Forest of Fireflies

Chapter 76

(Daniella's POV)

I didn't wait for either Belle or Maria's response. I sprinted out of the library to chase after my father. He was in a weird state, but I was positive that I had not seen a ghost. It was him. He was standing up and breathing. He's somehow alive.

Once out in the open, I glanced around. There was a growing crowd around the bodies of Johanna and the King. I looked left and right, but could not spot a man wearing clothes from the Enchanted Forest. I heard the library door open behind me and seconds later, Maria was at my side. "Dani, maybe you shouldn't go to him-"

I whirled around. "Why? Didn't you see him too? He's alive, and he's here!"

"Yes, but he didn't seem...normal. I'm sorry to say, but he looked frightening to me."

I sighed. "Yeah, you're right. But that's even more reason to figure out what's going on. Come on, we have to look for him!"

 I took Maria's arm as I said these words but she quickly shook it away to point at something in the distance. I looked up and saw a black Mercedes approaching. It parked not far away from the site of the deaths beneath the clock tower and I watched as Snow and my mother got out. They came up to the site so I gave Maria a glance before running towards mother. Upon seeing me, she diverted her gaze and exclaimed, "Daniella! I thought you were with Maria's mother. Why are you here?"

I spoke quickly, "Umm, she dropped us off so that we can walk around, but whatever's happening here doesn't matter. I need to talk to you about something else."

Mother frowned at me with concern. Then, she tried ignoring me as she replied, "Firefly, I'll talk to you later."

I shook my head, "No! Listen to me, this is related to the deaths of the king and Johanna!"

Suddenly, I heard some shouts from the crowd. That gave mother an excuse to disregard what I was saying. She stepped through the crowd to join the sheriffs and Snow. I followed right behind and almost felt a tiny sinking feeling of remorse as I watched the princess sob on the ground beside her father and nanny. Charming was attempting to comfort his wife whilst Emma was talking on the phone. 

I was now able to hear the shouts clearly. It came from three people, in an argument with each other. I immediately realized that it was about how these two victims have died. 

"It's not the Queen you idiot! I saw the King smile triumphantly as this poor woman fell from the tower!"

"Of course it is! King Leopold is dead too, how else can you explain it!"

Another person joined into the argument. "I swear it was suicide! He must have realized what he had done, and he saw that there were witnesses ready to call him out!"

"No way! There was a third man up there when the King was pushed off!"

"What the hell?! I didn't see a third man, and I was looking at the spot up there the whole time!"

"Seriously, you're saying that I'm blind or that I hallucinated a third man?!"

"Both of you are wrong, it must have been the Evil Queen! Or if not, she must have gotten her daughter to do it!"

"Are you mad, you blithering idiot?! The girl was across the street when it happened! She was in front of me!"

"How dare you call me an idiot? Perhaps you've forgotten that the girl has magic!"

I turned away from the argument and pressed close to my mother's side. The arguing people must have not realized that we had arrived, for I doubt that they would continue their quarrel if they knew that we were there. However, I was more interested in getting my mother's attention right now.