Cinderella Rebirth //hiatus

Chapter 15

Arnold looked stunned after hearing Ella's fluent speech. His tense behavior completely dispersed as he laughed, caressed his own chin and answered, "You still have to master all the elements. You technically are an Elemental, so unconditionally you have to."

"It's trouble, right?"

"Well, Ross, I don't know what kind of trouble being an Elemental will bring, but some time it can mean responsibility or maybe fate. Since no man can harm you it means you have a bigger thing to worry about. But still, caution is needed. No need for unnecessary attention and trouble, right?" Ella nodded.

"We Ioviaggrippas tend to stay low profile. Just look at me!" This time, Ella only snorted at her uncle's smug face.

Arnold grinned. "Now that you know, let's eat." Ella glanced at the window. It was almost dinner time. She didn't manage to eat when Arnold grabbed lunch, so for the second time in this day Ella realized that she was starving to death. And as always, the feast at her uncle's was always an extravagant luxury. Ella ate until her stomach was bloated rotten by Arnold's cooking.

"Why don't you spend the night here?" Arnold suggested when he saw his niece lumped on her seat, overate way too much. "You can read some books and practice for a bit. That would burn some of the fat you've gathered just now."

"Eh?" Ella's sleepy gaze arched up, lined with Arnold's, "your girlfriends aren't going to come?"

Arnold coughed intensely, putting down his cup down, hard. "They aren't!"

"As I thought!" Ella yawned and stretched lazily, "You do have many girlfriends afterall."

Arnold wanted—but couldn't—retort Ella's muddleheaded talk. He only managed to grumble.

"How about your usual night butterflies? The one night stands?" Ella bluntly asked. Arnold's face turned red then blue then green then white. When it was back to normal, he didn't deny but annoyedly answered. "They aren't!"

Ella just raised her eyebrows. "And you aren't going to them? How rare." Arnold shook his head harder. Ella yawned again, stretching her body and drowsily agreed to Arnold's proposal. "Yeah, I guess I'll go spend the night here." She rose from her seat. "I'll go sleep, I'll just practice tomorrow. Any night garments or pajamas I can use? Don't give me your lovers'."

Arnold glared at her, obviously pissed. Since when had his humble niece grown up this way? Arnold decided to seriously talk with Thomas. He couldn't corrupt Ella any more than he already had.

"Just go to sis' room. There are her clothes you can still wear." When Ella looked astonished, he spoke again. "She took care of her things well."

Ella watched in silence as Arnold's stubborn back disappeared from the room. The sound of the running water came and accompanied her thoughts. Ella took small, little steps to approach a door, leaving a whisper behind.

"You're taking a good care of them, too."

Ella placed her nails on the carved door. Lilac. She sensed a bit of magic from the door and she knew her mother had carved the door personally with magic. When her finger slid down all the way to the door knob, she found no dust. She then continued to trace the door knob with the tip of her fingers and sighed, gripping it hard. She yanked the door open. 

Ella stepped in and wasn't surprised much anymore when she spotted no dust. Lilac's room felt so Lilac. The room was painted light purple with some slender flower patterns on the wall. At one side of the bedroom was a big window, covered with a majestic white silk curtain embroidered by hands. At another side was her amberwood closet and next to it was her favorite bookshelf made of the same trunk.

Ella tiptoed to the closet. The amberwood's ancient, old smell relaxed her tired nerves. She gently opened the closet. Inside was a variation of colors. Spring clothes until winter ones were arranged at a tidy order. The clothes were smooth, as if it had just been bought. Ella buried her face on the neat pile of dresses. She hid a smile.

Ella changed into Lilac's old gown. Its familiar fragrance caused her to feel enveloped in her mother's embrace. She brought a book and put it beside the head pillow. She then slid down the bed and, even though it's almost summer, used the blanket. She stared at the nothingness, the still air, until she was driven to a land of beautiful dreams.

Ella panted heavily. Practicing magic was exhausting, but enchanting her physique was even more devastating. But she didn't want to give up.

"Ross!" Arnold appeared, making a rift on the lake's surface, since a tree was growing from its floor to catch his figure. "Halt your practice for a while, I think you need to go home."

"Eh?" Ella's lips stopped chanting, her arms became limp on both of her sides. "What happened? Why?"

"Oh it's just a small matter, formalities," Arnold shrugged, "but the royals want us to be on our perspective houses for this noon. It had to do with a royal announcement or something."

But Arnold didn't notice Ella's gaze turning hateful and cold.

"Why now..? Isn't it too fast?"

"What did you say?"

"No, nothing." Ella shook her head. "Then I'll be going first, Arnold. I'll go take a bath first."

Ella left the space by herself. Arnold whistled at this quick, swift feat. Only he didn't see Ella's stone cold face when she was all by herself.

She smiled eerily with a devastatingly pretty face. "Cinderella will be back, just you wait and see."