The Curse Of The Rose - Ella Enchanted AU

The Curse Of The Rose - Prologue

Fairy tales tell, as their labels imply, stories of magic, of creatures that fly. With giants and dragons and orges and elves, and inanimate objects that speak for themselves.

There's romance and danger and plotting of schemes. There's good guys and bad guys and some  guys in between.

A fairy tale also reveals some sort of truth. The perils of choice in our youth.

But our story is different in theme. For our hero had no choice..or so it would seem. It begins with a fairy bestowing a spell..

This one's for a baby named Isabel of Frell.

~~~

Frell was a small place in the kingdom of Lamia. In a small cottage beyond the village lived the lord and his wife, their house fairy, and their new daughter, who was their bundle of joy. They were excited to have a child and when she was born, her eyes were as gray as stones and her hair was the color of leafs in late autumn. She was simply the most beautiful child in all of Frell.

From the child's attic bedroom, Lady Elizabeth was staring down at her three month old daughter who was crying inconsolably. The house fairy, Verna, was with the woman and would be with the family for as long as baby Isabel would know. She would have a happy family. At least it would be until the day until Isabel's gift would be bestowed.

"Now, now my Belle," the young woman cooed as she picked her daughter up from the crib. The crying, screaming baby thrashed her arms and continued to wail. The mother sighed and smooth the auburn curls to press a kiss against the child's forehead. "Now, now. Mother's here."

Verna giggled. She knew that young Belle would be a handful for herself and Elizabeth. And she seemed to be feisty because no matter how much they tried to calm her, she continued to wail and sob in Elizabeth's arms.

"Well," Verna said, turning to the back of the room. "Nothing a little burping won't fix!" She snapped her fingers and sparkles appeared. Soon, a rag on the changing table rose, but only a few inches above the table. 

"Come on!" Verna sighed. "All the way!" The rag then made its way towards her but too quickly and the rag went straight into Verna's face. It then fell to the floor. Verna picked it up.

"I'll have to work on that," she said with a smile.

Sir Jack was away visiting friends when the room began to shake. Then a voice so slick spoke, sending shivers down the womens spines. "Hello ladies," the voice said.

The women looked at each other in horror as they knew who the voice belonged to.

"Jane!"

"She gives the worst gifts!" Verna says, her hands going up in her chestnut hair. 

Elizabeth looked around frantically. "Not if she can't find her."

Soon they managed to put her inside the closet and Verna leaned her back against the door, hoping that she didn't look suspicious. 

Soon, a woman with dark hair and pale skin wearing a black dress with a red belt crashed onto the changing table. She stumbled but stood straight and smile and Elizabeth and Verna. She curtsied. 

"Jane here. Fairy Par excellence ."

"Now, where's the child?" Jane began to look around the room, expecting to see the child, but she couldn't find her. She looked at Verna and Elizabeth expectantly.

"She's walking." Were the words that came out of Verna's mouth.

"At her grandmother's." Was what came out of Elizabeth's. Jane raised her eyebrow.