what do you do when your heart hurts?

Ellie felt very disoriented. As she made her way through the screaming kids and the tired looking adults she tried to figure out what had brought her here. The flashing lights of the rides and games and the nauseating smell of cotton candy was just making her head ache. 

Weaving through the crowds, she found a seat at an unoccupied picnic table and sat down. The June night was a surprisingly cool one but Ellie savored the breeze. Lying her head down on the table, she closed her eyes. 

Ellie hadn’t been at the Ashbury carnival for two years now. The last time she had been here, Blake was alive. 

“Ellie?”

Snapping her eyes open, the girl sat up straight and started looking around, trying to find who had called her. No one around her was looking in her direction. She didn’t see anyone she knew in her vicinity.

But that voice. She knew that voice. The voice that sounded like those cool winter mornings and smelled like vanilla ice cream. And before she even realized what she was doing, the memories flooded back.

It was a Saturday and they were reading together in her purple bean bag chair, laughing. They were at Ricky’s Ice Cream Parlor picking out flavors for their double scoop cones. In the backyard pelting each other with snowballs. She squeezed her eyes shut.

No. It couldn’t be. 

Deciding that the carnival was finally getting to her, she stood up, grabbed her bag and started towards the exit. 

What was she thinking, coming back here?  

“We need your help, Annie.” 

The girl looked up immediately. She stared at them as if he had just sprout another head. 

Astor gave a half smile before continuing. “I know you must be thinking why in the world would I offer my assistance the people who just kidnapped me. But understand this, we are on your side. No- rather, we are on the side of your parents. Whether you should follow in their footsteps is your choice. They were powerful, powerful magicians who used their power to aid those in need. Now it is your chance to do the same.” 

He paused and gave one last meaningful look at the girl sitting on the bed. “Please seriously consider this offer.” 

And with that, the tall gangly man walked out of the room, closing the door with a soft click. 

just stop.

Even before she fully came around, Annie could smell the sea breeze. She must be near the ocean, she thought. Slowly opening her eyes, squinting as she accustomed herself to the afternoon sun, she tried to familiarize herself with her surroundings. She was lying in a bed positioned in a corner of a small but quaint room. Yellow like the sun washed the walls, with sky blue curtains framing the two windows; the floor was wooden, a pleasant, deep brown. On the bedside table next to her, she noticed her wand, lying innocently on top. Sitting up, she grabbed it, letting the white blanket once covering her to fall to her lap. Intending on getting out of the room to figure out exactly where she was, and why, she moved the blanket aside and was about to stand up when there was a knock on the door. Before Annie could do anything, it swung open revealing an auburn haired girl, about her age, maybe a year older. Recognizing her as the girl from the orchard, Annie immediately raised her wand, ready to attack. 

“Woah, slow down there. Don’t make me curse you again,” said the girl with a smile as she walked into the room. “I’m sure you’re more than confused at the moment, but let me assure you, I’m not here to hurt you.”

“Oh really? That makes a lot of sense. You just decided to kidnap me for the fun of it, huh?” snapped Annie, standing up, her wand still aimed at the girl. “You don’t seem to know what I’m capable of.”

“Would you just lower your wand, Alexandra? I know who you are, and exactly how powerful you are. No need to go shoving it in my face,” continued the girl. There was blatant amusement playing across her face. 

Annie’s eyes narrowed at the realization that this stranger knew who she was. However, before she could say anything, another person walked into the room. This time it was the boy from the orchard. Although still a teenager, he was obviously older than both the girls. 

“Glad you woke up, Annie,” he said, with a warm smile. “I know you must be wary at the moment but if I could just ask you to lower your wand. It would make explaining things to you a lot less nerve wracking, for me.” The boy waited a few moments but Annie didn’t move. “Well, never mind then,” said the boy.

“Let me properly introduce myself. My name is…”

—-

“I know I shouldn’t be surprised, seeing as how you are, well you know, you, but I still can’t believe how quickly that spell wore off you. If anyone else was hit with a Languidus Curse, they’d be out for at least a week. You were out for what? Less than a day?” A nostalgic face replaced the previously playful one. “Being a Probus is quite the amazing feat.” 

-unknown- (whose point of view? easier to relate to guy?)

• magical being and yet human
• straight black hair, just as dark eyes, petite mouth 
• sharp but is still a kid. 
• lived with her grandmother till she died, taught her everything she knew 
• now is under the care of A/J (what relation?)
• not perfect and makes mistakes (please and thank you)
• is still learning (from who? > little miss auburn)
• loves nature almost as much as she loved her grandmother 
• has a strong sense of justice (don’t know if that will make much of an appearance)
• can keep grudges but has a sense of humor 
• wears jeans and tanks
• just turned 13
• has a distinct voice, speaks strongly
• born and raised in the city (on the mainland) 
• time period: now
• lives on the islands (moved to be with her grandmother when she was 8 - parents?)
• with A/J who takes care of her, does he know? yes.
• A/J in debt to grandmother 
• what is she doing? getting away from it all and yet knowing her time on the islands is limited
• gets kidnapped? (sure, why not) > goes on the run (with stretch and auburn?), goes to rescue someone, has some sort of quest i guess 

Magnolia, Sam, Alexandra, “call me Annie” 

• to defeat a bad guy
• to rescue someone
• to attain a prize
• to reach a destination
• to stop something from happening

what does she have to do? 

one of few magical beings, grandmother taught her.

she needs to get somewhere (home, maybe), and (obviously) stuff happens to her on the way

there’s a ruling group for her people, she needs to help [save someone, defeat someone etc.] them. they work in tandem with the gov. (hmmm… or maybe not >;)

don’t want big family reveals at the end (ie. omigosh, you’re my brother?!) 

or we could go with the whole “need to figure something out” thing in realtime. maybe, family secret? 

The smell of citrus drifted in the wind; she knew the orchard wasn’t far. Swinging her basket lightly she walked down the beaten down path with the setting sun illuminating the sky. Voices echoed in her head but she ignored it; no one was going to enter her safe haven.

As she reached the entrance of the orchard, she noticed two people slowly making their way through the trees. Her eyes narrowed. The orchard was closed to visitors today; Jeff and Astor were both on the mainland to take care of family matters. 

Grasping the long, slim piece of wood in her pocket with her free hand, she quietly maneuvered her way through the rows of trees. She studied the two strangers from a distance and was surprised to see that both seemed to be around her age, if not a bit older; one was a tall, rather skinny male and the other a shorter female with copper colored hair. 

Continuing to follow the unwanted visitors, she quickened her pace, hoping to catch snippets of their conversation. However, before she could get close enough, she slipped on a fallen orange, letting out a cry of surprise. 

The two strangers instantly turned around. There was a split moment when she locked eyes with the two of them, and thought, maybe they were just mere ignorant civilians. But as her eyes strayed to the girl’s neck, she caught sight of the green and gold pendant. And before she could even whip out her wand, the boy murmured a barely audible incantation.

All of a sudden a thick fog surrounded her, blurring her view of the two of them. She knew what this was but hard as she tried, she could not keep her eyes from closing. And before she lost consciousness completely she thought she heard a voice say, “Good night, Princess.” 

safe haven