Forbidden Choices by Jen Weddle
Chapter 25
Riley leads me to the door where the other women will be trying on dresses for the wedding; he turns and goes in the opposite direction where the men will be at. We’ve decided to keep our departure a secret, and we’ll act as if everything is normal until then.
I knock on the door and wait a few moments—the sound of muffled, high-pitched laughter escapes the crack in the doorway. I knock once more.
“Hello. May I help you?” An older woman in a black dress and tall white socks demands, soaring above me she looks menacing. She’s much taller than I am and her hair is the same fire-engine red as my mothers, but she looks twenty years older. Her eyes sag and the laugh lines around her mouth form in tight creases. Her bright green eyes are the only sign of youthfulness. I try to make myself look presentable and tug at my gray sweater. She stands impatiently staring down at me and tapping her spotless black heel against the wooden floor.
“Yes—erm, well my name is Alison. Alison Callahan. I am the Princess of Newhollow.” I say quickly, trying my best to sound official. I think I pull it off pretty well because everyone in the room gasps and they fall silent. I can see a silent hatred building up in the woman’s eyes; she angrily spits at my feet and slams the door in my face.
Hot tears sting at my eyes, and I begin to sniffle. I fall to the floor hopelessly and pull the gray sweater over my head to hide myself. The door creaks open again, but I ignore it. I’m too busy feeling ashamed of myself.
Someone sits next to me and places a consoling arm around my shoulders. I poke my head back through the hole in my sweater—I use the sleeves to wipe my eyes. A pretty girl with bronzed skin and jet-black hair falling in natural waves around her face smiles at me. Her almond eyes watch me with concern. She is the one to break the impending silence between us.
“My name is Helena. I’m Riley’s sister. I must apologize for our maid. She’s been known to act like a complete lunatic at times.” Helena replies, gently caressing my back. “She had no right to treat you with such disrespect.”
I’ve never known anyone who could console someone as well as this lovely girl. I feel a hundred times better after talking to Helena.
“My name is Alison. I’ve come to Elacia with your brother. I heard that you wanted me to try on some dresses.” I manage to say between sniffles.
“Of course, I’ve been so excited about meeting you!” She exclaims smiling brightly. She extends her hand and helps me up. “You are all my brother talks about.”
We walk together into an extraordinary grand library. One wall has three large golden bookshelves—holding books of every shape, size, texture and color that you could possibly imagine. The shiny floor is made of dark oak and the walls are painted a bright white.
A large luxurious antiquated desk sits in front of two large windows and chairs piled in books scatter around the room. On top of the chairs are piles of pink formal dresses. Some of the dresses are tulle, silk, lace and any other fabric and shade conceivable.
The maid is nowhere in sight, I’m glad this is the case. I look for her though.
The other girls are giddily bouncing around the room trying on the different dresses. Helena introduces me to four other girls. Two of them are her younger sisters.
Anna is about to turn ten and Isabelle is sixteen. Both of the girls are tall and skinny with dirty ash-blonde hair. Anna has striking blue eyes and Isabelle has almond eyes like Helena.
One of the other girls is Felicity—Helena’s cousin. Felicity is chubbier, in her late twenties with dark brown hair and green eyes. She resembles the sisters with her dark complexion.
The last girl that I’m introduced to is Alice. Alice is smaller than the other women and much more fragile looking, her skin is transparently pale and her cheeks are constantly rosy. She has long, straight platinum hair.
“And finally this is my best friend and maid of honor Alice.” Helena says proudly hugging her tightly.
“Helena.” Alice whispers. “Don’t tell everyone that.”
The girls shake their heads in response, but I can see the faint glimmer of jealousy cross Felicity’s face. I extend my hand to shake Alice’s hand, as I had done with all of the other girls. She takes mine and holds it for a few moments but a sudden jolt sparks between our touching hands. I try to let go.
It’s as if a magnet has been placed between us, forcing us together. Our eyes widen and we stare at each other. Her silver-gray eyes appear as frightened as an animal. Explosions of images flash before us as if a projector screen has turned on inside of me. I hold my breath as images of Alice and Helena start to come into focus.
It’s them as small children in the forest. They look to be about twelve, Alice is resting on one side of a river soaked and shivering—I can see that she’s been badly injured by the way her arm hangs limply by her side. Helena picks her up and gently brings her to the safety of the castle. She’s whispering concernedly trying to keep her friend awake. They arrive in front of the castle and Alice’s eyes widen in recognition.
I’m slammed back into my body and I have to catch my breath. Alice is still staring at me with shocked eyes full of tears.
“Helena saved me.” She whispers in her breathy voice. “My parents abandoned me… my father tossed me over the bridge and I would have drowned if it weren’t for Helena. I ended up with a broken arm, a few cuts and bruises—but most importantly I ended up with a family and a friend for life.”
Helena squeezes Alice’s hand lovingly.
“I’ve lived in the castle ever since as part of their family, and I’m so delighted to have each and every one of them in my life.”
“Your brother never told me you were a Seer.” Alice replies, looking quizzically at me.
“I didn’t know either. That was my first vision.” I reply, my mouth feels entirely too dry.
“You know my brother is a Seer. We’re half-Elf so we each have an ability from that bloodline. My ability is mind control, but I very rarely use it.” Helena informs me. “I must admit, I used it on you earlier when you were sad. I made you think of happy things.”
I look at her surprised, I don’t remember her using it. But I was wondering how she could make me feel so calm.
“Do you all have abilities?” I ask.
“I can control fire.” Isabella replies, placing her two fingers together and rubbing them causing a spark and a giant flame to emerge. She shapes it into a spinning ball with her two hands and then claps them together to make it disappear. She grins at my wide-eyed expression. I’m impressed.
“That’s incredible.” I gush.
“Daddy never lets me use my ability. He thinks it’s a disaster because I couldn’t control it for a long time, and I would catch everything on fire. He even gave me a nickname: Sparks.” She says, blushing and staring at her hands.
“Watch me!” Anna shrieks from beside her sister. She starts to spin around in circles, moving quickly. I lose sight of her and she moves around the room in seconds and back again. She spins gracefully like a ballet dancer and then abruptly stops. “I’m super-fast and sneaky.
“I bet you know all kinds of secrets.” I say, winking at her. She smirks, as if to say that she knows more than she should probably know.
Felicity coughs loudly, clearing her throat so that we must all direct our attention to her.
“Ladies, ladies that’s enough fun for one day—we should be focusing on more serious matters like what are we going to wear for Helena’s wedding?”
She tries to take control of the situation, but Helena is much better at taking control of a room. She claps her hands together and four servants appear with more dresses. They all undress into nothing but their corsets and slips. I sit down in an extra-large rose colored chair in the corner and watch them, trying to give them my honest opinion as they model their dresses off for me. Every once in a while I’ll give a nod of approval or a thumbs down. I stretch my legs lazily across the arm of the chair after a while. Anna tosses
“You have to try this one on.” She squeals excitedly. “It’s perfect.”
I hold it up. It’s a long silky evening gown, in a rose color slightly darker then the chair I’m sitting in. There are thousands of golden beads gently embellishing the thin straps and plunging neckline. I turn the gown over and the back plunges deeply with fold of fabric made of a see-through material slightly lighter than the rest of the dress. I take off my clothes and slip into the dress. Everyone stares at me in awe.
“You look beautiful.”
I turn around to see Riley standing in the doorway in a white suit and rose-colored bowtie. Lucin is standing next to him staring at me with his jaw dropping.
“I think you have a little slobber, Lucin.” I quip. Riley hits him playfully in the arm still staring wide-eyed at me.