The Last Healer

Chapter 80: Ariella

Chapter 80 Ariella

"There you are!" Queen Michelle called as she poked her head inside the Queen's room, excitement spinning in her eyes as she walked towards me, her green, lacey dress flowing behind her as she walked. Her blond hair hardly moved as it was tied tightly against the top of her head, braids encasing her sides and up into a bun in the back. "I see your mother actually has excellent taste!" She giggled brightly as she motioned towards the dress. My eyes feel to the pale blue gown, the embroidered top and sleeves, the gentle flowing of the skirt that barely touched the ground.

Picking at the small fabric that wrapped its way around my middle finger, pinning the sleeve down, I shook my head and smiled at her. "This is actually an Ancient Healers dress, the Healers used to wear dresses like this to the dances that they went to." I smiled softly, releasing a small giggle as I turned back around, my eyes focusing on the purple flowers. Racing my fingers across them, memories flooded back to me. The first time I was in this room. The fear and confusion that had taken over. The rags for clothes that draped over my body and my inability to speak.

I remembered how I came in here believing I was going to be a slave and gained freedom instead.

"So much has changed." I whispered as I turned around back towards her.

"What was that?" Queen Michelle questioned and I smiled slightly.

"Do you remember what I was like when you first met me?" I asked her and she nodded in response and I could feel my smile growing. "Everything has changed from back then and it hasn't even been a year." A giggle full of disbelief left my lips as I shook my head, my arms curling up around my middle.

"That you have." She agreed, her arm slipping around mine and pulled me closer. "You were so afraid about what was going to happen you could barely speak." She laughed loudly, her hand pressing against my cheek slightly and I nodded.

"I thought I was going to be a slave." I reminded and her laughter grew in volume as she stepped away, her hand waving wildly in front of her.

"As you know, we don't have slaves!"

"And I keep wondering why you took me then." I shrugged slightly and her eyes twinkled humorously.

"I thought it was obvious." Queen Michelle told me as she stepped forward once more, her genuine smile played on her face. "It was obvious that they were abusing you and my husband and I didn't think that was right."

I nodded slightly as I turned back towards the flowers, the tips of my fingers toying with their petals. It wasn't that I doubted her, I just felt that there was more to the story, more to what she had in mind. I didn't want to voice it, I couldn't voice it.

"You don't believe it anymore, do you?" Her voice interrupted my thoughts and I glanced over to my right and saw her perched against the wall. "Back then, you believed it. It just shows how much you've grown."

"It's not that I don't believe it." I muttered softly and she laughed slightly.

"Good, because it is the truth, even if it's just a part of it." The queen smiled slightly before her eyes glanced up at the ceiling. "My husband and I had decided that we would turn them down unless they had agreed to give a girl who we only knew by name." Her eyes closed momentarily as she took a deep breath, a soft sigh escaping from her lips. "Ariella Mathews was just a name and we wanted the girl who went with it. We wanted to reunite her with her family."

"But you didn't know I was Ariella." I told her and she nodded.

"It was obvious you were being beaten and we had no idea why." She smiled sadly before shaking her head. "Almost instantly, both our minds were changed. I thought that, if we could save you, if we could make you feel like you were safe, that you wouldn't be hurt. You'd willingly help us find Ariella. We thought that by accepting you, we would be able to save a strange girl from abuse and then find Ariella."