Happily Ever After.....Maybe

Chapter Eleven

      I stared at the entrance to the Enchanted Forest of Past and Future. The forest looked rather pretty, all of the leaves were a rusty orange, blazing yellow, or red. Even though right now it was summer and all the leaves should be green. It was like the forest was stuck in its own time and in that case it was stuck in the season of fall. The laughter and jolly music that came from inside was cheerful and inviting.
       Tallulah sat beside me on Tobias patting his strong muscular neck.
        "It sounds really happy inside." I commented on Sugar Foot.
         "Rather the opposite." Tallulah remarked dryly. "There's only two ways to get through it. You want to walk slowly and enjoy it be my guest, but Tobias and I will be galloping on it at full speed. The faster we're through it the better." Tallulah gathered the reins tightly.
       I laughed, "Oh come on, it doesn't seem that bad from here."
       "I'll give you one warning, Amaya. Avoid the people in there. They aren't here to help, just to cause trouble. By all means stay far away from Pastilla and Futurerilla." Tallulah crouched down low in her saddle and with a click of her tongue Tobias shot out as fast as he could and disappeared inside the enchanted forest.
        "Well... What do you think she's so afraid of?" I asked Sugar Foot who only neighed in reply. I sat in my saddle debating weather to let Sugar Foot run or to walk. I really wanted to check out Nyctophilia now that I knew where it was. I wanted to understand and see the town that Hayden had grown up in. The laughter came louder from the Enchanted Forest of Past and Future bringing me back to the reason why I was here. To spend time with Tallulah and to go visit the town of Yugen and maybe just maybe I could find Grace the dog Hayden wanted once he was finished with one more mission. He couldn't give Grace a home, but maybe I could.
        As much as I hated keeping Tallulah waiting for me on the other side of the enchanted forest I couldn't help but want to walk through this forest like I did with all the ones with Hayden. Hopping off Sugar Foot I held on to her reins and slowly led her into the Enchanted Forest of Past and Future.
      First all I could see was trees after trees. Gravel and dry leaves crunched under my boots and a crisp smell of autumn leaves fell over Sugar Foot and me. The deeper we walked in the forest the louder the music and voices became. Before long there were tents of bright colors set up on both sides of the path. Families strolled around visiting the tents. I gasped as a man who must have been as tall as the trees walked by. When I glanced at his feet I noticed they were nobs of wood, that's why he was so tall he must have been walking on wooden! I made a note in my mind to research it in a book at the library in Capricious when I get back.
     He wasn't the only one who was weird in the enchanted forest. There were other people who worked in the tents that seemed strange. Some had their faces completely painted while others were covered in drawings. Men wore bright clothes of red pants with green vest and white cotton shirts while women walked around in long pink and purple colorful skirts with white shirts as well. On their heads were golden jewelry that wrapped around their heads and had jewels that dangled down on their foreheads. All around the people who worked there shouted out to the commoners and me wanting to sell stuff or welcome us into their strange tents.
      "Rat Rum! Get your Rat Rum here!" A guy shouted his arms were covered in drawings.
      I looked down at my own bare arms that had no drawings and wondered how he could do that to his body. Passing another tent I wrinkled my nose as a strange smell came to my nostrils. Covering my nose with my head I picked up my pace to get past whatever that smell was that was coming from the red and white tent. 
        Suddenly I was stopped in the path by a short guy who's head just reached my hip bone. He wore a green hat and yellow and black striped pants and a yellow cotton shirt. "Wanna see your past and future told to you?" He said in a high pitch voice.
         Giving him a small smile I replied, "No thank you." Holding onto Sugar Foot reins more tightly I side stepped but the little guy moved to so he was still blocking me.
         "It's worth your money."
         "Not interested." I stepped quickly away this time he didn't block me but let me move away.
        He stared after me then called out, "Wanna find out how to break your curse?"
        I gasped and twirled around fast the little guy quickly ducked into an orange and white tent. Weird... What did he mean by that. I looked both always before walking up to the entrance of the tent I peered inside but couldn't see the little man. I tied Sugar Foot to the wooden post. Then slipped inside the tent. The little guy was gone, but in the middle of the tent was a circle table with a purple table cloth. A woman with red curly hair that was mostly covered with blue material and held together with a golden crown that wrapped around her head and had gems that fell down and dangled on her forehead. She wore a dress the same color of blue as her blue hair covering.
        "He's not the one you're looking for." The woman said her voice sweet like honey. She opened her eyes and smiled at me with her red cherry lips, "But I am." She stretched her arms out, "Please have a seat."
        Carefully I made my way to the table uncertain weather I should sit or make a run for it while I could. Feeling a tad bit curious I sat in the wooden chair.
           "And how would you be thanking me for my service." She replied.
            "Oh!" I mumbled and dug around in my burlap sack I laid five shekels on the purple tablecloth.
           The woman took my hand causing me to jump, "There there." She said with her honey coated voice. She rand her index finger over my palm and sighed, "Child, you have experienced much pain in your past haven't you."
         "Yes but.... How did you know?"
           "You went on an adventure hoping to find a way out of your sadness only to have more pain and heartache."
           My heart leaped in my chest who was this miraculous woman?! How did she know so much about me? "Yes! How can I break my curse?"
           "Shhh." She put a fine finger to her lips, "My dear I can only see the past, you need Futurerilla. I'll summon her." The woman stood up and disappeared into the back of the tent which led to another tent.
           My eyes widened as I realized what that meant! She was Pastilla! And now she was bringing Futurerilla the exact two people Tallulah warned me not to see! Quickly I grabbed the arm chair to push it back and run.
           "Don't run child, you'll only sprain your ankle." A voice said as she stepped into the light. This woman must have been Futurerilla she wore a pink dress and had straight jet black hair, her face was heavy with makeup and tons of gold bracelets clanked on her wrists as she carried a white glass ball to the table and took a seat.
          "You see the future right?" I said slowly wondering if she had seen my future just now when she told me not to run or I'll sprain my ankle.
           She smiled, "That's right, anything from seconds from now to months or years ahead. Be warned I see puzzles of the future with many blanks still to fill but you." She pointed a finger at me, "Can change it like you just did by not running." She smiled brightly.
        I pulled some shekels out of my bag and placed them on the table cloth just like I did for Pastilla. "How do I break my curse??"
        Futurerilla placed her hands on the glass ball and closed her eyes. She breathed in deeply then spoke slowly, "You will break your curse."
           My heart lifted and I smiled as I sat back down in my seat, "How? How will I do it?" I watched Futurerilla's hands move around on the magic ball her eyes still close.
          "A great force is keeping me from seeing it clearly." She murmured.
          I frowned, what on earth did that mean?
           "I hear bells. Sweet sounds of wedding bells."
          My eyes widened as big as the magic ball on the table and I snatched the table covering to keep from falling out of my chair. "Wedding bells..... For me?" I said shakily. This had to be a mistake! She had to be seeing someone else's future not mine. I can't marry; how could I when the man I loved died.
          Futurerilla nodded, "This is your future."
          Standing up abruptly I knocked over my chair, "You're wrong. You've made a mistake." I said sharply my head was spinning and I turned to leave the tent.
         I had just picked up the flap of the tent to leave when Futurerilla spoke, "I never lie child, all of this will make sense to you when you're handed a rose as the clock strikes noon."
           Tears brimmed my eyes and I left not wanting to hear another word she had to say. She had to be wrong, she just had to. She was crazy they were all crazy! "Come on Sugar Foot, let's get out of here." Climbing up into the saddle I gave her a quick click with my tongue and Sugar Foot gallop away leaving the tents and all the laughter behind us. All I cared about now was leaving this enchanted forest my tears burned as the wind pushed them away. I didn't slow Sugar Foot down till I could see light from the end of the forest. Wiping what was left of my tears I tried to regain my posture and not look like I have been crying. Tallulah was right, I should have stayed far away from Pastilla and Futurerilla.
        Exiting the forest was a big relief, I could no longer hear the laughter and voices from everyone in the forest. My mind still lingered on what Futurerilla said. There was no way that it could be true! I glanced over to the side to see Tallulah leaning against a tree trunk with Tobias' reins tied around it.
      Her coco eyes searched mine and immediately read me like one of her rum bottles back in her Pub. I really need to stop opening myself up to people I thought glumly. "You saw them didn't you?" Tallulah asked although she probably already knew the answer.
     "What or who is Futurerilla?" I asked although I tried to stay calm my voice cracked and I could feel the tears threatening to fall again. Ina
         Tallulah pulled herself up into the saddle on Tobias. "Of all the things to not listen to me about it had to be those two women, did you not hear a word I said about about staying far away from them?"
         "Yes, but who are they? Is what they say true?"
          Tallulah sighed and clicked her tongue for Tobias to start walking. I followed with Sugar Foot. "Pastilla and Futurerilla are twin gypsies who see past and future." Tallulah paused, "My fiancé saw them once." She said quietly.
        My eyes widened, "You were married?"
        "Going to be, if that's so hard to believe." Tallulah smiled, "Way back when my brother was still cursed and eating flies for breakfast." She chuckled.
         "What happened?"
           "We were poor, Gavin he was  fascinated with the rich, he wanted money, lots of it. He wanted a nice house and a great future for us, I tried telling him all needed was his love. He still wanted more, so he found Pastilla and Futurerilla in the Enchanted Forest of Past and Future. They told him all his answers he would find mining in the mines."
          "But only dwarfs work in the mines!" I said with a laugh.
          "Yes, but that didn't stop Gavin, he left his job in Capricious and went to work in the mines he was convinced that he would find diamonds and make us rich." Tallulah paused as if remembering something from her past. "The mine caved in, some towns people went in and brought out his body and the dwarfs as well . Gavin.... His bones were severely crushed. Doctor said he didn't live long after the ceiling collapsed."
          Leaning over from my horse, I grasped Tallulah's hand, "Tallulah, I'm so sorry. I didn't know."
         "It's okay, it was a long time ago. I'm just thankful he didn't suffer." Tallulah paused than she looked over at me, "So what did Pastilla and Futurerilla say to you?"
          "Pastilla just reminded me of my past, but Futurerilla.... She said.... She said she heard wedding bells in my future, do they tell the truth?"
         "I don't know if they tell the truth or not, I mean Gavin wanted answers on how to be rich. His greed led him to his death. But if they are right this time, then this could be exciting! May I be your maid of honor? Oh! What colors would your wedding be? Will you get married in a cathedral or outside? I always liked outside weddings. Maybe my brother will let you use his castle."
      I cut Tallulah's excited rambling, "Tallulah! I'm not really getting married! Futurerilla made a mistake, how can I marry if my love's soul is trapped in the Enchanted Forest of Death!"
       "Look Amaya, I know your love for Hayden is strong. You loved him a lot and he loved you I'm sure. But maybe you're meant to fall in love again." Tallulah smiled, "Like that guy at the pub what was his name? Dryon, Derek...."
      "Dylan." I corrected though I had a feeling she knew his name, but was just trying to get me to say it.
       "Yeah Mr. Fine eyes." Tallulah winked, "What if you're meant to be with him, who knows he just might be the key to finding your happiness."
        I looked away, she had a point. Dylan definitely didn't hide his feelings. He did like me, he even said he'll wait till I was ready. I just don't know if I would ever be ready.
       Up ahead stone walls guarded a city. The walls reached up to kiss the sky and four guards look out towers. One on each corner. Two tall double wooden doors that at night closed to protect the city were now open welcoming us with their open arms.
      "Amaya, welcome to Yugen."
           
      
                                                                      ~
       The Great Wizard leaned over his wooden table that he used to make potions. His  dark almost black eyes gleamed over one of his many spell books. "Wake him up, wake him up, wake him up. He muttered repeatedly to himself as he created a potion.
       "I thought you were a great wizard and didn't need a spell book to cast spells." Replied a man leaning airily against the wall.
        Gritting his rotting teeth together the Great Wizard turned around, "I am The Great Wizard! Anyone who thinks otherwise can become a dust bunny on my floor!"              
      The man laughed, "You wouldn't do that to me, I'm an important part of your game."
      His eyes narrowed at the man, "Speaking of my game, YOU should be working!"
       "Why did you kill him, he should be the one still doing the work." The man complained looking at the corpse on the low cot that was against the wall in the Great Wizard's cottage.
         "I didn't kill him, he killed himself. Besides he was a distraction before the real fun began."
          "Speaking of fun things, here." The man stepped forward handing the Great Wizard a scroll sealed in red wax.
          The Great Wizard snatched it with his long fingernails. He opened it and grinned showing his rotting teeth, "Oh this will be lovely." He looked up at the man, "I'm not much into princes though." He grinned wickedly.
        The man rolled his eyes, "Yes, but the party will get interesting. Just stay in the background where no one will see you." As the man turned to go he paused and turned back to the wizard, "In the Enchanted Forest today, you were the great force that was keeping Futurerilla from clearly seeing Amaya's future  weren't you?"
         The Great Wizard's smile deepened and his eyes darkened gleefully. "I don't know whatever you mean."

A/N- Uh oh, did you guys think the Great Wizard was done in the story? What on earth could the Great Wizard have up his sleeve? Find out soon in more chapters to come of Happily Ever After......Maybe?
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