by Liz Dejesus
This was something she could understand. Her parents had wanted more children, but when it was possible for Rose to become pregnant, David had been transformed into a bear and vanished. They didn’t find each other again until Bianca had traveled to Everafter to rescue her mother from the evil witch Lenore.
“You never know. Maybe you’ll have another child. You’re not that old,” she said.
“No, no. That ship has sailed. I can’t put Claire through that. Not after all these years.”
“How old are you exactly?”
William smirked and asked, “How old do I look?”
“I dunno. Forty?”
He laughed softly, sounding exactly like Magnus. That frightened Bianca more than anything.
“Forty. That’s a new guess. I’ll have to tell Claire. She’ll have a good laugh at that. No, my dear girl. I’m not forty.”
“Are you older than that?”
“Much, much older.”
Bianca furrowed her brows and studied William. There were no discernible gray hairs. No crow’s feet on the corners of his green eyes. He looked much younger than forty, now that she thought about it. Then she remembered that his father was the Big Bad Wolf. For all she knew, he could’ve been a thousand years old. When that thought struck her, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and her skin became riddled with goose bumps.
“Ahhh, you guessed a number. Let’s hear it.”
“I’d rather not say.”
William narrowed his eyes and then gave her a single nod. “That’s quite all right. I think I’ve pushed you enough for one night.” He stood up and then frowned. “You never did answer my question.”
What are you willing to do to be with my son?
The question echoed in her mind. She smiled at the answer that came to her. “Anything. I would do anything to be with Terrance.”
William nodded, as though pleased with her response.
Bianca let out a sigh of relief. She longed for Terrance. She didn’t want to ask any more questions. She felt as though she already knew too much.
“Let us go into the parlor and join the others. I can hear Terrance pacing back and forth. He’ll wear the floorboards through if we don’t get back soon.” He pushed his seat back and opened the dining room door.
“So, did I pass your test?”
He moved his lips a fraction of an inch. “With flying colors.”
William and Bianca stepped out of the dining room. Terrance wasted no time and rushed to her side. He asked her if she was all right.
She nodded in response.
Terrance shot his father a look that conveyed his annoyance with him. “Mother, Father, thank you for a pleasant evening, but it’s time for us to go.”
“Good night, son,” William said.
“Thank you for a lovely dinner and the…ahh…lively conversation,” Bianca said.
“It was wonderful to meet you,” Claire said.
Terrance kissed his mother on the cheek and whisked Bianca away, with Ming following closely beside them. As soon as they were a safe distance away from the cottage, Terrance apologized for his father’s behavior.
“It’s funny. Usually it’s the father that’s being overprotective of his daughter. Not so much with the sons,” Bianca said.
“Is that what just happened? You got the talk?” Ming asked.
“Yep,” Bianca said with a smirk.
Ming threw her head back and roared with laughter.
Terrance groaned. “He’s always been that way. For as long as I can remember, he’s always wanted to know who my friends are and anyone I’m spending a considerable amount of time with.”
“That’s crazy, but it makes sense. I’m an only child, and my mom always wants to know where I am, who I’m with, and why. Sometimes, it makes me nuts, but I get it,” Ming said.
“Yeah, I’m in that same boat,” Bianca said. She thought it was curious that all three of them, Prince Ferdinand included, didn’t have any siblings.
“I am curious, though,” Terrance whispered.
“About?” Bianca asked.
“What he said to you. He’s never been a man of words. He thinks it’s a waste of time to talk so much.”
“He just wants what’s best for you. That’s all.”
“You were in there for a long time. Are you sure that that’s all he had to say?” Ming asked.
“He made me guess how old he is,” Bianca said.
“No one’s ever been able to guess his exact age,” Terrance said.
“I think I guessed correctly,” she whispered.
“Really?” Terrance looked impressed.
“So?” Ming asked.
“So what?” Bianca said.
“So how old is he?”
“I never really said it out loud. I was too scared to say the number I was thinking, so he never actually confirmed or denied anything.” She wanted to change the subject. She still felt paranoid that even from a distance, William, with his wolf-like hearing, might still be able to listen to their conversation.
Every once in a while, Bianca looked over her shoulder to make sure they weren’t being followed. She had a strange feeling that something was on their trail. She couldn’t shake the feeling of unease until they were safe within the castle walls.
Five
Bianca grabbed a roll of paper towels and a bottle of Windex from the supply closet. It was time to clean the glass cases. No matter how many times her mother told the children not to, they always pressed their happy little faces against the glass, hoping to get a closer look at their favorite items. They always left behind drool, snot, dirt, and God only knew what else on the glass.
She aimed the blue bottle at the case and sprayed until it was covered in a thin coat of cleaning solution. Then, using a single sheet of paper towel, she wiped it clean like thousands of times before. She was almost finished with all of the glass cases in the Princess Room when she noticed the silence. Looking around, she found herself completely alone.
“Hello?” Bianca called out.
Nothing. Just deafening silence.
“Mom?”
Once more, she was met with a frightening hush.
“Mom?”
Still no response. A chill ran down her spine. She walked toward the Wicked Wing. She had no idea why she headed in that direction, but had no choice except to follow her feet.
Not exactly where I want to be when the museum is empty.
Yet, no matter what she told herself, she continued to make her way to the darkest corner of the museum.
She stood in front of Queen Mirabel’s magic mirror. It was a large oval-shaped looking glass. The frame was made out of ebony, with thorns, vines, and leaves carved into the wood.
“What is going on?”
Before she could utter another word, an image appeared in the mirror. It was her own reflection staring back at her.
“Not you again.” Bianca remembered the last time she’d faced the wicked version of herself that lived inside the magic mirror. Safe to say, it hadn’t ended well.
Mirror Bianca tilted her head from side to side, as though trying to decide what to make of her. Her jet black hair was matted and dirty. Little insects crawled in and out of her dark locks. Her reflection looked back at her with bloodshot eyes; it was as though she had gone several weeks without a good night’s sleep. Mirror Bianca gave her an evil smile and held up a fistful of snakes in one hand and toads in the other. When she saw her mirror image throw the snakes and toads out of the looking glass, Bianca shrieked and jumped back several feet. The snakes hissed and flashed their fangs at her as they hit the floor. The toads, on the other hand, hit the hardwood floor with a sickly, wet slap. When she looked down at her feet, she was surrounded by reptiles and amphibians: jade, pine, brown, blood orange, ruby red, lemon yellow, and lime green.
“Help! Help!” Bianca shouted.
All she could hear was the croak of the toads and the hiss of the snakes that continued
to make their way out of the magic mirror. Yet, no matter how fast she ran, she hadn’t moved an inch. It was as though the floor had become a treadmill and there was nowhere to run.
Bianca opened her eyes with a start. She struggled with the bed sheets, her arms and legs tangled in the rose-pink linen. The sheets, her “enemy,” fell to the floor as she tried to catch her breath. The left sleeve from her nightgown had slipped off her arm. Feeling like a child that had just awakened from a nightmare, she took a deep breath and slid her arm back into her sleeve. She wiped the sweat off her forehead.
What a weird night.
Did it have anything to do with the full moon from the previous evening? Could the dream have meant something?
It’s just a dream. At least, that’s what she kept telling herself over and over.
She had no idea why toads and snakes were being thrown out of the magic mirror, but decided to not think about it too much. The only thing it would do was drive her insane.
Only a day had passed since she’d packed her bags and stepped through the portal with Terrance and Ming. She shook her head and giggled, then sobered. Today, she would find out what the queen required of her. She turned to Ming, who was sleeping soundly on the bed next to hers. Nothing would wake her up. She could sleep through an earthquake.
Bianca let out a soft sigh as she climbed out of her four-poster bed. As soon as her feet touched the carpeted floor, she yawned and stretched. She had mixed feelings about the nightgown Queen Felicia had given her. It was made out of silk and was the palest of blues. She had never felt anything so soft against her skin. But she hated the high collar, the long sleeves, and the fact that it reached her ankles.
She washed her face with the basin of water by her bed, then tiptoed to the window and pulled the curtains back.
“Wow.” She gasped.
The view outside her window was breathtaking. Every time she looked at the natural beauty that surrounded her in Everafter, she questioned whether or not she really wanted to go back home. The mountains towered above everything and became lost in the clouds. The trees were beginning to turn yellow in preparation for the oncoming fall. It was nature’s version of ombré. The gradual change from hunter green, jade, lime, yellow-green, and finally, lemon.
She had forgotten that September was right around the corner. Senior year. High school. She groaned at the thought of going back to school. That was the one place she felt truly invisible. At least in Everafter, she was important. No. She was special. In school, people bumped into her without a word of apology. She would raise her hand to answer a question, and the teachers would roll their eyes and ignore her. She was a social outcast. The only friend she had was Ming, and they didn’t always have the same classes together. Senior year… Bianca sighed.
What am I gonna do when I graduate from high school? Stay home and work at the museum? Go to college and pretend none of this ever happened? Or stay in Everafter?
I don’t want to go home. Her stomach dropped as that thought ran through her mind. Home was boring and safe. It didn’t have magic. Terrance was in Everafter, and this was where she wanted to be.
“God, I have a headache just thinking about it,” she muttered as she massaged her temples. She decided that it was going to be Future Bianca’s problem.
She walked over to Ming’s bed and gently woke her up.
“Huh?” Ming sat up and looked blankly around the room, as if confused.
“Wake up,” Bianca whispered. “Day one of our vacation has officially started.”
“Aren’t I allowed to sleep in if I’m on vacation?” Ming asked. She rubbed the sand out of her eyes and yawned.
“Well, whenever you’re ready, I need your help picking out a dress.”
“A dress?” Ming asked.
“Yeah, a dress. Remember? We have to wear dresses and corsets and all that other stuff to try to blend in with everyone else,” Bianca explained.
“Oh yeah. I forgot about that.”
Bianca went to the large trunk by the foot of her bed and opened it. She looked over her wardrobe. Not that she had that much to choose from, but there was one dress that caught her eye. It was dark red and had puffy sleeves. But what she loved the most about it was the fact that it didn’t have a high collar.
“What do you think about this one?” Bianca asked and held the dress against her body.
“Ooh, I like it. The color brings out your eyes and dark hair,” Ming said.
“There’s a nice yellow, sorta goldish one here if you wanna take a look at it.”
“Okay.”
There was a knock on the door. Bianca frowned. She quickly put on a robe and answered it.
Who could it be this early in the morning?
It was Terrance.
“Good morning,” she said with a bright smile. Then she remembered that she hadn’t brushed her teeth yet, so she immediately covered her mouth with her hand.
“Good morning, Bianca. Did you sleep well? Were you comfortable in your room?” he asked.
She nodded and did everything in her power to keep her lips sealed shut.
He frowned and asked, “What are you doing?”
“I haven’t brushed my teeth yet,” she whispered.
Terrance chuckled. “Silly.”
“To you, maybe. But there are certain things I like to do in the morning before I talk to people, especially you.”
“Well, do what you must. I’ll wait for you.”
“All right. We’ll be ready in a few minutes.”
“I’ll send one of the chamber maids to help you two get dressed,” he said.
Bianca grinned and said, “That’s really sweet of you, but I think we can dress ourselves. I’ve been able to do it since I was three years old. Granted, I couldn’t wear matching socks to save my life, but I think I can handle it.”
“Trust me. You’ll be happy to have the help.” He stepped away and then gave her a playful wink.
Bianca closed the door behind her. She picked up the dress and whistled. The entire back was a single row of pearl buttons.
“Whoa. He wasn’t kidding,” she whispered.
“Who wasn’t kidding?” Ming asked. She’d finally gotten out of bed and was in the middle of brushing her teeth over a bowl of water. The cotton candy pink toothbrush moved up and down in her mouth.
Bianca turned the dress around and showed the back to Ming.
“That’s a lot of freakin’ buttons,” Ming said. She opened the window and spat the toothpaste foam out of her mouth.
Hopefully it didn’t land on someone’s head.
Despite Terrance’s suggestion, she decided to put the dress on by herself. Then she heard a soft knock on the door.
“Come in,” she called.
“Good morning,” a short girl with bright red hair said. She stood in front of Bianca and Ming and bobbed a curtsy.
“Good morning.”
“My name is Eliza. Master Terrance has asked me to help you both get dressed.”
“I’m Bianca, and this is my best friend Ming,” she said with a wide smile. “And yes, we could use some help with these buttons.”
Eliza covered her lips and suppressed a giggle.
“What? What’s wrong?” Bianca asked.
“You forgot to put on your undergarments.”
“Uhhh, no, I didn’t,” Bianca argued. She knew for certain that she was wearing a bra and underwear.
“Well, whatever it is, it isn’t the proper undergarments. No worries. That’s why I’m here.” Eliza went to the trunk and pulled out a number of things. Bianca had no idea what each one was and asked Eliza to identify each item. It turned out that Bianca and Ming needed to wear a camisole, a corset, pantaloons, and a hooped underskirt.
“Okay, the corset I get. Sort of skipped it on purpose. But I have to wear all that other stuff? Underneath my dress?” Bianca asked.
“Of course. I do it every day, Miss. I’m sure you’ll be able to manage,” Eliza said sweetly.
“All right, here goes nothing,” Bianca muttered.
Bianca was pretty sure that Eliza was crushing her ribs while she wore that sweet smile on her face. Ming complained at first, but when she saw her reflection in the mirror, she quickly sang a different tune. Ming was literally singing in front of the mirror. She looked like an Asian version of Belle from Beauty and the Beast.
“How can you sing when your lungs have been crushed?” Bianca asked as she gasped for air.
Ming twirled a few times and sang the first few lines to the theme song in the Disney movie. Bianca envied her friend’s voice. Ming could be a pop star if she so desired. The best Bianca could ever do was carry a tune without her voice cracking.
Eliza chose that moment to pull on the corset strings some more. Bianca gasped in pain as the fabric pinched her skin.
I hate her. I hate her. I hate this damned corset, too. I hate everything. Oh God! I can’t breathe.
“How’s that?” Eliza asked.
“Can’t breathe. Is that normal?”
“Yes, Miss Frost.”
“Then it’s perfect,” Bianca squeaked.
Eliza giggled. “You’re funny.”
“Happy to entertain you. I’ll be here all week.”
“Oh? I thought you were staying until the end of summer,” Eliza said.
“It was a joke. I was being…” A smart ass. “Never mind. I think I’m ready now.”
“Well, don’t worry. It doesn’t need to be quite so tight. I’ll loosen it up for you.”
Bianca found that once Eliza loosened the ribbons on the corset, she was able to breathe much easier. Eliza helped Bianca and Ming put some little black shoes on because they couldn’t bend over and do it themselves. Once Bianca was finished getting dressed, she stood up. She felt oddly erect.
Damn. Mom was right all along. I did have awful posture.
She took a few tentative steps around the room to test out her balance.
Hmmm. This might not be such a bad thing after all. Definitely not something to wear in the middle of the woods when running for your life.
