Dora Mikaelson

Chapter 9 - A New Home

My Mummy doesn't love me. My family doesn't care. I cry in Dahlia's arms and she comforts me softly, just as she's done every single day for a month.

It's been a full month of living with her. And she has been very, very kind. I think she has been especially nice because of how sad I am.

I miss my family so much. I miss my annoying smelly big brothers. And Maja, the best sister ever.

"I want to be at home," I sniffle, seeking love and support from Dahlia since she's all I have now. I won't get it anywhere else.

"I know you do," she murmurs and strokes my hair. "I know you do darling."

She pulls a blanket over us to keep me warm and tells me stories about magic to distract me. It works more often than I'd like to admit and she lulls me to sleep with them frequently.

"Dahlia?" I turn my head to look at her, interrupting her wonderful story.

"Yes Dora?" She pauses and peers down at me.

"You said you'd teach me how to control my healing magic. You haven't yet," I point out quietly trying not to be rude.

"Are you ready to start learning?" She checks with me first. "It will be tiring and if you're sad about missing your family maybe we should wait a bit longer. You're not going anywhere."

Her casual comment about not having to rush because I'm staying forever makes me sad again but I ignore how I feel and nod.

"I want to learn," I tell her, realising that mastering my magic will make me happy again and give me hope. Something to focus on.

Dahlia smiles and kisses my forehead, "we shall start tomorrow darling, are you ready for bed?"

She tucks me in and watches from the doorway as I fall asleep, re-strengthening the spells she has placed around the house to ensure we cannot be found by anybody.

Nearby, Raphael fights against her boundary spells, sensing I'm close but unable to see me. He's the closest of them all, none of my family have made any progress at all. Not even Freya who knows Dahlia's tricks the most.

I am truly alone.

***

The following weeks pass in a blur, I blink and we've been catapulted into the scorching summer. Every morning I have magic lessons with Dahlia who is pleased with my progress. In the afternoons she lets me play, watching on with the ghost of a small smile on her face.

We've grown closer and although I don't fully trust her, my hesitations are waning. She is quite good fun sometimes and she hasn't been mean, not even once.

I test her often and she just looks at me knowingly. I throw tantrums, scream and yell but she simply steps away and waits for me to calm. She knows I'm trying to see if I can trust her, if she will snap and snarl but she never does. It's a world away from how Auntie Freya described her time with her.

"Dora?" Dahlia calls me from the kitchen and I run in happily, throwing the container of fresh berries I picked from the garden on the worktop.

"Look what I've got!" I show her and she comes to have a look while I show her my success.

Strawberries and raspberries galore. Delicious.

She pops one into her mouth and smiles, before pausing thoughtfully. Her hand grabs another and she squishes it between her fingers, destroying the lovely berry.

"Oh..." I stare down a little confused.

"These are perfect for our lesson young Dora," she beams at me proud of her own idea. "Come and sit with me outside."

We grab a blanket together with the berries I picked, and sit together under the shade of a big willow tree. It's odd since there are no birds here, nor any sounds of them but I don't think much of it. The boundary spells are hidden from me completely.

Suddenly Dahlia opens up her palm, revealing the crushed berry.

"Heal," she commands gently and I watch but nothing happens. Frowning I look back up at her, waiting for an explanation.

"It's your magic that can do it," she prompts me, nodding towards the berry again. "You are more than a healer, I wish to show you that gradually. You hold more power imaginable. It can be truly incredible, you just need the right sort of guidance."

Her compliments serve to encourage me and I focus all of my power, small but mighty, towards the berry.

Nothing happens.

"Dora, feel," she touches my shoulder gently, staying ever so patient.

"It's... it's not a person or an animal, I can't," I finally speak my mind, fearing her backlash.

"You can," she remains confident, unwaveringly so. "I know it's possible, you need an incentive and practice."

She smiles a little at me before putting the crushed berry into my little outstretched palm.

"You can eat it once it's back to how it was."

Her clever reward system pushes me into action and I stare so hard at the berry, willing it to return to its uncrushed form.

Dahlia's murmuring isn't acknowledged or even heard by me as I focus, blinking hard but refusing to pull my gaze away from the berry. I get cold all over, then warm. So warm I start to sweat.

I refuse to give up and Dahlia is proud of my determination.

"Imagine it going back to how it was, picture it in your mind. Rewind the time. Clearly," she whispers slowly, not wanting to break my focus but trying to find a way to help me as it's clear I don't know how to do it.

I stare harder, my eyes watering. I focus so hard Dahlia has to remind me to breathe and I gasp for air when she does, not even noticing how my lungs burn.

And then slowly... little by little... the red droplets of juice move by the millimetre, back towards the crushed pulp. I watch them, urging them to move faster while Dahlia falls silent, impressed with me.

I keep going, pushing harder and harder until my head goes foggy and I sway on my feet.

"That's it," Dahlia can't hide the excitement in her tone. She tenses up, waiting to see how far I can go.

More more more, I silently will, my lips moving but no words come out. With immense concentration, the droplets all return to the berry and happiness bubbles up inside me as I see the berry appear plump once more.

"I did it, I did it!" I exclaim jumping to my feet ready to skip around in victory circles. "It's so much better!"

"Well done Dora," Dahlia smiles wider than I've ever seen before. "You are showing real promise. Well done."

Her praise brings joyful tears to my eyes, the first moment of true happiness since my family abandoned me. I throw my arms around her, hugging her close in appreciation. A deep emotion close to love starts to grow and I thank her over and over again, forgetting that she's the one who took me away.

"You are the best," I say to her earnestly. "The coolest magic teacher ever."

She smiles back, glad I am starting to adjust to my new life. I'll be fully settled in no time, and willing to follow her plans.

"Well done Dora, this is only the start of great things."

———

Thank you for waiting for this chapter!❤️

What did you think? Why is Dahlia starting with berries out of everything?🍓