Alma followed Caroline once again as she stepped through, once she was on the other side, she was greeted with Selena Starling and Minera Owl talking. Caroline stole their attention though. Miner a looked relieved while Selena seemed rather nervous.
"You were taking a while; I was getting a little fearful so I was about to go and get you myself." Caroline smirked before answering which made Selena even more terrified of the woman. "I ran into some trouble, don't worry they're only emotionally damaged not physically." Minera rubbed her head, Alma then realised that Caroline had picked up Minerva's bad habit.
"What am I going to do with you, come on its time for you to leave." "Come on, I just got here." "Yes, but Alma is expecting you. Go." "Fine, let me go and say goodbye to Damien. Then I'll contact the North Wales loop." "Good. I expect a letter sent to here as soon as you are settled in. I would like to make sure you are alright." Caroline smiled and playfully rolled her eyes. "Yes, Miss." "stop being sarcastic and go."
Caroline and Minera shared a hug before Caroline walked off with her suitcase travelling in the air behind her. Caroline travelled up the steps and into the school building. Alma stayed behind to listen to her fellow ymbryne.
"You said Alma was taking HER?" Minera sighed. "Yes dear." "But she is so young compared to us, is she equipped to deal with her? Are you sure that Caroline didn't use her ability to secure her place? What if she-" "I suggest you remain quiet. I am certain that Alma can house her perfectly fine." Selena let out a sigh. "Why you hold such care for such a monstrous person will forever remain a mystery to me."
Unexpectantly Alma was teleported to a window and an upset Caroline, she was looking down at the two women as a single tear fell from her teal orbs. She had obviously heard them talking about her. Then Caroline turned around to face the wall and closed her eyes while taking in a few rather large breaths.
"Fucking knew it, everyone hates me." Caroline's voice grew cold as she spoke. Caroline growled before walking away toward a room. Alma followed her into a living room, it was rather dark and forest themed. The wall paper resembled a dark forest. Daniel was sat in a circle with other children from Miss Starling's loop, they all moved back when they noticed Caroline enter the room. Daniel stayed out and watched as she moved closer to his place on the rug, she knelt down in front of him before speaking.
"Hey kid, I'm leaving now." His eyes grew wide. "Already!?" Caroline sighed. "Yeah." "But you just got here!" Caroline looked down. "Yes, but you know why I can't stay." "Yes, I know, but aren't you going to a different loop anyway. Won't that ymbryne not like you as well." Caroline tried to smile. "No, she is one of the only ones who doesn't know what I did." Daniel smiled. "Is she pretty?" Caroline smiled and let out a small chuckle. "She is, she is absolutely gorgeous."
Alma felt her cheeks grew warm at the unexpected compliment. She smiled to herself as she watched the little boy grow a smile and the other children move subtly closer to Caroline.
"Tell me about her." Caroline raised a playful eyebrow. "Please?" "Seeing as you are being polite, I will." the boys smile grew impossibly wider. "She is a wonderful woman. She is polite, charming, kind and... Oh, she is quite respectful, caring and oh so sweet." Daniel let out a laugh. "You sound like you love her." Caroline's face flushed and she looked down at the floor.
"I wouldn't say love, I more admire her." Daniel thought for a bit. "Please send me a letter if anything happens. I want to see you happy." Caroline smiled and let out a nervous laugh. "I'm going to miss you in Wales." "Wales!?" Caroline started rubbing the surface of her watch. "Yep, it's on an island just off the coast of North Wales." "Everyone else is staying either here or in the other loop on the border of France. You're the only one going oversea." "don't pretend that you don't know why."
He suddenly wrapped his arms around Caroline and she stiffens in response. "What are you doing?" "Giving you a hug." "Why?" "Because I don't want you to leave!" Caroline cringed at that. "it's fine, you know it has to be done. We can always send letters back and forth, like Miss Peregrine and i did." "Miss peregrine?" "she's the ymbryne taking me in." "the pretty one?" Caroline let out a laugh. "Yes, the pretty one."
Daniel moved away and looked at Caroline seriously, well as serious as an eleven-year-old could look. "She better take care of you or else!" "Daniel, I'm an adult I can take care of myself." "So? That just means that you better take care of her as well!" Caroline laughed. "of course, I will." The boy let out a sad sound before moving closer her.
"Seriously, I'm really going to miss you. You're the only one who isn't scared of me. Goodbye, Daniel." "Goodbye Caroline." Caroline gave him a quick hug before standing up and looking around at all the children who staring at her. "Well, I believe that it's time for me to go." "Yes, it is."
Caroline turned around to find Minera and Selena stood in the doorway. "Yes, thank you for allowing me stay as long as I did. Goodbye, Minera." a sad look crossed Minerva's "promise you'll write, I'll even pay a visit. You know, make sure that Alma is treating you well." Caroline rolled her eyes before grabbing her suitcase and walking down the steps and through to the front of the school.
Once out of the building Caroline was teleported. Caroline had been to Miss Starling's loop previously. She had set up a mark area where she would stand and it would send a message to Owain, the teleporting boy, so he could teleport her to North Wales should the loop collapse.
When Coraline's vision came back she saw a rather angry Mrs Crow and nervous Owain stood waiting for her. Coraline stared at the ymbryne while she impatiently tapped her foot, clearly annoyed at Caroline.
"Well girl, I haven't got all day! Why the hell are you late!" Caroline could see how Owain moved away from the old bird. "I was saying my goodbyes." Mrs Crow let out an annoying laugh. "To who!?" Caroline stayed silent. "I knew it! You're lying! No one cares about you! You could be raped and left for dead because nobody cares!"
Caroline let out a growl and Mrs Crow backed away and the look of anger on her face was replaced with terror. "I um... You need to start being punctual?" Caroline moved toward Mrs Crow and grabbed her wrist. "I would rather you not use such foul words in front of a thirteen-year-old, okay?" Mrs Crow nodded and Caroline let go of her wrist, she turned to the boy.
"Well, hello there, you must be Owain." Her looked at her and Caroline smiled to which he smiled back nervously, much to Jennifer's displeasure. "I am, are you the scary mind lady everyone is talking about?" Caroline let out a strained laugh. "Yes, I am, do you think I'm scary." Owain shook his head. "Not as scary as Mrs Crow." Caroline genuinely laughed. "I have a feeling I'm going to get along with you very well."
"No, you will not, you have already overstayed your welcome. Leave." Jennifer was clearly angry with the way her voice practically boomed around the courtyard of the castle. Welsh people living in a castle, who would've guessed? "Alright, I'm going." Caroline started down the path leading to the bridge half a mile away, the loop entrance was under it.
She quietly muttered to herself as she walked past Jennifer. "Angry ass bird bitch." "Go!" Caroline silently smirked to herself at the look that crossed Jennifer's face, she was oh so satisfied with herself for getting such a reaction out of Jennifer. "I hope you know that I allowed into my loop because I had to. I'm not like Alma." Caroline gave her a sweet smile. "I'm aware." She then carried on her walk through the trees and followed the river.
Once she got to the bridge, she completely abandoned walking and instead started levitating across the bridge, this earned her a stare from an old couple walking passed as she lowered herself for them to walk by her. They would forget the next day anyway. She winked at the older woman and she inturn stared back at Caroline with wide eyes and a slight smile and light pink blush dusting her cheeks.
Caroline loved to flirt with non-peculiar women.
The older man started laughing. "My, quite the charmer aren't you young one. I haven't seen my wife blush like that for anyone but myself." Caroline had enough time to chat before she needed to be at the station to catch her train on the other side of the forest, it was about a ten-minute walk and her train wouldn't arrive for at least another forty minutes.
"Oh, I can assure I've got quite the experience with flirting with women." "My attracted to the women, can't really say much myself though, can I? My wife is stood next to me." "Your wife has a name." all three of us laughed. "Where are you headed anyway?" "The train station." "Where to then?" "Llandudno." "Ooh, may want to practice your Welsh accent a little bit." "Well, I'm French so..."
The woman laughed again. "If you don't mind me asking, why Llandudno. It's hardly the time of year for a vacation to the beach. It's bloody autumn." Caroline laughed. "it's the only town with a boat that travels to Cairnholm." The woman grew saddened. "Ah, Cairnholm. My uncle used to live there, or so I've heard. If you see his ghost, say hi for me will you." "What was his name?" "Enoch O'Connor." Caroline wanted to let out a tear, so did Alma. Alma quietly watched the first purely positive interaction Caroline has had since she had stumbled into her dream.
Caroline smiled at the woman. "of course, I will dear, now are you out for a walk or do you have a destination in mind?" The woman smiled before leaning against her husband. "The bridge, its where we first met." "My, poetic as well as beautiful. I can see why your husband chose you." the husband lightly tapped Caroline's arm.
"Carefully you or she might just leave me, I wouldn't blame her though." "John! She is attracted to women." Caroline rubbed the surface of her watch. "Technically I have preference for women, I did have an ex-boyfriend but that was when my parents were involved with my life." "So, you were forced to be together?" "Yeah, so I consider myself lesbian." "Do you have a type, if you don't mind."
Caroline let out a sigh and a small laugh before smiling to herself. "Older brunette women, with an attitude or their main personality trait being mainly sarcasm or boldness." "My, that is specific." "Yes, I suppose it is." Caroline opened her watch and sighed. "I suppose I should go." "of course, dear, and thank you for listening to us ramble on." Caroline smiled. "Thanks for listen to my life story."
A thought seemed to cross the old man's mind. "Say young lady, how did you do that floating trick." Caroline smiled before levitating again. "can't go around telling all my secrets to random old couples now, can I?" "I suppose not, have a wondrous day." "Have a marvellous day yourself." Caroline said her goodbyes and left.
Soon enough she was sat on the train with her suitcase on the seat next to her. She was sat looking out the window and Alma decided to sit in the empty seat across from her, she decided to take this time to look at Caroline in such a peaceful state. This wondrous woman was quickly capturing her heart without even trying. How she wished that she was the woman she had winked at. Alma sighed as she sat back and rested for the rest of the trip.
As Caroline was getting off of the train she tripped and fell onto her knee. She brushed it off and carried on, that's why Alma could see her limping a little while walking to the house earlier, later? Anyway, Alma continued to follow Caroline through the busy town. She followed her from the train station to the boat. Her walk was noisy and horrible. She much preferred quieter atmospheres.
Caroline waited for the boat to appear through the fog surrounding the island off in distance. Soon the familiar sound of the whistle was heard and Caroline smiled to herself. Once the boat docked, she let the other three passengers on before she went on herself. Caroline set her suitcase down on the seat and sat down next to it.
Then all went to black around Alma...