Awaken Within Something New
This felt like a fever dream she was experiencing. Something out of a fairy tale that she would dream about in her cold stone room with nothing but a bed and her single pillow.
A world of magical creatures or illusions of there being a much bigger place in such a small spot.
But everything she has witnessed is real.
Real enough that she wanted to stay on this side of the world forever. See if she can find her purpose and something worth living for.
A wooden door stood before her at the end of the hall and she pulled it open. Aurora realizes that she is on the top floor and there was a long step of stairs down.
Her soft footsteps echoed in the empty room. The room felt warm and a voice inside her told her to keep moving forward as she walked down the steps.
Red curtains of a dragon were draped on the wall of the stairs.
She touches the material feeling its rough texture and realizes how it's slowly getting dusty.
'Must have been uncleaned for years now.'
Now as she reached the final steps of the stairs in front of her was another door, but this one was different. There was a dragon statue design on the golden door. The dragon clawed on the door and was staring at her with an intense glare as she approached it.
'Um, wh-what d-do I do?', Aurora thought nervously.
She turns to face the stairs and slowly makes her way towards them but stops herself from stepping on the first step. She frowns and trembles feeling so lost for the first time.
'Should I go back and try to convince my godmother to come in or....? No! I don't wanna look like an idiot. I can do this. I can...'
She slips down to the ground slowly pulling her legs to her chest. Wet smudges marked themselves on her dress as Aurora slowly allowed herself to cry.
'Why am I so useless!?'
'I can't do anything right.'
A part of her feels a calling from the other side. He is trying to reach her and as much as she wants to answer it.
But she remembers what her godmother told her and chooses not to answer. She didn't like the pain that was on her godmother's face.
Aurora whimpers clenching her eyes closed and imagining a wall, a barrier, between them and allowing it to grow bigger and bigger.
The soft warmth that she felt from him was slowly slipping from her grasp.
She didn't want to let him go.
He has been there for her in her darkest moment.
Told her stories even though she didn't understand his language.
It made her feel a warm flutter in her stomach but...Olivia was in so much pain when she called him. A huge part of her didn't like that. It only made her feel some heated emotion inside her that she... can't put her finger on.
So she sealed it all away.
His smile, the way his eyes lit up when he appeared in front of her, how rich his voice sounded with his accent, and everything else.
Sealed away behind the wall that she kneeled in front of as her head felt like it was going to explode in a few minutes. She started to feel hallow on her chest as if there was no longer a heart beating.
Thump, Thump.
Strong pounding can be heard on the other side of the wall. A voice calling out to her, trying to convince her to take it down, to let him in. The more she ignores the voice the more vicious the pounding gets.
Breathe in and out.
Think of something else.
Oogway.
Remember how it felt flying through the cloud. How the taste of freedom felt. It's an endless field of nothing and only encourages to be discovered.
The sounds of yell and the vision of the wall distance themselves away from her.
Silence.
It felt weird and strange since Aurora in the past could feel the connection activated without really calling for him. But yet, it made her feel at peace.
Like she can have a moment to herself without someone breathing down her neck.
She puts her knees away from her, stretching her foot out to shake out the numbness. Staring at the statue on the door. Its eyes guard the secret's inside the room she needs to enter.
Feeling a sense of determination inside her bloom she stood up from her spot and made her way back in front of the door.
Only a Belmont by blood may enter.
'Blood? But there is no blade for me to cut my palm...'
Unless it was never by blood but by...
Draconian language...
Only those by blood can understand the language of dragons.
Aurora looks at her palms and at her arms.
Blood that runs in my veins...
I am the descendant of Merlin and Arthur Pendragon...
Her hand touches her throat as she remembers what Oogway first said to her when they met.
"You must be mute if you cannot respond. Though it is very strange, I have never heard of a dragon lord that cannot be able to speak the draconian language."
...Mute...
Aurora had forgotten long ago the sound of her own voice. How does one even start? She gasps and gulps feeling her throat.
She closes her eyes, a small hidden part of her, something light and a motherly sense of warmth.
She hums the lullaby that Olivia sang to her and pushed the sound of wind out of her mouth. She then changes the tune to be deeper and makes it go pitch high.
Closing her eyes, she tries to recall Merlin's diary and the first few words he had written in the Draconian language.
A sense of unknown territory she stepped into, but she didn't fear the unknown. She welcomed it with open arms and embraced it.
She opens her lips and with a soft, delicate voice she says out in the quiet space.
Open.
A low growl could be heard coming from the door. Aurora opens her eyes which were now glowing. In front of her, the golden dragon's eyes glowed and a deep voice spoke to her.
Who are you?
With determination and confidence inside her, Aurora responds back, listening for the first time to how soft her voice sounded in her ear. How unfamiliar, but she ended up loving her voice.
I am Aurora Belmont, the firstborn and only heir of Arthur IV (4th) Belmont.
The dragon hums deeply, analyzing her.
Welcome, young dragon-lord. You may enter.
The door began to glow into a golden mist and the door faded away. The golden mist twinkling in the atmosphere now standing in front of her was an opening. Tears again streamed down her cheeks again but this time it was of joy.
A cheerful smile that laughed happily when she walked through the door seeing countless books, scrolls, and different items.
Everything felt so ancient and unique.
Each holds its own story of teaching and skills that Aurora wants to read all.
Standing on the stone balcony, she walks down a step of stairs seeing some mirrors hanging on the bookcase.
The ceiling was made of painting glass so that the light in the room sparkled the place, giving it such aesthetic energy.
She approaches a single door and sees countless bezants (money) everywhere and jewels she has never seen before shimmer majestically.
Not knowing how much is well...enough to pay for the item she needs. She grabs what she thinks is enough and stuffs it inside the pocket of her dress that she was so thankful was there.
Before she left there was a necklace that caught her attention.
She grabs it without thinking and heads out of the room. Now with her pockets filled with what they came here for she hurried her way out of the room.
Only giving it one final glance of admiration before heading in the direction in which she came.
~**∞**~
Olivia sighed in relief when Aurora appeared from the corridor and crossed over the golden barrier. The metal door closed behind her and all the locks clicked in place. Olivia kneeled down to her wiping away the tears still falling,
"Are you okay?"
Aurora sniffs and nods happily.
She shook her dress pockets and heard the bundle of coins make a clinking noise. Olivia gives her a small purse from within her jacket and hands it to her so that she can put her money inside.
They headed back to the gondola and ride out of the water stream till they reached the main entrance. Leaving the property of the bank, Olivia guides Aurora out of the crowded street and enters a store filled with clothing.
From there, an old lady approached them and Olivia told her that they were here for school uniforms for Beauxbations Academy of Magic.
The lady had Aurora stand on a stool where there was a wall of mirrors focused on her from different angles.
Pieces of blue clothing draped over her, as different equipment for sowing floated around her, and once the lady had gotten her measurements.
Olivia gave her the address to the Belmont Mansion and called Aurora so that they can get the next items.
They walked in front of a store called, "Ollivander" where Olivia told her that she will come back with a special gift as Aurora gets her wand.
Nervously she enters the store but the confidence she felt previously only grew stronger overcoming her fears.
The bell rings above her the moment she opens the door. Inside the door was countless shelves stacked with small boxes.
A young man, with light brown hair, stood behind the counter writing something on a large book of his. He looked up seeing her with his round glasses. His green eyes twinkled and he kindly smiled at her.
"Hello, young miss. What may I help you with today?"
Aurora pushes her purse aside to grab her diary. She approaches the owner as she wrote and lifts it up with her chubby arms so that he can read it.
"I am here to purchase my wand."
"Of course you are," he smiles warmly.
"Well," he closes his book gently putting his feather on the ink bottle. "Give me a moment to find you a wand perfect for you."
He hums away as he mutters to himself at the back of his shop. Only coming back with six different boxes. "Alright, let's have a look shall me."
He takes out a wand from the purple box, "This is chestnut wood, with unicorn hair." He hands her a light brown wand and moves away saying, "Give it a wave."
She does and all the boxes around them flew out of their sections from the shelves. Aurora terrifyingly places the wand back in the box not wanting to get near it. She looks around embarrassed and scared that the older wizard was going to be mad at her.
He laughed and eased her worries, "Don't you worry, young miss this happens all the time."
"Well...," he looks around at the mess of opened boxes and wands spread out everywhere, "not this bad. But hey first time for everything."
They tried the next boxes he brought that were thankfully not damaged from the previous attempt. All five wands were not for her and more broken items fell apart in the store. Aurora was really close to just wanting to leave but the owner convinced her to stay and wave the last wand in the box.
In the green box, was an ash wood with a dragon heartstring as its core and 10 inches.
She stares down at the wand.
The dark brown wood with twisted line designs on the handle. It was straight and not curved, unlike the others.
"Go on young miss. I have a feeling, this one is the one for you."
Aurora grabbed the wand, inside her was a calling an extension of herself a sense of warmth and belonging as if she had found her companion. A loyal friend.
Fireworks explode on the tip of the wand.
The wand owner shouts in glee.
"Looks like the wand has chosen you, young miss."
He pulled out his wand and waved it around. All the mess that Aurora unintentionally made went back to its original spot leaving the room to look just like how it was when she walked in. Awe by how majestic magic appeared she grabbed on her wand eager to have a taste of her very first spell.
"Now that there...," he points at the wand as Aurora carefully places it in the box, "is a powerful wand. Great use when it comes to casting spells of the Dark Arts with the dragon heartstring as its core. The ash wood is loyal to only its original owner and loses its power if it is used by another. It represents wizards or witches that are kind and generous. Can see the beauty in others when many cannot..."
He pauses for a moment, looking away from the wand. His piercing green eyes stared at her and he says almost in a sense of a warning.
"Those who are chosen by ash wood must be very careful with who they love because it may become their undoing."
A shiver runs down her spine.
He then snaps out of his long distant thought before apologizing, "I am so sorry. Didn't mean to scare you there." He coughs awkwardly and tells her the price of the wand.
She places three of the golden bezant and took the box making her way quickly out of the place.
Outside Olivia was waiting for her.
"So how did it go cygnet?"
"A mess and tiring," Aurora wrote down.
"HA!", Olivia laughs. "That is how it is for everyone first time so no need to feel embarrassed about it. Believe me, my experience was worst."
"Really?"
Olivia looks at the diary. "How about we eat a couple of crepes and I'll tell you the story of my first time getting my wand. How does that sound, hmm?"
Aurora nods excited to hear more of her godmother's past but also to sit down and rest to take in everything that has happened today.
Olivia and Aurora held hands as they made their way to a cafe and relaxed.
~**∞**~
They both chose to seat near the balcony overlooking the entire area. The sun was beginning to settle down giving it a warm color of orange in the sky.
The cafe's entrance was filled with the smell of sweets, a peaceful, and dreamy sense. Drinking a cup of tea that Aurora ordered that Olivia noted saying that it helped ease the body to a beautiful slumber.
Aurora laughed and giggled when hearing how Olivia almost destroyed the entry store on accident when she was getting her wand. How she constantly had to apologize to other people for the incident and tell them that it was not an attack.
She blows on the tea holding the delicate detail cup in her hands, allowing the warmth of the heat to warm her cold hands.
Aurora drinks from the cup, savoring the taste of lavender mixed with honey. She places the cup down onto its small plate.
Olivia was looking out to the distance deep in thought.
Aurora played with her fingers debating on how to tell her godmother what had happened inside the vault. She decides it's for the best if she was straightforward.
Olivia snapped out of her thoughts when she felt a gentle nudge on her elbow. Looking down she sees the diary opened, "I blocked him out."
'Him? Who is she-....oh', Olivia's eyes grew wide when the realization hit her.
"How did you manage to do it?", she asked in disbelief.
"I don't know how to explain." Aurora looked away, tapping the feather onto the book thinking frustrating about how to explain. Olivia waited patiently.
"I just imagined a wall between us..."
"A wall? Did it work? Can you still feel him?"
Aurora shook her head.
"I can't hear him or feel the pull to him."
A selfish part inside of Olivia felt relieved. That meant that Aurora could be independent without having to constantly seek others' approval. That's the worst thing about soulmates despite their beautiful tendency.
Olivia looks at Aurora worried, "And how do you feel?"
Aurora frowns, tilting her head, "Like something is missing, I feel parsley empty. But I also feel relieved in a weird sensation as if I can think by myself for a moment."
"You don't have any headaches or any side effects right now?"
Aurora shook her head.
"None."
"That's amazing. Usually, there are some complicated side effects but thankfully you are lucky enough not to experience them."
Olivia grabs her cup of tea and drinks from her. Aurora writes on her diary and nervously places it in front of her to read again.
"I spoke for the first time."
Olivia almost choked but managed to compose herself and swallow the liquid that now burned her throat. She coughs for a bit and put up her palm when Aurora attempts to approach her.
"I am fine. I am fine. Just-," she coughs again. "Give me a moment."
Once she manages to get a hold of herself she asks, "When?"
"In the vault. I remember you said that only a Belmont by blood may enter and then I remember what Oogway told me."
"Oogway?"
Aurora nods, "The dragon that was inside the mansion."
"And what did he tell you exactly?"
"That I am the first dragon-lord that couldn't speak the language of dragons."
'Ahh, so the dragon must have been able to sense her not being able to speak at the time.' Olivia thought slowly coming to an understanding of the situation.
"And when I remember that I slowly try to speak what I assume to be the draconian language. Which works since the dragon that guardian the entrance opened the pathway to me."
Olivia smiles happily, "That is great my little cygnet." She places her elbows on the table and leans forward. Closing her eyes, thinking for a moment before asking the question in her head.
"Aurora, do you not feel comfortable speaking?"
Aurora froze.
Fearing that she may have made things worse with her god-daughter she quickly said, "It's okay if you don't want to. There is nothing wrong with that." She grabs her soft tiny hands and gives a gentle squeeze of reassurance.
Aurora looks at their hands, closes her eyes, and hums.
Olivia listens, realizing that the humming tune is the lullaby she sang to her.
Aurora opens her eyes, the golden glow brightly in the sunset.
A soft whisper carries out in the soft breeze between them.
A voice that Olivia will always cherish and bury in her memory.
"I want to."
Tears stream down Aurora's face and Olivia smiles, seeing how far Aurora has come from her past self. She will help her goddaughter in any way to make her be the witch or woman she wants to be. Swore an oath that she will protect her as long as she can even if she has to die in the process. Wiping the tear away with her thumb, she places a kiss on her forehead and whispers.
"I will help you every step of the way."
Olivia pulls away when she realizes that there was still one more thing she needs to give. She pulls out a small silver whistle from her pocket and places it in Aurora's hand.
"Blow on the whistle."
Aurora analyzes the object before doing what her godmother told her to do. No noise came from the whistle. Till a light blue-furred cat with dark brown eyes teleported itself in a blue mist in front of her. Shocked by the sudden appearance, Aurora remained still.
The cat had pointed ears, white markings on its fur, and a cute bell on its purple collar.
"Cute..."
"I am glad you like her. She will be your new pet."
"Pet?"
"Hmm, every student is allowed to have a companion in the school. This lynx cat will be your friend and your responsibility. She is a special one. Can teleport between time and space. Practically anywhere you want her to go she may reach that place or person you wish her to find. No matter what."
"Amazing," Aurora says awed as she pets the cat that made her way onto her lap. Purring as she feels Aurora pet her behind the ears.
"What name would you like to give her?"
"Umbra."
"Umbra, that is a very pretty name for her."
Aurora yawns.
"Looks like it's time for you to go to bed, cygnet."
Olivia heads towards her, making sure to grab Aurora correctly before lifting both her and the cat that is now sleeping on Aurora's stomach.
Aurora places her head under Olivia's neck as she puts a hand to secure that the cat doesn't fall off and slowly her breathing calms down till she is fast asleep. Olivia looks down admiring the sight on her arms in a loving glance before making their way out of the cafe and to the carriage that was waiting for them patiently to head home.