troubled as he led her through to the side of the large foyer behind the large white stone pillars "I'm sure she'll survive, Brandon will be up there soon to comfort her and then he'll find a way to get her out of any trouble, and I'll be helping him so you don't have to worry about it"

"Up?" Bloom replied with confusion "I thought dungeons were underground, what is she locked 'up' for instead of 'down'?"

Sky's fingers twitched where he had placed his hand on the small of her back but his voice was steady...too steady "You must never have been in a castles dungeon before, they're in both. Makes it harder for prisoners to escape"

The thing about the no escape thing hurt Bloom a little, Bloom slowed down for a moment "But the letter said she was going to be on trial as soon as possible, if the queen is as angry as you say shouldn't she be tried for murder any minute now, why would she wait so long? Stella's a big threat to her, it doesn't make sense"

"The queens definition of as soon as possible is probably a little different to yours-Bloom! No!" Bloom had wrenched away from Sky just before they were about to leave the castle doors and fled to a small side passage that looked dark and empty, she turned on him with hard eyes "Sky I know when you're lying, you always have an answer for everything, that's how I know. If you were telling me the truth you would be hesitating and trying to break it to me gently but really you're just throwing out the hard details today. Cut the crap! Tell me what you're avoiding telling me and I won't scream bloody murder right here right now!"

Sky looked annoyed at being caught but also worried at her threat to call attention to them "Bloom, please just go home. I don't want you to be a part of this"

"Well I am a part of it whether you like it or not! Cinderella is my friend, she's my neighbour, she's staying in my house, I was right outside when the 'incident' happened and not to mention if it weren't for me the prince and her would have never met! So I am going to help her through this damn trial if it kills me and you!"

Sky didn't say anything for a moment but instead looked at the ground in embarrassment; Bloom looked at him intently for a moment before saying "The trial was already held, wasn't it?"

Sky nodded without looking up. Bloom sucked in a deep breath and tried not to yell or punch anything, she looked around the little dark hallway they had found themselves in and tried to focus on the pattern in the wallpaper instead of the fact that she'd been kept purposely away from her own friend's murder trial "So then...what's the verdict?" She asked as calmly as she could.

Sky looked around and moved slightly closer to Bloom to whisper "Okay you can't get angry with me for being the messenger...but..."

"She was found guilty" Bloom whispered back, the rage in her body threatening to burst out of her "So when will she be punished?"

Sky looked like he wanted to run away from her but before he could even move a fraction Bloom grasped his coat in both iron fisted hands and pulled him closer with menace in her eyes "Sky...when?"

Sky looked weary when glanced at her in the eye "Some time around yesterday afternoon"

Bloom's eyes went wide and her grip got tighter but no sound escaped the girl, her skin turned a shocking white colour and her eyes glazed over, she wobbled on the spot for a moment before almost falling over backward. Sky caught her and held her gently to him speaking quickly "Bloom, she's alive. There's no death sentence in this realm, remember? Bloom say something, tell me you're okay"

Bloom moaned a little with her eyes still wide and rested her head just under his chin "W-what happened? Where is she?"

Sky took a deep breath "The sentence was left up to Countess Cassandra and the queen, they decided it pretty quickly but it wasn't acted out until last night"

"Sky" Bloom looked up at Sky with now worried eyes "Tell me, please"

Sky shook his head and clamped his mouth shut "Bloom I can't tell you, it would break your heart, isn't it better if you didn't know and spare yourself the pain?"

Bloom gasped and finally let out the breath she had been holding, something was about to break inside of her and she didn't have anything to hold onto, except Sky. She gripped his shoulders with both hands and dug her nails in, her forehead rested against his chin as he held her, trying to slow the quickening of her own panic. That was how Prince Brandon found them.

The door right beside them in the small dark hallway swung open at that moment to reveal the prince himself, the two didn't even have time to separate and step away from the door before Brandon caught sight of them, his only reaction being a BIG raise in his right eyebrow and a small smile coming to his lips.

Sky still held Bloom when he said "Your Majesty is there something I can help you with?"

Brandon looked worse for wear but still held the smile when he replied "Nope, not a thing. You two just...go back to your moment"

Bloom wrenched herself out of Sky's arms and gave both men a sour look "There was no moment going on there...I was just a bit dizzy. I keep banging right into stupid squires" Sky smiled and looked away from her but she could still feel him rolling his eyes at her, so she glared at his back and kept speaking "And your squire here was just telling me that you could take me to Cinderella"

"What!" Sky whirled around to face her with a startled expression.

"What?!" Brandon looked almost as startled, except for the worn down outer appearance with the hint of sadness.

Bloom put her hands to her hips and spoke "Look I know this may be a new experience for the two of you, taking orders from a girl, but if we're going to save Cinderella then you're just gonna have to suck it up and listen to me because the only way that any of us get out of this alive is if we work together and don't tell the oh so weak girl to go home and wait for Prince charming and his not-so-charming squire to save the day with nothing but their arrogance and swords! Now take me to Cinderella!"

There was a long silence of the two men staring wide eyed at her until Brandon cleared his throat and asked "Okay but first...who are you?"

Bloom was so shocked that they hadn't been properly introduced that she nearly didn't answer him but politeness won out "Oh umm, I'm sorry...my name is Bloom. I live in the village, next door to Cinderella; you also may have seen me at the ball trying to drag her over to meet you"

"Oh that was you" Brandon replied, assessing her with thought "You met my sister too"

Bloom jumped and felt a wave of anxiety rush through her "Oh my god, Aurora! How is she? Is she okay?"

Brandon got a small kind of extinguish in energy then, Bloom could see the trouble with his sister AND with Cinderella was really weighing on him, he sounded so defeated when he answered "Sleeping. We've put her up in the tallest tower and locked the door; we've even put wild rose bushes with sharp thorns on the door"

"Why?" Bloom asked confused.

Brandon shrugged a shoulder "There's a rule book for this kind of thing with sleep spells, there's always some kind of tower or glass coffin..."

Sky continued "And really what else is there to do but wait"

Bloom waited for more but they seemed to have finished "For what? Her true love? How do you think that's gonna happen, it could take years for him to show up and kiss her! You're not even going to try and find him?"

"Oh yes that's what I want for my sister, let's just bring in dozens of men to kiss her and maybe one of them will be her true love, it's okay she's asleep she won't mind!" Brandon said as he leaned against the wall looking even more run down, Sky put a hand to his shoulder in comfort while Bloom gave him a small smile.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay. We'll find Aurora's true love right after we save Cinderella, you'll see" Bloom said gently as she readjusted her red cloak and straightened her shoulders "Now let's get out of this dark corner and go! Show me where Cinderella is!"

The two men led her across the long castle, which was an astoundingly long walk, and finally came to a heavy looking door with what looked like twelve locks on the door. Bloom eyed the locks with doubt while Brandon pulled out a ring of twelve keys, Bloom almost wept at the sight of them, there were just SO many keys and SO many locks! As Brandon worked over the locks Sky stood watch beside her for anyone who would come to discover them. He leaned close and whispered "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Bloom nodded and tried to swallow the lump of dread in her throat "Yes, I need to do this. She's been my friends for years and if it wasn't for her I would still be just some girl from Earth who didn't know she had a destiny or a family"

Not asking what Earth was Sky nodded his head while looking down the hallway "It sounds like you and your friend get into trouble like this all the time"

Bloom smiled "Yeah, there's actually six of us and it's usually them saving me" Bloom thought back to all those times where someone like the Trix or Darkar wanted to steal the Dragon Fire and her friends would always be there to protect her, she still felt the dull ache for her powers. It was a strange thing not to have them in this realm, so full of magical creatures but when it came to the girls and actually having their powers there was nothing. Bloom felt a chill go down her spine at the thought of fighting without her powers; she wasn't a violent person but at least when she had her powers she could fly away. Brandon made a sound of victory and stepped back from the door, all the locks were open and the heavy wooden door was ajar. Bloom felt a pull inside of her and she had to fight the urge to pry open the door and bolt up the stairs to Stella.

Brandon turned to her "Before you go up just know that it's a really...shocking sight. Just be prepared for that"

Bloom gulped with wide eyes "What do you mean shocking sight? Sky what does he mean?" She turned to him but Sky was looking at Brandon with curious eyes.

"You're not coming up with us?" he asked gently, knowing how much Brandon wanted to see the girl upstairs in the tower but ever since they had led her away after punishing her he hadn't dared set foot anywhere near the tower. Brandon's mask slipped a little and a fierce sadness entered his eyes and he looked like he wanted to hit something just to take the pain away, he shook his head without a word and opened the door wider. Bloom seemed to get the message not to push it and slowly made her way up the dark stairs with Sky behind her.

The last thing she heard before the light disappeared from the hallway was Brandon calling after them "I'll keep watch"

Bloom carefully made her way up the cold stone stairs of the tall tower, Sky keeping a hand on her back so she didn't fall or slip. The silence as they made their way up was deafening, Bloom wanted to ask him what happened to Stella after the trial but the words wouldn't come to her lips, so instead she just kept climbing and hoped for the best. Once at the top they got to a cage door with no lock, inside Bloom could see was a round room with all stone walls and just one window that looked out across the kingdom with bars inside it. When Bloom pushed the creaky gate open she found the floor was covered in straw and dirt, she hands began to shake from nerves so much that she had to reach back and take Sky's hand. Going further into the room Bloom became aware of a creaking sound of something turning and it was only until she had taken five steps into the room that she spotted in the dark corner a spinning wheel with a figure sitting hunched over in it. Bloom didn't recognise her, she stopped in her tracks and started at the woman for a good five seconds in silence, her mind not comprehending that this woman was the only person in the room. Stepping forward three more steps she was halfway across the small round room when Bloom fully saw the woman and stumbled where she walked, a terrible sort of yell escaping her lips. If it hadn't been for Sky wrapping an arm around her torso she would have fallen to the ground in a heap. Bloom wanted to scream, cry, throw up and beat the floor with her fists all at once when she fully stared at the woman with wide eyes that flooded with tears, shuddering breaths heaved out of her lungs as she watched the woman look her right in the eye with those same hazel brown eyes.

The woman was so small, so frail and so very...old!

Golden hair had turned a startling white, smooth skin had become wrinkled with warts and creases and the old woman who sat in the small stool with sad eyes and silent lips looked so thin that she looked ready to snap in half, she even shook as she spun the wheel on the Spindale. Bloom was half aware at the back of her mind that straw went into the wooden machine and came out as golden thread, she couldn't have marvelled at this because she was too busy trying to hold back tears at the hopelessness of the situation. It had all come crashing down. In what Cinderella fairy tale did the hero get locked up in a tower and become an old woman who spun golden thread! How was she supposed to fix this? What could she do?

Bloom finally found her voice between the crashing breaths and spoke in a strangled voice "Sky...how?"

Sky's arm tightened on her and his voice sounded truly sympathetic "It's an aging curse. She's still the same age she was but now she'll have to live the next seventy years as this until..." Until she dies. Cursed to spin golden thread for the rest of her days for something she didn't even do "She hasn't said a word since they did the spell, you need to talk to her. Tell her that everything's going to be alright"

Bloom watched her friend look away from her with blank eyes and start to spin the wheel again, as if she didn't even know they were there anymore. It was like twisting the knife but Bloom swallowed all the grief and stood up straight and slowly walked toward her friend. As she got closer she crouched down next to her and looked up at the woman, the hazel eyes the only thing that still resembled her friend. She didn't seem to notice her until Bloom placed a hand over hers that spun the wheel, stilling it, she was surprised at the coldness of the wrinkled skin. Gulping once more she looked at Stella in the eye and smiled "Hey you. You've got to listen to me okay? And you've got to believe me when I tell you that I am going to get you out of this. I am going to fix this, we'll find a way" The woman didn't respond but still continued to look down at her with small sad eyes and Bloom couldn't help but think. They broke her. They broke Stella. Bloom gripped her hand tighter and her voice became a small bit more desperate "Come on, we've been through worse"

Stella did respond this time, just a small shaking of her head that seemed to say slowly No we haven't Bloom, this is the worst.

Bloom closed her eyes and felt an eternal despair for all her friends, in that moment she wanted nothing more than to hear Techna suggest something smart or hear layla say something energetic and fist punch the air. For Flora to put a hand to her shoulder and tell her everything would be alright and that she'd actually believe it and for Musa to even sigh heavily and tell them to stop with their whining, scold them for not believing that they weren't strong enough. But more than anything she wanted Stella to open her mouth and say in that energetic voice 'Bloom darling, you worry too much!' Bloom felt sobs about to burst out of her chest when Stella raised her other hand and brushed the red hair out of her eyes with a small smile. Bloom looked at her like a small child and rested her head against her frail skinny shoulder and whispered "I'm so sorry Stella, you're right. We will fix this, after all you promised to take me shopped before you left for Saloria, right?"

The only response was a slight movement of body, like a hitch that resembled a laugh without sound. It was enough for Bloom, she felt a small welling of hope inside her chest but she knew that if anything else went wrong that hope would be extinguished. Behind her she heard Sky come closer a say softly "We haven't got much time left, if there's anything you want to say, say it quickly"

Bloom looked back up at Stella who watched her with calm eyes and a soft smile, weirdly it reminded her of Miss Faragonda "You stay strong okay, we'll be back for you" Bloom knew now that she couldn't take Stella away from the cell, she barely looked strong enough to hold herself upright in her seat "Musa is hopefully half way in love with Riven by now" Stella crocked an eyebrow "Yeah I said hopefully. And don't worry about Flora; I know where to find her prince charming" She hoped to god that Helia was still hanging around "And as for we well I could go into the forest anytime and get attacked by a wolf, I just really hope that it isn't as strong as it looks in real life" Stella's eyes were wide with concern and she gripped Blooms arm with a tight grip, surprising for an old lady. Bloom sighed and smiled "If I couldn't handle it they wouldn't have made me Red Riding Hood"

Bloom and Sky left after that, Bloom smiling after Stella while she raised a small hand as a sign of waving and moved back through the tall cage door and started to walk down the steps. A lot of things still weighed on Blooms mind that she hadn't allowed herself to show in front of Stella, the fact that for her own fairy tale ending to work out she needed to be saved by the huntsman. But she wasn't sure that if she went into the forest that he would magically find her if she got attacked by the wolf, and even more worrying was that in the story didn't Granny have to be eaten by the wolf before they could be saved. She couldn't let some wolf eat her headmistress! She shuddered at this as they made their way down the dark steps, Sky beside her. Bloom also thought back the earlier that day when her and Stella had just woken up from the ball, look at all the stuff that had gone wrong in just ONE day! The exhaustion was getting to her; she could literally feel the sun setting outside the walls of the castle and wanted to collapse in sleep.

"Three days" Sky said next to her, Bloom jerking out of her sleepy walk.

"Pardon?"

"Three days, that's how long we've got until the spell becomes permanent" Something clicked inside of Bloom and she almost fell down the stairs, she gripped Sky by the arm and forced them both to stop, a look of horror on her face "What?! Since when?"

Sky looked startled "Haven't you ever heard the rules? If there's ever a curse or spell cast that involves this realm then you have three days and three nights to break it or else it's for good"

The inner workings of Blooms mind churned furiously as she counted the days and nights she had spent in fairy tale land. The day she woken up, the night Musa went missing in the woods, the day after where they got ready for the ball, the night of the ball, the day after the ball which was today. By all logic and facts if the spell that brought them here applied to this rule then they had until "Tomorrow morning! Oh my god! We're so screwed!" Bloom screamed and shook Sky by the collar of his shirt; he was so startled that he barely had time to grab onto Bloom before they both toppled to the ground.

"Bloom what is it?" He asked on edge, he could hear Brandon calling up to them in worry but it looked like Bloom didn't hear it. Her face was frozen into a mask of horror.

No! I've wasted too much time, there's no way I can get four fairy tales endings done by tomorrow morning! What do I do? Bloom tore herself away from Sky and bolted down the tower steps until the light of the palace hallway came into view with Brandon standing just outside the door. She barrelled into him and grabbed him by the shirt just like she'd done with Sky only Brandon was a tad taller.

She had to work to keep herself from yelling...she failed "You listen to me! You have until tomorrow morning to break that damn spell or else we're all stuck here!"

Brandon looked shocked as Sky exited the tower after her "But I just told you we have three days and three-"

"NO!" Bloom interrupted him "No we don't, just trust me on this. We have until tomorrow morning. So fix it fix it FIX IT!" Bloom stepped away from Brandon and placed her head in her hands, trying to think through the panic.

"I can't" Said a small voice in front of her.

Bloom looked up with enraged eyes at the prince Brandon that had on a wary look. Bloom resisted the urge to shake him again "What do you mean you can't?"

Brandon looked to Sky and then back to her "I can't, you know I would break it if I could but I'm under heavy watch from the queen not to step foot into that tower, if I do she'll know. She thinks I'm still under a spell and if I even try to see Cinderella she'll lock me away too and then I'll be of no help to anyone!"

Bloom forced herself to breath as she looked around the hallway for signs of guards that may have heard her outburst "It's okay, you only need to go in the tower once. We can finish this now, just go get the glass slipper" Bloom knew that if Brandon declared his love for Stella by presenting her with the glass slipper then, hopefully, the aging spell would be broken and technically they would have their happy ending. One down, three to go! Until...

"What glass slipper?" Brandon asked a furrow in his brow.

A long silence ensued as Bloom started at him blankly for a long time, all horror and panic vanishing from her until she was an empty shell. Her voice was blank when she asked "The glass slipper that Cinderella dropped at the ball, didn't you pick it up?"

Brandon looked confused and crossed his arms "No. Cinderella did say something about a glass slipper at the trial but I just figured that she wanted me to get her a pair of glass slippers, I have no idea what you're talking-"

Bloom rushed forward "I'LL KILL YOU!"

If Sky hadn't grabbed hold of her Bloom was confident that she would have strangled the life out of Brandon right then and there, they were lucky she didn't have powers. Bloom dug her nails into Sky's arm and breathed hard as Brandon looked warily at her "Sorry"

Sky whispered in Blooms ear "Bloom you know I like you but It's kinda my job to protect him from danger, so if you could not kill him..." Bloom continued to breath really hard and stare at Brandon, sudden tears sprang to her eyes "Where can't things just go right for once in this twisted land?!" Bloom hung her head and closed her eyes, trying to figure out how they were going to get out of this; action had to be taken quickly. She needed help but she couldn't ask Musa because she was sure she had her hands full with Riven, couldn't ask Flora because she was asleep but it was a comfort to know that all they had to do was find Helia and she'd be fixed. But as for help there was only one person she could think of.

Bloom slipped out of Sky's arms and took a deep breath, after a long moment she turned to the two men and gave them a hard look "Okay we're gonna have to play this one pretty close to the chest. You" She pointed at Brandon "I know a way to change her back. On the night of the ball Cinderella dropped a glass slipper, if you were to give it back to her and declare your love for her, then the spell will be broken. Your job from now until morning is to find that damn slipper somewhere in the kingdom and give it to her. Clear?"

Brandon looked slightly confused but nodded anyway. Bloom turned to Sky and gave him a smile "You Sky will help him but I have a special job for you. If, at any time, you feel the need to go into the forest and look for the wolf and perhaps a damsel in distress, then just...roll with it"

Sky looked even more confused than Brandon "Really you want me to go into the woods if I feel like it?"

"Yes!" Bloom yelled back.

Brandon spoke up "What are you going to do?"

Bloom held her head up high "First I'm gonna find Helia and give him a very special job" She didn't mention that the job was for him to break into the princesses room and kiss her "Then I'm gonna find a way to get a message to my friend Bella" Who is hopefully doing her job and making a certain grumpy guy falling in love with her "And THEN I'm gonna go visit my grannies house"

Sky looked dubious "You're going to visit you grandmothers house, now?"

"Yes!" Bloom yelled back, with a small smile "You know you're jobs, don't let me down and remember. Tomorrow morning"

With that Bloom spun on her heel and stalked away from the two guys and into the halls of the palace, determined to hunt down Helia and order him to smooch Flora. Brandon turned to Sky with a wary expression.

"Seriously, who is that?"