I go to my closet and pick out a pair of red ballet flats and a navy blue strapless dress that fits just right. I go to my night table and put on the jewelry that was given to me as a welcome gift. I look in the mirror and smile at my appearance. I look great except for my hair is a disheveled mess from sleeping on it. I sit down at my vanity and grab a brush and start combing out all the tangles. The great thing about my hair is it has a smooth and straight texture. I've never had to use products on it because it just stays flat without anything. I apply very little make-up; I usually only wear mascara, very little eye-liner, and some neutral eye shadow to make my eyes pop out. I love my eyes because they have always been so rare, a light purple color that changes depending upon my moods or the light I'm standing in. I get up and twirl in front of the mirror satisfied with my appearance I race downstairs and out the door where my grandmother and mother stand next to the extravagant white carriage.
“Hello. You look lovely.” My mother gushes.
“Thanks.”, I reply.
We all stagger into the carriage, and fit snugly inside. I smile at the familiar silky interior and pull up the golden curtain to reveal the vast greenery around me. My grandmother stares outside with her big green eyes that match the enchanting forest around us.
“I know this is a bit soon to start, but would you mind beginning your training tomorrow, Ali?”, My mother asks sweetly.
“No. I can't wait to get started on my abilities.” I say eagerly.
“Good. You will meet with Lily she is our best Healer and she'll teach you some important incantations. Have you found your other ability yet?” She asks warily.
“I have more than one ability?” I ask anxiously.
“Yes. All full Elven have two abilities, but your friend Riley only has one and that is the ability of Seers. I also share his ability; a Seer is one who can peer into the future through visions or senses.” She says sounding uninterested in the topic.
“Will I become a Seer?” I ask hopefully. I've always wanted to see into the future, to know what was going to happen before it actually did would be the ultimate gift.
“It is possible. There are many abilities that elves can possess. The most important abilities are Healers, Seers, and Elementalists. These three are rare abilities that are not possessed by many Elven because they died out long ago.” She answers.
“What is an Elementalist?” I ask curiously.
“I believe that Theo is part Elementalist. He can control the earth, wind, fire, air, and water. Do you remember when we first arrived and those men in hoods were trying to capture us he was the one who shook the ground causing them to fall. It's a very useful gift.” She says sounding a little envious.
“Amazing.”, I sigh.
“Yes it is.”, my grandmother replies.
“What kind of abilities do you have Grandma?” I ask.
“Nothing special my dear. I can create force fields and make you do anything I want.” She says proudly.
“Cool. Can you show me?” I ask. She places her warm wrinkly hand around my wrist and whispers something under her breath. The next moment her touch becomes icy cold and a thousand knives are cutting through my skull demanding me to close the window. I try to force my hand away but it quickly grabs the curtain and pulls it down with ease. The warmth returns to my body and my mind feels normal again.
“I'm pretty sure I have the coolest grandmother ever.” I breathe. “So what's a force field useful for?”
“Well in times of war when I was younger I could project a force field to cover an entire army, but since the war has long since been over and I am too old and fragile I don't get to use it often. It's use is to block magical attacks, incantations, weapons, and any abilities.”, She says grinning.
“So you were basically the most important weapon used on the field?”, I ask in awe while trying to imagine my little granny standing out in a battle field protecting soldiers from attacks it seemed impossible.
“I wasn't the most important person because everyone had to play a role in the fight, but it sure was fun beating those wolves. I was the elves secret weapon then, they had never heard of an elf possessing such a strong and powerful gift until me.” She says clearly reminiscing with a dazed look on her face.
“Okay Mom enough with the war stories; you're going to scare her.” my mother announced.
“No. I think it's so amazing that you helped stop the war and you played such an important part.”, I say in awe. The carriage jolts to a stop, and the three of us climb out into the bright sunlight of the large city square. People are busy and walking quickly, but no one takes notice of the three royal women in the middle of the city square. Everyone ignores us completely and I wonder curiously why no one is shouting our names or cheering loudly like the first time I was in the city.
“Why is everyone ignoring us?” I ask amusingly.
“Force field.” grandmother simply replies.
“The force field causes us to be invisible to the people and they can't hear anything we say or do.” my mother proclaims.
“Awesome. It's nice not having to dodge people and worry about anything.” I babble, while my grandmother and mother ignore me looking straight ahead to our destination.
“Where are we going?” I ask a little afraid of where they might be taking me. My mother points directly ahead at a scary shop. It's the only shop painted a dark black with an eerie yellow colored door. The sign above reads “Murphy's Mayhem and Mishaps.”
“I really had a bad feeling you were going to say we were going there.” I gulp.
“Oh. Don't worry it's where we all go our first time in the city.”, My grandma replies trying to ease my discomfort, but the closer we get to the store the scarier the people look. I see people decked out in black from head to toe and chanting weird spells. I try to close my eyes but I'm frightened that if I don't open them I might bump into one of the scary gothic people standing outside the shop. We open the door and a cheerful bell jingles.
“Ah ladies, I've been expecting you what can I do for you today?” a tall bald man with beady eyes asks. He is wearing a black tuxedo with a matching black hat, a little black cat purrs and wraps its elongated body around him. He looks more like a cab driver than a man who owns a shop called, “Murphy's Mayhem and Mishaps.”
“We need a Seer to tell us who the princess is meant to be with.” My mother answers.
“What? I am not meant to be with anyone. I don't want to get my fortune told.” I protest but my mother and grandmother have a strong grip on my shoulders.
“Wonderful. Well if you will follow me I can get you a Seer.” He says rubbing his hands eagerly together. I struggle harder to free myself from their tight grip, how horrible and embarrassing will this be?
“It'll be fine.” My grandmother answers once we enter the darkest, deepest depths of the man’s shop. The only thing lighting the room is a few small candles and a glowing orb in the center of a large table with dozens of mismatched chairs. I always imagined a fortune tellers place to look like this. I sit down uncomfortably in one of the seats, and only because my grandmother controls me to sit still and answer all the question the Seer asks. I hate the mind control ability I have decided. It's not a very fair gift when you use it for your own good I think cruelly to myself. The seer enters the room; she is a bubbly lady with long curly blonde hair and way too much make up. She is dressed in what appears to be the attire of an in shape belly dancer, even though she looks like she could be in her 50's in human years that is.
“Hello. I am Madam Serena and I am here to solve your problems.” She says in a raspy voice.
“I doubt that.” I respond sarcastically.
“You doubt my abilities, young princess?” She demands.
“I'm sorry for my daughter’s offensive behavior. My mother and I made her come here to get answers to her love life. You see she has two boys interested in her, but we want to
know which one she will choose.”, My mother responds before I'm given another chance for an snide remark.
“Give me your hand Princess Ali.”, Madam Serena says reaching across the table for my hands. The globe begins to change colors, it was white before but now it's turning blue. I grab onto her hands and hold on tight as we drift into another universe. I feel like I'm floating but watching my life from afar. There are images of me in the human world still in high school having lunch with friends, then me on the bus talking to Theo, then me and Riley riding a majestic black horse, and then Theo's face appears bright red and full of hatred and the images disappear. We fall back to earth our hands slam on the table frightening my mother and grandmother.
“So?” My mother pries.
“It is unclear at this time who she is meant to be with. Both men are good candidates but I found deep in her mind that she knows one of them could be a traitor and only here to play tricks.” Madam Serena replies.
“You mean you don't know who her soul mate is?” She asks.
“It seems odd. I've never seen it before but she has had a connection with both of the men in her life meaning that they are each part of her soul.” Madam Serena answers. My mother grabs me we find Murphy and pay him in gold pieces, he apologizes profusely and we all three rush out of the store.
“What's going on?” I ask. “Why are you so angry?”
“This can't be happening. How can you have two soul mates? I don't understand it.” my mother demands angrily.
“I don't know. I don't even believe in this soul mate crap.” I fire back. “It's your fault for taking me to that crack pot fortune teller anyways.”
“Okay girls. I think we should go back to the palace and cool off.” my grandmother butts in.
“Fine.”, I say folding my arms angrily.
“Very well.” my mother sighs. She looks worried and concerned as she peers begrudgingly over at me. What I would give to have the ability to read her mind right now. We stagger into the carriage and none of us speak the entire way back to the palace, so it's a long awkward ride back.