Chapter III

“This is outrageous!” called out a witch with long sleek black hair, it glittered a blue sheen in the sunlight.

“What are we going to do?” asked another, this one had wavy blond hair with blue eyes.

“Set him on FIRE!” Yelled Cayla, jumping up from a chair around Ella’s council table, but sat back down after a glare from five sets of eyes shot at her.

“Cayla, I told you, no fire!” Ella said as she stood up and looked at the people sitting around the round table. “I have a plan. Henry will be at the ball, and what better way to prove that we are not witches, than to stare him right in his face, in public, and prove we are normal.” Her speech got a murmur of voices in response.

“Are you crazy?” Asked the black haired witch, she stood up as well agitated such a plan was even suggested.

“Xena, I am not. Think of it, the last thing he would have expected is if we go to the ball.” Ella said reasonable.

“I agree with Ella.” Said Cayla.

“We can’t control our powers Ella!” The blond replied.

“Bella, you are new at this, if we went it would only be the four.” Replied a blond haired boy sitting around the table.

“I am no more new at this than you are, Erik.” Bella replied bitterly. “I and Damon may be in the coven, but that does not mean we are in the club.”

“That’s not true at all.” Ella commented.

“But it is isn’t it? Air.” She pointed at Erik, “Fire.” Her hand moved too Cayla, “Water.” Her point rested on Xenia now. “And Earth.” Bella’s arm move to point at Ella. “There is no room for day and night.” She gestured to herself and too the boy sitting across from her. He had almost black hair and dark black eyes, he said nothing. “Am I not right, Damon?” Again he said nothing.

“That is not true. We just have more control over our powers than you do.” Ella tried to comfort Bella, but she heard nothing of it.

“NO CONTROL!” In her fit of anger her skin glowed brightly for just a second then disappeared. Just as green sparkles float in the air after Ella uses her magic, Bella’s hair glows, and illuminated the room. Everyone looked at her with that I told you so look on their face, she sat back down defeated. Damon just rolled his eyes and continued to listen.

“All in favor of going to the ball, and proving we are normal people say I.” Ella tried to bring the conversation back to her plan.

Cayla: “I.”

Eric: “I.”

Bella: “I.” She sighed in defeat.

Damon looked curiously about and finally said an “I.”

“Not I.” Xena said stubbornly. She looked at Ella definitely, “I know I am out voted, and you are all fools. But you are my fools, so I will go, to protect you.”

“Alright meeting adjourned. Finn! Are those snacks ready yet?” A coo came from the kitchen doorway and Finn flew out of the kitchen bearing snacks. A sound of delight came from each of the witches mouths, with the exception of Damon, they loved Finn’s snacks.

“Oh my god Finn! I swear your pastries get better every time you make them!” Said Cayla with a donut lodged in her mouth. Finn cooed happily.

“I wish Coleman baked...” Xena replied with another of Finn’s donuts in her hand.

“And how do you suppose that would happen? He is a FISH!” Bella responded, causing a burst of laughter to erupt from the witches, even Damon cracked a smile.

                                                  🌳🌳🌳

          “Bye!” Ella cried out, saying goodbye to her friends, Finn was perched on her outstretched arm cooing a good bye as well. It was dark now, thanks to Damon, and Ella was going back down the path to the birch tree when she heard her name called out.

          “Ella!” She spun around to find Henry walking towards her at leisurely pace.

          “Hello Henry.” She said back being polite.

          He had reached her and was now standing a little too close, “What is a girl like you doing out in the woods at night?” His voice was full of concern.

          “May I dare to ask the same question?” She retorted, and he laughed.

“Only I am not a girl. So therefore it is not the same question.”

“I do not know your features are very feminine.”

He place his head above his heart and said in a sarcastic voice, “Ouch, Ella that hurt.” She smiled and Finn hooted in her ear, Ella nodded her head as if she was really listening to the owl, and then plastered that serious face back on. “Is this Finn?” Henry asked, desperate to not lose her, and she nodded. He placed his hand on the owl’s head and started to pet him, “He is magnificent!”

Finn cooed, and Ella translated, “He says ‘thank you.’” Finn’s talons dug slightly into her arm as if he was warning her too not to say anything.

Henry only laughed and he leaned closer to Finn, “You are quite welcome sir!” He grasped Finn’s beak and shook it a little. Annoyed, Finn cooed, and took off flying he hovered a bit and hooted at Ella, then flew in the direction of the tree. “What did he say?” Henry asked honestly.

“You don’t want to know.” She replied and then giggled, seriousness forgotten.

“Am I really that bad?”

“Worse.”

He smiled and after a while asked, “So what is an intelligent girl like you working for the Labuffs?”

Her smile faded and simply said, “I am going.”

“What?”

Her smile returned to her and she said, “I am going to the ball stupid.” She punched his arm gently, “Finn got better, so I guess I have no more excuses but to go.”

“Save a dance for me?”

“Oh, I don’t dance...”

“I am quite sure that, that is not true”

“How would you know?” She asked cautiously.

“Just by the way you walk, it’s graceful, and anyone who walks gracefully can dance gracefully.” He said with a matter of fact attitude to his voice. “Here I want to show you something.” Henry walked down the path, and Ella had no choice but to follow him to the pond.

“I stumble upon this place yesterday, is it not breathtaking?” There was in front of them was her place by the pond, with its wooden bench, flat large rock, and recently added, wooden two person swing.

“Yes.” She answered raspy, knowing that her suspicions had come true; the man with the shoes was Henry.

“Will you dance with me?” He held out his hand for Ella to take it.

Suspicious, but wanting to know what he was planning, she repeated, “Yes.” She wrapped her hand around his, and he brought it to his lips, and kissed it.

Slowly he pulled her close to him and placed his other hand on her waist; with his other hand grasped hers firmly still had her hand in it. He pulled her against him and whispered into her ear, “You already know about this place didn’t you?”

“Yes.” She replied again, then sighed, “I need to stop saying yes. “They started to swirl around and around, in lazy circles, swishing side to side.

“I believe that when you say yes to anything, and only until you lose all you love, will you gain everything. This is partly why I am here, if I say ‘yes’ to charlotte being my bride, then my country will be rich once again.”

“So you are here for your country?” She asked a little surprised to find Henry opening up to her.

“What else would you do anything for?”

“Love.” She said softly

“Love. A word I do not believe exists, an emotion long gone because of the cold hearted of the economy, and technology.” He stated, his voice was strong.

“Well I believe that there is someone out there for everyone.”

“Don’t be one of those girls who pledge that whole soulmate crap.” He forcefully said.

“And what is the matter with believing? It gives you a sense of hope, and belonging to some noble cause.”

“Don’t you get it? The love in the world is dead, all marriages nowadays is arranged based on power and money. Happiness is rated on how much money and power you have, not love.”

“No I refuse to believe this!” Anger started to rise in her throat- making the willow tree’s branches blow in the absence of wind. Then she gasped, her emotions were out of control! Backing away from Henry, she broke out of his arms and ran down the path to her home.

Behind her she heard, “No wait! I am sorry!” and she left Henry behind in the green sparkles, floating about as the source of where the trees were moved.