Sleeping Beauty [WMMAP Fanfiction]

Chapter Twenty Eight: If Things Were Different

"Her hair is white," murmured a woman, cradling an infant to her chest. She was a lovely woman with a kind face many would envy, with long, straight hair the color of the sun.

"Mmaaa."

"Alice," she whispered, rocking her slightly when she sounded she was about to start crying.

The door opened. Entering was a tall, slender man with silvery hair and thinly hidden disgust in his viridian eyes.

"... So. You still want it?"

"Maa. Mama." Tiny, soft hands held onto the pointer fingers offered by her mother. Her round eyes looked at the ground as her feet kicked up and stumbled. "Mama. Mama."

It was the only thing she ― Alice ― spoke fluently at her age. Everything else lacked the certain tone of what she called the lady.

"Mummy's here, Ally," she chided, letting her hold her hands and helping her to take her steps.

"Mmmmmmmmaaaaa." Her foot pressed down, where a magic circle expanded into being. Frost started on the floor, only to melt immediately.

Her mother didn't notice, only that there was a puddle. Though she didn't remember spilling anything, she steered her to the side. "Don't step here, Ally, it's wet."

"Mama. Hnghhh." Her cheeks stiffened as she made a noise of dissatisfaction, feeling cold. Even though it was summer, and very hot in the house.

That was her first manifestation of magic. But because it lasted for only a moment, and Alice couldn't quite talk, it wasn't remembered or documented.

Her next show of using magic happened when she was with her neighbor's daughter. She was a plain-looking girl, a few years older, and acted like her big sister.

"Ally! Hildie is here!" shouted the brown-haired girl, finding the chubby-faced toddler playing alone, outside her house and drawing in the ground with a stick. "Where's your mom?"

"..'s with papa," she mumbled out, sticking her tongue out and pointing at the door.

"Eh. Is that so." Her voice dropped, unimpressed. Just standing with her side pressed to the door, and she could hear Alice's parents. They were arguing again. If only the dad was gone. Sure, he was rich, but he wasn't being nice to Alice and her mum. The mom wasn't a gold digger either, so why him? Who leaves a kid alone? And outside, too.

"Ah. Hildie, lookie. Ally does this."

Hilda looked over. Alice was crouching, turned away from her, but she could see what she was talking about. With her hands out, a shard of blue ice floated in the air, between her palms.

"Heh..?"

Someone had finally seen that Alice was capable of magic. It was usually something that people started at older ages, and needed teachers as well, to be able to handle it.

Alice's father could use magic as well. So could her mother, though hers was weaker. So this was probably expected.

Hilda told Alice's mother about it.

Of course, it reached her father, who was enraged, for some reason Hilda didn't understand.

"Mummy..?" Blinking hard, Alice stared at the sight of her mother, hunched over on the ground. To her side, a distance away, stood her dad.

Like a wooden doll, his head creaked toward her. Then snapped her way, surely getting a whiplash.

It was like he was wearing a wooden mask, instilling her with strange fear.