🌹Rosabella🌹
I sit on my window seat, listening to the fire crackle as I hug my knees. I'm wearing a black button up v-neck knit cardigan sweater, blue t-shirt, jeans, and my black wedged sneakers. My red and brown hair is pulled into a ponytail. I'm looking out my window toward the Isle which seems to become an everyday occurrence.
A bark breaks me from my thoughts and I turn to look at Briar who's resting her two front paws on the seat as she looks up at me. I give her a sad smile and stroke her head. "Not now, Briar. I'll take you for a walk later." She drops her head down onto her paws whimpering.
I turn back to the window after checking the time on my phone. It's getting late and I'm sure I'll be called down for yet another awkward dinner. I sigh and lean against the window, wishing Harry was here.
"I can't erase the time or the place
You said forever and now all the things that I do
Remind me of you
I can't accept that you just forget
All of the times that you promised you'd always be mine
Till the end of time
And another day is gone
Tell me how to carry on
People ask me what I need
But all I want is you and me
Don't you know how good it feels
When you're with me in my dreams
And I don't wanna be awake
Ever since you went away"
I sing as I look down at the ring on my finger as I think about the first time I met Harry. He was intimidating for sure, but the longer I was around him the more I noticed just how gentle he was being with me. I think the moment Harry saved me from drowning was the day I began falling in love with him.
Most VKs would have just let me drown and wouldn't risk injuring themselves to rescue an Auradonian, but Harry did. He cared about what happened to me and he made it clear that hurting me was the last thing on his mind. I sigh and look down at my phone opening it.
"Shadows of love still live in my walls
I want you too much to be just friends
Cause you can't replace
The things that you take
I lost you once, the damage is done
You keep on haunting me
I don't know where I belong
You did me wrong"
Well except for that little stunt he did with Hadley, but doing that didn't just hurt me it also hurt him.
"And another day is gone
Tell me how to carry on
People ask me what I need
But all I want is you and me
Don't you know how good it feels
When you're with me in my dreams
And I don't wanna be awake
Ever since you went away"
I scroll through my gallery until I find some of me and Harry. Which were never taken unless we were completely alone as Harry found the idea a little ridiculous and didn't want to do it in front of other VKs. The first one I took you can see in Harry's eyes that he's a little bored and not putting in a lot of effort but at least he smiled.
Or well smirked. The next few were taken when we had gotten a lot more comfortable around each other so Harry either had his arm wrapped around me and vice versa. Not to mention you can see the amusement in his eyes. I smile at the image, but can't help getting sad thinking about him all the way out there. So close yet so far beyond my reach.
"Why did you go? Left me alone
What should I do with your texts on my phone?
Pictures of us I used to trust
And now it's lost
And another day is gone
Tell me how to carry on
People ask me what I need
But all I want is you and me
Don't you know how good it feels
When you're with me in my dreams
And I don't wanna be awake
Ever since you went away
And another day is gone"
I look up at the moon shining brightly in the sky. My phone dings letting me know I have a message. I look back at the screen and see it was from Lonnie. She's in Northern Wei visiting her parents. I tap on it and a video starts playing. It looks like Lonnie is near the Imperial Palace.
"Hey, girl! I heard what happened in Auradon. I'm bummed I wasn't there for you, but I'm glad you're alright and everything is back to normal." She sits down and brings the phone closer to her face giving the camera a very serious look.
"You know I love you and as one of your best friends I am obligated to ask how you are and you as one of my best friends are obligated to answer truthfully. So, send me an update video, okay? Are you okay? Eating enough? And do you miss me?" I chuckle in amusement as she laughs, smiling happily.
"That parts just for fun. Okay, love ya and respond soon. Bye!" She waves at the camera and the video ends there. I open my camera and hold it up to get my face in frame before tapping the record button and begin my response. "Hi, Lonnie! It's good to hear from you! And yes everything is back to normal, but I'm not so sure that's a good thing."
I shake my head and give the camera a smile. "Anyway, I have missed you a lot especially since Jordan had to go away with her family around the same time as you did. As for eating well, yes I've been eating proper meals, no need to worry about me slipping into old habits. As for if I'm doing okay..." I trail off and decide for once to be truthful.
Whenever someone asks if I'm okay I just say yes so they don't hammer me with questions. I love that my friends worry, I do, it's just sometimes I'm not okay and sometimes there isn't even a reason for it. So if there isn't one my friends can't really help.
"I'm not really doing well. I don't want to bum you out when you're visiting your parents, but I've been a little down lately. The whole sleeping curse thing and losing Harry has been quite draining. It's just gonna take me some time to be okay again. Don't worry about me too much. I'll be alright. I always get back up, right? Anyway, enjoy your trip. Love you, Lonnie."
I end the video and then send it to her. Knocking on my door catches my attention. "Yeah?" It opens and Ben comes in giving me a small smile. "Hey, Rosabella. Dinner is ready. Mom sent me to get you." I nod and get up and follow him out, Briar padding along beside me.
"You okay?"
"No, Ben. I'm far from okay," I say deciding that from now on instead of trying to be a people pleaser I should just be myself. If I'm not okay I'll say so and vice versa. If I can do it when I'm angry or happy then why not when I'm upset. "Is there anything I can do?"
"No, there's not." I slip my phone into my pocket and we walk in silence for the rest of the time until we finally reach the dining room. Our parents smile upon our entrance and I sit down next to Ben who is sitting diagonally across from our mother who has our father beside her.
I begin plating my food as Briar lays down at my feet under the table. I take a drink from my tea cup and it seems Mrs. Potts has outdone herself yet again. "Everything to your liking, your Majesties?" Cogsworth asks always nervous about doing a great job. "Everything is perfect, Cogsworth. Please, go get some rest."
He bows in our direction before leaving the room. Once again we fall into an awkward silence where nothing can be heard, but the utensils hitting the plate. "Rosabella?" I pause in my eating and look over at my mother. I internally prepare myself for what she's going to say as I set my fork down.
"Yes, Mother?"
"Please, it's been days since Audrey was woken from her sleep. When will you tell us about what you meant about Jason Rose?"
"What did he do to you?" Dad asks with a subtle growl around his words and my mother pats his hand in a calming manner. "Rosabella will tell us when she's ready. And it certainly won't happen sooner by you badgering her," Ben says firmly yet kindly and I throw him a thankful look.
In so many ways Ben has tried his hardest to protect me. I know I said some heated things when Mal told us she was closing the barrier forever, but none of them were true. At least not when I was basically throwing blame on him. It's not Ben's fault that he didn't figure out what Jason was doing to me.
It's not like he can read minds and I always made sure to hide anything that could give him an idea about what I went through daily. Ben shouldn't have magically figured it out and put a stop to it. I should have told him what was going on. No one knew what was going on because I wouldn't tell them.
If anyone noticed anything I'd immediately come up with an excuse to throw them off track. If my mother or father felt how bony I was under my clothes I'd just tell them I was trying a weird diet. They'd always say that I didn't need to do something like that because I was beautiful just the way I am. They'd then request that I try to eat something filling before going about there day.
If a loud voice or someone snuck up on me without me realizing it and made me flinch I'd just say they surprised me or that my stomach was upset. I shouldn't blame people for not realizing what was going on when I made sure no one could. My parents and my brother aren't to blame. I am.
"I appreciate the back up Ben but it isn't necessary." He looks at me in concern and sets his tea down. "Are you sure?"
"I am. As long as this sharing goes both ways," I say and give my parents a look making their eyes widen. "What could you possible want to know from us? We have nothing to hide."
"How about me getting sick just after I was born?" Their eyes widen again and they share looks with each other. "That's not a secret," Mom says and Dad nods. "It's not something we were trying to hide from you it just never came up."
"Well, I'm bringing it up now. If I tell you about Jason then you tell me about what Grandmother did to save my life."
"Grandmother? She hasn't come around for years," Ben says with confusion, but I keep my eyes on our parents. "Well? Do we have an agreement?"
"We should have told you a long time ago. Yes, we will tell you whatever you want to know, sweetheart."
"Good." I take a deep breath before beginning to tell the sob story that was my life freshman year. I didn't hold anything back or leave out any part. I laid it all out for them. Some parts were harder than others and with Dad and Ben getting pretty upset at some points it was hard to calm them down enough before continuing.
But eventually I made it to the end where after Evie and Jay saved me they kept him away from me. Then he broke up with me and he and his family moved away. I stare down into my tea cup after finishing my tale. "Oh, sweetie," Mom whispers and reaches across the tale to places her hand over mine.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Dad asks gently and I shrug. "I didn't know how. I was fifteen. I was scared. I just wanted to suppress it and move on. But that's a little easier said than done."
"Rosa..." I look up at Ben who's eyes are filled with sadness. "I'm so... so sorry. I should have realized-"
"No. He fooled everyone. You were so busy preparing to be king that it would have been almost impossible for you to notice."
"Don't make excuses for me, Rosa. At the very least I should have seen how my own sister was suffering so badly. You are the one person I never wanted to be too busy for. I let you down." I shake my head and wrap my arms around him. He returns the embrace and holds me tightly.
"In a way it wasn't just the VKs that saved me. You did too. Cause Evie and Jay wouldn't have even been there that day if you hadn't brought them and the others here. I owe you my life." He doesn't say a word, but I don't think he agrees with me. When we pull away from each other I turn to our parents.
"Now, tell me what I want to know." Mom takes a breath before beginning. "Most babies cry when they're born, but you Rosa, you didn't make a sound. You were quiet and your breathing was weak."
"The doctors ran a bunch of tests, but couldn't figure out what was wrong. The only thing they could tell us for sure was that... you were sick. And that you wouldn't live to see your first birthday." Tears fill my mother's eyes and she slips her hand into Father's, squeezing lightly.
"We begged Fairy Godmother to help, but her spells were futile. So... I sent a letter to the only one I knew could save you. My mother."
"Her and I have a... complicated past. Which is why she doesn't come around that much. But she would never ignore Belle's plea for help." Mom nods in agreement. "She came right away. And as soon as she held you she knew you didn't have long. We begged her to save you no matter the consequences. So she did."
"Now, your grandmother was... special."
"Special how?" I ask my father and he nods to Mom to explain. "She's a fairy. Which means she has a great deal of power. Now, I never received such gifts myself so we assumed that it would skip a generation."
"Yes, and when Ben was born we thought maybe he would be granted theses gifts." Ben's eyes widen at that and Mom continues where Dad left off. "Then when you were born and you were so... small and helpless we thought maybe we were wrong. But mother wasn't so sure."
"So what happened? How'd she save me?"
"She... well..." Dad trails off and Mom leans forward. "She imbued you with some of her magic. She did it to make you strong so you could fight your sickness."
"And it worked. Moments later you began to cry and we realized you were going to be just fine." Mom and Dad smile at each other before looking back at me. "Over the years you didn't seem to exhibit any signs that you were magical so we just kept that story to ourselves."
"Really? No signs at all?" They shake their heads and I sigh. I look over at my tea cup when I get an idea. "Take this cup, move it up, leave it there in the air," I say and a golden aura surrounds the tea cup before suddenly it shoots up off the table and hovers a foot in the air. Ben and my parents gasp in shock all their mouths slack jawed.
"How long have you been able to do that?" Ben asks me when he gets over the initial shock. "Since Audrey put me into the sleeping curse. I sent her flying right before she could do it the first time. Couldn't do anything after that so Hadie and I got hit."
"Oh, my gosh," Mom whispers as she and Dad continue to look up at the floating cup. "My only question is if I had it this whole time why couldn't I access it before?"
"Because of me," a voice says and it sounds like it fills the whole room, yet the voice is gentle. "Mom?" There's a flash of light and I quickly cover my eyes against the harsh golden glow. Once it fades away I open my eyes and lower my hand to see a woman shrouded in that same golden aura that appears whenever I use magic.
"Because of me," she repeats and the glow slowly goes away. Her flowing hair and clothing fall down into place as she folds her hands in front of her. She's wearing a golden evening dress with a V-neckline and lace sleeves that end above her elbow. Her blonde hair falls in waves around her face and she looked rather intimidating bathed in that light.
"Mom!" My Mom stands up and this woman who is apparently my grandmother turns to let her daughter embrace her. "It's been so long."
"I know, I missed you too." They pull away from each other and she nods in Dad's direction. "Adam."
"Circe," he says with a nod of his own, both addressing each other with respect. "What do you mean it was you?" She turns back to me and steps closer to the table. "I've been keeping an eye on you ever since you turned twelve." My eyes widen at her words.
She's been watching over me all this time and I had no idea. "I knew that one day your powers would awaken and once I saw the hardship you were going through at just fifteen I knew that getting these powers would not be good for you."
"What do you mean?"
"You, Rosabella, have been through a lot more than any girl should and certainly not at such a young age. So, I decided to use my magic to suppress yours. Every year I would come back to Auradon and... refresh it so to speak. Strengthen it so you would remain a normal girl."
"But why?! You didn't think I could handle it?"
"No," she says flatly and gives me a look when I raised my voice. "You could barely handle anything at that point in your life. Constantly fighting with your mother, withdrawing from your friends and family. I knew that the discovery of having magic would be too much for you to handle. So I decided to give you a few years without the added pressure of being more different than you already were."
I close my mouth and think over what she said. She's probably right. "The time for me to reinforce the spell I placed on you had come around, but I decided to see how you would react to learning about your gifts. So, before you left for your friend's party I undid my spell and watched. When you were in trouble your body reacted and you used your gifts. Then when I saw you use your abilities to heal your friend I decided that maybe you were ready for the responsibility that comes with being magical."
I look up at the still floating cup. "Don't make me regret it," she says and I look at her. "I won't."