Forest of Fireflies

Chapter 40

(Daniella's POV)

"So this is Storybrooke?"

"Yes. I'll take you on a little tour around town later but let's go home first."

I nodded and my mother lead me to her car. I felt unnerved inside the weird metal contraption but mother reassured me that I was safe. Then, she explained how transportation worked in this realm. To be honest, I'm a little sad that horses aren't needed anymore but at least, horse riding still exists as a sport in this world.

When we entered a wide street, mother spoke up, "This is Main Street. See the clock tower over there? The hands on the clock hadn't moved for twenty eight years since time was stopped as a result of the curse. Unfortunately, it's moving again. Emma, the saviour came into town. She's weakening the curse...and a pain in the neck."

Quietly, I asked, "She's Henry's birth mother isn't she?"

Mother exhaled and answered simply, "Yes." Then, she continued, "But let's not talk about that for now. Anyway, underneath the clock tower there's a library but I've kept it locked from the public." 

"Why?"

Sighing, mother explained, "Do you remember our friend Maleficent?"

"Of course I do. We got the curse from the orb on her staff."

"She's trapped in her dragon form beneath the library."

I gasped. "What? But I thought that this land was a land without magic...how can a magical creature such as a dragon survive in this realm?"

Chuckling, mother replied, "There's always a little bit of magic in every realm. There's only none if one fails to see it."

The car slowed down slightly as we passed a series of shops that lined the street. Mother continued, "Can you see that green shop over there with the red door?"

I glanced out of the window and answered, "What about it?"

"That's Mr Gold's...or Rumpelstiltskin's...shop. He has managed to collect and bring many items from the Enchanted Forest into this realm."

I frowned, "What does he do with them?"

"Nothing. Well, I guess he sells some of it but no one really walks into his shop unless they're in desperate need of anything."

"Oh."

Then, we fell back into silence as we entered suburban streets. I glanced at the houses as they wizzed by and noted that they were all quite large. "Mama?"

"Hmm?"

"Who lives in these houses?"

"The citizens of Storybrooke of course."

I reworded my sentence and hoped that mother understood what I meant, "It's just, there's so many houses and everyone seems to be kinda wealthy..."

"Oh, I understand what you mean.  Yes, there's something else very different about Storybrooke. Unlike the Enchanted Forest, there's a very small social divide here. No one's classified as a royal, noble, knight, merchant or peasant. Everyone's just a citizen." After a little pause, mother added with a smirk, "But as the mayor of this town, I still get some privileges."

We turned into a street where the houses seemed to have gotten even larger. Suddenly, the car turned and drove into a gravel driveway. I looked up at the mansion before the car disappeared into the garage. The mansion is beautiful, perhaps the best house I've seen in the neighbourhood so far.

When I entered the interior however, I was even more stunned. The homes of this realm is definitely much brighter and cosier than any castle from the Enchanted Forest.