Special

Chapter 17

Ella was walking down a small dirt road, oaks and small shrubs lining the sides. She was alone again, and yet it seemed normal. As if this was where she belonged. There was a light mist surrounding the ground, as she put one foot in front of the other, walking down the path. It was as if she was hypnotized. Not able to control what she was doing, but at the same time it was as if she was choosing to walk forward through the mysterious wooded path.

She kept walking down the path, the pattern of trees seemed to repeat itself. Memories came back, ones of running through the snowy woods, blood spilling down the side of her face and into her eyes. Ones of being smashed into the trunk of a tree, being knocked unconscious. Ones of staring down at herself, covered in blood, dirt, and wet snow. This was all from only yesterday, when she almost died. Then, there were ones of picking coins out of the well, or feeling the soft fabric of the violet silk ribbon when she'd bought it from the bazaar. Ones going so far back as to when she was 12 and almost discovered stealing from the well, but she blended perfectly into the wood and shadows of the surrounding houses. Finally, ones of a fire, roaring through thick trees, screams coming from everywhere, hurriedly trying to escape. She was running from the red flames, her small legs carrying her as far as she could go. She didn't know where that came from, and she didn't know when that happened. It was a memory she didn't remember. She was about 7 or 8 in that memory, but all she could remember from those times were vague images of her mother and sister, and walking between trees for months.

She kept walking until she came across a word, etched in the dirt. She read the word out loud. Special. She stared at it, not understanding what it meant. The whispering came, quietly yelling the word into her ears, just like with the book. She knew it had to mean something, that she was special, but how exactly? In the book it said they had powers, but that was all adenydds, what was so special about her?

A thick, thorny vine shot in front of her face. She closed her eyes, and jumped up into the sky, trying to avoid it.

Ella suddenly shot up, jumping backwards, thinking that she was still in the dream. Her head hit the ceiling, and she felt a bump at the back of her head, yet another injury to deal with.

"Are you OK?" Lilith asked, checking the back of her head. "The last thing you need is another injury."

"Why was there fire? I don't remember fire." Ella said, dazed and drowsy. Lilith and Connor both looked at her with confused looks.

"What do you mean? I don't remember a fire."

"Neither do I."

"Are you sure? Was there a fire while we were running away? Or while I was unconscious? Or even before we left?"

"No, I don't think so."

Ella looked down, remembering the small hands and short legs. What if it wasn't me. No, what if it was before I even got to the kingdom, before I even was running through the woods looking for it. She looked down at her hands, smiling. She finally had a memory from before. Before she was alone. Before she traveled between different woods until she could find a place to live. A memory from before, when she was supposed to lead a happy life, instead of remembering vague family faces and having no past. It didn't bother her before, as most people don't remember things that happened from such young ages, but now that she knew it was something important, she wanted to learn more.

"I'm remembering! I'm remembering!" Ella said, jumping up and down. She hit her head on the ceiling again, and sat back down on the bed, having tired herself out.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" Lilith said, turning the lamp off.

Ella nodded, and lay down under the warm covers as Lilith walked over to the other bed. Ella stared up at the ceiling as Connor unpacked his blankets and set them on the floor next to her bed. The last thing Ella remembered was Connor reaching over to hold her hand before she fell into deep sleep.

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Ella was having the same dream again. She found herself wandering down the path, the memories flooding through her brain, with every step that she took. There were the same painful memories of her being smashed against the rough tree bark, or stumbling out of the carriage, or running through the muddy snow on the cold winter night. When she walked far enough, she was able to recall the memories of the fire again, intertwined with more recent ones.

Ella started walking slowly, as the memories slowed down too. With every step she took, a different memory. If she was able to resist the urge to keep walking, she might be able to see more of her past.

A memory of weaving baskets, with colorful ribbons in between. Her small fingers were able to overlap the ribbons with long pieces of dead grass quite quickly. It was the same violet color as the ribbon that tied her long hair into a braid. Ella recognized a person, who looked just like her, sitting next to her, doing the same thing.

"Weave the ribbons in well, just like mom did." her older sister said, as her voice echoed through the thick oaks.

"I have purple just like you!" Ella said happily, in only a way such a small child could feel.

"One day you'll be more amazing than even the oldest elders," she reassured Ella in a soft voice. "So we'll practice once you finish."