Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Categories:
Fandoms:
Relationships:
Characters:
Additional Tags:
Collections:
Series:
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:
2022-07-06
Words:
17920
Chapters:
13/13

Stories That We Tell

Entire Work

Work Text

One week later, I was in the palace garden, surrounded by green bushes with pink roses. There was a yellowish-orange patio with white dots below me. I was swinging on a swing, which was a brown, wooden plank tied to a tree with green leaves and a brown trunk. A skinny girl with pale skin, wavy white hair, and red eyes wearing a white dress, a green cloak, and a golden heart locket approached me. "Hi, Gabriella" I greeted her. A young woman with short, brown hair, tan skin, green eyes, pink lips, and was wearing a pink dress that was stitched up on the torso approached us. "Hi, Rapunzel. Just hanging out on my swing." I explained. I walked backward and leaned back. The swing swung forwards. "Whoo!" I cried.

"Hi, I have a surprise." Gabriella explained.

"Okay! Let me stop my swing!" I explained. I tried to make my swing stop, but my feet kept slipping. Rapunzel grabbed the ropes.

"Let's not fall off your swing today." She explained. I giggled. Gabriella raised her left arm. A black rock shaped like a giant equilateral triangle appeared. She walked through it. Rapunzel and I shrugged. We turned sideways and walked through it.

We were in a forest with green grass and pine trees with brown trunks. A man with tan skin, and a metal eyepatch, dressed in black was watching a young Gabriella pick colorful flowers with green stems. She saw a yellow, glowing flower with green leaves and a green stem. "Pretty flower," She explained. She ran to it.

"Gabriella!" Lord Demanitus cried. "Don't pick that!".

"Why, Daddy? It's so pretty.".

"Come here, crystal.". She ran to him. He sat her on his lap. He pulled out a yellow parchment paper. He unrolled it. Pictures of the sun dripping down to make the Sundrop and the moon dripping down to make a palace out of the black rocks, a dark purple diamond with lines going out of it surrounded by pictures of; a purple stick figure with a pink and blue background, the sun, and the moon, a purple doe with light purple background, a picture of Lord Demanitus a pink and blue background, and a circular glowing blue cage made out of the black rocks.

"What's that, Daddy?" Gabriella questioned.

"My research. Gabriella, centuries ago your mother's family was blessed by the moon, making them albino. When you and your sister and brother were born, the blessing awoke in you, giving you your powers." Demanitus explained. He flipped the scroll over. A silhouette of Gabriella was underneath a blue moon and in front of the Moonstone Opal and silhouettes of Rapunzel and myself were underneath a yellow sun and in front of the Sundrop. Rapunzel and I gasped and clasped our hands over our mouths. My eyes started to water.

"Is that me, Daddy?" Gabriella questioned as she pointed to the silhouette of herself.

“Yes!” Lord Demanitus replied.

Gabriella pointed to the silhouettes of us. “Who are these girls?” She questioned.

“Not sure. I don't think they are alive yet, since the Sundrop is still in lily form. I don't know if the Sundrop's going to transform into them or if they are going to start out as normal humans without magic and then get gravely ill or injured and use the lily to help them survive.” Lord Demanitus replied.

“Will they play dress-up and dolls with me?” She questioned. Lord Demanitus just laughed. Older Gabriella walked through the wall. We followed her.

We were on the same cliff but it was nighttime. A man with tan skin, black hair, grey eyes, rosy cheeks, a shaved beard, a red tee-shirt, brown hair vest, and black gloves, shorts, and boots, Quirin, who was holding the Demanitus Scroll, stood in front of an old woman with curly, black hair, bluish-grey eyes, pale skin, wearing a red renaissance dress with yellow stitching and a black cloak, Gothel. “DID YOU EVEN READ THE BACK OF THIS!?” Quirin yelled.

“Why would I want to do that?” She questioned, picking at her nails.

"Because I don't know, maybe you don't always get your way in life. And, it's nice to know what's going to happen." He replied.

"Listen, Quirin, I saw that prophecy. That's why I struck Arianna in the heart with a black rock a week ago.". Quirin gasped.

"THAT WAS YOU?!".

"Yep.".

"Oh, oh, oh! I'm going to get back to Corona and tell Fred about this! And you'll be hanged… No, even better: beheaded!". She looked at him.

"Are you sure you have Fred's trust? Because last heard, you suggested leaving his wife and child to die.".

"Oooh! How dumb are you?! Because my eyes glow blue when I'm under the influence of the Mind Trap Stone.". She held her hand in front of his chest. He began to sweat. Suddenly a gold spark flew past them. She turned her head in the direction that it flew. Gabriella giggled, putting her hand up to her mouth.

"She was never a very good long-term thinker." She explained.

"She was never GOOD in general!" Rapunzel explained. We all giggled, putting our hands up to our mouths.

I walked up a flight of grey, stone stairs to a set of white double doors with golden suns on them. I opened the doors to a blue room with a big pink canopy bed in the middle. I looked in the mirror. Sections of my hair were glowing.

“Is this life after happily ever after?

Is this who I have always been meant to be?”

I sang.

“I can tell now I'm different somehow than what I was before”

I sang as I looked at a picture of a woman with long white hair going down to her feet, tan skin, green eyes, wearing a white dress, my mom, a girl with dark brown hair, tan skin, blueish-green eyes, a blue jewel necklace, a dress with purple and black columns, my twin sister, Iduna, a girl with brown braids with hot pink, orange and aqua ribbons, tan skin, wearing a dress with orange and yellow black columns, our little sister, Willow, a boy with tan skin, brown hair, blue eyes wearing a red shirt and vest and blue pants, my present husband, Frederic, a boy with tan skin, blonde hair, and brown eyes wearing a red shirt and vest and yellow pants, a boy with tan skin, blonde hair, green eyes, wearing a blue suit, my ex-boyfriend, Trevor, a girl with red hair in ponytails, tan skin, freckles, green eyes, wearing an aquamarine dress, my best friend Ulla, a boy with tan skin, black hair, grey eyes, rosy cheeks, wearing a brown bear skin over a red robe and black boots, my other best friend, Quirin and a girl with tan skin, green eyes, brown, braided hair, freckles, wearing a dress with a white top and purple skirt were standing on the pink palace steps. I noticed the last part of the picture was folded over. I picked it up. I unfolded it. Gothel was standing by the group, with her right arm arched over her head and her left arm extended out. I ripped her out. “No,” I explained. I shredded her picture. “Don't know what part of me thought that would be a healthy relationship.”. I put the picture back.

“And maybe, at last, this is really me”

I sang as I looked in the mirror at my white vanity. Sections off my hair were glowing. “Hmm” I wondered. I saw a book with a brown cover, strap, and white pages blow in the wind. I grabbed it. I sighed.

“After all that I've done,”

I sang as I pulled out my journal and flipped it open to a picture of Frederic feeding me a glowing liquid as I lay in my pink bed, skin pale and pregnant with a yellow background.

“I've seen,”

I sang as I flipped to a picture of Gothel kidnapping baby Rapunzel with a black background.

“and been through”

I sang as I flipped to a picture of me, pregnant, skin pale curled up in bed crying with a dark purple background above a picture of man with tan skin, black hair, blue, glowing eyes, rosy cheeks, a shaved beard, a red tee-shirt, brown hair vest, and black gloves, shorts, and boots, Quirin holding the Demanitus scroll in the throne room, Frederic standing in front of the thrones looking confused, Ulla standing off to the side holding her forehead and looking disappointed and a girl with short, black, curly hair, pale skin, grey eyes, red lips wearing a green dress over a white dress, Cassandra and Willow standing next to her looking scared with a dark blue background next to Gothel holding a blue stone with a white bear paw symbol on it, giggling with a black background.

“After all of the choices, both right”

I sang as I flipped to a picture of me and Rapunzel standing on the pink palace balcony with a pink background.

“and wrong”

I sang as I flipped to a picture of me running down a green, grassy hill on a starry night.

“Through the doubts,”

I sang as I flipped to a picture of Gothel striking a pregnant me in the heart with a black rock on a green, grassy cliff with a dark grey background.

“fears,”

I sang as I flipped to the picture of me, pregnant curled up in bed crying with a dark purple background above a picture of man with tan skin, black hair, blue, glowing eyes, rosy cheeks, a shaved beard, a red tee-shirt, brown hair vest, and black gloves, shorts, and boots, Quirin holding the Demanitus scroll in the throne room, Frederic standing in front of the thrones looking confused, Ulla standing off to the side holding her forehead and looking disappointed and a girl with short, black, curly hair, pale skin, grey eyes, red lips wearing a green dress over a white dress, Cassandra and Willow standing next to her looking scared with a dark blue background next to Gothel holding a blue stone with a white bear paw symbol on it, giggling with a black background.

“the joys”

I sang as I flipped to a picture of me sitting up in bed, wearing a purple nightgown holding baby Rapunzel with a pink background.

“and the tears,”

I sang as I flipped to the picture of Gothel kidnapping baby Rapunzel with a black background.

“all that,”

I sang as I flipped to a picture of me and Rapunzel fighting Gothel with our powers with a sunset-pink background.

“and so much more”

I sang as I flipped to a picture of Rapunzel in her pink bikini, Cassandra  in her dark red bikini, Eugene in his blue trousers, Arnaldo in his red trousers, a girl with tan skin, freckles, red hair in long ponytails, green eyes, wearing a red one-piece swimsuit, Catalina, a girl with tan skin, freckles, red streaks running down her face, short black hair, green eyes, black one-piece swimsuit, Kiera, girl with tan skin, brown curly hair, green eyes, pink lips, wearing an aquamarine one-piece swimsuit and sitting in a brown, wooden wheelchair Natalia, and a boy with tan skin, freckles, black hair with a blue streak in it, wearing brown goggles in it, blue eyes, and mint trousers, Varian laying on a beach with tan sand, pink shells, an aquamarine ocean and coconut trees with brown trunks and green palm leaves with brown coconuts in them.

“I've somehow come back to where I belong”

I sang as I flipped to a picture of Frederic, Rapunzel, Eugene, Cassandra and me kneeling down and hugging.

“And now there's no boundaries,”

I sang as I ran out of my room to a pink hallway.

“no limits, no bars”

I sang as I ran out to the balcony. Frederic, Rapunzel, Eugene, and Cassandra hugged me.

“Now there's no tower, no wall”

I sang as I escaped the hug and turned around to see Gabriella. We hugged.

“Now life's wide open, from here to the stars”

I sang as I looked up to the tiny white stars in the pitch black night sky and raised my left arm.

“And I'm happily ever after, after all"

I sang as I spun. 
 
I passed by Rapunzel. She was wearing a golden tiara. She kissed my cheek. I giggled. I passed by Varian. He was drawing some kind of boiler on a dirty yellow piece of parchment paper with a black stick of charcoal. Catalina, who wore a pink dress, and Kiera, who wore a black shirt and yellow pants, were running around in front of Arnaldo and Cassandra.  Cassandra was dressed in golden Coronan guard armor. I passed by Natalia, who wore an aquamarine dress. She was writing in an aquamarine notebook. Frederic took my hand.

“Somehow at last we are all truly home”

I sang as I took his hand.

“Living happily ever after”

He sang as he put his hand on top of mine.

“Living happily ever after”

Rapunzel, Eugene, Cassandra and Gabriella sang as Rapunzel put her arm around my shoulder and Eugene put his arm around Frederic's.

“Living happily ever after, after all”

Everyone sang.
 
That night, I was at a brown wooden desk in the palace library, a room with green walls, blue carpet, and brown wooden bookshelves with books with colorful leather covers. I sat at a brown wooden desk, writing on yellow parchment paper.

Once upon a time, a single drop of sunlight fell from heaven…

I could feel my eyes closing. Suddenly, my head fell and smacked the hard wood. "Ow!" I exclaimed as I rubbed my head.

"Are you okay, Arianna?" Frederic asked me.

"Yeah," I explained as I yawned.

"Mom, you should get to bed before you die of exhaustion. It's almost midnight." Rapunzel told me.

"Don't worry, Rapunzel, I'm a sundrop. I won't die." I informed her. I got up. I collapsed. Frederic caught me. I looked at Rapunzel. She was frowning in disappointment and crossing her arms. "And I'll go to my room right now." I told her, sheepishly.
 
A few minutes later, I was at my pink, wooden desk in my room. I pulled out my journal and began to write.

7/11/1638

Dear Journal,

So much has changed in the last week! Eugene and Rapunzel are King and Queen of Corona now. Varian is the Royal Engineer now (Don't worry, his Mom is helping him, we didn't make the same mistake we did with me and put a teenager in charge of an entire kingdom). Arnaldo and Cassandra adopted Kiera and Catalina. Gabbi moved in with us. Natalia started her career in writing. Speaking of writing, I started a book about the Sundrop and Moonstone. Two decades ago, I would have never thought I would get this far, but here I am.

Sincerely,

Arianna

Two years later, I was holding a baby girl with brown hair with blonde highlights and tan skin, wearing a pink gown. Her eyes were shut. "Hi, little Lily." I cooed. She took a breath. I gently bounced her. 
"Hey Mom, how's lil' Lily?" Rapunzel questioned.

"She's such a peaceful baby." I replied.

"Kind of wish her sisters were that calm." She replied. I laughed. We looked over at the long, yellow bassinet with ruffled cloth on the sides. A  baby girl with blonde hair and blue eyes wearing a yellow gown was chewing on her sister's foot, who had brown hair and eyes wearing a purple gown. "Let's feed you, Daisy, so you don't eat Rose's foot." Rapunzel cooed as she carefully lifted her out of the crib. I smiled at Rose.
 
Later that evening, I was at my pink, wooden desk in my room. I pulled out my journal and began to write.

4/10/1640

Dear Journal,

Rapunzel had her triplets, Daisy, Lily, and Rose today.

Sincerely,

Arianna

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ten years later, Lily, who was dressed in a dress with a white top with a pink skirt, Daisy, who was dressed in a dress with a white top with a yellow skirt, and Rose, who was dressed in a dress with a white top with a purple skirt were running around a yellow room with a purple carpet rolled out in the middle of the room. Purple banners with yellow suns on them hung from the ceiling. There were stairs in front of the room. On top of those stairs were golden thrones with purple cushions. They were all laughing.

“Lily, Daisy, Rose, bedtime.” Rapunzel called.

"But we want a story!" Lily cried.

"This one!" Daisy cried as she held up a brown notebook.

"Hey, you found my journal! And for a story..." I started. That's a little… dramatic. I thought. You know what; Cassandra, Eugene, and Arnaldo were eight. They can handle it. 
 
"As you know, your Aunt Gabriella is the daughter of Lord Demanitus. But when she was 17, she was kidnapped by an evil warlock, Zan Tiri. Zan Tiri transformed Gabriella into a power-hungry spirit called Gothel." I explained.

"Was the spirit mean?" Rose questioned.

"VERY" Rapunzel and I explained.

"After creation, a single drop of sunlight fell to earth and made a healing flower. There was a prophecy that it would choose me and Rapunzel as its vessels." I started. The girls owed. "But the spirit was the guardian of the flower, the Sundrop. My mom disappeared when I was 15, leaving me the Coronan throne." I explained.

"Were you sad when your mom disappeared?" Lily questioned.

"Actually, I was more confused. I married your grandfather, one of my best friends, Frederic, who was 16, and we settled down. Two years after our marriage, I became pregnant. Everyone was so happy for us. But when I was nine months pregnant, I was ambushed by Gothel and sickened. We were told that me or my child won't survive.".

"Was that scary?" Daisy questioned.

"Very. But, then, rumors started going around about the sundrop, a healing flower born from a single drop of sun. But, I didn't know this at the time Gothel had possessed one of my best friends, and he was like ‘if you take the sundrop, you will unleash the darkness.’ I cried all night. But, my sisters and friends found it and gave it to me. The next morning I gave birth to your mother. But, when the night fell, Gothel broke into our house and kidnapped her.".

"Were you sad?" Rose questioned. I nodded.

"I tried to stay in Corona for a week, but I ended up running away.
 
First I went to Kodo, an icy and snowy kingdom. But after a while, I got sick from the cold. Then I went to Nezertnea, a desert kingdom. But just after a year and a third, my stepfather tried to marry me off. Next, I went to Begncore, a forest kingdom. But after sixteen months, we got ambushed. Then I went to Galcreast, a rich African kingdom. But after a while, I got sick from a mosquito bite. Next, I went to Pittsburgh, a kingdom with shorter people. But just after a year and a third, my pet pony ran away. Then I went to Invarr. I was able to join the army of warrior women. But after sixteen months, they found out about my identity and beat me up.".

"Was getting sick and beaten up scary?" Lily questioned.

"Yes. But, I was determined to find your mother. And I have learned to never give up.". The girls smiled.
 
"Time for bed, munchkins," Rapunzel explained. "Okay, Mommy." The girls replied. I giggled.

An hour later, I was at my pink, wooden desk in my room. I pulled out my journal and began to write.

5/7/1650

Dear Journal,

I told the triplets about my first trip around the Seven Kingdoms. I just hope that I didn't traumatize them!

Sincerely,

Arianna

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

One week later, Daisy picked up my journal. “Another story, please Oma.” She asked me.

“Okay, sweetie.” I told her as I tussled her hair. She sat next to her twins.
 
“After the incident in Invarr, I went to Venice, Italy. I had to have surgery for the wounds. But after a while, the city flooded. Then I ended up in the Philippines. But just after a year and a third, there was a tsunami that destroyed my foster family's home. Then I ended up in Madagascar. But after sixteen months, I got sick from the water. Then I ended up in Polynesian. My foster family decided to move us to Hawaii after a while. But just after a year and a third, there was a hurricane that destroyed my foster family's home. Then I ended up in Columbia. But after sixteen months, we got ambushed. Then I ended up in Antarctica. But after a while, I got sick from the cold. Then I ended up in Atlantis. But after two and a half years, there was an explosion that pushed me back to Corona.” I told them.
 
“Were the floods scary?” Lilly asked. I nodded.

“Why did you keep getting sick?” Rose questioned.

“I have an autoimmune disorder.” I replied.

“Why did your foster family move to Hawaii?” Daisy questioned.

“They thought it would be better.” I responded.

“YOU WENT TO ATLANTIS?!” Lilly questioned. Rapunzel and I laughed.

An hour later, I was at my pink, wooden desk in my room. I pulled out my journal and began to write.
 
5/14/1650

Dear Journal,

I didn't traumatize the triplets and told them about my first trip around the world.

Sincerely,

Arianna

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

One week later, Daisy picked up my journal. "Another story, please Oma." She asked me.

"Okay, sweetie." I told her as I tussled her hair. She sat next to her twins.

"After the explosion, I ended up back in Corona. I was so nervous that someone would recognize me." I started.

"So what did you do?" Lilly asked.

"I put on my farm outfit from Pittsburgh. But, your father and aunt recognized me and chased me into a tower. I found your mom, but we didn't recognize each other. She wanted to see the lanterns. When we got out of the tower, she was so excited. She had never been out of the tower. So, we went to the Snuggly Duckling. I was attacked because our family was offering a large sum of money to anyone that found us. So, distracted them by talking about their dreams. Then, Cassandra and Eugene caught up to us. We escaped down a secret cave that flooded. But, Rapunzel used her magic hair to find a way out." I started.

"Were you scared when you got chased?" Daisy asked.

"Naw, I had plenty of practice from running all over the world for almost two decades." I replied. The girls giggled.

"I took Rapunzel to the lantern festival. We had a lot of fun. We danced and saw the floating lanterns. I realized Rapunzel was my daughter and her step-mom was Gothel. I had to go back to the tower and confront Gothel." I continued.

"Did you have to be brave to go back to the tower?" Daisy asked.

"Very." I replied.

"Cassandra found me and tried to literally drag me back to Corona. But, Frederic and Eugene stopped her. I wasn't mad at her, because I know that she's had a lot of trauma in her life. I went back to the tower. Gothel tied up Rapunzel, and I and Gothel got mad at each other and I got stabbed. I was able to free Rapunzel by cutting her hair and Rapunzel was able to heal me with her tears. Gothel fell out of the window. I and Rapunzel went back home. I was happy to be home after 18 years.

“Did getting dragged and stabbed hurt?” Daisy asked.

“A lot.” I replied.

“Did Auntie Gabbi die when the witch fell out the window?” Rose asked.  I nodded.

An hour later, I was at my pink, wooden desk in my room. I pulled out my journal and began to write.

5/21/1650

Dear Journal,

Today, I told the triplets the story about how I found Rapunzel. Such happy memories.

Sincerely,

Arianna

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

One week later, Daisy picked up my journal. "Another story, please Oma." She asked me."Okay, sweetie." I told her as I tussled her hair. She sat next to her twins."One week after we got back, I decided to take Rapunzel on a trip around the world. First, we went to Kodo. We went sledding, sight-seeing on the lake, and ice skating." I started. "Did anyone get hurt sledding?" Daisy questioned. "Nope!" I explained. "Did you see cool animals when you went sight-seeing?" Lily questioned. "We saw narwals." I replied. "Was ice skating fun?" Rose questioned. "Very!" I replied. "Next we went to Nezertnea. We went dancing." I continued. "Was that fun?" Lily questioned. "Yes." I replied. "Next we went to Begncore. We gardening and hunting.". "What did you plant?" Lilly questioned. "Corn." I replied. "What did you hunt?" Daisy questioned. "Deer. It was tasty.".  "Next we went to Galcreast. We welded, hunted, and wove.". "What did you weld?" Lily questioned. "Butterfly wand." I replied. "What did you hunt?" Daisy questioned. "Antelope." I replied. "What did you weave?" Lilly questioned. "Mudcloths, which are little blankets with squizley lines.".  "Next we went to Pittsburgh. We took care of a pony, swam, and went to the library." I told them. "Was the pony cute?" Lilly questioned. "Very!" I replied."Was swimming fun?" Daisy questioned. I nodded. "What did you read at the library?" Rose questioned. "A history book. After the incident in Invarr, The Queen decided to blab about it to my family and started a war that ended with her getting exiled from the seven kingdoms." I replied. They giggled."Then we went to Invarr. We learned how to use swords, poles, archery, boxing, and karate.". “Did you get hurt doing any of those things?” Daisy questioned. “No, because we knew how to do those safely.” I replied.An hour later, I was at my pink, wooden desk in my room. I pulled out my journal and began to write.
5/28/1650
Dear Journal,
I told the triplets about my second trip around the Seven Kingdoms. Fun memories.
Sincerely,
Arianna

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

One week later, Daisy picked up my journal. "Another story, please Oma." She asked me.

"Okay, sweetie." I told her as I tussled her hair. She sat next to her twins.
 
"Then we went to Venice. We painted and sculpted." I explained.

"What did you paint?" Lily questioned.

"I can't hold a paintbrush, I can't control the brussels because my autism affects my fine motor skills in my hands too much. So I fingerpaint. I painted a butterfly." I explained.

“What did you sculpt?” Rose questioned.

“A dolphin.” I replied.

“Oow.” The girls gasped.
 
"Next, we went to The Philippines. We played Plinko, which is their version of hopscotch, and swam.” I explained.

“Was Plinko fun?” Rose questioned. I nodded.

“Was swimming nice?” Lily questioned.

“Very.” I explained. 
 
“Next, we went to Madagascar. We played Moraingy, a fighting game, wove, and went to Sunday church service.” I explained.

“Did anyone get hurt while playing the game?” Daisy questioned.

“No.” I replied.

“What did you weave?” Rose questioned.

“Blankets.” I replied.

“Was singing and dancing fun?” Lily questioned.

“Very.” I explained. 
 
“Next we went to Polynesia. We Hula danced, sculpted, and painted.” I explained.

“Was Hula dancing fun?” Lily questioned.

“Very.” I explained.

“What did you sculpt?” Rose questioned.

“A dolphin.” I replied.

“Did you fingerprint a butterfly again?” Daisy questioned. I nodded.
 
“Next we went to Hawaii. We Hula danced. Next, we went to Columbia. We made gold sculptures, painted, and zip lined.” I explained.

“Were the gold sculptures sparkly?” Daisy questioned. I nodded.

“Did you paint another butterfly?” Lily questioned.

“Yes.” I replied.

“WAS THE ZIP LINE AWESOME!” Rose questioned.

Rapunzel and I laughed.

An hour later, I was at my pink, wooden desk in my room. I pulled out my journal and began to write.

6/4/1650

Dear Journal,

I told the triplets about my second trip around the Seven Kingdoms. Fun memories.

Sincerely,

Arianna

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

One week later, Daisy picked up my journal. "Another story, please Oma." She asked me.

"Okay, sweetie." I told her as I tussled her hair. She sat next to her twins.

"Six months after we left, their was a horrible blizzard. It killed most of the population. So your grandfather and Quirin used the Demanitus device. And it brought back everyone who passed within the past year, including the spirit. So we came back to Corona taken over by the spirit.” I started.

“Were you mad when that happen?” Lilly questioned. 
 
“Very. But we fought and won it back. About nine months later, she figured out how to make red rocks that showed people’s greatest fear and made them freeze up. So. Rapunzel, me, your Aunt Cassandra, your Aunt Natalia, your cousin Catalina and your cousin Varian went to the Demanitus chamber to undo that. When we got back, we saw Gabriella in a red rock.”.

“Was everybody freeze up scary?” Daisy questioned.

“Very.” I explained. 
 
“Then the spirit crashed your Aunt Natalia’s seventeenth birthday party, kidnapped her, and attacked Cassandra and made her sick. So I recused Natalia and Rapunzel healed Cassandra.”.

“Was Natalia getting kidnapped and Cassandra getting sick scary.” Daisy questioned.

“Yes. But I discovered my powers.” I replied. The triplets gasped. I began to sing:
 
"Power of the sun

Gift me with your light

Shine into the dark

Restore our fading sight

Rise into the dawn

Blazing star so bright

Burn away the strife

Let my hope ignite

Let hope ignite”

A ball of sunlight came from my hands. The triplets gasped. I folded my hands. The ball of sunlight disappeared. 
 
“A few months later, a new girl came to Corona. She was very bratty. She later revealed that she was Gothel, stuck me in the heart with a black rock, and proceeded to destroy the city. I was in so much pain that I had to be sedated. While I was sedated, Gabriella appeared to me in a dream.”.

“Was getting sick scary?” Daisy questioned.

“It happened so fast, I was so sick that I wasn't able to feel any emotion and I was unconscious most of the time.” I explained. 
 
“I told Rapunzel about my dream and we stormed the palace. Rapunzel and I found Gothel. We tried to talk to her, but she was so power hungry that she was impossible to talk too. And then Zan Tiri accidentally brought back Gabriella. And the three of us proceed to defeat her.”. The triplets smiled.

An hour later, I was at my pink, wooden desk in my room. I pulled out my journal and began to write

6/11/1650

Dear Journal,

Today, I told the triplets the story about how we saved Gabriella. Looking back, that was such a strange time.

Sincerely,

Arianna

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

One week later, I heard a knock at the main entrance to the palace. "I got this." I explained.I opened the door. Mom was standing in front of me. "Mom?" I questioned.Frederic and Rapunzel rushed to the gate. "I heard someone say, 'Mom'…" Rapunzel started. She looked at Mom. "Grandma?"."Hannah? If you were alive, how come you never came back?" Frederic questioned as he tilted his head."I was in a war with evil spirits possessing these two." She explained. She stepped aside. A girl with tan skin, blue eyes, and black hair wearing a yellow dress, and a boy with tan skin, brown eyes, and black hair wearing a white suit and pants with a green shirt underneath."Sara! Matthew!" Gabriella cried. They hugged."So, Arianna, baby, what did you do while I was gone?" She questioned. I handed her my journal. She opened it."Oh! Oww! Da! Woah! What?! Okay…" She explained. She hugged me."Sorry I ran away." I explained. My eyes welled with tears. She knelt down. She wiped my tears."Arianna, baby, I should have never expected you to juggle so much at such a young age." She explained. We hugged.An hour later, I was at my pink, wooden desk in my room. I pulled out my journal and began to write
6/18/1650
Dear Journal,
Mom came home today! To be honest, I kinda thought she was never coming home, so I panicked. But she's here!
Sincerely,
Arianna

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Two weeks later, I ran out to the garden. “FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS!”I explained. The rest of my family sat at a long table with a white tablecloth in white chairs eating scrambled eggs on white plates. Rapunzel giggled. I sat in between Frederic and Gabriella. Mom smiled as she passed me a plate.“Who votes we go and hang out at the beach for a few minutes before the festival?” Cassandra suggested. We all cheered.Five minutes later, we were all at the tan, sandy beach. A little girl with a mix of tan and black skin, blue eyes, and black, curly hair wearing a red dress, Angelica, Cassandra's and Arnaldo's daughter had her knuckles on her hips and was looking out to the aquamarine ocean. “Angel, want to build a sandcastle?” Lily questioned. Angelica nodded. Suddenly, I saw a silhouette of a skinny girl in the distant ocean.“What in Corona?” I questioned. A girl with brown skin, green eyes, white hair going down to her waist, with blue markings below her right eye, above her chest, and on her arm wearing gold, triangular earrings, a blue crystal necklace, a light blue bra, a grey, feather sleeve on her left arm, a dark blue skirt with two red marks on it with yellow outlines, and a light blue cloth hanging down in the middle of it came out from the ocean. "Kida!" I exclaimed."Arianna!" She exclaimed. We hugged."Let's get to the Festival." Rapunzel suggested. We nodded.I looked around. The baker, who had brown hair, a mustache, tan skin, and was dressed in white was selling cupcakes at his booth in the street. People were dancing and making chalk art in town square. Some people were also selling flags, dolls, and other souvenirs along the sides of town square in wooden booths.I went over to the baker's brown, wooden booth. “Can I have a strawberry cupcake?” I asked him. The plump, red-headed baker nodded. He handed me a strawberry cupcake. “Thank you so much!” I told him.Rapunzel, Cassandra, Gabriella, Natalia, Lily, Rose, Daisy, Angelica, Sara, Mom, Kida and I grabbed purple flags with yellow suns on them attached to brown, wooden poles and spun around. “Wee!” Daisy explained. We all giggled.I went over to the chalk. I grabbed the black chalk. I outlined a phoenix. I grabbed the red chalk. I colored it. I grabbed the orange and yellow chalk. I made stripes on it. “What is that?” Kida questioned.“A phoenix.” I replied.“What is that?”.“It's a bird…” I started.“What's a bird?” She interrupted.“It's an animal that flies. Anyways, a phoenix is a bird that rises out of fire.” I finished.“What's fire?” She questioned.“It's a gas triggered by combustion. We use it for light, cooking, and warmth here on the surface.”.“So if I start a fire, I will be warm, have light, can cook, and see a phoenix. How do I start one?”. Oh no…“Fires are also incredibly destructive, so we don't start ones unless we need to. We'll go camping, sleep outside and we’ll start one tonight.” I explained.We went over to Rapunzel, who was kneeling in front of a black cauldron filled with yellow wax. “Hi, Mom and Kida! Want a custom-colored lantern?” She questioned. We both nodded. “Kida, what color do you want?”.“Aqua please.” Kida replied. Rapunzel put aqua dye in the cauldron. She dipped two hoops held in a cylindrical shape with white strings in it. An aqua lantern came out.“Let me make the bottom.” She explained. She put six white strings around the bottom.“Kida! Want a doll?” Rapunzel question. Kida ran to her. “Mom, you can get in the boat, please? Dad and Gabbi are already down there.”. I nodded.I ran through the village of yellow cobblestone streets and colorful brick buildings. I arrived at a tan sandy beach. I looked down at the ocean. The orange sun was setting, making the ocean surface a layer of pink and then purple. I stepped into a giant, brown wooden canoe with a purple cloth roof. I sat on a bench carved into the sides of the canoe. Gabriella and Frederic sat on both sides of me. Rapunzel and Mom sat across from us. We sailed into the middle of the ocean. As soon as we got to the middle of the ocean, we noticed lights arising from the island. Rapunzel grabbed mine and Kida's lanterns. She handed them to us. I closed my eyes.God, thank you for this good season. I know you used my trials to bless my community and me, but thank you for this time of peace. This is the first time in my life that I have felt whole. Please help Gabbi; she has PTSD and has nightmares at night from being in Zan Tiri's and Gothel's clutches, and help Natalia, she's having painful spasms and the doctors don't know how to help her. And help my family, we're running low on food. But, thank you for bringing Kida to Corona. In Jesus's name, amen. I silently prayed. I released my lantern. I felt a warm arm around my shoulder. I looked up to see Frederic's smiling face. We kissed. "Enjoying your night?" He questioned."Frederic, this is Rapunzel's night." I reminded him."Remember, we also started this festival to thank God for your life and to call you home.". I smiled.Rapunzel approached us. She handed Gabriella, Kida, and me tan sticks with sparkly flames at the ends. "Go play with your friends." Frederic whispered before kissing me on the forehead.I ran around in a circle, holding my sparkler out, letting it make a circle with glowing, yellow light.I moved my arm in an 'A' shape. I moved my arm in an 'R' shape. I moved my arm in an 'I' shape. I moved my arm in two 'N' shapes. I moved my arm in an 'A' shape again.Gabriella moved her arm in a 'G' shape. She moved her arm in an 'A' shape. She moved her arm in two 'B' shapes. She moved her arm in an 'I' shape.Kida moved her arm in a 'K' shape. She moved her arm in an 'I' shape. She moved her arm in a 'D' shape. She moved her arm in an 'A' shape. "Of course, I could always spell my full name, which is Kidagakash, but that will be a pain in the rear to spell." She explained. Gabriella and I laughed.I went over to a brown wooden bench on the side of the boat and sat. I looked out at the thousands of golden lanterns in front of me. I smiled. I felt a warm arm around my shoulder. I looked up and saw Frederic's smiling face. We kissed. I leaned into him and just stayed like that for a few hours.A few hours later, the lanterns disappeared. "Okay, guys, we're going to camp in the woods with Kida. You have an hour to pack, bathe and change, and brush your teeth. Girls, just pack your brushes and brush your hair in the teeth. It's already nine and I think we should be at the campsite by ten." Rapunzel announced. We all cheered.A few minutes later, I walked up a flight of grey, stone stairs to a set of white double doors with golden suns on them. I opened the doors to a blue room with a big pink canopy bed in the middle. I went over to the white dresser. I packed a purple and white renaissance dress, white tights, my Bible, a purple pillow, a pink blanket and a doll with tan skin, green eyes, brown, braided hair, wearing a dress with a white top and purple skirt. I pulled out a purple nightgown and slippers.I went across the hall to a white room with a white wooden pump sink, a black chamber pot, and a white wooden tub. I went over to the tub and pumped some water. I undressed, bathed, and then changed into my nightgown and slippers.I went over to the pump sink. I grabbed a pink wooden toothbrush and blue toothpaste tube. I squeezed green toothpaste on my toothbrush. I brushed my teeth. I grabbed a glass. I spat the toothpaste out in the sink. I wiped my mouth on my sleeve. I rubbed my hand on my sleeve. I put my toothbrush and toothpaste back. I grabbed a purple hairbrush.I went back to my room. I put my hairbrush in my bag. I swung my bag over my shoulder. Frederic was sitting on our bed. He was dressed in a blue shirt and pants and had his brown boots on. "Are you ready!?" He questioned."Yeah!" I replied. We went outside.Outside, there was a big brown wooden cart with pink and purple blankets and pillows. "Mom, wait until Nathan can lift Natalia on. She is having painful spasms and needs a lot of soft space. And she needs to be in the middle." Rapunzel, who was wearing a blue nightgown explained. I nodded.A few minutes later, a woman with brown, braided hair, tan skin, and closed eyes wearing an aquamarine nightgown sitting in a brown wooden wheelchair with extra white padding, Natalia being pushed by a man with black hair and a beard, tan skin, blue eyes, wearing a green suit, Daniel arrived. Frederic, Eugene, who was wearing a green suit, Mom, who was wearing a white nightgown, Cassandra who was wearing a red nightgown and Arnaldo who was wearing a red suit rushed over to her. They lifted Natalia out of her wheelchair. Her body started shaking and she started screaming in pain. They rushed her to the cart. They set her body down on the patted area. Rapunzel climbed over the cart wall and knelt beside her. She began stroking her hair and cooing to her.Kida leaned into me. "Uhh, that girl, Natalia, is she okay?" She whispered."Kinda, kinda not. She hit her head and got a traumatic brain injury when she was born. Now, she has cerebral palsy, a disorder where the brain and body don't 'talk'…". I did air quotes. "…to each other. So she has never been able to talk or feed herself, she needs supervision when bathing or swimming, she is really fragile, and she gets tired easily, which is why she is in a wheelchair." I explained.“Ugh, I wish I brought an extra crystal with me so we could just fix everything right now!” She explained, frustrated. "Girls, you can get in the cart now." Rapunzel explained. Kida, Gabriella, and I got in the cart. Natalia was asleep on the pillows. Daniel knelt beside her and began stroking her face. Rapunzel knelt beside him holding a clear glass syringe and a tiny clear glass cup with purple liquid. She used the syringe to suck up the pain killer. She put the syringe in Natalia's mouth and squirted the pain killer in. Everybody else climbed in. Frederic sat next to me."She's exhausted." Rapunzel breathed. The cart started moving."Natalia's a strong woman, she'll pull through." Frederic whispered. I smiled. We all were silent the rest of the ride.We stopped 20 minutes later. Natalia opened her eyes. "Are you feeling better, my princess?" Daniel asked her. She smiled. Everyone else got off. Kida, Gabriella, Rapunzel and I climbed over the cart walls. Frederic, Eugene, Cassandra and Mom looked at us. "You know there is a ramp?" Eugene questioned.I grabbed my purple cloth tent, two brown sticks, four silver nails and a black mallet with a brown, wooden handle. I set my purple cloth tent on the ground. I put a nail at the top left corner. I ran right. I put a nail at the top right corner. I ran down. I put a nail at the bottom right corner. I ran left. I put a nail at the bottom left corner.I hammered the nail at the top left corner. I ran right. I hammered the nail at the top right corner. I ran down. I hammered the nail at the bottom right corner. I ran left. I hammered the nail at the bottom left corner. I grabbed the two brown sticks. I grabbed the top of the tent. I put a stick in it. I went around the tent. I grabbed the top. I put a stick in it. "Frederic! Gabbi! The tent's ready!" I called. Frederic and Gabriella rushed over to me. Frederic carried a medium-sized rolled-up white mattress. Gabriella carried a green silk hammock with white moons embroidered on it held up by short wooden sticks. We went inside.Frederic and I rolled out our mattress. Gabriella set up her hammock. Frederic put pale pink sheets on our mattress. I put my purple pillow on one side of our mattress. I put my doll on it. Frederic put his blue pillow on the other side of our mattress. I put my pink blanket on our mattress. Frederic put his blue blanket on top of mine. I looked over to the other side of the tent. Gabriella had her white pillow and green and white blankets in her hammock. On top of the pillow was a doll with pale skin, wavy white hair, and red button eyes wearing a white dress and green shall. We went outside.Everybody stood outside their tents, beside Eugene, who was trying to start a fire by rubbing two grey stones together. It started raining. "SERIOUSLY!" He cried."Everybody get inside their tents!" Rapunzel ordered. Frederic, Gabriella, and I ran inside our tent.The three of us sat on my and Frederic's bed. We all leaned on each other."Arianna, weren't you born in the middle of a hurricane?" Frederic questioned."Yes. That hurricane was named after me. Which, I was offended that it wasn't named after Iduna when I was younger. But I see it was because I'm the more chaotic one!" I exclaimed. Frederic and Gabriella laughed.A few minutes later, the rain stopped. Everybody came out of their tents. Eugene picked up the stones and started rubbing them together again. A spark from the stones. "YES!" He cried. It went on the wood. Due to the wood being wet; it disappeared went it got on it. "NO!" He cried."Let's go for a walk." Rapunzel suggested. She grabbed a glowing, yellow lantern with a brown, wooden frame. We all nodded. Daniel picked up Natalia and put her in her wheelchair. I stood.A few minutes later, we arrived at a dark green cliff. "This gives me dézu vou." Cassandra explained. I thought.I stood on a grassy green hill that was next to Corona and held my enlarged stomach. “Do you like it up here?” I asked my child-to-be. I felt a kick in my stomach. I smiled. “I like it up here too.” I replied as I rubbed my stomach. I sat down on the slightly dewed grass. I picked a white and yellow daisy and fidgeted with it. The stem felt smooth on my fingers. “Just think, tomorrow you and I will meet each other face-to-face and our lives will be perfect!” I explained to my unborn child. I felt something kick in my stomach. I smiled."Yeah, I kinda remember it, too." I explained."Gothel used to come here often." Gabriella remembered.“Power of the sunGift me with your lightShine into the dark Restore our fading sightRise into the dawnBlazing star so brightBurn away the strifeLet my hope ignite Let hope ignite”Rapunzel sang. A ball of sunlight formed in her left hand. She walked forward about seven feet. She knelt. She gasped. "Guys, the reason that you all remember this place is that it was the original location of the sundrop!" She explained."Ohh!" Cassandra, Gabriella, and I realized. We began to walk back.A couple of steps later, I tripped on a wooden board. I almost fell off the cliff, but Gabriella grabbed my left wrist and Frederic grabbed my right. They pulled me up. "Baby, I know you're immortal, but don't fall off the cliff." Mom told me."Okay!" I giggled. I flipped over the board. It was a portrait of Gothel with black eyes and hair and white skin and torn clothes with cobwebs on it. "Eww!" I exclaimed as I jumped back. "Dead and still trying to kill me from the grave." I mumbled."Let's burn that as firewood." Gabriella suggested. Everyone mumbled in agreement. I picked it up and put it under my arm."Why are we making fire out of the picture of the old lady?" Kida questioned."I'll explain on the way back." Mom explained.On the way back, I could hear Mom whispering to Kida. "Oh!" Kida exclaimed. We got back."Let's see if you burn." Eugene explained as he rubbed two grey stones together. A red, orange, and yellow flame came from the stone. Eugene put the flame on the portrait. It burned, creating red, orange, and yellow fire. "YES!" He cried. A red ghost in the shape of Gothel came out. Gabriella stood. She walked towards the ghost. She stood with one leg and clenched fist in front and one leg and clenched fist in back.“Our past, her journal,” She pointed to me. “is full of pain. Pain caused by you!” She pointed to Gothel. “For generations, you ruthlessly slaughtered the Coronan people. OVER A SINGLE LILLY! And for what? Just so you could stay young and beautiful?” She shrugged. “Human life is and will always be more beautiful than the flowers or the rich ladies. I don't know how many people you killed, but I know three women who you didn't, Rapunzel Corona,” She pointed to Rapunzel. Rapunzel stood. “Cassandra Gothel-Guard,” She pointed to Cassandra. Cassandra stood. “...and Arianna Corona.” She pointed to me. I stood.“What right do you have to stand up for these people and question the worth of the sundrop lily?” Gothel questioned.“I HAVE EVERY RIGHT! For a thousand years, I watch you ruthlessly murder brave souls who died as great people because they stood up for what they believed was right; love, justice, generosity, and integrity. Your power was paid for with their blood.” She pointed to her. “And with every lie, your power grew. For your greed! Let it end. Let. It. End.” Gabriella spoke. Rapunzel stood with her.Gothel went over to Rapunzel and Gabriella. They hugged and screamed."HEY GOTHEL! IT'S NOT THEM YOU WANT! IT'S ME!" I exclaimed. She turned to me. "IT'S ME!" I repeated.I ran. I jumped into the river. It was cold. Gothel followed me. She evaporated into the river. Rapunzel and Gabriella ran over to me. "Mom! You saved us!" Rapunzel smiled. The river began to rush downstream."Help!" I cried. I grabbed onto a medium-sized grey boulder. Rapunzel and Gabriella reached out their arms. I grabbed them. They pulled me up. I stood. "Thank you!" I told them."No, thank YOU for saving us." Gabriella told me. I smiled. Rapunzel passed me a blue nightgown. "Thanks!" I told her. She nodded. I went into my tent. I changed into the nightgown. I grabbed my wet clothes. I went out to the campfire. I set them in front of me. I sat on a brown wooden log in between Frederic and Gabriella. Glowing yellow fireflies swarmed around us. I looked over at Kida. She looked terrified. "Kida, are you okay?" I asked her."In Atlantis, bugs like these explode when they land." She explained. We all just looked at her."Kida, I assure you that these bugs do not explode. They just light up their tails and fly around.”. I smiled. She smiled back.“We should sleep. We have to walk back to Corona tomorrow.” Rapunzel suggested. We all went inside our tents.I laid on the mattress. I pulled the blankets on. Frederic grabbed my hand. I closed my eyes.“Dear God, thank you for bringing Kida to Corona. Thank you for Rapunzel. Thank you that we get to go camping. Please protect the campsite from snakes…” I heard him start.“Frederic!” I exclaimed. You don't need to pray for protection from snakes! I thought.“You're going to get struck by lightning if you interrupt prayer.” I heard him reply, playfully.“Just finish the prayer!” I heard Gabriella exclaim.“In your name,” I heard him start. “Amen.” We all replied. I opened my eyes. I reached up and grabbed my doll. I hugged her. Frederic and I kissed. He laid next to me. Gabriella grabbed the lantern. She blew the golden flame out. The smoke tickled my throat and nose. I sat and started coughing. “Sorry! I wasn't thinking!” She exclaimed.“It's fine.” I exclaimed. I laid back down. “Goodnight guys.”.“Night Arianna.” Frederic and Gabriella replied. I fell asleep. I was so tired, I forgot to do a journal entry.I woke an hour later to hissing. “Daa!” Frederic cried.“Frederic, honey, it's probably just a gardener snake. I will go move it.” I told him. "Told you guys that there were snakes." Frederic explained."If I hear the word 'snake' again, you're sleeping outside!" Gabriella yelled. Frederic whimpered.A 35-foot beast with champagne-colored fur, a head of a lion, and a body and face of a monkey towered above my campsite. "The Montresor," I breathed.
"If you go into the woods, watch out for the Montresor. It is said that: it is the spirit of a man who hung a friend to own his successful wine company and then burned down the cabin that he hung him in." Gothel told a ten-year-old me as she packed a red apple and a slice of yellow cheese in a yellow straw basket in a brown wooden cabin.

"How do I know you're not making this up like you did the giant snake?" I questioned.

"HEY! We saw that python in Invarr." She reminded me.

"You said that it would be 1200 feet long. That was 12." I reminded her.

"Umm, you're making that up. I never said that." She told me.

"You did. That was just a few months ago." I replied.

"Beg to differ." Gothel told me. "But let's go outside with the others. Your mother planned a big picnic for everybody while Frederic's here.". 
"I'm going to see my friends. See you in a bit." I told her as I ran outside. I remembered."MONTRESOR!" I screamed. Everybody ran out of their tents."It's real." Rapunzel breathed."I haven't seen this since Gothel took a walk in the woods forty years ago." Gabriella explained. The Montresor swiped its paw, knocking down camp."Come on! We just set that up a few hours ago." Cassandra whined."Com'on, guys! We can't just let it destroy camp! Gabbi, Mom, I was thinking we could destroy it just like we defeated Zan Tiri. Mom and I could give a blast of sunlight, and Gabbi could shoot a white rock, and the Montresor goes boom!" Rapunzel explained."That's a good plan." I replied."Gabbi?" Rapunzel questioned. Gabriella was holding her right elbow, was biting her lip, and was hiding in her hood.“Is everything okay?” I questioned.“I don't know, what if I use too much magic and TURN INTO MS. ‘I'M A HIGH TREASONIST AND AN ALL-AROUND A TERRIBLE PERSON’ AND ATTACK YOU AND ONLY MAKE THINGS WORST?!” Gabriella explained. She began crying.“Gabbi… I had never thought that was on your mind. Since I learned that she was just a spirit, I kind of chose not to think about her when she disappeared. But I'm sorry since I chose to forget about her, I shouldn't have assumed that you had done so too. And…” I began. I looked at her. “...I'm sorry. But Gabriella, I do know one thing…”. Gothel isn't a part of Gabriella and you have defeated her four times now. That's two things. “Actually, I know two things.” I stuttered. She smiled at me. “Gothel was never a part of you and we have defeated her four times now. So I think she's gone.” I told her. She smiled.“Power of the sunGift me with your lightShine into the darkRestore our fading sightRise into the dawnBlazing star so brightBurn away the strifeLet my hope igniteLet hope ignite”Rapunzel and I made a ball of sunlight. Gabriella shot one of her black rocks at it. The ball exploded. The Montresor disappeared. Everyone cheered. We all went inside our tent.Frederic and Gabriella laid on their mattresses. “Good night for real this time. If anything else wakes me up, I will blow them to pieces. That includes Eugene and Arnaldo.” Frederic announced.“Are Arianna and I your only conscience?” Gabriella questioned.“Good night guys.” I told them.“Good night Anna.” They replied.I pulled out my journal and began to write. 
7/4/1650
Dear Journal,
The Lantern Festival was today. Kida came. I had a strawberry cupcake. The other girls and I dance with flags. I drew a phoenix with chalk. I made a lantern.
After the festival, we went camping. We had trouble starting a fire, so we went on a hike, found a creepy portrait of Gothel and burned that. But, her ghost came out and I made her follow me in the river. We went to bed for a little bit until the Montresor attacked. Though she was hesitant at first, we encouraged Gabbi, and she, Rapunzel, and me destroyed it.
P. S.: Frederic and Gabbi won't stop bickering. I solely regret choosing both of them as my tent buddies.
Sincerely,

Arianna

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The next June, I was in a jungle-covered in palm trees with green leaves. I held back green palm leaves as I trucked through. “Pretty purple frog.”  I heard Rose start.

“OH MY GOSH ROSE DON’T TOUCH THAT IT’S POISONOUS!” I heard Rapunzel scream. I sighed. I arrived at a brown murky river. I knelt.

“I’M AT THE RIVER” I cried. Rapunzel, Gabriella, Cassandra, Natalia, Mom, Catalina, Sara, Angelica, Daisy, Rose, and Lily ran to me.

“This is a good meeting place.” Sara whispered.
 
“So how do we cross the river?” Rose questioned. I noticed something moving in the water.

“Hopefully that’s not something that wants to eat us.” Cassandra explained. 
 
A pink dolphin popped out of the water. We all gasped. It chirped.

“Aww, your beautiful!” Rapunzel explained. She turned over to show me her tail. Her fins were missing. I gasped. Natalia bent down. She petted her
 
I jumped into the river. 
 
I hugged Summer. I kicked my feet to keep myself afloat. She chirped.
 
That was the last time I saw Summer before she passed five years later of old age.

That night, I was in a pink canopy bed with a dark brown frame. I grabbed my journal. I began to write.

6/11/1651

Dear Journal,

We saw Summer today.

Sincerely,

Arianna

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The next February, I was reading a book with an orange leather cover about Phoenixes as I sat in the corner of the throne room. Gabriella was painting a design for a purple dress with a brown wooden paintbrush with black brussels on a pad of white paper as she sat next to me. Suddenly, Daniel rushed in. “She can't push the baby out and she's losing strength…” He announced.

Fudge…

“We'll be right over.” Rapunzel announced. 
 
I could feel my face turning red. My breathing started getting faster and faster. I could feel my whole body tighten as if a boa constrictor was wrapping around my whole body. I could feel my body shaking. I could also feel hot, sticky sweat pouring down my face.

Gabriella put her hands on my shoulders. “Arianna… I know that this is hard for you because of what happened with you and Rapunzel, but, just because something bad happens doesn't mean you're screwed. I learned that from you.” She told me. I smiled. “Here, I will help you over there.”. She helped me up. 
 
Five minutes later, we arrived at a set of double doors. I could hear Natalia's  hoarse screams. I could also hear Mom’s, Cassandra's, and Rapunzel's cooing.  
 
We sat down on a red sofa. We sat there for hours, listening to the chaos in the other room. A few hours later, Rapunzel came out. “She's too weak to  push the baby out. We have to give her a caesarian. Pray. Pray. Pray.”  She announced. Gabriella wrapped her arm around me. She took my hand. I closed my eyes.

“Dear God, please be with Natalia. She is too weak to have her baby. Please keep both her and her baby safe. Take away any pain that she might be having, in Jesus's name, amen.” She prayed.

An hour later, Rapunzel came out. “They are both alive, but something’s wrong with Natalia. Come in.” She announced. We went in. 
 
We step inside. Natalia's room had aqua carpet and walls with grey dolphins. In the middle was an aquamarine bed. Natalia laid in bed skin pale and sweating, shivering, shifting in pain, groaning weakly, and gasping for air. Aqua blankets clung to her body. Daniel squeezed her hand as he knelt next to her bed with a worried look. There was a purple bassinet holding a sleeping newborn girl with brown hair and tan skin wrapped in a purple blanket. “Cassandra, get the others, I'm going to examine her.” Rapunzel told Cassandra. Cassandra ran out. Mom dipped a pale pink rag in a bronze bowl and gently dabbed it on her forehead. Natalia murmured. Rapunzel rubbed her hand. Cassandra, Frederic, Eugene, and Arnaldo ran in.

“Natalia…” Eugene started. Frederic gasped.

“Where are the girls?” I questioned.

“We sent them to their cousins.” Eugene replied.
 
Rapunzel sat down on the edge of the bed. Her face was tired and sad. Daniel put his wife's hand on her midsection. Rapunzel rubbed Natalia's hand again. She opened her tired eyes.

“How do you feel?” Rapunzel asked as she passed Natalia her notebook and pen. She put Natalia's pen in her hand. Natalia dropped it. Daniel scrambled to pick it up. “Hmm…” Rapunzel hummed. She felt Natalia's forehead. Sweat was dripping down her face. "She has a fever." Rapunzel announced. Natalia shivered. Rapunzel grabbed a doll with tan skin, brown curly hair, green eyes, pink lips, wearing an aquamarine dress and sitting in a brown wheelchair. “Natalia, does anything hurt? If so, can you please point to where?” Rapunzel questioned. Natalia grabbed the doll.

“That could mean that everything's hurting or she didn't understand and just wanted the doll.” Rapunzel mumbled. Daniel stroked her hair. He put the doll in her arms. Rapunzel put her hand on Natalia's lungs. Natalia winched and screamed. “I’m sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!“ She explained. “She’s having trouble breathing and is in pain.” She stated. “Hey sweetheart, I'm going to put my hand on your heart and press down to get a heart rate. I don't mean to hurt you.” She told her. Rapunzel put her hand on Natalia's heart. “Oh! Your heart is beating fast, girl!” She explained. Rapunzel shook her head. “Puerperal fever. Not much can be done. I'm sorry.”. 
 
I could feel my face turning red. My breathing started getting faster and faster. I could feel my whole body tighten as if a boa constrictor was wrapping around my whole body. I could feel my body shaking. I could also feel hot, sticky sweat pouring down my face. I collapsed crying. “Arianna!” I heard Frederic cry. I felt my body being lifted up. 
 
I felt my body be rushed down the hall. I felt my body be set on my bed.  “Shh, it's going to be okay.” I heard Frederic coo. "Natalia's a strong woman, she'll pull through.". I looked at him. He stroked my hair. I passed out, exhausted, in his lap.

That evening, I was back in Natalia's room. Rapunzel dipped a pale pink rag in a bronze bowl and gently dabbed it on her forehead. Natalia murmured. I held her hand. It was cold. “Mom, could you make a board for Natalia?” Rapunzel questioned. I nodded. 
 
I went back to my room. I sat at my desk. I grabbed a purple feather pen. I grabbed a reddish-orange piece of parchment paper. 
 
I wrote ‘Daniel’ at the top in big semi-cursive and aqua ink. I knew that she liked fancy letters but, I didn't want to make them hard to read. I wrote 'Rapunzel' next to him. I wrote 'Juliet' next to her. I wrote 'Hannah' next to her. I wrote 'Cassandra' next to her. I wrote 'Gabriella' next to her. I wrote 'Mom' next to him. 
 
I skipped a line and wrote 'Hungry''. I wrote 'Thirsty' next to it. I wrote 'Hurting' next to it. I wrote 'Hot' next to it. I wrote 'Cold' next to it. I wrote 'Tired' next to it. I wrote 'Sick' next to it. I wrote 'Can't Breathe' next to it.  I wrote 'Confused' next to it.
 
I skipped a line and wrote 'Bath'?  wrote 'Yes'. I wrote 'No' next to it. I skipped a line and wrote the alphabet. I wrote 'Natalia's Communication Board' in a big font at the top. I grabbed it. 
 
I went back into Natalia's room. I knelt beside her bed and held up her board. She opened her tired, green eyes. "Hey, Natalia, I made a board for you so you can talk to us." I cooed as I rubbed her hand. She smiled saying 'thanks'.

"Hey, could someone get Varian?" Rapunzel questioned.

"On it!" I replied.

I arrived at the Ruddiger's grey stone mansion a few minutes later. “Hi, Oma.” Lily, Daisy, and Rose told me.

“Hi, girls.” I told them. Varian, who was wearing a white lab coat and black pants approached me.

“Is everything okay at the palace?” He questioned. I sighed.

“Natalia has… puerperal fever.”.

“What?” He started. “Let's go.”.

We arrived at the palace a few minutes later. Five minutes later, we arrived at a set of double doors. I opened them. Natalia was asleep as Daniel held a pale pink wet rag to her forehead. “I’ll see what I can do.” Varian announced.

Three days later, we surrounded the bed as Natalia laid in bed panting and sweating. She had had four glasses of water within the past hour. She kept crying and pointing to the word ‘thirsty’ on her communication board. “Hey, Sweetie, would you like a bath?” Rapunzel quietly asked her as she held up her communication board. Natalia raised a shaking finger to the word ‘Yes’ before closing her eyes.

I went over to the aquamarine dresser, opened it, and pulled out an aquamarine nightgown and night pants. Daniel lifted Natalia in her  wheelchair. Gabriella, Mom, Cassandra, and I started heading toward the bathroom as Rapunzel pushed Natalia. 
 
We went across the hall to a room with an aquamarine tub, floors, and walls. Rapunzel lifted Natalia out of her wheelchair. Cassandra turned the faucet on the tub. We undressed Natalia. She began shivering even more. Cassandra turned off the faucet. 
 
Rapunzel lifted Natalia into the tub. She stopped shivering. Gabriella, Mom, Cassandra and I rolled up our sleeves, got aquamarine wash clothes, and rubbed an aquamarine bar of soap on them. “Mom, can you hold her head so it doesn't fall below the water?” Rapunzel quietly questioned. I nodded. I gently grabbed Natalia's head with my right hand and began to gently rub little circles on her face. She smiled. After a minute, I finished. I set the washcloth on the side of the tub.

“Rapunzel, can I please have some cold water to wash her face?” I quietly questioned. She held the aqua cup that she was about to rinse her hair with still. I scooped some of the cold water in my hand and gently splashed it on Natalia's face. She let out a cry.

“Sorry, sweetie. We have to use cold water for your face and hair because of your fever.” I whispered. I splashed her face four more times. I put my hand under her hair. Rapunzel poured the cup on Natalia's hair. Natalia began crying. Rapunzel lifted Natalia out of the tub.
 
Rapunzel set Natalia on an aquamarine towel on the floor. Gabriella, Mom, Cassandra, and I dried her body as Rapunzel dried her hair. We got her dressed. Her nightgown was soft. Rapunzel lifted Natalia into her wheelchair. She spun it around to face the aqua sink and clear mirror. Natalia opened her dull, green eyes, groaned, and shut them again. I rubbed her shoulder. Rapunzel picked up Natalia's aqua brush and began gently brushing her hair. After five minutes, she was done. She pushed her out of the bathroom. The rest of us followed her. 
 
Rapunzel pushed Natalia to her bed. Daniel lifted Natalia. He gave Natalia her doll. I pulled the cover on her. She fell asleep.

Three days later, I walked into Natalia's room holding a white porcelain tray with a white porcelain bowl of red tomato soup. Her breaths were a little more shallow, she was shivering a little more violently, and she seemed to be in a little more pain. I set the tray on her wooden aqua stand. I sat down on her bed. I rubbed her shoulder. She opened her dull grey eyes.

“Hey, are you hungry?” I quietly questioned as I held up her communication board. Natalia opened her eyes and raised a shaking finger to the word ‘Yes’ before closing her eyes. I gently grabbed her head and craned it upwards. Her hair was wet with sweat. I put the bowl to her lips. She happily drank it.

Three days later, Natalia was peacefully lying in her bed, looking like she was about to fall asleep when suddenly, she started screaming. Everyone rushed over to her. "Natalia, what's wrong? Can you tell us?" Daniel questioned as he held up her communication board. 
 
She raised a shaking finger to the 'G' and then to the 'O' and then to the 'T' and then to the 'H' and then to the 'E' and finally, to the 'L'. We all gave worried looks to each other. Hallucinations were NOT a good sign.

Three days later, Natalia was lying in bed, sweating a lot, violently shivering, screaming in pain, holding her head in her hands, and gasping for air. She gagged. Daniel immediately picked her head up, tilted her chin, and put a small, brown sack below her mouth. She vomited. Rapunzel wiped her mouth with a white rag. I collapsed crying. 
 
I felt my body being lifted up and then set down. I felt a cold, sweaty hand stroke my head. I looked up. Natalia was smiling at me. She pointed to the word 'Mom' on her board, with a shaky hand. She pointed to the 'U'. Then to the 'W'. Then to the 'O'. Then to the ‘N’. Then to the 'T'. Then to the 'L'. Then to the 'O' twice. Then to the 'S'. Then to the 'E'. Then to the 'M'. Then to the 'E'.

"Natalia, I would like to believe you." I told her, sobbing. 
 
I felt my body being lifted up, carried, and then set down on my bed. I felt my hair being stroked. I looked up to see Frederic giving me a watery smile. “Everything's going to be okay.” He told me. "Did I ever tell you the story about how I adopted Natalia?" He told me. I looked up at him and nodded my head 'no'. 
 
"Well, there was an attack by Gothel on a pregnant teenager in the village. The orphanage tried to save the girl, but she went into labor one week later and was pronounced too weak to carry on. So, they had to give her a caesarian. Well, the girl passed away in surgery. 
 
But, they were able to save her baby. But the baby wasn't breathing. The nurses were able to get the baby to breathe but; she couldn't eat on her own. One day a month later, I was at the orphanage. I went over to that baby girl's crib, and she started giggling. I asked them if I could adopt her, but they were hesitant to give me a baby they weren't sure would live, so I convinced them, and I got to foster her. She was born in the middle of a snowstorm, so I named her Natalia, which means 'Christmas Day'. I took her home, and she started eating without a tube, learned how to read and write, and even started crawling and gibbering to Cassandra and me a little." He started.

"Little prodigy." I laughed.

"Finally, after two years, I got to adopt her on, ironically, Christmas Day." He continued. I giggled. 
 
"She grew up, finished her studies at the age of fifteen, got to meet her adopted mom and older sister, traveled the world, and fought and won a war for her country's freedom." He finished. I laughed. He put his hands on my cheeks. "What I'm saying is that Natalia's a very strong woman, and I have a feeling that she won't give up now.". He kissed my forehead. I smiled.

The next day, Natalia was lying in bed, screaming in pain. Rapunzel, Gabriella, Mom, Cassandra, and I were rushing around her, trying to make her comfortable. I gently picked up her arm and stuffed a pillow under it. "Hey, Mom, could you sing to her to distract her?" Rapunzel asked me. I nodded. I sat down at the side of the bed. I picked up Natalia's hand. I began to rub it.
 
"Power of the sun

Gift me with your light

Shine into the dark

Restore our fading sight

Rise into the dawn

Blazing star so bright

Burn away the strife

Let my hope ignite

Let hope ignite”

A ball of sunlight came from my hands. It warmed me and Natalia's hands. She fell asleep.

The next day, Natalia kept drifting in and out of consciousness. I was barely able to give her oatmeal for breakfast that morning without her passing out in the middle of her feeding. I took a deep breath. Rapunzel shook her head as she pressed a pale pink wet cloth to her forehead. "Will all of her family step out of the room with me?" Rapunzel questioned. We all stepped out. 
 
"We have exhausted all of the treatment options. She might pass today or tonight. The only thing that we can do now is give her a broth made from my tears. But, here's the catch: it might cure her cerebral palsy. Daniel, in case we can't ask her permission, do we have your permission?" Rapunzel asked him.

"You have my permission, Your Majesty." He replied.
 
Rapunzel went back in. We followed her. She grabbed Natalia's communication board. "Hi, sweetie, we can give you a broth made from my tears. But, it might cure your cerebral palsy. Are you okay with that?" She asked Natalia. Natalia opened her dull eyes and raised a shaking finger to the word ‘Yes’. "Just double checking, we can give you a broth made from my tears. But, it might cure your cerebral palsy. Are you okay with that?" Rapunzel repeated. Natalia raised a shaking finger to the word ‘Yes’ again. "Okay!" Rapunzel replied. 
 
Rapunzel stepped outside. I sat on the bed and grabbed Natalia's hand. She gave me a weak smile. I smiled back. Rapunzel came in holding a small, white teacup, with golden, glowing water. She gave it to Daniel. Daniel craned his wife's head upwards and helped her sip from the teacup. When she had finished, color rushed back into her skin. She sat up. She yawned. "I feel a lot better!" She explained.  Her voice was sweet and peppy. She covered her mouth. She started to cry tears of joy. "Mom," She addressed me as she held out her arms. I started to cry tears of joy. I hugged her.

A few nights later, Natalia was rocking Juliet in the palace garden. Rapunzel and I approached her. "Hi, Nat, can I hold Juliet?" Rapunzel questioned. Natalia nodded and handed Juliet to her.

"Mom, dearest, how are you?" Natalia asked me, taking me under her arm.

"I'm good. Hey, you aren't mad about the Sundrop taking away your cerebral palsy?" I asked her. She knelt in front of me and took my hands. 
 
"Mom, my cerebral palsy wasn't me." She started. She smiled. "True, that was a big part of my life, but it didn't define me. I had carpal tunnel when I was 15. When I turned twenty, I was having painful spasms almost every day. Sure, feeding and bathing myself is getting used to, but not to sound prideful, at least I don't need to rely on someone to do it for me. At least I have privacy now. Besides, I can take care of Juliet, Gabriella, and you now.". We hugged.

That night, I was in a pink canopy bed with a dark brown frame. I grabbed my journal. I began to write.

2/28/1652

Dear Journal,

Natalia had her daughter! Her name is Juliet. But, thanks to our dumb luck, she got childbirth fever. I have never seen another person that ill before. I guess Dad, but he died instantly. As Mom, I freaked out. Her fever was high, her skin was bone pale, she was in so much pain, she almost couldn't breathe, she was sweating up a storm, and by the end of the week, she was vomiting up almost everything we gave her. Everyone thought we would lose her. But Rapunzel gave her a broth made from her tears and she was cured of her fever and cerebral palsy. I asked her if she was mad about her cerebral palsy being taken away and she told me no. And, she's right, we aren't defined by our bodies but by our personalities.

Sincerely,

Arianna

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The next October, me and my friends were at the Corona Fall Formal. Red, orange, and yellow circular paper lanterns hung from two white strings criss crossed on the throne room ceiling. I was wearing a sparkly purple and white renaissance dress. I spun. I giggled. “Fifteen minutes until midnight!” Rapunzel announced.

Gabriella approached me. She was wearing a sparkly white dress. “Want to play in the garden?” She questioned. I nodded. We ran outside. I spun. I giggled. She threw white rocks in the air and spun. I threw small bursts of sunlight in the air and spun.

Suddenly, I heard her scream: “ARIANNA LOOK OUT!”. A white rock was coming toward me.

It's not a black rock so maybe it won't make me sick.

I hoped. It hit my heart. I fell back. Gabriella caught me. She fell to her knees. My eyes fell shut. I felt a burning pain in my chest.

Wishful thinking.

I thought. “SOMEONE HELP!” I heard her cry. The noise gave me a headache. I groaned. I heard footsteps rush over. “I’m so sorry, Arianna.”. I felt a tear land on my face. I felt her wipe it off using her sleeve.

“Gabbi… Mom…” I heard Rapunzel start.

“I’M SO SORRY! I DIDN’T MEAN TO!” I heard Gabriella wail. The noise gave me a headache again. I groaned again. I heard more footsteps rush over. I felt my body be quickly shoved into Rapunzel's warm arms.

“Shh, shh, I know and it's going to be fine.” I heard Rapunzel coo. I heard Gabriella break down crying.

“Here, Gabriella, sweetie, let's go to your room.” I heard Cassandra coo.

“Here, I can take her.” I heard Frederic offer. I felt him gently pick me up. I felt my body being carried.

I felt my body being carried upstairs. I felt my body being set down on my soft bed. I passed out.

I woke up to the feeling of a tube down my throat. I tried to reach up, but I pulled a muscle in my shoulder. A throbbing pain stabbed my shoulder. I hoarsely screamed. "Arianna!" I heard Frederic cry as I felt him take my hand.

"Let's pour the pain killer in the tube." I heard Rapunzel announce. I heard the pouring of liquids.

“There you go, baby.” I heard Mom coo. A couple of minutes passed with nothing happening except me eating - I guess I was technically drinking - my meal. I wailed in discomfort.

“I know, we had to give you something to keep your strength up.” I heard Rapunzel tell me. I felt her stroke my hair. A few more minutes passed.

“Someone hold her head so it doesn't roll around.”. I felt Frederic gently put his hands on my head. I felt the tube come out of my throat.

My head felt like it was burning while the rest of my body was freezing. My  head and stomach both felt like they were about to explode. I felt like there was an invisible block above my body that kept me from getting up. I also could still feel my chest burn. My head and shoulders were propped up with  fluffy pillows. I was bundled in warm blankets. Rapunzel stroked my head. I opened my eyes to see an image of a fuzzy blue ceiling. They fell shut. I gagged. I felt Rapunzel grab my waist and back and sit me up. I vomited. I felt her gently lay me down. I felt a freezing rag wipe off my mouth. I shivered and cried.

“Shh…” I heard Rapunzel coo.

Gabriella.

I remembered. I tried to sit up. My body shook. I pulled a muscle in my back. A stabbing pain shot through my back. I hoarsely screamed. Somebody gently laid me down.

“Don't move, darling. It will only cause more pain.” I heard Frederic explain.

Gabbi Gabbi Gabbi.

I thought. What happened to her? Rapunzel said she wasn't in trouble. But still… She is known to beat herself up over mistakes. And, she had a breakdown after the accident. I tried to sit up again. I felt Mom, Frederic, Rapunzel and two other sets of hands hold me down.

“Is she delirious?” I heard Natalia question, concerned.

“I don't think so. She has battled this illness before and she wasn't delirious the other times. I think she is in distress. She and her best friend were involved in an accident that could have been fatal if they didn't have the Sundrops Blessing.” I heard Rapunzel explain. Gabriella was hurt?! I tried to sit up again. I felt Mom, Frederic, Rapunzel, Natalia and another set of hands hold me down again.

“We should get her to fall asleep. She’s exhausted and scared.” I heard Mom explain.

“And how do we do that exactly?” I heard Natalia question.

“I don't want to sedate her. I want her to be able to wake up and tell us if she's hungry.” I heard Rapunzel explain.

"Maybe sleep medicine?" I heard Natalia suggest.

"That would be good.". I heard footsteps come over to my side. I felt Rapunzel stroke my head. I heard the pouring of liquid. I felt Frederic lift my head. He poured a grape-tasting liquid down my throat. I fell asleep.

I was lying in bed, shivering the next day. "Gabriella, you have to eat, sweetie." I overheard Rapunzel tell her.

Don't do this to yourself, Gabbi.

I thought. I whimpered.

"Shh, you're… going to be okay." I heard Frederic tell me, voice breaking. I felt him dab a freezing wet cloth on my forehead. I shivered. I heard him sigh. I let out a distressed cry. "Natalia, go get your sister and grandmother. Tell her that your mother is in distress.".

"Gabriella, you have to eat to keep your strength up.".

Don't do this to yourself.

I thought. I whimpered. Frederic stroked my hair. I heard fast footsteps come up to my side.

"What's wrong?" I heard Rapunzel frantically question.

"She's in distress." I heard Mom reply. I felt my body be lifted up. I felt Rapunzel rock me. I fell asleep.

The next day, I heard my bedroom door open. "Can you eat oatmeal this morning, Honey?" I heard Rapunzel question. I felt Frederic lift my head. He slowly spooned the oatmeal into my mouth. The oatmeal was sweet; it tasted like strawberries. The texture was just right; it was runny enough for me not to struggle to swallow but not soupy. Mom must have made it. Thanks, Mom! I finished a few minutes later. Frederic laid me back down so I could get some rest.

I was able to lay there peacefully for about 5 minutes until my stomach started hurting. I groaned. "Arianna! Are you okay?!" I heard Frederic question. I gagged. I felt Rapunzel quickly sit me up by gently grabbing my ribs and pulling me up. I vomited. I wailed.

"I know, baby. Would you like a bath?" I heard Mom question. I hummed. "Yes?" I heard her question. I hummed again. I felt my body be lifted out of my bed.

I felt my body being set down on a soft towel on a hard, tile floor. I heard running water. "I'm going to undress you." I heard Mom quietly explain. I felt my nightgown and night pants come off. The cold air hit my body. I shivered. I felt my body be lifted and carefully set in warm water. I felt Rapunzel pour freezing water into my hair. I yelped hoarsely. I heard the squeezing of a soap bottle. "I know, dear. But, we have to use cold water because of the fever." I heard Rapunzel explain as she ran her soapy fingers through my hair. I felt her gently squeeze my hair. I felt her pour freezing water on my hair. I yelped hoarsely. "I know. Grandma's going to take over to wash your skin." I heard Rapunzel explain. I felt Mom start to wash my face by rubbing little circles on it with a soft rag. I cooed. I heard her quietly chuckle. I felt her gently splash cold water on my face. I yelped hoarsely. "I know, baby." I heard her quietly explain. She washed my body. I felt my body be lifted and then set down on a soft towel. I felt my body being patted down with a towel.

I felt a warm and soft nightgown be put on me. I felt my body be lifted. I felt my body being carried.

I felt my body being set down on my soft bed. I felt warm blankets being pulled over me. I fell asleep.

The next morning, I laid in bed, gasping for air. I felt Frederic lift my head. I began to feel light-headed. I let out a hoarse cry.

Okay, I need to keep consciousness.

I told myself. I felt Mom gently rub my chest. I heard a thud from Gabriella's room.

What's going on?!

I panicked. I began to hyperventilate. “I’ll check on Gabriella.” I heard Cassandra announce. My lungs began to burn. I let out a hoarse cry. I felt Rapunzel stroke my head.

I heard footsteps run out of my room. “Fudge!” I heard Cassandra cry.

Oh no…

My breathing began to speed up. I began to choke. I heard footsteps run into my room. “She's unconscious. I got her into her bed.”.

No, no, no!

I thought. I went into a coughing fit.

“Okay, Cass, here's a tube and some formula. I need you to tube-feed her until she wakes up.” I heard Rapunzel explain. I heard footsteps run out of my room.

“Grandma, the only thing that I can think of to help Mom is sedation and tube-feeding. Is that okay with you?”. I felt Mom stroke my head. “Dad?”. I heard the jumbling of plastics and metals. "Now to put the stuff in it." Rapunzel explained. I heard the pouring of liquid. I heard fast footsteps come up to my side. I felt something warm and wet on my arm. I felt a cool kiss on my cheek. I was poked. I felt light-headed and fell asleep.

I was in a forest with aspen trees with white trunks with black spots and green leaves and green grass against the backdrop of a blue sky. I heard Gabriella crying. I ran forward. Gabriella was on her knees, covering her face, crying. I knelt next to her and put her hand on her back. She looked at me. “Ar… Ari… Arianna?” She questioned.

“It's okay.” I explained.

“No! It's not! You could have died! You need to be more worried about yourself and stop having panic attacks over me!” She cried as she pointed at my chest.

“I wouldn't be having panic attacks over you if you would actually look after yourself!” I cried as I pointed at her chest.

“I found both of your weaknesses: compassion.” I heard

Gothel

. We both turned to see her standing behind a green shrub and taping her fingers.

“As the former queen of Corona, I formally banish you from the dream realm.” I told her as I pointed at her. She disappeared. Gabriella and I looked at each other.

Gabriella hugged me. “I am so sorry for all the trouble I caused.” She told me as she buried her head in my chest.

“Shh, it's okay.” I explained. She cried. “Gabriella, everyone makes mistakes. My life is not endangered. No one is mad at you. We all love you.”. She looked at me.

“Arianna, you are like a little sister to me. I watched you grow up. I watched you fall oh, so many times. I wanted to protect you. But I couldn't. I'm a monster!”. She cried into my chest.

“You’re not a monster. You're not even a villain. You’re a hero!” I explained.

She looked at me, confused.

“You fought darkness for a thousand years. When you came back, you worked oh-so-hard to protect your family. It takes a hero no-. It takes a

warrior

to fight darkness by herself for millennia!” I explained. She smiled.

“And it also takes a warrior to keep her joy while constantly being taken advantage of and abused for nearly the first four decades of her life.” She explained. I smiled. We hugged.
I woke up the next morning with a slight head and stomach ache. I groaned. “Mom!” I heard Rapunzel quietly exclaim as I felt her gently hug me. “Are you starting to feel better?”. I hummed.

That afternoon, I heard footsteps come into my room. I heard the door open.

“Is she sleeping?” I heard Gabriella quietly question.

“Uh-uh,” I heard Rapunzel quietly reply. I heard footsteps come up to my side.

“Hi, Arianna. I came to check on you. Are you starting to feel better?”. I  hummed.

The next day, I could feel Gabriella gently stroking the back of my hand with her finger. I cooed. “You don't think I am hurting her?” I heard Gabriella quietly question.

“No, she likes it. She coos when she's relaxed.” Frederic quietly explained.

“Do you want me to read you a story?” I heard her quietly question. I hummed. I felt her gently stroke the back of my hand with her finger one last time.

“The story of… Gabriella and Arianna?” I heard her quietly start, confused. I shrugged. “Once upon a time, an albino girl named Gabriella was born to Lord Demanitus and Lady Sara. She was blessed by the moon. When she was 16, she survived anorexia thanks to the Sundrop. When she was 17, she and her siblings were kidnapped… You know what? I’m just going to skip the part about me turning into a she-demon because we all know that happened.”. I hoarsely giggled. “Millennial later, a girl named Arianna was born to Queen Hannah and King George. When she was 17, she survived an attack by Gothel thanks to the Sundrop. But, her daughter was lost. She traveled the world and found her. Together, they defeated Gothel and brought back Gabriella.” I heard Gabriella start. “Hey, the pages in the back are blank.”.

“Maybe it means that your stories will never end because you're immortal. And it’s up to you two to find your happily ever after.” I heard Rapunzel suggest. I gave a small smile.

I sat and opened my eyes the next day. Sunlight flooded my room. “Ari, Ari, Ari!” Gabriella explained she ran up to me, hugged me, and spun me around. I laughed.

“Told you I’d be okay.” I told her. I smiled.

That afternoon, I was swinging on my swing. "I don't understand. A. How did my power glitch last week? B. What did Rapunzel mean by ‘it's up to us to find our happily ever after’?" Gabriella questioned.

"You were probably tired. And, have you ever heard the saying: 'fantasy or tragedy'?" I asked her. She nodded negatively. "It means that you can turn your life into a fantasy or a tragedy; it all depends on your perspective." I explained. She smiled at me.

That night, I was in a pink canopy bed with a dark brown frame. I grabbed my journal. I began to write.

11/7/1653

Dear Journal,

The Corona Fall Formal was last week! It was fun until Gabriella's powers glitched, and I got struck in the heart with a white rock. I was deprived of nutrients. So I had to be tube-fed while I was unconscious. Not fun. But it wasn't too big of a deal. Besides,

Gabriella blamed herself and stopped eating. Don't get me wrong, Gabriella's kindness is a big reason she's my best friend, but when it's detrimental to her, that's a problem. That triggered my anxiety, and I would have anxiety attacks. I would try to sit up, and I had to be held down; so I didn't hurt myself. Not fun. Gabriella fainted, and I had to be sedated (I was hyperventilating) mid-week.

We were able to talk to each other in a dream. We yell at each other for worrying about each other too much and not taking care of ourselves. And then Gothel showed up and told us that our weaknesses were kindness. And then, I somehow banished her from the dream realm?

I woke up and started recovering. Gabriella found a magical book about our lives, and I can't wait to find out how the rest of the story turns out!

Sincerely,

Arianna

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

One Festival of Lights 35 years later, Corona hosted a ball. I spun. I giggled. Suddenly, the floor began to shake. "Arianna, we have to get out!" I heard Gabriella call to me. She grabbed my arm. The palace collapsed. I spread my arms and made a ball of light around us. We hugged. We fell into the debris.

"Arianna, I don't think our mortal friends survived." She told me. We cried.

I will not see Frederic, Eugene, Arlnado, Ulla, Quirin, Varian, Catalina or Kiera for a very long time.

I realized.

"Hey, they were all gonna passed away some time." I told her. She looked at me.

Oops, probably not the best thing to say right now.

"Sorry".

"No, you have a point. I guess that's the thing about being immortal." She told me.

"ARIANNA! GABRIELLA! SOUND OFF IF YOU AREN'T KNOCKED OUT!" We heard Kida yell.

"WE'RE OVER HERE!" Gabriella and I yelled back.

Rapunzel, who now had long white hair and wrinkles, Mom, Cassandra, Natalia, a woman with white braided hair, pale skin, blue eyes, and wrinkles, wearing a sparkly blue dress, my niece Elsa and she ran over to us. We all hugged each other and cried for about five minutes and then followed Kida down a dark brown sandy tunnel.

We arrived at a giant aquamarine floating island with stone sculptors surrounding it. Kida led us to a blue, crystal palace. “Arianna and Gabriella can sleep in this room.” Kida told us as she led us to a spacious blue room with aqua canopy beds, an aqua dresser with a mirror, an aqua easel, and a light blue crystal writing desk. The back wall was a tank. Rapunzel handed me my blue bag.

“I was able to salvage some of your things from the fire when the palace collapsed.” She explained. I hugged her. Rapunzel left. I sat on the blue carpet. Gabriella sat in front of me.

“I know this doesn't have glass in it because that would have disintegrated in the fire and I'm exhausted so I'm going to just dump it.” I explained. She giggled. I dumped it. My doll that looked like me, the dolls that looked like my sisters, my journal, my green peacock feather pen with blue spots on it, my Bible, the mysterious book of Gabriella's, Rapunzel’s, and I’s lives, Gabriella's white drawing pad, thirteen small, brown wooden pots, six brown wooden paint brushes with tan brussels, and Gabriella's Bible came out. I put everything on the dresser.

“You can use the nightgowns in the closet.” Kida told us.

“Thank you so much!” Gabriella told her.

“Thanks!” I told Kida. She nodded.

“Oh, and the dolphin in the tank is named Helia.” Kida told us. She left. 
 
“What do we do now? Rapunzel said ‘it's up to you to give your story a happy ending’ and most of our friends are now dead!” Gabriella explained, crying on her bed. I hugged her.

“But we're not. We survived. And, we can still give this story a happy ending.” I explained tearing up. She hugged me.

“I’m going to go to bed. You should too.” She explained. I hugged her. We took each other's hands.

“Dear God, our family is having a really tough time right now. Please carry us through. But thank you for rescuing us. In your name, amen.” I prayed. I opened my eyes and let go of Gabriella's hands.

“Good night. See you in the morning.” Gabriella told me as she went into the bathroom.

“Good night.” I replied.
 
I grabbed my journal and took the pen off the dresser. I sat down at the desk, opened my journal, and started writing.

7/4/1688

Dear Journal,

Corona hosted a ball tonight. Like the last ball, it ended in disaster. We got attacked and to put it blatantly, Rapunzel, Mom, Gabriella, Cassandra, Natalia, Elsa, and I are the only ones left. I'm going to miss everything about Frederic. I’m going to miss hanging out with Ulla and Quirin. Believe it or not, I’m actually going to miss Eugene's and Arlnado's stupid pranks.

But, believe it or not, there's a bright side. Kida came and got us and brought us to Atlantis! Gabriella and I have a super awesome room! It's huge! It's the biggest room I've ever had! It has two decent-sized canopy beds, an art station, a writing desk, a tank with a dolphin and plenty of room for dancing! Tonight was a tragedy and my mind is now in a million pieces and I don't know when I’ll stop crying but, I know I'll survive this just like I've survived everything before.

Sincerely,

Arianna

I knelt beside my bed. I folded my hands, looked up, and closed my eyes. “Dear God, my family really needs your help right now. There was an attack on the palace and now, Rapunzel, Mom, Gabriella, Cassandra, Natalia, Elsa, and I are the only ones left in our family. But, thank you for helping us survive this and taking us to the reef.” I prayed. I grabbed my doll, pulled up the blankets, curled up, and fell asleep.

Fast forward to the present day; I was digging through my closet. I saw an outfit made up of; a light blue dress, an aquamarine jacket, a purple scarf, and blue goggles on a pink hanger. The was a purple heart pin on the jacket. I pushed it back. I saw a yellow shirt over a pink dress jacket, shorts, and a purple neck-tie on a pink hanger. I pushed it back. I saw a purple tee shirt on a pink hanger with white leggings thrown in the hanger's hole and a pink infinity scarf wrapped around the handle. I grabbed it. I went into the bathroom. 
 
The bathroom was an aquamarine hue. It had white narwhals with rainbow horns and big, sparkle purple eyes, black smiles, blue dolphins with black eyes and smiles, grey hammerhead sharks with black eyes and smiles, mermaids with pink or purple hair, tan skin, big, sparkly green eyes, pink or purple seashell bras, and rainbow tails, fluorescent pink, green, and yellow fish and yellow sand and green seaweed at the bottom. It had a rectangular sink with drawers, a huge walk-in bathtub, and a toilet. There was a clear fish bowl with a goldfish in there. 
 
I went over to the sink. "Hi Goldie." I told her. I opened the top drawer. 
 
I grabbed a hot pink toothbrush with white bristles and a white tube of toothpaste with a red line and a blue line in the middle. I closed the drawer. I laid the toothbrush down on the sink and unscrewed the lid off the toothpaste tube. I picked the toothbrush up and squeezed the toothpaste on it. I laid the toothbrush down on the sink, opened the drawer, put the tube back in, and then closed it. I brushed my teeth. I spat the toothpaste out in the sink. I turned the water on, got a drink, and turned the water off. I opened the drawer, put the toothbrush back in, grabbed a pink deodorant container and closed it. 
 
I got dressed. I opened the drawer, put the deodorant container back in, grabbed a pink hairbrush and scrunchie, and closed it. I put the scrunchie around my wrist. I put my hair on my shoulder, brushed my hair, set the hairbrush down, braided my hair, tied it off with the scrunchie, and put my hair back behind my head. I opened the drawer, put the hairbrush back in, grabbed a pink makeup bag with a clear front, set it on the counter, and closed the drawer.
 
I unzipped the makeup bag. I grabbed the black lipstick container, opened it to a tan brush with pink lipstick, put it on, closed it, and put it back in the bag. 
 
I grabbed the black circular blush container with pink blush and a clear lid and the big, tan brush with a black handle. I opened the blush container, dabbed the brush in the blush, rubbed the brush on my left cheek, dabbed the brush in the blush again, rubbed the brush on my right cheek, and closed the container. I put the blush and brush back in the bag. 
 
I grabbed a black box with a clear lid showing small squares of pink, purple, turquoise, yellow, blue, green, silver, and gold eyeshadow and a small black brush with its bristles on the sides. I opened it and grabbed the brush. I scrapped the brush in the pink eyeshadow. I closed my right eye and brushed the eyeshadow on. I closed my left eye and brushed the eyeshadow on. I put the brush back in the container, closed it, and put the container back in the bag. I zipped up the bag, opened up the drawer, put the bag in the drawer, grabbed a clear, plastic box of big, brown, fish food tablets, set them on the counter, and closed the drawer.
 
I peeled back the lid. I grabbed a pelt. "Hi, Goldie, I'm going to Corona for the week. Here's some food." I explained as I dropped the pellet in. She darted to it. I giggled. I picked up my dirty clothes and went out of the bathroom. 
 
"You can have the bathroom now, Gabbi" I called.

"Okay, I fed Princess and put her in her travel cage." She informed me.

"And I gave Goldie one of her travel pellets." I informed her. We smiled at each other. 
 
I went into our room. I opened the aqua metal laundry shoot. I drop my dirty clothes down the laundry shoot. I looked down to see a big, empty, black plaster cage with tan wood chip bedding, a brown wooden dome with a medium opening, a big orange food bowl with lettuce and chopped-up baby carrots inside, a blue water feeder with a white end and water inside. 
 
I sat at my light pink desk. I grabbed a baby pink Chromebook, opened it to one of those moving pink dynamic bubble screens, logged on, navigated my way to Docs, and opened a document labeled 'Journal'. The physical copy had disengaged due to time back in the 1980s. Luckily, I had managed to type it all up in a doc and publish it before that happened. And about publicizing it, it became a New York Times best-seller. I began typing.

7-3-2022

Dear Journal,

Life in Atlantis is great! I am in the Air Force, and Gabriella is in the Navy. She and I have a pet goldfish named Goldie, a bunny named Princess, and a pet dolphin named Helia. I published the entries from you from when I was a young woman, and they made a movie called 'Finding Light' in which Gabriella, Cassandra, and I acted in. Even though I miss my old life, I am happy now. I learned how to come to terms with the tragedy and become strong. Until we meet again, adieu.

Sincerely,

Arianna

“Mom, it's time to leave to go to the airport.” Rapunzel announced as

“Okay.” I replied. I closed my laptop, opened my suitcase, and put my laptop in there. I noticed a painting of Frederic, Eugene, Arlnado, Ulla, Quirin, Varian, Catalina, Kiera, Rapunzel, Gabriella, Cassandra, Natalia, and I standing together on the palace steps. I picked it up. “I will never forget you.” I whispered. I put it back.

“Arianna, time to go.” Gabriella announced.

“Okay.” I replied. I ran to her. We walked out together, talking and laughing.
 
I would like to leave you with a few things before I go. There is nothing more valuable here on Earth than human life. Every person deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. We are starting to lose value to each other. I have seen a lot of people mistreated in my life. But, that could change if we try to spread a little more love. So before I go I’m asking a favor from you: spread love like the sun. 
 
THOSE WHO SURVIVED LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER

↑ Top · Fandoms