𝐁𝐄𝐀 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆. The ground was icy and damp beneath her, caused by the dark night. The cold, night air brushed against her skin that was revealed by the large rips Valina had tore. Goosebumps rose on her skin, and she was already trembling.
However, it wasn't from the cold. It was from sadness, one that was so overpowering it's all she felt. She was miserable, and wore it well.
Her dress was neither lively nor free, it had been weighed down heavily by the water that soaked in the fabric. Her black curls had been flattened, now stuck to her face. Her white dress now had dirt all over it, and her happy expression was gone.
Bea crumpled to the cold, wet, dirty ground. The rain had turned into a light drizzle, however Bea was nor any less miserable. Her shoulders were slouched, and she was hunched over the ground, looking at her reflection in a small pool of water. Her mother once told her that it was the beauty within which shone, but Bea thought otherwise.
Bea's reflection didn't show the happy little girl she once was, who pranced along the fields, searching for a fairy godmother with a wide smile till dawn. The water reflected her outward appearance. A servant. Bea stared back into her own dull, puffy eyes. She hadn't noticed someone approach her.
"Hello. May you be able to help me? I seemed to have lost my cat." A raspy voice croaked.
Bea whipped her head around to see an old woman hunched over, standing in the middle of the clearing.
She was supported by a long, ragged stick that towered above her short figure. A sickly brown cloak was draped over her, the hood covering her hair. The woman looked like she hadn't slept in ages, lines scattering her features and wrinkles permanently indented in her skin.
Bea swallowed the huge lump in her throat, holding back the welling tears. "Of course." She smiled, though it was clearly fake, and stood up from her position. Bea quickly wiped the wet tears off her face that had recently fallen.
When she looked back up at the woman's spot, Bea noticed she was gone. She had just disappeared.
Bea looked around in bewilderment, scanning the clearing for any sight of her. But the old woman was gone.
Bea slouched her shoulders again, tears finally falling. She was alone once more, both a good and bad thing. She wrapped her arms around her torso, comforting herself and more tears fall, laughing through them in despite of it. She had scared the poor woman off. At least she could let her fake smile fall.
"Oh, I knew it. I knew your were faking that smile that whole time! Hah." A voice exclaimed. Bea let out a startled shriek and jumped. Her head whipped around again. The voice had belonged to the old woman, and there she was, standing like nothing had happened.
"You were just over there, and then y-you... disappeared in thin air!" Bea's eyes widened as she waved her hand dismissively towards the spot the old woman had just been in.
The woman looked at her innocently, looking over to the spot and back at Bea. She gave a little smile.
Maybe Bea was crazy. Plus, she probably looked the part with wet, bright red cheeks and puffy eyes, wild hair, and a dirty dress.
But Bea assured herself she wasn't crazy. Unless her eyes had played a trick on her, maybe too blurred from the tears to see the woman move.
"Why are you crying?" The woman peered at her with curious eyes.
Bea hesitated. The woman had simply asked a question, but one Bea had hoped that she wouldn't hear. How could she explain such a mess?
Bea went to bring up that the woman had changed the subject but stopped as she saw the look the woman gave her, a look of suspicion.
One that told Bea she shouldn't even try to lie, but Bea decided she should at least give it a shot.
"It's nothing." Bea shrugged, her focus suddenly shifting to the ground. The woman's face scrunched together in frustration.
"Nothing!" The woman exclaimed, letting out a laugh of disbelief. Bea returned her gaze to look at the woman.
"What is it when you offer to help a seemingly crazy, old lady? Nothing really. Helping an injured cat and almost dying because of it. Nothing." The woman shrugged, her voice laced with sarcasm. She looked up at Bea from the hood of her cloak with a glint in her eye.
Bea stood up straighter at the woman's words and her eyes narrowed in suspicion. She kept silent. How did this woman know she helped the cat, and known she would come here too? Who was she?
"But kindness makes it everything." The woman whispered. Her eyes twinkled, as if she knew something Bea didn't.
Bea held her gaze, looking warily at the woman. What did she mean?
"Now, I don't mean to hurry you but you really got it wrong Bea." The woman sighed.
Bea's name rolled off the tip of her tongue with ease, as if she had known Bea all her life. Bea's eyes widened.
"How do you know me, and how did you know how about the...cat thing?" Bea said with disbelief, her eyebrows furrowing together. She looked up at the woman, searching for any sign.
But the woman said nothing.
"Who are you?" Bea whispered, narrowing her eyes at the woman.
"Who am I? I should think you to work that one out." The woman nodded towards Bea, her voice ringing mischievously. The woman had a grin on her face, the same strange glint in her eyes.
Bea stood there, her curiosity ticking. She really didn't have a clue as to why she should know this woman. The woman let out a frustrated sigh seeing Bea had no answer.
"I'm your Fairy Godmother." Bea's supposed Fairy Godmother gestured towards Bea, letting out a toothy grin that showed off her grungy brown teeth. Her forehead creased, and the wrinkles scattered in her eye area became more defined. Bea raised an eyebrow.
"No, you can't be." Bea let out a tired laugh, running her fingers through her damp hair.
It was almost like this day was blowing past Bea's almost future, meeting Kit again, and bringing up more from the past, her mother's words and all the memories she tried to move on from.
At a certain point, Bea wanted to shout at the universe all her frustrations. But she knew it would do nothing.
On the bright side, the universe had brought something interesting to her life. A woman who claimed to be her Fairy Godmother.
Maybe she could believe it, that this woman was her Fairy Godmother. In the past, as a child, she would've, but in the present, things were different.
"Why not?" The old woman smile faded into a slight frown.
"Because they don't exist. They're just made up for children. Besides, magic isn't real, I learned that a long time ago." Bea sighed, slightly laughing at her trembling voice.
She wore a amused smile on her face, but her eyes were tired and sad as she stood there in the forest, talking to a woman who said that she was her Fairy Godmother. The situations she gets herself into...
The woman looked almost offended as if she was here on the behalf of magic itself. But her mischievous little grin returned shortly after.
"Didn't your own mother believe in them?" The woman added.
The amused smile quickly fell off Bea's face. The words froze her in place, and she opened her mouth to speak but couldn't utter a word. Her eyes were filled with confusion and disbelief.
"And don't say no, cause I heard her. I was there. I was also there when you met dear Kit and saved that cat. Rather daring, wasn't it?" The old woman added, giving Bea a toothy grin.
Things weren't adding up, and Bea sat there, puzzled. There was a small moment of silence before Bea spoke.
"You were there?" Bea questioned with confusion, looking at the woman as if she was crazy again.
The woman frowned at Bea's confused state, quickly walking towards her. "Oh fiddle faddle, fiddle faddle." The old woman scoffed, shaking her head.
"Right. First things first, let me slip into something more comfortable." The woman said as she paused to look at Bea, her features turning into a happy grin.
Bea watched the woman with pure confusion as she brushed past her. The woman had waddled towards a plain. Bea ran to catch up with her.
The woman happily sighed when they had arrived at the plain. It wasn't that far of a walk, only a few steps out of the clearing . The woman ran into the plain, letting out a little, hearty laugh. Bea stood there, confused.
The strange woman tossed her walking stick in the air. Bea watched as it spun in the air.
In the dark night, a white glimmer of light shone through the air, coming from the top of the walking stick. It twirled higher and higher.
Then the stick was enveloped in the white glow, and there was a big burst of light. Bea shielded her eyes, half convinced this was a dream.
When she opened her eyes, the stick was falling down towards the woman, but it wasn't a stick anymore, it was a beautiful silver wand.
Bea gasped at the incredible sight, slightly gaping.
The wand fell as quickly as it flew, twirling down gracefully to land in the hands of the old woman.
The same white glow poured over the old woman, enveloping her so that she was nearly invisible beneath the light. Bea's eyes widened.
When the magic disappeared, leaving a faint trace of white light in the air, the old woman wasn't there anymore.
To be frank, the old woman wasn't exactly an old woman to start.
She was dressed in a beautiful white gown, made of a beautiful and shimmery light blue fabric. The skirt sprung out from her hips, a bouncy structure that was very fitting. There were layers of fabric dripping down from the skirt, making it look very extravagant. Two small fabric wings sprouted from the back of her corset.
The woman turned to face Bea, all signs of old features were gone. No wrinkles or lines lay a trace on her face. The old woman looked liked she had slept for a hundred years now.
Her features were small and petite. Her lips were formed in a pleasant smirk, and her tiny grey eyes were filled with excitement.
Instead of old, gray hair, the woman had platinum blonde hair. It was curled into a secure style, coming off in waves that framed her face. Bea gasped louder than before.
Great details danced on the woman's dress. A collar hugged the backside of her neck, with swirls and rhinestones embroidered to it. The woman wore a corset embroidered with only the finest details. Long sleeves hugged the woman's arms, made of the same light blue iridescent fabric. Bea was still trying to process this woman's transformation.
But this wasn't just a woman, this was Bea's Fairy Godmother.