The Return of the Princesses

Chapter 13

"Look. I am so done with all of this. All the weird 'traveling back in time' are we even back in time? The magic, princes, dresses, fairies, no running water, stone castles, personal... what are they? Slaves? There's no cell service; I don't know where I am, people think that I'm something that I'm not. . . And you are just making this so much harder by threatening to freaking kill us every single time you see us! Are you following us? What is your deal?" 

She looked taken aback. I felt the blood racing through my body as I struggled to catch my breath. 

"You seriously don't know what's going on still? You've almost been here for a week, and there has been no progression in your knowledge of reality?"

I shook my head, defeated. 

"If you want to kill me, kill me. I've lost all sense of direction here. Back home, I had a future. I was going to get a degree, an amazing job, and make so much money that Papa wouldn't have to risk his life trying to create impossible inventions to make money to support me. I already started hearing from schools that wanted me, that were interested in giving my scholarships, and now that's all gone... And I don't know if I'm ever going to get that back. "

"You need a reality check; I don't want to hear your life story,  I don't care. You clearly need a bit of history on yourself then. Sit down. In the world, there are dimensions. Things happening at the same time, and place, but in different dimensions. This, right now, is a different dimension than the one you know. This is your original dimension. Your soul and body were born here; you were born as Belle. As all of your friends were born here as well, as Aurora, Ariel, Cinderella, and so on. All of you girls knew each other by meeting at balls when districts gathered together to discuss politics and things. But once you all turned eighteen, your lives were in danger. As you are all destined to become queen's alongside your husbands, a grave disease swept this part of the world, which in your dimension is considered Europe. For all of your safety, all of you girls had to be sent to another dimension, your memories erased, and be raised somewhere safe. We had the intention of bringing you back one day to reach the throne after the disease died off. But no one knows why you left and where you went." 

"So I've been missing from this dimension for eighteen years? "

"Yes, and no. As soon as you leave a dimension, the time in that dimension slows down. When you spent all your time in the other dimension, only one year passed here. And as much  time as you spent here, a significantly lesser amount of time will have passed in the other dimension."

"What about my Papa here? Do I have one here?"

"You do have a papa here."

"Really?! Oh where does he live, I must find him-"

"Wait! He is here, but he doesn't know where you went. He will call you Belle."

My heart shrunk, "Can I not tell him?"

"No, you must not. The idea of magic, other dimensions, will get you killed here. People will think of you as a witch; you will be kicked from the throne."

"Is that why you're in hiding?"

"Yes, people do not like people like me. And we do not like people like you." 

"And that's why you're trying to kill me? Why are we even having a conversation right now? Why are you nice?"

" That's why I called you here tonight; I'm not here to kill you. You and your friends are in grave danger-"

I loud crack came from behind me, I bolted up from the bench I was sitting in, looking around the garden.

"Hello?" I called out.

"Belle! Is that you?" A voice called, his voice becoming more familiar.

In a panic, I turned around. I must warn her that someone is coming. As I turned around, she wasn't there. Where had she gone? Why was I in such danger?

Adam emerged from the same path I took, his hair messy, and he was still in his pajamas. 

"Belle my dear, what on earth are you doing out here in the middle of the night?" He scurried up to me and grabbed my wrists.

"I, I, couldn't sleep I guess. I came out here to think." I lied.

"Well I'm glad I found you, it is far too dangerous for you to be out here on your own. Besides, you must get to sleep. You're starting back as your duties as princess tomorrow."

He pulled at my wrists, and I willingly followed him back up to the castle doors. As we approached, two guards opened up both doors and nodded to Adam and I as we passed through.

"Guards, make sure you never  let  the princess past these doors without an escort ever again." He asserted as we walked by.

"Yes, your majesty." Replied both in synchronicity. 

Without any more words, attached by the hands, I followed Adam back up the stairs, down candle-lit halls, to the giant, still beautiful, doors of our bedroom. 

It didn't take long for Adam to fall back to sleep, but I spent the rest of the night staring at the ceiling. I needed to get in touch with the girls more than ever and figure out a way to get us back home before it's too late.