Chapter 5: Letting Go
Alex felt even more distant from San Theodoros as she trudged all the way up the Southern Mountains. She felt awful about leaving the kingdom she knew so well. As a child, she had been taught for countless years to conceal her magic. She knew no one in the village would ever accept her for who she really was anymore.
But a part of her also felt relieved. Now she didn't have a tough time trying to hide her powers. Being alone was easier; now she didn't have to worry about injuring anyone else. As Alex climbed up the steep mountains, her steps became lighter. Now that everyone knew about her powers, she was free to do what she wanted!
Alex took a step further to experiment with her magic. She trailed fire up the paths, creating flames and fire ferrets as she walked even farther from San Theodoros. This gave her even more confidence. The distance was helping her magic grow more powerful and stronger. Alex plucked off her crown and threw it across the melted snow. She untied her tightly bound hair bun, unleashing it into a flowing ebony cascade of tangled black hair. Then, she transformed her coronation gown into a brand new outfit: she now donned a fiery-red crystal gown with a gossamer orange cape. Fire was her element. She became the Queen of Fire!
Finally releasing her magic, Alex found out something else she was also capable of doing. She used her fiery powers to create an elegant staircase that led to an exquisite palace of red crystal as she rose her arms!
This was where she would live from now on. After she finished building the crystal palace, Alex slammed the door. She was home at last.
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"Alex!" Malina called out as she led her horse into the musty woods of the jungle. Humid air hit her face as she tried to shoo away mosquitoes. "Alex, it's me, Malina!" Malina called out again. "Your sister who didn't mean to make you melt the winter! Wow, I wish I hadn't said it like that. Anyway, I'm sorry. It's all my fault!"
"You know, this wouldn't have happened if she'd just told me her secret, that's all," Malina said to herself. She was determined to find Alex. Soon, if destiny allowed her, she would find Alex, bring her back home, celebrate, and pretend all this never happened. After hearing a noise in the jungles, Malina tried to console herself into thinking that was just puppies playing. A tree branch snapped, which startled the horse into running away…without Malina!
"No no no! Don't! Wait, come back!" Malina called out, but to no advantage. "Okay," Malina said, getting back up on her feet. Feeling the bent tree snap back to its position, wet leaves fell on top of Malina.
"Ugh, heat," Malina grumbled as she trudged through the humid jungles. "It had to be heat. She couldn't have had a winter magic like me that covered the jungles with white snow and cold…" Malina's rant was cut short when she saw a nearby hut in the distance. "Air!" Malina finally said excitedly.
Suddenly, she tripped on a rock and rolled down the dirt paths, dirtying her dress as she fell into a babbling river. She got to her feet as mud began to stain her dress with the dirt below. "Oh! Oh! Oh my, that is so wet. So wet," Malina said as she reached the wooden hut. She noticed the sign above her. "Wandering Haddock's Trading Post," she read as a leaf blew off another sign. "And tavern!" Malina said reading the end of the sign.
Malina hastily entered the shop. The shop was entirely stocked with winter supplies—after all, it was still technically winter. Malina browsed around, trying to find cooler clothes. "Hoo, hoo!" a voice called. Malina turned to find a black bearded man with a bright blue sweater. That must be Haddock! Malina thought. "Big winter blowout!" Haddock said cheerfully. "We have half off on snow shoes, cloaks, and a heat warmer of my own invention, eh?" "Okay, good!" Malina said, trying to sound pleased. "But, for now. Do you have any boots? Jungle boots? And dresses?"
"That would be in our summer department," Haddock said with a broad accent. Malina darted toward the single rack that held cool clothes. "Um, I was just wondering," Malina said, grabbing the items, "has another young woman, the queen perhaps, I don't know, pass by here by any chance?" She set the clothes on the counter before Haddock. "Only one crazy enough to be out here in this weather is you, my dear," Haddock said.
At that moment, the door swung open, and a tall, broad man entered. He was clearly dressed for the summer, wore a bandanna that covered his nose and mouth. It was Young. "You and this fellow. Hoo, hoo!" Haddock said, greeting the man. "Big winter blowout." The man approached Malina and muttered, "Carrots." "What?" Malina asked. "Behind you," Young said again. Malina saw what he was talking about, for she saw a bunch of carrots on a shelf. Young plucked the carrots on the counter and headed for the rope, shovel, and pick. "A real burner in December, eh?" Haddock asked.
Young brought the supplies to the counter. "That'll be forty, eh?" Haddock asked. "Forty?!" Young asked, outraged. "No, it has to be ten." "No, see, this is from our summer stock, where supply and demand have a big problem," Haddock said. "You want to talk about a supply-and-demand problem?" Young said. "I sell wood for a living." "Wow, that must be a really rough business to be in right now," Malina said. "Forty," Haddock said. "But I will throw in a visit to Haddock's tavern." He waved to two friends at the tavern. "Hoo, hoo! Hi friends!" he said to them.
"Ten's all I got," Young said. "Help me out, will you?" "Ten will get you this and nothing more," Haddock said, holding up the carrots. "Okay, listen," Malina said. "What was happening up in the Southern Mountains? Did it seem kinda…magical?" Young pulled off his bandanna, blurting out, "Yes! Now back up while I deal with this crook here."
Suddenly, Haddock rose up from his seat. "What did you call me?" he asked. He did not appreciate being called a crook. Moments later, Haddock threw Young out on the dirt. "Have a nice day!" he called out as Young plummeted in the dirt. After that, Chabela came galloping up to Young, sniffing for the carrots. "No Chabela, I didn't get your carrots," Young said guiltily. Chabela only snorted in disappointment. "But hey," Young said, looking to a barn house, "I did find us a place to sleep. And it's free."
Back inside the shop, Haddock turned his attention to Malina, who stood frozen in place. "I am sorry for this violence," Haddock apologized formally. "I will add in a quart of pickled herring so we have good feelings." He looked at what Malina chose from the stock. "Just the outfit and the boots, eh?" Malina had another good idea.
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Minutes later, now decked out in a blue shirt with rolled up sleeves, a brand-new black and green dress and black jungle boots, Malina stepped out of the shop. She heard singing coming from the barn. She peeped inside and found Young singing to Chabela. They prepared to nap as soon as they finished the song. "Ahem. Nice duet you have there," Malina said. "What do you want?" Young said. "I want you to take me up the Southern Mountain," Malina said. Young just shrugged and laid down. "I don't take people places," Young said.
"Let me rephrase that," Malina said, thrusting a sack at Young. "Take me up the Southern Mountain." Young was hesitant, but Malina kept speaking. "Look, I know how to stop this heat," she said. Young laid down and placed his hat on his eyes. "We leave at dawn," he said. "And by the way, you forgot the carrots for Chabela." "No, we leave now," Malina said, throwing the carrots at Young's face. "Oh, sorry! Sorry!" Malina said, exiting the barn. She waited and watched as Young and Chabela both ate a carrot. It seemed like they agreed.
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Soon, Young and Malina were on the wagon driven by Chabela as they raced through the jungles. "Hold on," Young said. "We like to go fast." Malina rested her legs up and said, "I like fast!" "Whoa whoa whoa, feet down!" Young said. "This is fresh lacquer. Seriously, were you raised in a barn?" He spit on the wagon to tidy it. "No, I was raised in a castle," Malina said.
"So tell me," Young said, "what made the queen go all fire crazy?" "It was technically my fault," Malina said. "I got engaged and she freaked out because I'd only just met him, you know, that day. And she said she wouldn't bless the marriage." "Whoa, wait. You got engaged to someone you just met that day?" Young asked. "Yea, anyways," Malina said, "so I got mad at her, and then she got mad, and she tried to walk away, but then I grabbed her glove, and…" "Whoa whoa whoa, wait. You got engaged to someone you just met that day?!" Young asked again. "Yea, well see, the thing is, she wore the gloves all the time," Malina said. "So, I just thought, maybe the girl's got some issue about dirt."
"Didn't your parents ever warn you about strangers?" Young asked. "Yea," Malina said apologetically, "but Ian is not a stranger." "Oh yea? What's his last name?" Young asked. "Of the Northern Isles," Malina scoffed. "What's his favorite food?" Young asked. "Sandwiches," Malina said. "Best friend's name?" Young asked. "Probably John," Malina said. "Eye color?" Young asked. "Dreamy," Malina said. "Have you had a meal with him yet? What if you hate the way he eats? Or what if you hate the way he picks his nose?" Young asked. "Picks his nose?" Malina repeated. "And eats it?" Young finished.
"Excuse me, sir," Malina said. "Ian is a prince." Young could only shrug. "All men do it," Young said. "What? Ew!" Malina said for a minute. "Well, it doesn't matter! It's true love!" "Doesn't sound like true love to me," Young said. "Okay, so what are you? Some kind of love expert?" Malina asked. "No," Young said. "But I have friends who are." "You have friends…that are love experts?" Malina laughed. "I'm not buying it."
"Wait. Stop talking, Young said, pausing the wagon. "Oh no. I want to meet these people," Malina said. "Shush!" Young said, holding his lantern and looked all around. "What is it?" Malina asked. Suddenly, Young exclaimed, "Go Chabela, go!" Chabela obeyed and galloped rapidly. "What's going on?" Malina asked. "Wildcats!" Young exclaimed. A pack of wildcats began to chase the wagon! "So what do we do?" Malina shouted.
"Just keep your head low and don't get eaten!" Young said, fighting off the wildcats. "I got this!" "But I want to help too!" Malina exclaimed. "No," Young said. "Why?" Malina asked. "'Cause I don't trust your sense of judgment," Young said, still fending off the wildcats. "Excuse me?" Malina scoffed. "Who on Earth marries a man she just met?!" Young said as a panther pounced on him. Malina was seething with rage. "IT'S TRUE LOVE!" Malina shouted, smashing Young's guitar on the panther and accidentally knocking Young overboard. "Eugene!" Malina exclaimed. "It's Young!" Young could feel the wildcats pouncing on him.
Malina tried to help out, so she smashed the lantern onto a block of wood, which caught on fire. One by one, Young tried to throw the wildcats off of their path. Suddenly, he felt the heat from the wooden log being hurled toward the panthers as they flew off of him. Malina then began to pull Young back on the wagon. "You almost set me on fire!" Young said. "But I didn't!" Malina said. Suddenly, the two saw a wide cliff up ahead. "Get ready to jump, Chabela!" Malina yelled. "You don't tell Chabela what to do! I do!" Young yelled.
He then thrust Malina forward, landing onto Chabela. "Get ready to jump, old girl!" Young exclaimed. Running as swiftly as the wind carrying her, Chabela leaped across the cliff, landing on the path on the other side. Young bravely jumped from his wagon and grasped the edge as he saw his wagon fall and break into splintery wood, engulfed by flames. "Aw, I just bought that wagon," he whimpered. He suddenly found himself slipping from the edge! "Oh no, no, no!" Young cried. But his near-death fall was saved when a pickaxe landed before him! "Grab on!" Malina cried as Young took hold. "Pull, Chabela, pull!" Together, they pulled Young safely to the other side.
"I'm sorry about your wagon," Malina apologized. "I'll replace your wagon…and everything that was in it." She looked toward the path. "And I understand if you don't want to help me. So, I'll be on my way." She then began to walk away from them, alone. Chabela looked at Young with big eyes. "Of course, I'm not gonna help her. In fact, this whole thing has ruined me for helping anyone ever again," Young said. "But she'll die on her own," he said, imitating Chabela's voice. "I'm okay with that," Young said. But Malina seemed totally lost. "But she won't get you your new wagon if she's dead," Young said again in Chabela's voice.
"Okay okay, hold up! We're coming!" Young said. "Really? Okay I'll let you tag along," Malina said as the two caught up and they began their long journey ahead.