The days marched on, growing colder. Alissa and Maleficent kept a vigilant watch on the storybook but the quill hadn't moved since the first few pages, confounding them. What did it mean? Why start now? Why these two students out of everyone? First years who had only begun to learn? Christina, meanwhile slowly inched her way up the class ranks, Shaggy and, Melinda right behind her. Currently, she sat at the desk in her room, trying to memorize place settings. Why were there so many spoons and forks? Were they all really necessary? Closing the textbook she retrieved her diary and began to write.
The leaves have started to fall. It's the oddest thing, the blue forest turns shades of purple and white. It looks so much like a watercolor that I have to stop and admire it for a moment every time we're there for classes. I like my electives, Magical Creature Care is such fun, we've been learning about magical fish as of late. Melinda observes but doesn't interact with the fish, she can't touch water it burns her terribly and she hasn't found a cure yet. Art is fun also, Mom assigned us all personal sketchbooks. We got to pick them from a bin on day one. Mine is so pretty, it's purple with butterflies, I don't think I've ever had so many pretty things. It's kind of overwhelming, honestly.
Jade, Fluffy, and, Thunder like to follow me everywhere. They're very polite, sometimes I forget they're there when I'm in class. They're also very protective of me. Googie hasn't been able to get close to me since. It feels amazing but I can't help feeling that something is coming. Something bad.
Maybe it's Apple?
She continues to make such hurtful remarks but if someone, Melinda, calls her out on it she claims innocence. How frustrating. Must she lie? Maybe she's stressed? It's not that I condone her actions but I know she has a lot to live up to even if destiny isn't in practice anymore. Melinda's been showing me maps of the different kingdoms and how they're connected to the woods. Apple's is the largest.
I don't know. I really don't know.
Anyway, dance lessons continue. I don't think I've improved at all and we have to start practicing with the boys tomorrow! I might as well just crawl into a hole now!
...
Later that evening, after dinner, when everyone else had retired to their dorms, Christina headed to the library, she wouldn't be studying with Melinda that night, the young witch having made plans with Dalton but Christina was a creature of habit. Armed with her Princessolgy textbook she settled into a window seat between two shelves to study without being seen at least that was her plan.
"Christina?"
"Hi, Shaggy"
"Like, what are you doing in here so late?" Shaggy glanced at the clock, tugging on his loose-fitting nightshirt.
"Studying, we have a test on these place settings and I just can't get it down, what are you doing in here?"
"Like, trying to walk off nerves about dance lessons, I'm like, horrible at it"
"You're in good company then"
"Maybe we could like help each other? I have those place settings seared into my brain, I'll help you study them and you can maybe, be my dance partner tomorrow?"
"That's a great idea," Christina moved over to make room, spreading the textbook across their laps.
"Okay, let's start with the cutlery"
...
Googie was sure her teeth were ground to stubs she had ground them so much over the weeks. Again and again, she tried to solve the riddle. It ran around her mind, haunting her as she slept, the words seared into her eyelids, whispering in her ear during waking hours until it was all she could think about, remaining on the very bottom of the ranking list, shipped off to the kitchens as soon as school was out. Not allowed to rest until the last of dinner had been scraped from the dishes.
"It's hopeless!" she cried in exasperation as the sun rose.
"Do you mind?" Crow snarled, "It's not my fault you can't solve the easiest riddle known to man!"
Googie sat up with a start. "You know the answer?"
"Of course I do, every villain worth their salt does, except you!"
"If you tell me, I'll be transferred and you won't have to deal with me anymore"
Crow pondered this, "It's True Love, real mind blowing disgustingly sweet true love"
Running as fast as her legs could carry her Googie slammed herself against the office door, beating on it until Maleficent opened it with a disproving frown, "Miss Hale-"
"The answer to the riddle is True Love!"
"Correct"
"I can transfer now!"
"No"
"But-But-"
"Do you take me for a fool? You were told the answer"
"But-"
"If you want to prove you're a princess then you must earn True Love's Kiss, the most pure and good magic in all the realm"
Googie stood slack-jawed as the door was shut in her face. Recovering quickly she took a deep breath, stalking to the kitchen for breakfast while it was deserted. Sitting at one of the counters, under a small high-up window she watched the pale early morning sunlight stretch across the rough wood surface. What was she supposed to do now? She couldn't wear her clothing from home during school hours! How could she possibly attract a prince if she couldn't use her best assets to do it? Grinding her teeth between bites of food her mind drifted back to her earlier plan, if she got Christina to act out, got her to do something evil then they would HAVE to switch places.
Yes, there was a plan!
But, how to get close enough to do it?
...
Good morning, Mama, I miss you. Christina smiled wistfully at the rising sun. She could just picture Rosella tying up her hair as she slipped out the door mumbling, "Quiet, quiet, can't wake her yet". Of course, there was no reason for her to say this anymore but Christina liked to imagine she might. She could just feel the feather-light kiss on her cheek and the blanket being tucked around her before the door shut. I hope you aren't lonely maybe now that I'm gone you can find someone to settle down with. I don't want you to be alone, Mama.
Blinking back tears at the thought, Christina went to the wardrobe, pulling open the doors to inspect the dresses inside. A rainbow of colors greeted her but as always she was drawn to the purple, finding a shorter wine-colored dress with cap sleeves. Pulling it out for a closer inspection she found butterflies cleverly hidden throughout it.
"Knock knock,"
"Good, morning, Mom, do you think this dress is okay for dance lesson day, I don't want to tear my skirt again" Christina held up the dress she'd been looking at.
"I think it's perfect, I like the butterflies"
"Me too"
"I think I might start calling you, Butterfly, you like them so much"
"They're so pretty, I used to watch them flutter in and out of the garden, they liked to land in my hair,"
"That means they found you sweet," Alissa smiled warmly, magicking Christina into her dress, "How would you like your hair done today?"
"I dunno"
"Hmm, I have an idea"
an hour later with bejeweled butterflies woven throughout her curled hair, Christina met Melinda to walk to class. Around them, students chattered about the trial, about the ball, about anything and everything like they did every morning, and like every morning they were comparing the stories they'd 'heard' about Christina's time in the reader realm. Every day they grew wilder and wilder but no one wanted to verify what they'd been told. Naturally, these stories got back to Apple and then to Faybelle, both girls using them to their advantage.
"You okay?" Melinda asked, "You seem down"
"I'm fine"
Christina hated to lie but Melinda didn't need to know how Faybelle had picked at her. Disguising her jabs as innocent questions during breakfast until Maleficent magically silenced her. Insinuating that no one, not even Rosella had cared for her. That she was just an unwanted burden foisted onto the woman.
"You're not," Melinda slung her arm around Christina's shoulders, "But that's okay, I won't push"
"Thank you"
"That's what friends are for"
"Christina," Apple smiled with that same false sweetness as they entered the classroom, "Are you unwell? You look terrible"
The hybrid turned scarlet with embarrassment. Maybe she should have just stuck to the unassuming braid. Maybe the dress was too different. Or the shoes? Putting her head down, she hurried to her spot in the back of the room, on the silvery-blue couch beside the window where she could watch the boys practice archery.
"That was uncalled for, Apple," Raven scowled, keeping a firm hand on Nevermore so the dragon wouldn't attack, "Christina looks beautiful"
"What?" Apple feigned innocence, placing her hand over her heart, "I was simply concerned for her well-being"
Raven rolled her eyes. Apple was always claiming she was concerned when she was called out. When she claimed how uncomfortable Darling Charming looked at lunch or when she asked Maddie if she was having a stroke because she was speaking Riddlish. It was getting old fast.
Christina kept her head down. Pin-drop silent for the rest of the class. If she concentrated she could just hear the boys on the lawn, bows in hand, led by the retired Robin Hood as they fired a volley of arrows into practice targets. Some were better at it than others like Hunter or Sparrow. Daring and Dirk seemed to be locked into a who can do it better competition while Dexter just wanted to hit the target once. From the sounds of things, more arrows were hitting the trees, grass, and walls than the targets. Keeping one ear open to what was going on outside, Christina followed the lesson in her textbook until the chimes rang for the end of class.
"Are you going to tell your mom what Apple said?" Melinda asked worriedly, "I;m surprised the wolves didn't maul her and that Shade didn'r attack"
Christina patted the trio of wolves, watching Shade fly ahead, "They know better and I'm not going to say anything"
"She shouldn't be allowed to get away with things like this"
"I know"
"Then you should tell your mom"
"No"
Melinda wanted to grab Christina and shake sense into her as they walked into the forest for their lesson but she sucked in a breath, clenched her fists, and let it go. Christina needed to learn to stand up for herself but she couldn't be forced into it. They sat on the bench beside Dalton and Shaggy, shutting out Apple's comments as best they could.
"Like, how was your last class?" Shaggy asked, noticing the tension that hung thick in the air.
"Okay," Christina weakly responded, "Yours?"
"I like, managed to hit the target so better than yesterday"
"He hit a bullseye, I'm better at horseshoes," Dalton laughed, "I feel sorry for that tree"
"You'll get it," Melinda patted Dalton's shoulder, "I know you will"
"Is it hard?" Christina quietly asked, happier to put first period out of her mind.
"Sometimes, I like, do better when no one's watching"
"I understand"
"Okay ladies and gentlemen," Alissa appeared, "Line up and follow me" As they wove through the woods Alissa explained, "Over the past few weeks we've been learning about and observing magical fish but before our test tomorrow I have one more fish to teach you about," they stopped at a crystal clear pond where a large school of fish swam about leaping above the water, their golden scales catching the light, "The most magical of all, Wish Fish"
"Aww," Melinda pouted, "I've heard of them, if they like you, they grant wishes but you have to touch them"
Dalton hugged Melinda close, "We'll find a cure, Melinda"
"They do grant wishes," Alissa smiled, "But they also show you your most secret wish, who wants to go first?"
"ME!" Apple knocked Briar Beauty out of the way, happily plunging her hand into the water.
The fish swarmed her hand, glowing for a moment before an image of Daring Charming kneeling before her with a ring box in hand spread across the water, making her squeal excitedly. Dexter went next his wish to not be compared to his elder brother spreading across the water. Dalton wished for adventure. Raven to step out of her mother's shadow. One after the other the students went until Christina, Shaggy, and, Melinda were the only ones left.
"What's that one doing?" Melinda asked in confusion.
One of the fish swam to the bank, lifting itself partially out of the water with an almost smile on its face.
"I think it wants to see your wish Melinda," Christina guessed.
"But you were-"
"It's okay, go on"
Hesitantly, Melinda neared the water, kneeling a safe distance away she reached a shaky arm out, resting the very tip of her pinkie on the fish. It stung only briefly. That same glow filled the water.
"That's the sash of the royal council," Melinda's eyes grew wide staring at the grown reflection of herself who waded through a stream without issue on some sort of adventure with a map in hand, "Thank you," she smiled at the fish when the image faded.
It returned the smile, sinking below the water as Shaggy stepped forward for his turn.
"Christy, look!" Raven whispered in surprise.
Christina, snapped to attention, shocked to see herself reflected in the water. Flushing red, realizing everyone was staring at her she turned her attention to the grass underneath her feet as Shaggy shuffled back to his spot, redder than she was.
"I think ir's sweet," Melinda put an arm around both of them, "Nothing to be embarresed about"
The two glanced at each other, blushing profusely but smiling all the same.
Finally, it was Christina's turn. She was so unused to the concept of wishing. Wishing didn't help her back in the village but she put her hand in the water. Her heart warmed by what she saw. There was her mama at the dinner table with the rest of her family, laughing with her parents. Christina sat next to her, surprisingly with Shaggy on her other couldn't tear herself from the image, sad to see it fade. Wiping tears away she rejoined her friends in time for the end of class chimes.
...
Witch Hazel's classes were still canceled the arguments she had with Maleficent carried throughout the lower halls making even the most hardened students wince. In her upstairs dorm, Googie glowered into her hand mirror. She had to find a prince. A dashing, noble valiant type who would see through her unfortunate placement. She had to get that kiss, had to get out of this school. First and foremost she had to get Christina transferred.
Glancing down at her itchy uniform, an idea started to spark.
...
When lunch rolled around Googie stepped confidently onto the lawn, her uniform refashioned into a sleek, short dress, hugging her curves and emphasizing her figure. She'd reapplied her makeup, opting for a darker look, eyes smoky lips glossy blood red.
"Well, well," Edward stepped into her path, eyes devouring her, "I told you so"
"Out of my way," she pushed him aside.
She was on a mission. Walking across the lawn with a purposeful sway to her hips, Googie cut Christina off, ignoring the raven and the wolves, she backed the hybrid to a corner where they couldn't be seen.
"Googie, please leave me alone, I'm not in the mood to talk," Christina quietly requested.
"Oh, cut the act," Googie jabbed a polished nail at Christina, "We both know you're only pretending to be all sugary sweet"
"Please, I only want to eat lunch, I'm tired I-"
"Oh please," Faybelle hopped from the tree she'd been spying in, "Magic is not that hard, sympathy seeker. You had my mother killed." she pushed Christina down, "Stole my birthright too"
"Please, please leave me alone," Christina began to shake, unaware of the sparks starting at her fingertips.
"Not until you admit that we've been switched," Googie kicked dirt into her face, "I've been training for that school my whole life and you took it away!"
"That's what she does!"
None of the girls saw the flames trailing through the grass
"SWITCH BACK! I'M THE PRINCESS, NOT YOU!" Googie ripped the pins from Christina's hair.
Christina began to sob, finding it increasingly hard to breathe.
"You weak little liar" Faybelle spat.
"FIRE!"
"See?" Googie smirked triumphantly, "YOU ARE THE VILLAIN"
The entire lawn was ablaze. Students rushed for cover while the staff spread out to defend the schools. In the chaos, Googie slipped away unseen, Faybelle kicked Christina's legs out from under her when she tried to stand, laughing maniacally as she flew away. Landing with her face in the dirt, Christina wailed.
All my fault, all my fault.
My fault.
...
While most students ran for cover Shaggy ran headlong into the flames, "CHRISTINA!"
Where was she? She'd never arrived for lunch. Was she trapped? Coughing on the smoke he pressed forward, worry pounding in his chest.
"HELP! HELP! HELP!"
The voice wasn't Christina's but someone was in danger. Flames growing worse, Shaggy searched finding Googie sprawled on the ground rather suggestivly.
"Googie!" he coughed.
"Oh, Shaggy," she wailed dramatically, "Help"
He pulled her to her feet, coughing still, "Go, get to the school," he tried to push her on her way but she clung to him, digging her nails into his shoulders.
"Get me out of here, please"
"G-go o-on, I-I have to f-find Christina-"
Googie still hung on, tightly, "Please, please," she pleaded.
"Shaggy!" Dirk fought through the flames, "We have to go-"
"Take Googie, I have to find Christina" Shaggy ran off before either could protest, "CHRISTINA!"
He found her not too far away, wailing into the dirt. Without breaking stride he scooped her from the ground, holding her close to his chest he ran back to the school, the two headmistresses putting out the flames. Getting fed up with slow progress, Alissa turned her magic to the skies turning it into a cold rain, and snuffing out the fire.
"Headmistress, she needs help!"
"Let me take her," Radu lifted the girl from Shaggy's arms, "You go to the nurse station"
...
Both schools were dismissed for the rest of the day while the students sought treatment. The lawn was magically replanted but the smell of smoke still lingered in the air. Christina trembling on her bed was surrounded by her animals her mother sat nearby.
"Christina, please eat something," waving her hand over her lap made a tray of food appear.
Christina numbly accepted it, eating silently
"Tell me what happened, please, you aren't in trouble, I know you didn't do it on purpose"
"I don't want to talk about it," tears trickled down her face.
"Please.."
"I just want to be alone"
"Okay," Alissa stood pressing a kiss to her daughter's head, "Eat then get some rest, we'll talk when you're ready"
As soon as Alissa's steps faded, Christina burst into tears all over again. Everything hurt but most of all her heart. She could have burnt down the schools, she put everyone in danger without even realizing it. Pushing the tray away she watched it disappear before pulling the covers over her head to sob into her pillows. Today was an all-around disaster and it was all her fault.
"We should have gone for help," Jade whispered to her siblings.
Thunder stared at his paws, "We tried to find her, Shade couldn't find her either it was like she disappeared"
"There was magic in the air," Fluffy recalled, "Cold and sour, couldn't you smell it?"
"Come to think of it, yes, I did smell it but I thought it was the gruel"
"I smelt it too," Jade nodded, "Someone didn't want Christina to be rescued"
...
Googie expertly hid her knowing smile. EVERYONE knew the fire had been Christina's doing so now they knew she didn't belong in good after all. It was just a matter of time before Christina was marched into the room to take her place/ So, Googie got ready, wearing another dress from home in the same low-cut form-hugging style, she did her hair redid her hair, and waited.
And waited.
And waited
and waited.
One hour became two then three then FOUR and yet, Christina was nowhere to be seen. Crow eventually returned from the nurse's office but didn't heckle her instead she face-planted into her pillow, falling fast asleep.
WHERE WAS CHRISTINA!
A dinner of plain beans and stale bread was delivered to the door. Turning up her nose Googie continued to wait.
And wait.
And wait.
And wait.
...
Shaggy stood nervously at the foot of the stairs, knocking politely on the magic barrier. He had just been dismissed from the nurse and wanted more than anything to check on Christina.
"Shaggy?" Alissa appeared on the bottom step, "Do you need something?"
"May I please see Christina? I'm like, worried about her"
"Come with me"
Maybe she'll tell Shaggy what happened. Alissa hoped leading him to Christina's door. Her heart shattered at the sight that greeted her. Christina's dinner, magically still hot, was untouched. The teen still shaking under her blanket. The wolves were piled onto the foot of the bed, each staring somberly while Shade perched on the headboard.
"Christina," Alissa forced herself to sound normal, "You have a visitor"
Slowly, Christina peeked from her blankets, "Hi," her voice was hoarse.
"Hi, Christy," Shaggy whispered, watching Alissa leave, Fluffy following behind her. Strange but he figured maybe she was sniffing out a treat, "Can I like, sit with you?"
"Mm-hmm" Christina sat up, pushing her tangled but clean hair over her shoulder.
Shaggy handed her the dinner tray, "You should eat it'll like, help you feel better"
"i'm sorry," Christina tried not to cry in between bites of stewed tomatoes, "You could have been hurt, and it was all my fault"
"No it wasn't," Shaggy declared, "Your magic reacted because you were backed into a corner, I've seen it happen to my sister and it happens to me, remember I like told you my magic only works if I'm upset?"
Christina nodded.
"What happened?"
"Googie was demanding we switch back, she said I stole her place then Faybelle jumped in, they pushed me down..." Christina trailed off, "I didn't mean to hurt anybody I just wanted to be left alone.."
"I know"
"I'm sorry"
"Stop apologizing"
"But-"
"Christina"
Shaggy watched to make sure she ate more than a few bites. Once the dinner tray disappeared he grabbed her fairy tale book from its spot on her desk.
"What's your favorite story if you like, had to choose?"
Christina opened the book, and the ribbon bookmark laid across the title page for the Frog Prince, "it's a tie between this one and this one," she flipped to the Sleeping Beauty story, "Mama had to fix my original books, they fell apart. I didn't know they were my family," Christina flipped to her mother's page in The Frog Prince, "I just knew they looked like me, other little girls in the village found their look-a-likes in princesses or mermaids or they found the face of a friend taken to the school but I had no friends among the children, so I liked to imagine the characters in the stories were my friends, ironic knowing what I do now"
"Maybe, maybe somehow you knew without realzing it"
Christina shrugged.
"I heard some of the teachers talking, classes are like, going to be dismissed for a couple days, maybe we could like study together in the meantime?"
"Good idea, I think I heard Mom talking about sending assignments to the dorms"
"Can I tell tou a secret?"
"Yes"
"I'm like, sad we didn't get to dance today"
"Me too, maybe we can practice tomrrow?"
"I'd like that"
...
Alissa met her mother in the tower that evening.
"A new page"
"From today," Maleficent nodded.
As light and dark, good and evil often do, the fairy and the witch clashed terribly. Googie was always on the hunt for a new victim, finding her favorite in Christina whose soft-spoken kind-hearted nature was a thorn in her side.
Above this, was a picture of Googie ripping the pins from Christina's hair just as the fire started in earnest.
"There's more," Maleficent flipped the page, "This appeared just before you came in"
Much to Googie's ire, Christina found protection in a gentle werewolf prince who saw through the witch's deceptions to the evil within. Evil he vowed to keep Christina from.
And there they were. In Christina's dorm at that very moment with a book spread across their laps. In the illustration, Christina looked down at the book with a soft smile but Shaggy's attention was on her, eyes burning with protective fury.
"I never did get to tell you about Magical Creature Care," Alissa beamed.
"Ah, yes, Wish Fish day is always a favorite, what happened?"
Alissa was all too happy to fill Maleficent in. Slowly, a pleased smile spread across Maleficent's face to match her daughter, "She's just like you"
"Maybe" Alissa's shoulders slumped, "I just, I wish..."
"I know"
"I'm thrilled to have her back but, but," Tears started to roll down Alissa's face.
Maleficent tightly hugged the crying fairy, stroking her hair and rubbing her back as she used to do when Alissa was a small child, "It will all be better tomrrow, go get some rest dear"
But, Alissa couldn't bring herself to go to sleep, much too worked up to even consider laying down so sneaking past Radu's study she went to her magic mirror. Even though this would do nothing for her she asked:
"Show me what it would have been like," and settled on a stool to watch the fantasy unfold. Through misty eyes, Alissa watched a cherub-cheeked baby, giggle and smile at everyone she encountered before growing into a rambunctious toddler who had run of the whole castle, the childhood wings that in reality had been so harshly cut off cast prisms of light, sparkles following wherever she went. The toddler grew into a quiet child with her nose in a book everywhere she went escaping into the blue forest to play with the wildlife within. Hiccupping a sob, Alissa dismissed the fantasy with another command, "Show me her real childhood"
...
"Here we are little one," Rosella shut the door to the house with her foot, settling into her rocking chair with the infant Christina in her arms, "I know it isn't much but it's home,"
Christina smiled.
"You like me, do you? Well, I'll be your Mama until you can be reunited with your real Mama, I know she didn't abandon you"
...
A few years later five and a half-year-old Christina sat in the middle of the floor. Rosella was at work but she'd left Christina a good lunch that she'd just finished, now the frog prince book was open on her lap to the picture of the fairy.
"She's my friend, isn't she pretty?" the child asked the ravens beside her.
"Christina," Rosella opened the door.
"MAMA YOU'RE BACK," book abandoned she threw her arms around Rosella, "I missed you"
"I've brought you a surprise," from behind her back came a brand new storybook, "Shall we read it?"
"YES YES YES!"
...
"Hello, kitty," Christina, now ten, spoke softly to the injured senior stray that had just been chased from town, "I'm sorry they hurt you but I'd like to help you" Unclenching her hand she offered a small piece of the fish she had cooked for Rosella's lunch.
Slowly the mottled brown cat moved toward her, accepting the fish before sniffing her fingers. Rubbing her legs, the cat allowed Christina to pick him up, resting his head on her shoulder as she carried him home. Once inside she set him down, cleaning off the leg wound before bandaging it with some fabric scraps. A small dish was filled with food, another with water. Once the cat had eaten his fill he made himself comfortable on the bed, falling asleep with a contented purr.
"I love you, kitty"
...
"Vhat are you doing?"
Radu startled Alissa causing the image in the mirror to dispel as she turned to face him, face flushed, a few tears still trickling down her face, "I know I shouldn't have, I just wanted to see for myself"
"I understand"
"Is Shaggy still-"
"He just vent downstairs"
"And Christina?"
"Fast asleep, no more tears" Radu assured, "Shaggy told me what Christina said happened"
"I saw it in the storyybook, and Fluffy said Googie used magic to keep them from interfering, I don't think she was aware that she used magic but what do we do? This can't happen again!"
"Christina could start taking her lunch in the castle, her friends could join her so she vouldn't be alone"
"I don't want it to feel like a punishment which is what it sounds like"
"Googie can start taking lunch in the castle, vhere she von't be able to hurt anybody not just Christina"
"Yes, I'll tell, Mother in the morning and see if she agrees"
"Perfect, now let's go to bed, it's been a long day"
...
Googie almost punched the wall when she realized Christina wasn't coming. There was no transfer happening. Trying again was too risky, too difficult. On looks alone she could sway a prince to kiss her, Googie was sure of it.
But, which one?
...
Christina sat against the wall in her bedroom a few days later. Shaggy and Melinda had just left intent on taking much-needed naps, so worn out from their attempts at dancing. Hugging her knees to her chest Christina tried to steady herself for what she knew was coming, one hand absently fingering the cold metal of the dragon pendant she now wore to keep accidental magic from occurring. It was almost time for magic lessons, the thought of which sent her heart racing in fear. With a shaky breath, she regarded the small beginners' spell books beside her. Their covers a worn brown leather with gold lettering on the spines. Inside, their pages were thick, still creamy white, and smooth to the touch. These books were meant to teach fairies just barely six years old simple things that were confounding her in a way she didn't care to admit.
Her magic, the destruction it caused. It was terrifying. She had heard her mother and grandmother whispering quietly as they approached her door each day. Her powers were far stronger than anyone else her age. They said she had the potential to do great things in the kingdom and beyond. Nothing but wishes she thought. How could it be anything else?
I miss you, Mama, I really need a hug.
She tried to keep the tears at bay but they flowed nonetheless as she knocked the spell books away, head falling onto her knees.
I can't do this, it's too much.
Hopeless.
"Vhat's this?"
Radu entered the room, quickly wrapping his arms around her daughter.
"I-I-I-I"
"Shh, shh, it's okay to cry, I understand"
Radu held onto her until her sobs quieted, wiping the last of her tears away,
"How about ve have a daddy-daughter day?" he offered quietly, "Take a break from magic lessons today?"
"Yes, please"
Alissa wasn't the only one thinking about all the years they'd lost. Radu had been excited to be a father and when he'd learned they were having a girl he spent many nights picturing the bedtime stories he would read. How he would teach her to fight to defend herself. Teaching her to dance and escorting her down the steps at her first ball among many more dreams that had been snatched away by Lucinda. He remembered coming home from successful negotiations only to find his wife weeping over an empty cradle as she haltingly explained what had happened and that Christina was on the other side of the barrier, in a magicless village ruled by fear. He had beat his fists against that barrier for hours that night after Alissa finally fell asleep. Hoping his sheer determination to rescue his little girl was enough to break through but the thing wouldn't budge.
So, for the many years after while Alissa couldn't bring herself to come to the barrier he made the trek by himself watching the unsuspecting villagers. Hoping for just a glimpse of his daughter. In the earliest years he was fortunate enough for a few glimpses. Christina held tightly bundled against Rosella's chest. This was how they knew the woman's name and that Christina had been stripped of her wings but as she'd grown those glimpses stopped happening. Radu and Alissa more and more reliant on Diaval's reports every month.
The overwhelming joy they'd felt when the class roster appeared in the tower with the names of the Readers glowing golden at the top. Now, Christina was here, every bit as quiet, kindhearted, and gentle as they'd been told but she was also so scared. A result of the torments she'd suffered in the village all these years. If Radu had his way he'd break down that barrier to exact revenge on those who so woefully mistreated his child. Lucky morons protected by something older than himself.
"Where are we going?"
"Bookend, it vill be emptier because all the schools have started back"
They walked in silence until the footbridge into town appeared. The charming buildings with rainbow-hued roofs glowed in the sun as if to welcome them. As Radu had said, the cobblestone streets were emptier, only the occasional shopper passing by.
"This Vay," Radu led her into the Mad Hatter's tea shop,
So many things were going on at once inside that Christina didn't know where to look. There were doors on the floor and ceiling, all different sizes and colors along with windows. Bits and bobs flew overhead, a teacup, a spoon, a shoe. They were swiftly seated at a table with a patchwork tablecloth and mismatched chairs. Their tea tray was carried to them by a group of dapper mice in tiny coats.
"This is Charm Blossom tea, your mother's favorite," Radu poured the unassuming liquid into the rose-patterned teacup.
"Why-oh"
The drink had shifted colors.
"try it"
"Mama's blueberry cobbler! But, how?"
"It changes vhen you speak to it, it's never the same twice"
"I like it"
"I thought you might"
It was so strange to Radu to suddenly have a teenage daughter. He was supposed to have been her first protector, someone she could seek out when she had nightmares, doubts, and worries. She could still do that, he supposed but why would she? Rosella was unmarried, Christina had no father figure before and the only men she encountered tried to hurt her sn now there was a barrier between them still, a wall that he had to break down. After they finished their tea they went to Radu's favorite shop. The bookstore. Judging by the way Christina's eyes lit up, he'd made the right call. After weeks of watching her pour over whatever book she could get her hands on he thought it was time she had some of her own outside of textbooks and fairy tales.
"Go on then"
"Are-Are you sure?"
"Quite," he pressed a basket into her hands, "Fill it vith vhatever you please"
That was all the convincing Christina needed to race into the depths of the store, grabbing whatever pretty tome caught her attention. Baking books, cookbooks, guides to all kinds of animals, books full of fantastical clothes and mystical trinkets, travel stories. Anything and everything until she sheepishly dragged herself back to where Radu waited.
"Ve'll come back in a few veeks, vhen you've read everything"
"I-I-I don't need"
"Let me spoil you, I never got a chance to do so," Radu pried the basket from his daughter's hands, paying for everything without blinking, "Now, ve have ice cream, yes?"
"Okay"
He was beginning to see the cracks in Christina's walls.
They just had to keep working at it.