RULED Part 2: A Fairy Tale Reform School Short Story

A Cobbler Family Welcome

The tears have stopped, but my breath is still much more shaky than I would like it to be. I hate not knowing what's gonna happen next. Especially now that I'm a mother. All I can do is follow where my heart is taking me. Is taking us.

I silently make my way through the empty Enchantasia Village I once called my home with Elie in my arms. Down a familiar alleyway and to a familiar street, I find myself standing in front of a familiar boot. Let's hope someone is awake at this hour. With a deep breath, I step up to the door and knock hard.

After a few knocks and a bit of waiting, the door finally opens with Mother standing behind it. Her jaw drops a bit when she sees me standing in front of her, the shock and confusion easy to read.

"Hello, Mother," I say, my voice cracking a bit. "I'm home."

Mother looks down at the baby in my arms and gently touches her little arm. "Gilly, come– come in." I do as she says and she grabs a few bags off of my shoulders. When I finally get everything off of me, and Mother grabs Elie to rock her in her arms, she looks at me with a serious face. "My dear, what is going on."

Don't cry, don't cry. "Is it okay if I stay here a few days?"

"Of course," Mother responds, still sounding very shocked and confused. I have no clue how I'm going to explain all of this.

"Mother, what's all the noise?" I hear my sleepy sixteen-year-old sister's voice call from upstairs. Footsteps descend from the staircase until I see Trixie come into view. She does a double take when she sees me, almost like she thinks she's dreaming. "Gilly?" Her whole face brightens when she sees the baby in Mother's arms. "Eliana!"

Trixie rushes over to see her. "You brought Elie? We haven't seen her since she was just born!" She looks back over at me. "Wait. Why are you here?"

Mother shoots Trixie a look. "It sounds like Gilly and Elie are going to be staying with us for a few days." I gulp loudly.

Trixie bites her lip, seeming like she's trying to avoid an awkward situation. "Well, we certainly have the space since we got that extension in the two of the boot." When I became Queen, I wanted to get my family a newer, better place to live but they didn't want it. The least I could do was give them some more room.

Shortly after, my fourteen-year-old brothers, Han and Hamish, come running down the staircase and spot the scene going on down here. They have the same reaction as Trixie and rush over to see Elie. This was what I wanted for her. But why doesn't it feel like I thought it would? This moment just feels empty.

"How's my favorite niece?" Han asks Elie, who is sound asleep in Trixie's arms.

"How's our only niece?" Hamish corrects. I'm not surprised Father and Felix aren't down here. They're both heavy sleepers.

Mother wipes her hands on her nightgown. "It is very late. We should all try to get as much sleep as we can and pick this up again tomorrow. Gilly, you and Elie can have the guest bedroom." How crazy is it that this boot has a guest bedroom now? Trixie has her own room, Felix has his, Han and Hamish share one just because they wanted to, and there's still room for a guest room!

Han and Hamish help me carry all my bags to the guest room where I set them all against the wall. Mother said she would put a crib in this room in case I ever brought Elie to visit and it looks like she delivered. I place Elie gently inside the crib and watch her for a few minutes before laying down to try and sort through everything that just happened in my head.

✶✶✶

"Han, where's my shoe?" I hear Hamish yell. "I have gym today, don't you remember?"

"Why do you assume I have it?" I hear Han shout back. "I'm just eating breakfast." I stare straight up at the roof of the guest room enjoying the feeling of my old life.