Fairytale

Chapter 1

This story starts with a death.

Bell knew her mother didn't have long. She had been very sick for weeks and no matter how much the castle's apothecary worked and pondered he couldn't cure her of her ailment.

Vanessa, Bell's mother, started to become weak, soon she was bedridden and a few weeks after refused to drink or eat.

She died peacefully in her sleep.

Well, that's what Bell decided, as her mother's coffin was lowered into the ground. Bell fiddled with the black bows of her bodice trying hard not to cry. She twisted her delicate features refusing to show any pain.

Her father, the King, put his hand on her shoulder. "Be strong Marrabell, it isn't easy for me either."

Bell angrily swiped an escaped tear off her cheek, "I know father." Then she burst into tears.

One after another rolled down her face, by the time the coffin was in the ground and covered she was all dry. Unable to cry any more.

It was unfair for a fifteen year old to lose a mother, right when she needed her most. The thought that Bell couldn't escape from was that it had taken her fifteen years to realise how much she needed her mother.

Bell's father led her back into the castle once the ceremony was finished and took her up to her quarters, he hadn't done this since she was little.

They sat down on her bed. Bell kept a steady gaze on the ground.

"It'll get better, child." Was all he said. Her father never really was good at words. Her mother was the book addict and always corrected Bell with her sentences and whatnot.

There was an awkward silence.

"Can I be alone?" Bell asked her father, her voice raspy from crying.

The King sighed and stood up, he opened his mouth as if to say something but then thought better of it and walked away. Shutting the door firmly behind him.

Bell sat there for a long time. She thought it could have been a long time but maybe it was only a minute, she wasn't sure.

When Bell had had enough of staring at the ground she walked across the room to her window. She lay her hands on the stone sill and looked outside, before her mother was taken ill they would look out of this window and argue over who could see the furthest, Bell always won.

The wind blew her brown hair which was escaping from her bun, it tickled her face. She squinted trying to see further than she ever had. Past the kingdom walls and further than the vast amount of green forest, Bell thought she was able to see the ocean when her door opened.

Bell's maid, Amanda, entered "Miss, I'm here to help you get ready for dinner."

"Thanks Amanda," Bell said as she tore her eyes away from the window. She could always count on Amanda to keep a steady head even in hard times. "Can you help me with the pink and white dress, it's in the closet."

"Right away." Amanda closed the heavy wooden door and hurried over to Bell's closet. She took out the garment. "Oh, this'll look lovely, miss!"

***

Bell's mother's wish for her funeral dinner was for nobody to wear black. As much as the King protested his wife wouldn't give in. So instead of Bell wearing her black mourning dress she wore a pink one with white embroidery down the arms and on the hem.

Her mother had bought her that dress.

Bell made her way down into the dining chambers and entered. There were dozens among dozens of people sitting at the long mahogany table all staring at their drinks or making polite chatter about the days weather.

The room was filled with black and grey dresses and suits. Bell was the only one wearing a colour. It made her sad to know that her mother's wish had been a failure.

Bell walked toward her father's place at the table and took a chair beside him. She made herself comfortable and moved to talk to her father but he was engrossed in a conversation with a lady to his left.

The lady had long black hair in intricate braids piled on top of her head. She wore a very tight black dress that showed off the shape of her legs, with gold trimming. In Bell's opinion it was much too revealing but her father didn't seem to notice.

The two of them were conversing about adult matters that Bell took no interest into, so she didn't eavesdrop on her father and the lady. Although Bell did manage to hear the woman's name, Adella.

A bell chimed from across the room, at the entrance a voice sounded, "Dinner is served!"

Waiters came rushing in holding platters of food and drink, serving every person as quickly as they could. A platter was placed in front of Bell as well as a bubbly drink. She turned to her father to say how lovely the food appeared but when she looked in his direction, he was gone and so was his lady friend.

Bell hurriedly scanned the room, trying to find any sight of the two. She couldn't possibly fathom what her father would be doing with a lady at a funeral dinner for his dead wife.

Then she saw it, a glimpse of Adella's black and gold skirt swishing out of the room. Bell stood up  quietly and rushed as discreetly as possible out of the room.

She entered a long stone hallway and thanked god for the rugs so that her feet won't make a sound. Bell dashed down the hallway and saw the shadow of her father on the wall. She stopped at a corner and peeped around, the two adults were exiting the castle and walking outside to a balcony.

Bell walked as silently as she could to a stone pillar a meter or two away from her father and Adella. There she waited and watched.

"Oh, Adella, my sister," Her father said, "How you make me laugh!"

"Well, I am here to help you through any hardship your majesty." Adella did a little curtsy and smiled. So they're siblings...I have never met her before, Bell thought.

"It was a good idea of yours to get some fresh air," her father continued "It is awfully stuffy and dismal in the dining chamber but I must say I am rather hungry, we should be getting back to the dinner. Don't want to keep the guests waiting."

Bell's father turned and was about to walk back into the castle when Adella stopped him. "Oh no, it's alright I have this to eat."

Adella put her hand behind her back and the revealed an apple. It was completely red, no bruises of imperfections. The apple was almost so perfect it looked like it shined. Where did she get that? Bell thought, there were definitely no pockets on that excuse of a dress.

"Adella, where did you get that?" the King voiced his daughters thoughts perfectly.

"I always keep one handy." She replied, although it answered no questions. "Just a bite and we'll go back."

Bell's father refused, obviously confused. He was about to walk away when Adella grabbed his hand and placed the apple in it.

Instantly, the apple melted into the King's palm. Bell instinctively stood closer to the pillar, it was cool against her skin.

"Adella," her father struggled to speak and clutched his hand.

Adella laughed, "Or maybe, just a touch."

Bell's father collapsed to the ground his dead eyes staring into the night sky.