Cursed

Chapter II - A Welcoming Invitation

Once again, Isabella woke up to the sound of the clock tower chiming six. The blankets on her drew back without her moving them as she got out of bed. She stared at the clothes that were next to her bed and watched them float over and prepare her for the morning. She climbed down the stairs and arrived in the kitchen. She pictured a meal for breakfast this morning and imagined the food on the plate. When she opened her eyes, she noticed the kitchen operating itself. She noticed the darkness and coldness of the room. Although it was dark, she could still see the lamp that always illuminated the room. She imagined it lighting itself the ringing in her ears grew and grew. Ella gave up and laughed.

"I don't know why I still try," she said smiling. She grabbed the match from the cupboard and light the lamp. Today was special for Ella, it marked the second anniversary of meeting her fairy godmother. She reimagined the day of Cyra appearing as an old, ugly woman. Although it was extremely traumatizing at the time, Ella couldn't help but laugh at the idea of Cyra bursting into flames. Oh right, speaking of flames, She thought. She turned on the stove to allow the food to cook.

Ella had become very adept in magic, but every sorceress had her limitations. In Ella's case, Air Magic was her department, which comes in very handy when things need to be moved. The young sorceress had appreciated her gift but wished she had been gifted one of the other elements. Ella imagined what life would be like as a member of the Earth Sorceresses. She wished she could manipulate the ground and the plants and all the animals on it. Or maybe a Water Sorceress who could control the rivers and the tides and the kitchen faucet. The strongest magic, however, was Fire Magic. Ella remembered the legends told to her by Cyra about the connection between fire and humans and the death of a fire sorceress could lead to the destruction of a whole kingdom.

Ella watched as the pots and pans finished preparing the food and breakfast flew onto the plates. She noticed the fireplace had lit itself and the fire began to grow. The flames intensified as they were now touching the ceiling. The flames died down as Cyra emerged from the flames.

"There's a lot of cinder in there," Cyra complained as she brushed off her scarlet dress. Ella waved her hands which caused a small stream of wind to pick the cinder and dust off of Cyra and throw it out the door.

"Thank you! It was like that one date I had with Lorenzo as Pompeii erupted." Cyra looked at the three plates to distract herself from what seemed to be a very traumatic night.

"Nothing says romance like an unhappy mountain," Ella said as she made the plates fly off the table and into the dining room. Cyra grabbed a grape off the last plate flying by.

"I didn't know you liked fruits," said Ella as she followed the plates with glasses in her hands.

"I don't," Cyra followed. She made a small flame go over the grape. She picked up the shrunken, dehydrated grape out of her hand and showed it off to Ella. "but I love raisins." Cyra ate the singular raisin. Ella set the table as Cyra changed the conversation topic.

"As you are probably aware, today marks your two-year anniversary of meeting your favorite flamin' fairy." Cyra brushed a curly lock of hair out of her face as she continued. "Which means you get to meet the rest-" Cyra was interrupted by the sound of someone knocking at their front door.

"Hold on," Ella said. Cyra grabbed her wand, waved it, and turned herself into a small little bug as Ella walked to the door.

Ella opened the door and was greeted by a man dressed in some of the finest garments Ella had ever seen. Only someone from the palace could've owned them. Confused and scared, Ella wasn't sure what to do; she had never been in the presence of royalty before. She wasn't even sure if they were royalty.