Let Me Hear Your Madness

♤ Chapter 15: Travelling Jitters ♤

"You're going to need this, and this... Hmm... Oh, how could I forget about this, too?" Traisha was throwing things into the three bags that she had set out for me. One was full of strange-looking fruits and meats (?) that were wrapped in something similar to plastic wrap. However, it had turned as hard as glass once it had been wrapped. I had asked her before how it did that, but she had just grinned and replied, "Magic."

Yeah, I guess that makes sense. It felt like some kind of plot convenience, but I hadn't been here long enough to understand what magic could and couldn't do. Some stories used to talk about magic like it was only there to solve whatever would come to be a problem that was beyond any kind of physical abilities for some characters. I never thought about some kind of magic as a mystical plastic wrap. Preserving food... I knew that I was still learning about Wonderworld, but it seemed like there was a lack of food. The children I had seen had appeared to be skinnier and paler than back on Earth, but I thought that was just how things were here. They still looked happy. They still had shining innocence in their eyes, but their smiles had seemed somewhat broken. Just thinking back to the kids caused a shiver to run down my spine.

No. I couldn't focus on that. Not yet. I would help cross that bridge once the Queen of Hearts took her rightful throne. I would do anything that I could before I left so I could help these people. I had vowed that to myself the night after Traisha had told me about her past; alongside the stories that Chad had told me, I concluded that I would refuse to leave before I saw a change take place.

Traisha had been very patient as I told her what I had thought about; I was stumbling around my words and stuttering every other syllable, but she still offered me a strong smile. She reminded me so much of my grandmother, but it did make sense considering that the two of them had spent a lot of time together. I wondered who rubbed off on who: did Ella rub off on Traisha, or did Traisha rub off on Ella? I didn't have time to ask her, though. As soon as the words about finding a way to change things left my mouth, she was rushing around the house in a frenzy to get me ready. "You need to find the Rebellion," she had told me. I didn't like the idea of going back there, but she was right: that was the only rebellion that I had learned since I started my journey here.

I could imagine Helen standing there, her arms crossed, and that smug grin across her face. She would blame me for the disappearance of Chad and Amenah, and it would be justified. I was a random girl that a stray cat had brought in to work for a cause that seemed completely foreign to me. I didn't have anything to my name. I didn't have a reputation. I didn't have evidence that would prove my innocence. I was always a strong believer in the phrase, "Innocent until proven guilty," but the favors were not looking very favorable for me.

"Don't worry," Traisha called as she continued to pack. "I'm going to make sure that they're going to let you back in once you show up at the door."

"How? They didn't mention you, and I feel like they would have mentioned you if you were on their side..."

"Oh, you're right. I tried to stay low once the war started, but I have lent my services before. I would give shelter to other rebels who were hurt or try to give them prophecies that I was able to. I've stayed anonymous, though, and only step in when I feel it is completely safe and necessary."

"Why?" I asked. "You seem to like that kind of woman that would put everything down to defend and fight for others."

"I had promised your mother and grandmother that I would wait in case either of them or anyone else in the royal family decided that they wanted to come back one day. So, I've worked silently and as inconspicuously as possible." I stared at her. Being mysterious and inconspicuous was something that went the rest of her aura and personality.