Jacqueline and Odette took a roundabout way back home. Jacqueline explained that it was to avoid any wild animals in the known part of the woods and possibly skirt around the mysterious voice, but Odette knew better. Jacqueline was taking her in a long way so Odette wouldn’t be able to find her way back home.
No, not home. Odette reminded herself. Casimir made sure of that.
“This is for the best,” Jacqueline said with a thick voice, trying to convince herself just as much as Odette.
Odette put a comforting hand on Jacqueline’s shoulder. “You know you can always come visit me.”
Jacqueline nodded but didn’t respond, knowing if she did she would break down into a puddle of tears. “You were my first and only friend, you know that?”
Odette smiled. “You were my only friend too.”
The two continued on in silence, only hearing the padding of their boots on the grass and the wind whistling through the trees. The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting shadows that stretched along the ground in creepy tendrils. The odd voice floated through the air, completing the symphony of the forest.
Without even realizing it, Odette looked up and saw the shadows of the town. It was…unchanged. Somehow she had assumed the village would have changed as much as she.
“Well, this is it.” Jacqueline said solemnly.
“You can come with me,” Odette offered. “We can have tea, or coffee, or-”
“I can’t,” Jacqueline blurted out. “I was supposed to leave back there, but-” She sniffled.
“Aw, Jackie!” Odette cried, feeling tears slip down her face as she embraced her friend.
“Idonwanyatagoo!” Jacqueline wailed.
“Idonnnwangoeithah!” Odette blubbered.
The two sobbed for some time before breaking apart to wipe the sticky tears from their cheeks.
“Keep in touch, won’t you?” Odette begged.
Jacqueline sighed heavily. “I’ll try my best.”
And with that, Odette watched one of her only friends disappear into the night.
~***~
If there was one thing Odette was looking forward to, it was seeing her father. Hugging him again, smelling the bread that seemed to cling to his apron, seeing her own eyes reflected in his.
“Papa!” Odette called out happily as she opened the door to her house. “Papa!”
As she shut the door behind her and got a good look at the house, she frowned. It was darker than usual. Not even the candle her father lit every night in the window was flickering. The darkness was even more unsettling here than in the castle.
“Papa?” Odette called trepidatiously as she climbed the creaky stairs. The air was stale and all the windows were shut tight against the cool breeze outside. Odette stepped into her bedroom and felt her heart clench with emotions. It didn’t feel like her room anymore. Didn’t feel like she belonged anymore. It felt as if she was viewing her room and herself from years back, nostalgic for the space but not exactly missing it. Like picking up an old teddy bear and recalling the tea parties, but not wanting to set up the china once more.
“What the hell happened?” Odette whispered to herself as she trotted down the stairs and out the door. It was late, but not that late. She wrapped Casimir’s cloak tighter around her and flopped down on her bed. She buried her head into the pillow and fought back the anger and confusion that was crashing inside her.
~***~
“Mommy, it’s late,” Rodney complained as he held his mother’s hand and stumbled over a fallen log.
“I know, sweetheart.”
Saren and Elliott hung back as the mother and son conversed. At Saren’s command, the mob behind him halted. Rodney’s mother Sarah had volunteered her son – a dedicated adventurer – for the task of leading them to the castle. What they hadn’t considered was how a child would actually feel, traipsing through the woods in the middle of the night for no reason.
“I’m cold,” Rodney whined.
“Maybe we can find somewhere to stay,” Sarah mused. “Just keep moving. You’ll stay warm that way.”
“What if this doesn’t work?” Elliott whispered to Saren.
“It will,” he said confidently.
“Thiiisss waaaay,”
The entire mob froze and stared at each other in shock.
“Heereee…”
Saren squared his shoulders. “Come on,” he whispered, lifting his torch up higher. “This could be our only chance.”
The mob continued forward, moving as quietly as possible so as not to lose track of the mesmerizing voice.
“AVENNNNGE MEEEE,” the voice screeched.
Saren and Elliott gave each other a concerned look before encouraging the mob to break into a sprint.
~***~
Through her watery gaze, Odette lifted up her left hand and examined the empty space on her finger. It felt…wrong. In more ways than one.
The aquamarine is meant to connect to lovers, to bring them back to each other after a long journey.
The words from the book Odette had read on aquamarines came flooding back to her. Odette leapt off her bed and ran for the door.
She had to get to him.
~***~
As Odette ran through the town, she became acutely aware of the lack of lights anywhere. Not even the apartments above the shops were lit. If that wasn’t bad enough, all the doors were locked when they never used to be.
The only place that was open was Jackie’s.
“Jackie?” Odette stuttered as she stumbled into the store. “Jackie!”
“Odette?”
Odette turned to find Jackie come out from the secret bookcase. She looked exhausted, to put it nicely.
“Where have you been?” Jackie asked incredulously as she approached Odette, looking her up and down as if making sure she was actually there.
“It’s a long story,” Odette dismissed. “Where is everyone?”
“What do you mean?”
Odette shrugged. “Like, what happened? No one’s here at all. Or at least those who are won’t answer their doors.”
Jackie frowned. “I don’t know. I’ve been,”
“Jackie?” Odette asked in alarm as Jackie doubled over, clutching her stomach. “Is something wrong?”
Jackie smiled fleetingly but groaned in pain again.
“Here,” Odette said, placing a hand on Jackie’s back and leading her to the stool. “Sit down and rest.”
Jackie nodded and put her head down on the desk. “I’m sorry, it’s just-”
“It’s what?” Odette asked when Jackie stopped to wipe her tears.
“It’s the baby.”
Princess Simcess 
OH DANG
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