The Wishbornes And The Fallen Star

Chapter 17

I woke up the next morning with my Mother and Mis Murry bringing in a trolly that had nothing on it.
So everything that happened wasn't a dream....
"Morning my Liefje", Mother said as she strode towards the curtains to open it. A sharp pain shot through my head as the light streamed in. I had to close my eyes in order for my head not to exploded.
"What time is it", I asked as I opened my eyes slowly to adjust to the light.
"11am", said Mrs Marry as she stopped the trolly next to my bed.
"I wanted to let you sleep even later, but there are some important matters that we have to attend to", said Mother.
"Matters like what?", I asked and rubbed my eyes. "We can talk about the details later, first you need to eat something". She pointed at the trolly. I looked at it for a few second then frowned.
"It's empty?'
"That's because you haven't wished for anything yet. For example, a cup of lemon tea please trolly". There was a whirl of something misty on the surface of the trolly and a teacup and a saucer appeared, with steaming hot tea inside. "But you have to say please trolly. Manners are still important especially because you are a princess now".
I cringed at the word. Great. Now I can't get angry at people calling me princess. How ironic.
I looked at the trolly hesitantly. I still can't believe that all of this is real.
"A croissant with some strawberry jam and cheddar cheese please trolly", I finally said and looked at my Mother for approval. She nodded and the same misty whirl appeared and two second later, there was a plate with a golden croissant on top, two smaller bowls with red strawberry jam in the one and grated cheddar cheese in the other and a butter knife next to the plate"
I took the plate, broke of the edge of the croissant, put some jam and cheese on it and ate. My Mother and Mis Marry was staring at me, and I realized they were waiting for me to tell them what I think about the food.
It was crispy and rich and it felt like my tummy couldn't wait for me to swallow. I wanted to say something but before I could open my mouth Mrs Marry said, "Swallow first, princesses do not talk with their mouths full".
So I chewed faster, swallowed then said, "It's really yummy, but I still think Furdolphs is better".
"Ah ha!", Furdolph shouted as he swung open the door, "I told you she would prefer my food". I then realized he was standing outside the door, listening to our conversation.
He moved towards me and took my hand, "Ma petite rose, tell me what you want and I'll make it for you".
"Furdolph, we talked about this, there's no time, that's why we brought the trolly".
"Ah diablo le chariot", he said as he stepped away. Which meant to hell with the trolly. Hold on. I can speak French?
We all just stared at him.
"Forgive me your majesty", he said and bowed slightly, " but she still has to bathe no? That gives me more than enough time to make whatever her heart desires". Everyone then looked at me.
"Well, Bell if you can eat very quickly after you took a shower or a bath, then I guess Furdolph can make you breakfast", said my Mother. I looked at Furdolph and nodded with a smile.
"Fantastique!", Furdolph yelled and went to kiss my hand.
"Now, ma petite rose, tell me what you want?"
"Surprise me", I said with a smile and I thought his smile couldn't get any bigger. "Your wish is my command" he said as he straightened, then clapped his hands twice and he vanished into thin air.
    "Right don't dilly dally in the bath now see", said Mrs Murry as she started pushing the trolly towards the door. "I know your water bending may seem fascinating now, since you haven't used it in such a while, but you'll have plenty of time to practice it tomorrow when you start your training".
    "Training?"
    "We'll talk about that later as well", my Mother said and squeezed my shoulder with her hand and smiled. She then trailed after Mis Murry and closed the door behind her.
    I turned my head towards the window and stared at the forest line for a few seconds.
    I still can't believe I'm not dreaming.
I sighed and went to fill the tub with streaming hot water and this rose bubble bath I found under the sink.
    Don't dilly dally in the bath now see. I heard Mis Murray in the back of my head.
I looked at the water as it was filling the tub. I guess that explains the floating water bubbles the other day.
    I held out my hand and concentrated. A memory flashed in my head where I was in my room, which was filled with floating water bubbles. I was running through them, giggling and bouncing them of my hands like they where floating balls in outer space.
    I smiled as the memory faded away.
But the water in the tub wasn't doing anything. So I concentrated even harder. Commanding it to bend to my will. There was a slight ripple on the surface of the water, but that was it.
    I sighed.
Must be a bit rusty I guess.
So I just shrugged my shoulders and got underdressed.
    I didn't spend a long time in the bath. Just washed what was need to be washed quickly and then got out. The way my mother said there are some important matters that we have to attend to, suggested that it wouldn't just be me and her. So I didn't want to keep everyone waiting.
    I put on my jean short, the NASA T-shirt Lily gave me and my white old school vans with the blue stripe.
    When I stepped out of the dressing room there was trolly stacked with all sorts of yummy things. Croissants, tarts, bacon, cheese grillers, coconut yogurt, a pinkish smoothy, passion fruit juice, a tea pot, a bagel with smoked salmon, avocado and cream cheese and my favorite, BLUEBERRIES. There was also a note on the trolly.
Ma petite rose, the letter started to read in Furdolphs voice in my head.
    I hope this is to the best of your heart's desire!
Bonappetit.
P.S. I hid some more blueberries in the kitchen for you! Picked them myself this very morning.
I smiled as I put the note down and stuffed my mouth full of blueberries. I then took the salmon bagel and went to watch the view outside of my window.
    It was a clear and sunny day. Not as hot as the previous summer days, but still no long baggy pants and jerseys weather. Damn, I can't wait for winter. Imagine curling up in the library with a good book, the fireplace crackling, some hot tea next to me and the snow or rain falling against the window.
    I finished my bagel, and took the bowl full of blueberries with me as I felt my room.
I looked over at Irene's door and noticed it was open. I should really talk to her. I was really mean to her last night and I know she would never do anything to hurt us. So there is probably a good explanation to why she kept it from us. But that I will do later. I then looked over to Raynard's door and saw that it was still closed.
    I when reached out to knock on the door, it opened. I was shocked to see that one of his eyebrows was a bit scorched.
"What happened?", I asked with a little laugh.
    "I don't want to talk about it", he said as he walked past me. "Did you try your fire bending?", I asked as I tried to catch up to him.
    "No" he said in a tone of voice that old me he was lying.
I smiled, trying to keep my laugh in, "Then what happened to your eyebrow?'
    "Nothing. Would you walk faster, everyone is waiting for us in Theo's office", he said as he started to quicken his pace. I just shook my head and tried to match my pace to his.
    When we entered Theo's office, everyone was already there, having tea and biscuits. Clodovea was the only one that wasn't seated. Instead she stood at the window, staring out of it.
    Everyone looked at us.
    "Finally", Clodovea said as she moved closer. She then paused and looked at Raynard.
    "What happened to your eyebrow?". He just glared at her and went to take a seat. She then looked at me.
    "Don't ask", I said and gave her a little smile and to my surprise I could see a little smile appearing on the corner of her mouth. As if she already knew the answer to her question.
    "Good morning children", said Father as we sat down, "sleep well?".
    "Like a rock", I said.
    "Some tea or coffee?", Mother asked.
    "Tea please", I said but Raynard just shook his head.
Mother then waved her hand over the tea set and the tea pot started floating. It poured some tea into a cup and placed itself back down. The sugar pot and milk mug then started to float as well but stopped mid air.
    "Two sugars and a lot of milk right?", Mother asked. I nodded and two sugar cubes floated out of the sugar pot into the tea cup and the milk mug poured in some milk. They both returned to there places and the tea cup floated towards me and I took it from the air, the tea swirling and mixing inside the cup.
    "Thank you" I said, trying not to sound surprised at what just happened. Still have to get used to everything.
"Now, lets not beat around the bush and get straight to things", Clodovea said, "Irene already informed us that you weren't killed in a terrible fire accident like we all thought you were, but kidnapped by some strange man".
    I looked at Irene, who was staring at me with those innocent eyes, then back at everyone else.
"What I can remember from that night it that we four planned to build a pillow fort in the down stair living room and sleep there. After we fell asleep I felt someone picking me up, and thought it might be father taking us up to bed. When we started to wake up, we were in a car driving out of the castles gate. The man had a black hood on so I couldn't see who he was. I wanted to scream, but he told us if we scream or make a fuss that he was going to hurt us". A misty fog started to swirl inside of me. Much like in the dream I had last night. I could also feel the coldness rising inside of my tummy. "So we just sat there crying and scared".
    "He stopped a few blocks away from the orphanage", Raynard continued, "He told us to stay quite as he led us down the street and stopped in front of the orphanage, he whispered something to us in a strange language, but for some reason I knew what he was saying wasn't anything good. Peppa then started to open the door and the man sound like he stopped mid sentence and vanished. When we turned around to look at Peppa our memories of this place and who we truly are was gone and replaced by others, leaving us to think the man was our father". Raynard looked away. I felt the fire as it started to rise.
    "I should have done something", he growled.
    "You were only five son", Father said.
    "I should have still tried to do something!"
    "If you did he might have hurt you or them", Clodovea blurted out. A very faint crack in her voice. "Not doing anything and doing what he said was the best you could have done at that moment".
    "Why weren't you taken?", I asked, "I can remember you being in the living room with us, sleeping next to Irene".
Clodovea locked eyes with me. Her body cold and hard. But in her eyes she looked like a scared little animal.
    "She-", Theo started.
    "No it's alright Father. I can tell her myself", Clodovea said as she put a hand on Fathers shoulder.
    "I got up in the middle of the night to fetch a glass of milk from the kitchen", she then walked over to the window again and stared out of it.
    And I thought I was the drama queen.
    "I then got distracted".
    "By what?", I asked
    She sighed then said, "Cookies".
    "What?".
    She whipped around and said angrily, "Cookies Clarabell! Cookies! Those damn chocolate chip cookies that Furdolph use to make. I couldn't resist them. So I stayed in the kitchen and ate the cookies with my glass of milk!". Alaska then went to brush against Clodovea's legs. She gently stroked the wolfs head. "By the time I smelled the smoke I ran out of the kitchen, but when I got to the living room Mother grabbed me and pulled me out of the way of a falling piece of burning wood. There was smoke and flames everywhere and by the time we killed the fire, three bodies where found matching yours". She then whipped back towards the window and I realized she didn't want us to see her cry. A few seconds later she said in a steady voice, as if nothing was wrong, "I blamed myself all this time. And those damn cookies. If it wasn't for them I might have gotten to you in time". She then slowly turned around. I guess now we know why she is the way she is.
    "But obviously when Mother and Father sent me the letter explaining that your alive and well, and then when I saw you for the first time, the guilty feeling that has been eating away at me started to fade away".
    "The strange man probably wanted us to think your dead and set the place on fire. I still don't know how to explain the bodies, but we never tested for DNA, because they resembled yours so much".
    "And when I saw you for the first time in the bookshop", Mother started
    "You were in the bookshop?", I asked as I tried to remember, but there was nothing. And with a face like hers it's hard not to remember.
    "Yes, but you wouldn't remember it as me. I used the disguising spell to change my appearance and my accent. I was looking for some norman books for some research and I couldn't go into the town looking like the queen. Herdens bookshop was the closets to the castle. You might remember me as this lady." She waved a hand in front of her face and it changed into the British lady that in bumped into me that one day.
    "That was you?". She waved her hand in front of her face again and it turned back into hers.
    "Yes. At first I tried to convince myself that it wasn't you, because if it was you, you would have seen past the disguising spell. But now we know you couldn't because of your magic being suppressed by the spell, but at that time I didn't know that. So I wanted to push the thought away but something just kept on telling me that it was you. So Lady and I followed you around the rest of the day. We even stayed after dark"
    I then looked at Lady, who was fast asleep beneath Mother's feet. "The animal eyes outside the window", I whispered to myself
    "What's that Darling?", Father asked.
    "Oh no nothing, please continue", I said quickly.
" The next morning I went back to orphanage to do a bit more spying, but when I saw Bell and Raynard coming out of the orphanage I knew it couldn't be a coincidence. So I rushed home to tell Theo and he went to snoop around himself". Mother then looked at Father and smiled.
"At first, I told her it was impossible, but knowing Helena, her suspicions are always right. So I went to go take a look for myself".
"Were you also disguised?", I asked
"Yes", he then waved his hand in front of his face and turned into the creepy guy that kept on staring at us that one day in the shop. He turned back into himself then said," When I entered the bookshop I was shocked at the resemblance. And even more so when Raynard entered. So I decided to do a test. I left your favorite book as a child on the shelf", he then looked at me," Knowing that since you were young you had this weird connection to this book, you would probably recognize it in some way. So as soon as I left, I used an invisible spell so that I could keep an eye on you and well make sure no one else took the book. So when I saw you take the book after your friends left, I knew it must be you. So I told Teddy to go and see if he could maybe find Irene".
"That explains the weasel Irene saw. Which is actually a mongoose", I said as I looked at Irene. She gave me a shy smile as her cheeks turned red.
"After we were sure that it's you we went to the orphanage to ask Peppa how she became guardians our children", Mother said. "Of course Helena being who she is, she stormed in here and threaded Peppa to tell us the truth", said Father as he gave Mother a side look. "What do you expect? For me to just go in there all lady like and play tea party to get the information out of her? I think not. So I roughed her up a bit. Even put a spell on her, because for goodness sake that woman was rude and did not have any manners what so ever".
"Says the one who's Queen, but literally kicked the door open", Father said.
"That's besides the point Theo", Mother said and held a hand towards Theo's face.
"We found out after a memories search that you were dropped off at the orphanage on her door step and that she had no idea who you really were. And after a long discussion we decided not to tell you as well who we were until we found out why you can't see past the disguising spell and how you ended up here. So when we went to dinner, I kinda spiked your food with something from my herb garden, which allowed me to do a medical search of your bodies with out you knowing of it".
"Like a ct scan?", I asked.
"Kind of yes. Just the magical and more in depth version of it. I soon found out that your memories were being blocked by this spell, and it wouldn't let me see past it. So all I could see was the new memories you had and nothing more. That night I did my reach and found out that this spell is very dangerous and if not treated with the right amount of Mage Petals and care of exposure to things that might trigger too much blocked memories, it could cause permanent memory loss or in very severe cases, you can become brain dead. So we spiked the food you ate here with it and kept everything a secret until all of your memories returned. It also explains your headaches which was a sign that the Mage Petals were working and that your memories where slowly returning. We still don't know why Irene got hers back first but there's a theory it's because she was younger and technically had less memories to block than what the twins did".
Raynard and I looked at each other. Now I understand why Irene had to keep it a secret.
"And the strange man? Did you find out who he is yet?" Raynard asked.
"Well after Irene told us what happened, we started to do some digging, but still nothing yet".
"I would like to help", said Raynard. Mother and Father exchanged looks.
"He's really good at things like this", I blurred out.
"Well, I guess in some areas you can help, but your safety is our priority now. The magical world does not know that you are alive yet, and we intend to keep it like that until the annual ball and more information about this strange man turns up. We don't want to risk the chance of scaring him off", Father said.
"But for now, I feel we need a mood lifter", Mother said and gave us a side smile
"What do you say about going to find your companions?".