Ever After

Chapter Eighteen

Jett had agreed to take us to the palace, where the Queens were. One day had passed since we started our journey, and we were making good progress. Belle gave me my old clothes that she had swiped before they saved me and Jett from prison. So now I didn't have to stumble in that dress anymore. But they didn't bring any of my weapons expect for my dagger that was fastened to the side of my boot. Rapunzel fashioned Belle better clothes from her dress, and now she had pants, a shirt and a short cloak.

Rapunzel kept her dress, saying it was better for her. I didn't argue, because it would slow us down, so she kept the dress on. But I noticed she constantly was touching her hair, as if she forgets it was cut. She had her hair long for most of her life, I guess she isn't used to not having it short.

The sun was setting, and we decided to make camp for the night. I grabbed a bow I made from a tree that fall down. And went to hunt for some food. There were scampers and rustles in the bushes from animals that were trying to hide. But then a little rabbit came out of it's hiding place, and I let go of the arrow. Letting it fly. I brought the rabbit back to the camp, where Jett and Rapunzel were tending to the fire, and Belle was sorting out the rations of berries we had taken along the way.

I sat near the light of the fire, and skinned the rabbit with my dagger. Then let it cook over the fire. When it was ready, I cut it up and served pieces to everyone.

"How much farther do we have to go?" Rapunzel asked. I looked at the mountains that were visible between the trees.

"Around one or two days maybe. Depends on how fast we move." After we ate, we decided on when who would stay on watch. Jett offered to take first watch, but I argued.

"If I wanted to get the hell out of here, don't you think I would have done it before? I'm here to help, would it kill you to trust me?" He said back. I rolled my eyes and let him take first watch, and I went to sleep.

"Ella?" I heard someone say. I couldn't see a thing though. It was all dark, I couldn't even see my own body. "Ella?" The same voice said. I looked around, but I still couldn't see anything.Where the hell was I? The same voice called my name over and over again. Every time I felt like I knew that voice, but it always sounded like a whisper. I couldn't pin it.

Out of nowhere, a bright blueish white light exploded in front of me, and someone appeared out of it. Her shoulder length honey blond hair, heart shaped face, sweet smile, and bright bluebell eyes immediately rung a bell in my head.

"Mother?" I cried out. I ran towards her and hugged her so hard I felt as if my arms would break. Tears fell down my face and she held me, gently caressing my hair like she used to when I was little. We knelt on the ground when my legs could no longer hold me. I no longer cared where I was, the only thing that was on my mind was that my mother was here. With me.

"H-How are you here?" I asked never letting go of her.

"I'm not really here my child." She said. Another tear fell down my cheek. "This is but a dream. But we will be together again, I promise. But you must trust who you are. Trust your gift, and trust me. Your magic is linked to your emotions, you must feel it to use it." She grabbed my head gently, and held my cheeks in her hands. "Find Asaelia, and find us. Find your home. Be calm, control your magic, use it. Then you will be able to defeat the Queens of Darkness, and get back what we all lost." She explained. She touched her forehead with mine, and I still couldn't stop crying.

"Remember I am always with you." She took out the necklace she gave me and held it to my face. I looked at the strange symbol on it, and remembered seeing it on Rapunzel's wall. Why did she have it too? My mother leaned my head down and kissed my forehead. As she did, I felt her disappear in my arms, and I was alone again.

"Mother!" I screamed when I woke up. I bolted straight up, waking up Belle and Rapunzel with my scream. My heart beat rapidly, my stomach turned inside out, and my head pounded hard. I tried slowing my quick breathing.

I didn't notice the white sparks erupting from my hands until they starting exploding up to my face. I gasped and held them up in front of me, my heart beat even faster if that was possible. And more sparks came out of nowhere, going into the fire, trees, and grass. I saw there were tiny fires sprouting from where the sparks went and Belle rushed to stomp them out.

I heard my mother's voice in my head. "Be clam, control your magic, use it." I clenched my fists, and closed my eyes to calm myself. I slowed my breathing and thought peaceful things. When I opened my eyes, the white sparks disappeared. I opened my fists and put them back on the ground.

"What the hell was that?" Rapunzel asked.

"Told you you had magic." Jett said proudly. Rapunzel and Belle looked at each other nervously. I got up and walked over to where Jett was sitting on the tree stump.

"I'll take next watch." I said. He shrugged and went to find a nice place to sleep. Soon, all three were sleeping peacefully. But I was staring at the fire, thinking about my dream. What did my mother mean by "Find your home, and us"? And how did she know I have magic?

I remembered the other dream I had in the jail cell. With my mother giving me the necklace, and telling me that when I remember this, I would have to find the Queens of Darkness. If that's when she really gave me the necklace, then why didn't I remember it until now? And if that really is a memory, and not a dream, then my mom had magic too. Guess it's a family thing.

I tried taking my mind off it, but everything that I thought about, led back to my dream. The fire crackled, and started to die out. So I went to find some more firewood. I picked up some dry twigs and sticks, then starting going back to the camp.

I placed the firewood into the fire, and watched it crackle and burn up. I kept the fire strong, until my shift was over. Belle took my place, and I went back to where I was resting before, but didn't go to sleep. I couldn't. Too many thoughts were swirling in my head, and I didn't want to have another dream. I didn't want to see my mother again, if I was just going to lose her in a matter of seconds.

Finally, when my brain started to turn off, and my eyelids grew heavy. I drifted off to sleep, hoping it would be dreamless.

When I woke up again, the sun shone on my face, and the birds started to chirp. I rubbed my eyes to wake them up, and got up as fast as I could, to get my body awake. Jett and Rapunzel were already up. I shook Belle awake.

"Come on. We have to get moving." I said. She picked up her things, and joined us in packing up our stuff. We didn't have much. Just some leftover meat from last night, a few canteens of water, and some other equipment. I killed the fire, and spread the remnants to cover our tracks. Then started following Jett's lead again, towards the Queens.