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Ella Ashmore thought that the only pain she’d experienced when losing her parents was the worst pain she’d ever go through. The pain of watching as her mother burned at the stake on a false accusation of witchcraft. It was horrible and terrifying, hearing the screams as flames licked at her mother’s body. As skin melted away from her skeleton and her life was lost to the world, Ella Ashmore absorbed her mother’s pain, clutching it dearly to her chest. Those screams would be the last thing that she was able to obtain of her mother’s precious time on earth, then that was what she would treasure.
She thought that pain could not be added to, though again, she was proven wrong when her father passed away of illness, so she was forced to say. She knew the truth. She knew precisely what had happened when it came down to reality. She knew it, and she’d seen it with her own eyes as her troll stepfamily had poisoned her only remaining parent. She’d been forced to concoct meals filled with mould to ensure his health was at its lowest. She was forced to do everything within her power to rid the Ashmore name of earth so when he finally succumbed to his lifeless state, Ella carried the pain he’d been suffering from for weeks, and clutched it to her chest once more.
In the presence of her stepmother and her two stepsisters, all of which had claimed her surname, Ella had to sling that burden over her shoulder. She could not allow them to see the pain she was being put through. She could not allow it. She couldn’t allow it, so she wouldn’t, and that would have to be good enough for her. Not that she wanted to be in that dilemma either but what choice did she have? What choice did she have? If the trolls knew that she was always plotting, always five steps ahead from what they thought of her then she, like her mother, would be roasted at the spire in the middle of the town. In that moment in time, it was no a risk she was willing to take so, she would sling that burden over her shoulder once more, make their rotten meals, and deal with it.
She never thought she’d ever have to go through a pain as dear as that for, in reality, how many people could she truly lose? She did not care for Rancilda or Putrice. No. She had tried to assist them when they began their journey towards claiming the name of the Noble House Ashmore. She had desperately tried to get to know the family who had captured her father’s heart but they shoved her away and locked her in dungeons. They kept her at arms length. They kept her away. Hatred. They hated her, and for why? She would never understand. She was nothing but nice, nothing but clean and gentle and yet, Putrice and Rancilda turned their noses up at her, as if she were filth.
After her father died, they put their plan into direct motion by turning her into filth. They forbid her from bathing. They forbid her from being pretty. Jealousy. It was jealousy. It was jealousy because of the way she looked, smiled and spoke. Prim and proper was what she was, and neither of the two girls liked her enough to want to get to know the girl beneath the façade. They saw her as nothing but a dainty flower and because they hated the beautiful, they needed to allow their anger to expel from their bodies by using little Ella as an outlet.
Being secluded from the world for the trolls’ own sake, Ella truly believed there was nothing else that she could lose. She lost her friends. Sir Preston turned her pleas away and The Prince called her a madwoman behind her back (not that he was particularly good at keeping his voice down. He may have been attractive but he most certainly was not a good secret-holder.) So, realistically, there was absolutely nothing that she could lose aside from her own life.
And then, Ella Ashmore, for the first time in years, met Justine and Lucinda Grizzwald.
Well, the two girls were as radiant as Ella could remember. Lucy, who’s hair was as bouncy as her personality had always been. Lucy, who dressed in the same colour palette as sunshine, gold and daffodils, perfectly reflecting who she was as a person. Colourful, loud, bright and beautiful. Unafraid to speak her truth, throughout their gathering while the two stayed at House Ashmore to prepare for the Prince’s ball, Ella became quite accustomed to several different…sexual terms. Though it made her laugh, there was another person who wasn’t quite as amused as she.
Justine Grizzwald, the most beautiful person to grace that earth.
Even in their youth was dear Justine filled with more beauty than anyone else in the world. From the way her eyes lit up when she smiled to the way she was smoothing down her skirt to prevent any creases. From the way her hand placed itself in Ella’s. From the way she laughed, it was all so beautiful…even her heroism, when she created a human fence between herself and her stepmother after Lucinda Grizzwald dropped dead, was enough for Ella to realise her true feelings. It was a little late for recognition but at least she got to know.
So Ella Ashmore, again, was alone as she dug up the forest of the Wilderwood and buried her best friend’s body and in the process, out of vengeance and the need to destroy, she ended up summoning who was quick to be known to her as The Fairy Queen Of Sweet Dreams. She was fae, but neither a queen, nor a god, or there to provide Ella with sweet dreams because, if that was her process and she was going to stay loyal to her values, then her end goal would be pointless. Of course it would be. She was not there to grant the sweetest of wishes. She yearned for blood, so blood was what she would have.
She sent Ella Ashmore off in a gown made of Starlight, only hoping that she would conquer the trolls. One teeny tiny little slip up was responsible for Ella Ashmore’s downfall, though, as many people were quick to discover. Not that anyone cared about the screams of pain and torture coming from House Ashmore, though. Not that anyone cared about the again disappearance of the young lady. Not that many people cared that Putrice Ashmore was the lady to wear the shoe (much to Tadius’ dismay,) because Ella was simply a figure in fiction now. She was never to return to whence she came.
Yet, it did not prevent her from reuniting with those she loved the dearest. It did not prevent her from taking on God.
“I’m sorry,” was the first thing that left Ella Ashmore’s mouth. “I did not complete my task, I am sorry.”
“My child,” said the Fairy Queen Of Sweet Dreams, who cupped Ella’s chin to look deep in her coal-coloured eyes. “You did the most you could do. Now, allow yourself to rest. You have a life ahead of you yet, but you have souls awaiting your presence.”
“…who would dare wait for a wench like I?”
“A wench?! You dare call yourself a wench in the presence of a mystical, otherworldly woman?!”
“Though I am—”
“I beg to differ, child of Starlight. As do I, and as do they.”
The Fairy Queen, in all her ethereal glory, stepped out of the way to reveal the young Ladies Grizzwald sat, awaiting Ella’s presence.
Hands clasped over Ella’s mouth as she looked at them. “…Lucy…Justine…but-how?!”
“All thanks to our dear friend here,” Lucinda said, with a bright grin accompanying her. “My dear Ella, come and sit. We have so much to discuss. We have so much to relish in!”
So, she did. In the realm of the mystical grey where she sat with Justine and Lucy, with the Fairy Queen watching over the three of them, her hands gripped those of her friends.
“I did my best,” Ella said at once. “I did my best to protect you from them.”
“My dear Ella,” Justine said softly. “Our bastard brother has taught us about what kind of monsters trolls can be. It is not your fault we passed.”
“We’d have done it all over again if it meant you got to live…which…failed on our end,” said Lucy, who’s bright light was dimming significantly.
Ella, to that, gasped softly, squeezing Lucinda’s hand harder. “Do not blame yourself, my friends! I should have known never to speak up! If I never did, you would have won the hearts of The Prince in an instant and-“
“It was never The Prince I was aiming to win the heart of, Elle,” Justine said, looking into her friend’s eyes.
As Ella struggled to calibrate the information, trying to figure out the implications, Lucinda turned to the Fairy Queen. “It’s safe to say the truth here, correct?”
“No one can harm you in this plane of earth,” the Fae confirmed.
“Thank you, dear queen of ours.” Lucy whipped her head around to Ella. “My sister wants to court you, Ella.”
“Lucy!” Justine hissed. “You must not expose—”
“—it’s not exposing when it is all I’ve heard recently! Ella, please just tell my sister that you love her back because she’s been so annoying about it since we died! And it is annoying! It is all so annoying!”
“Lucy, I told you not to say that when she got here, she has a planet to return to—”
“—I do?” Ella asked Justine, looking into her gentle eyes.
Justine gulped. “…they’re wearing the shoes that were gifted to you, and they sewed your leg on to her body…you are able to return through the power of Starlight.”
“…Fairy Queen Of Sweet Dreams, on a hypothetical, how long do I have before I return?”
“Time does not exist here, my dear.”
“…then you know I must return to earth and do my best to stop my stupid sister from marrying The Prince, don’t you, Justine?”
Justine nodded. “I knew it from the start. You were always destined to be the queen.”
“…but you know I’ve also got all the time in the world to profess my love to you…right?”
“…what?” Justine asked, as Ella smiled.
In an instant, words of admiration and affection tumbled from her lips in a drastic love confession. A long overdue love confession. Not that Ella had ever been in love before, but there had been that same feeling in her chest when she had dawned her eyes on Justine Grizzwald when she had first seen Tadius at the ball. Though she knew if tonight went well that there would be no chance that she and Justine would be able to be each other’s properly, it meant nothing for in that moment, as Ella kissed her love, it was everything.
So, when Ella was forced to return to earth as the brilliantly shining girl she was, quick to become the new queen, Justine smiled on as a wedding was also set for her and Tadius. All Ella deserved was a glimmering chance of hope, and if she found that in Tadius, then why should she argue?
Besides, she was in an otherworldly plane where time did not exist, and neither did evil, where she sat with her sister. Eternally, they could gossip and talk about their favourite subjects while watched over by a cricket lady who had taken quite the significant liking to them. She had promised to keep herself and her sister safe while they rested.
And hey. Even with the reassurance that when the Mouse Knight and the Frog Lord would pass on, they would join Ella and Tadius in that same realm, Lucy had very kindly reminded Justine of all of the benefits that would ensue.
“It’s not like you can’t be the third in their bed, dear sister,” Lucy said, earning a rough shove from Justine as the younger Grizzwald giggled.
Sure, everything would be okay when they were to reunite but for now, Justine would accept the fact that Ella was happy alive and that was good enough for her. It was all good enough for her.