[b]"Stay here and finish up those potions for me. I'll be back in a few hours."[/b]

"Yes Mother." Mirabella stated with a nod as she watched her mother put on her black cloak, walking with the older woman to the door. She herself knew when her mother said it would be a few hours, that really meant she would be back after night fall. When her mother went on her outings outside of the barrier it was always like that. What her mother was doing while out there in the woods was a mystery to even Mira herself, but knowing her mother, it was probably her reeking some form of havoc on the humans. Sometimes she wondered if her mother lived only to trouble the non-magic wielders, but she never thought too long on it, a her own urge to leave the barrier as well easy blocked off those thoughts every time it came across her mind. 

Her mother turned the knob and was about to step outside of their small cottage when she turned sharply, a stern look on the Witch's face,[b] "And Mira,"[/b]

"Yes Mother?" The girl questioned obediently as she could, bringing her mind away from her thoughts of freedom and back to the woman in front of her.

[b]"Do not leave the barrier. Do I make myself clear? Those humans out there are--"[/b]

"'Mean and vile. They wouldn't hesitate to slaughter an innocent spell-caster or sell them off to the highest bidder in market.' I know Mother, I know. Now, go on before it gets too late." She commented, having heard the same warning every day for the last ten years of her life, ever since she had wandered outside of the barrier for the first time. It was a moment etched into her mind and always left a knot in her chest. Those human children had seemed so kind to her. They had let her join in and play with them. But the moment they found out she could do magic...they tore her apart and though the physical wounds had healed, the mental ones had left scars.

[b]"Very good. Remember Mirabella, no matter how kind those beasts may seem, they will always hate us. Never trust a human." [/b]This warning was one of many, and after her mother had spoken it softly to her, kissing her forehead, the woman went off, ape flowing behind hr as she left the home and passed through the barrier just a mere fifteen feet in front of their home, heading off into the darkness of the woods.

"What's out there that keeps her leaving all the time? What is she searching for?" Mira whispered quietly to herself a she stared out into the woods a few moments, before slowly turning and walking back inside beginning the work her mother had given her. She was to make some simple potions and though it was a very complicated task, because she did this almost every day, it was something she had come to do with ease and great skill. Humming softly to herself, she began taking things off of the shelves and throwing each things at a time, in a certain order, into the calderon that stood in the middle of her mother's study. 

She repeated this with every potion, and by noon she had done all of the potions her mother had told her to, leaving her free for the rest of the day until her mother was to return. Smiling slightly, she moved tot he book shelves that stood along the back wall of the study, running her hands over the old bindings of each leather bound book. Tilting her head to the side she was thoughtful for a moment, before deciding which one she wanted to read for the day, pulling a book entitled Sleeping Beauty off of the shelves.

These books were written by two men named the Grimm Brothers, who traveled from kingdom to kingdom, finding stories to write about. Most of those her mother had were the stories based on what Mira was sure had to be the rulers of the three surrounding kingdoms. There were other stories as well, but those were of more far off lands. 

Taking the book in her delicate hands, she walked outside and rounded a corner when a creature about the size of a horse jumped in front of her, giving a roar that didn't even make her flinch. In fact, if anything, it annoyed the girl, "Gounii, go bother someone else. I'm busy."

Hearing her disinterest in him, her mother's pet dragon(whom she kept as extra protection for the cottage), snorted and made a grumbling sound, slinking off around another corner to go to the other side of the cottage and likely catch mice or tease the birds by chasing them off. 

Shaking her head at the beast, she laughed under breath and flopped down in the grass under a large oak tree, smiling brightly to herself as she flipped open the book, "Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful king and king, of whom were blessed with a daughter. Everyone gathered to see the new princess, including three fairies. These good fairies were to each bestow a gift upon the child. One granted her beauty. Another granted her the sweetest voice one could hear. But, before the last fairy could grant her wish, an evil woman with dark magic...." Even though she had read this story countless times, Mira always paused at this part, a frown forming deeply on her face, "Cast a curse upon the child. On the princess's eighteenth birthday, she would prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die." 

By now, the dragon had made his way over to her once more, laying down beside her to look at the book as well. Mira scratched his head and looked up at him, "That wasn't nice of her to do, was it Gounii?" The dragon grumbled again as if to share his thoughts, making her laugh and continue reading, "The evil woman vanished soon after pacing this curse and the third fairy granted a wish that would save the child's life if the cure would be fulfilled. She decreed that should the princess prick her finger, she would not die, but fall into a deep sleep." She began flipping through the pages more, trying to skip to the end, "The princess is sent away....she meets the prince in the forest.....falls in love...blah, blah, blah....she gets sent back home to the castle, where she of course pricks her finger." Rolling her eyes she grinned, "Didn't see that coming. Curses are so unpredictable. Not." Finally coming to the end she started reading again, "The prince sat upon his white steed, sword held high as the evil woman shifted into a mighty dragon." She looked over at Gounii, who stood up tall and proud hearing this, giving a roar, causing Mira to laugh more and roll onto her back, continuing to read, "The dragon spit flame after flame out at the prince, but the prince was too quick. He lunged forward and...." She paused once again a deep frown coming back to her face, "he killed the witch, putting an end to her dark magic." 

Sighing and not having the heart to read the rest, she shut the book and tossed it to the side, looking up to the clouds as she spoke to herself, "Why does the witch always have to die? Why can't just for once, the witch have the happy ending?" She whispered to herself, turning over on her stomach to stare out into the woods, "Once upon a time....there lived a lonely witch. This witch, was not like other witches, for she wanted a life beyond the boundaries that had been placed before her. She wanted to be a good person, yet knew she would never be accepted by humans, and because of this, hid herself away, waiting for the day she might be able to live a life away from the destiny that lays before every other witch. The day she would be accepted...." Sighing again, she moved to stand, "Which will be never. Only humans live happy lives and only prince's and princess's get happily ever afters."

Trying to shrug it off the best she could, she patted the large dragon's side and shrugged, "I'm going to go inside and maybe organize some of Mother's spell-books. I'm sure she would want--"

"Meeeeeow."

Blinking in surprise at the sound of a meow, she looked around, trying to find the source and from beyond the barrier, stood a small black cat with yellow looked eyes, staring straight at her. But this cat didn't seem normal at all. No, this animal looked to be almost like a dark cloud, or even a shadow. It just stood there, waiting, and finally, curious, Mira slowly approached the barrier, though didn't go past it at first, merely kneeling down to look at it from the other side of the barrier. It was only then that she noticed a black piece of parchment under its paw in the grass, almost like the animal had brought it to her. 

Pausing slightly, she was about to reach out and grab it through the barrier, when the animal took it into its mouth, jumping through to their side of the barrier, putting Mira into a little bit of a shock, considering only things that bore magic could cross the barrier. That meant either this animal was magical or was made of magic. Or maybe both. But whatever it was, Mira just had to see what was on that peculiar note it carried And so, she took it from its mouth, reading.

[i]You are one of six chosen few to receive this letter. You were chosen, because you wish for something with a great desire. So I shall grant you your wish. Into the Woods you must travel, to the Tree of Truth. There you will find me and if you follow my commands, you shall have your wish granted.[/i]

The letter was not signed, and right after she ha read it, the whit words on the paper suddenly began to fade until she was left with a blank piece of blank paper. She held the paper tightly in her hands, slowly looking up to see past the barrier, an uneasy look on her face, "Into the Woods?" She looked back down at the blank letter, and then at the cat that looked at her with such expecting eyes, "Someone there will grant my wish?" The cat meowed, as if to answer her, and she looked to the woods, slowly stepped forward, "I can have my wish?" She said slowly to herself, letting it sink in before she began to smile again, and this time, it was a hopeful smile, "I can have my wish!" 

Rushing into the cottage again, she grabbed one of her mother's black cloaks, slipping it on and putting the hood over her head, as she rushed back outside, "Gounii, protect the cottage while I'm gone! I'll be back soon!" She stated and went to the barrier, pausing to take in what she was about to do, before taking her first step into the woods, the car running a little a head of her, "I guess I follow you then?" And though the cat didn't answer, she knew that was what she was supposed to do and began following the cat hurriedly, attempting to try and keep up.