Amaranth

Lessons To Learn

"You are mundane, for the most part. Unless I know your body can handle magic, all you'll be doing is running and strengthening up."

"How long is that going to take?" Belle complained.

Alice gave her a harsh glare and the young girl automatically shut up. Belle started to warm up and begin her stretches and the brunette girl watched. Belle had never done much physical exercise, her parents wouldn't let her, they were too worried that she would pass out or get hurt. She wouldn't say it, but she appreciated the fact that Alice didn't care and was pushing her to do what was necessary. Perhaps she didn't care if she died, or perhaps she genuinely wanted to help, but Belle was determined to see this through. She began to run and despite her legs burning and her lungs screaming for her to stop running, she continued, because she knew that this might be her only chance to prove she wasn't just a weak little girl.

-

"Belle, have you gotten bigger?" Her mother asked as she ate her second bowl of oatmeal.

It had been exactly two months since she decided to go to Alice in hopes of getting answers and so far, all they've done is run around the lake and do different types of exercises. She had realized that she got tired less easily, but Alice refused to teach her magic saying she was still "a weak and whiny little girl." She looked up her mother and shrugged her shoulders, not knowing how to explain what she had been doing and why she had been doing it. Her mother clapped excitedly and giggled.

"Oh I knew it! That new tutor, Max is inspiring you to become normal hasn't he? I knew that a cute tutor would make you more normal! Every little girl with a crush is more inspired to be more beautiful." Her mother exclaimed.

She stared at her mother with a disgusted face. "Ew! Mom! He's like thirty! Do you want me to like him or something, that's so weird!"

"Oh shush, he's twenty-three, and it's perfectly normal to like an older authority. I had a crush on my college professor and he was the finest piece of me-" Belle interrupted her mother.

"Bye! I'm off to the river!" She yelled running off.

"Be careful!"

As Belle arrived at the river she saw Alice looking down at the river, she stood still and looked like a statue. As Belle moved in closer, she could have swore she saw a tear slip out. "I need you London," she heard Alice whisper. Suddenly, she lost her balance and fell down, alarming Alice.

"Spying?" Alice asked cooly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to. Are you okay?" She asked.

"Start running."

"Look, I'm sorry, I really didn't me-"

"I said start running Belle, if you're smart then you'll listen to me so we don't have a repeat of our little accident from two months ago." She said quietly. Her face was dark and she looked on edge. Belle wasn't sure if Alice was about to cry or kill someone, but she didn't want to find out. She started to run. She looked back one last time to see one last tear fall down Alice's face.

The run today was shorter than usual, and perhaps it was because of how terrified she was of Alice killing her, but she was sure that she was faster. She felt stronger and was confident that she was ready to be taught magic. Belle approached Alice, who now had a stone face and looked emotionless. Alice stopped her and told her to come closer.

"You're ready." She said firmly putting out her hand.

"Do I just take your hand? What will that do?" She asked.

"It'll let me know how much you need to learn and where to start."

Belle hesitantly placed her hand in Alice's and felt a warm air embrace her body. Her face contorted into a pained expression when she felt a stinging sensation within her and she looked up at Alice. Alice was concentrated and she couldn't tell if she was genuinely trying to help her or trying to steal her powers. The stinging feeling went away and all she was left with was a dull numb feeling.