Blinding Light: A Sleeping Beauty and Snow Queen Remix

Chapter 6

"There is something I want you to do for me." Elena said. "I'll arrange for a flight into Yaquir. It won't get you to the mountains, but we can get you all close. But I need you to promise me, that the second it seems as though you were even remotely wrong about our former queen, you'll leave. Don't confront or fight her. Just come home, safe and sound. Promise me, Viviana."

Viviana nodded. "I promise, Mama."

Elena smiled thinly and kissed Viviana on the forehead before standing up and climbing the stairs in silence, leaving Viviana alone with her thoughts, and familiar.

"Well, it looks like we are doing this." Preisha observed calmly.

"Yes. And I made a promise, Preisha. You know what that means."

Preisha hopped into Viviana's lap and curled up in a purring ball.

"You never break a promise once you make one." Preisha summarized.

Viviana nodded. "Never ever. So, I'll do what Mama says... even if it kills me inside."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that." Preisha yawned tiredly. "Let's hope that for once, luck will be on our side."

***

Viviana opened her eyes in an odd place.

She frowned, looking around her at the blank, blinding white hallways and corridors, as she spun in a circle.

That's odd. She thought to herself. The last thing I remember is falling asleep in my room. So how did I get here? Better yet, where am I?

As she questioned it, her surroundings dimmed from blinding to more manageable, but all she could make out was an off-white wall, a linoleum floor, and a seemingly endless hallway.

Her frown deepened, but just as she was about to pinch herself, she heard a beautiful sound.

Someone was singing.

The soprano notes of a woman's voice bounced off the walls, giving Viviana no clue as to the singing source. All she could do was spin in a circle again as she listened to the song.

The song finally faded into a single point, and Viviana started running toward the source, only to fall and hit something hard, the white hallway fading before her eyes in an instant.

***

Viviana groaned and opened her eyes to find Preisha looking down at her from her bed. Apparently, the fall was from her bed, and the something hard was her unforgiving floor.

What an odd dream. But I suppose I have had stranger dreams in the past as well. They always happen when I'm stressed or filled with anticipation.

Preisha was still giving her a concerned look.

"No te preocupes." Viviana grumbled to Preisha. "Estoy bien." [Don't worry. I'm good/fine.]

"You still fell off the bed. Typically, you don't do that." Preisha noted.

Viviana rolled her eyes and stood up. "A qué hora es?" [What time is it?]

"It's seven."

Viviana's eyes widened. "Seriously?! Is Mama still here?"

"How should I know?" Preisha asked in all seriousness. "I only just woke up when you fell off the bed."

Viviana groaned and bolted out of her room. She wanted to say goodbye to her mother before Elena left for work, especially after all she'd dumped on Elena yesterday.