After having a heartfelt breakfast with her family and loads of strawberry cakes, she's now obsessed with. Elena has come to the following conclusions.
Her uncle Conrad is a good man who gives major middle child energy; he's so funny and relatable. She's learned that he was once like her when he was younger, a party boy, a boy who just loved to have fun. If anyone were to look at them right now, they'd think they're father and daughter.
He already feels like a father to her.
He's married to her fashionable Aunt Stella, who is kind and gentle, and they both gave birth to Henry, whom Elena has heard a lot of good things about. She cannot wait to see him, to actually see her infamous cousin.
And throw him a death stare.
Her Aunt Beatrice? Total badass, Elena loves her aura, the way she does things and the way she carries herself. She doesn't like to pick favourites when it comes to family, but she thinks Aunt Beatrice might be her favourite. She still loves Aunt Stella, though.
As for her husband, Duke Benedict well Elena still wonders why they're married because they're opposites. While Aunt Beatrice is more outspoken and extroverted, Uncle Benedict is quiet and introverted; he doesn't talk much, and when he does talk, he does so with his eyes.
She can't wait to see their kids.
These aren't her only family members; there are loads of them she also has to meet, but she doesn't know when she's going to meet them because she doesn't have that much time to be here. She still has to go to Hollow Prep Academy, and she's excited for that.
After breakfast, she walks side by side with her uncle, their arms crossed, and they're headed to the royal cemetery where all the royals are buried, including her parents.
"I hope you're not too intimidated by Benedict; he's like that with everyone." Uncle Conrad assures her.
"Oh, I don't get intimidated easily." Elena waves her hand in the air. "It'll take much more than blank stares and a frown to intimidate lil old me."
Uncle Conrad giggles. "Just like your father, no one could intimidate that wanker, he was the one intimidating people. Back when we were teens, your mother was wanted by all the guys in school, but none of them interested her, not even your father, until he did something to make her want him."
"What?" Elena asks, smiling, super engrossed in the story of how her parents fell in love.
"A grand gesture, lots and lots of grand gestures." He says, shaking his head. "Lots of it."
"Wow, okay, how bad was it?"
"It was so much, but your mother still wasn't buying it until he got suspended for almost blowing the whole school up with fireworks."
"What?" Elena laughs.
"I was usually the irresponsible one, and your father was the responsible one, so that kind of behaviour was expected from me. My parents were so shocked when they found out that he got suspended, they had to ask numerous times if it was me who got suspended, and they had it all wrong." Elena brings her head backwards and laughs.
She can picture it; it feels like some romantic movie from the eighties or nineties.
"Your father thought he lost all hope, but as soon as he got back to school, your mother kissed him and whispered, 'I'm yours, Prince Arthur, you have swept me off my feet.' Your father had a smile on his face that showed that he won, he won the girl of his dreams, and when they started holding hands, everyone clapped and cheered for the two love birds. It was obvious they were meant to be."
"Aww, that's the cutest story I ever heard." Elena forces herself to push back tears; it's emotional, yes, but she still has to compose herself. But she can cry if she wants; it's her parents after all, and they're currently on the way to their graves.
The cemetery is beautiful and gothic, it's filled with lots of pretty flowers, dark buildings and tall tombstones with the names of the people who have died. Either from some illness, old age or in her parents' case, murder.
Elena takes in a deep breath, and her uncle squeezes her hand. She looks at him, and he gives her a sad smile.
They both stand in front of her parents' large silver tombstones.
His Majesty King Arthur II Oliver Baron-Grant
1976-2004
A Brave King, Good Leader, Friend, Husband, Father
Her Majesty Queen Consort Isabella Sophia Baron-Grant
1975-2004
Wonderful Sister, Leader, Mother And Friend.
"I'll leave you alone." Uncle Conrad says to her, he places his hand on her shoulder, then slowly walks away.
Now the tears roll down her cheeks, and she doesn't force them to stay in. She lets it all out. These are her parents after all. The parents she never met, the parents who died the year she was born. It's painful to think about.
Her parents sacrificed themselves for her; they are the reason why she's here right now. They sent her to a whole other planet to keep her safe from the witches who want her dead.
That is real love. Elena has been so fortunate to have been surrounded by so much love; therefore, she has a lot of love to give.
"Hey, Mom, hey, Dad. It's me, your favourite daughter." Elena shuts her eyes and shakes her head at what she just said. "I am your only daughter," she giggles. "I'm really funny you would have loved me and my jokes," she laughs, but the sadness still lingers.
"I'm here now, and it's all because of you. You are the reason why I'm here today, and I would like to thank you for that. You sacrificed yourself for me, and I am truly grateful. So I am going to make you guys proud. I'll learn everything about myself and this world, its history, and I'll figure out a way to control my powers. So that I can use them on the creatures who took you away from this world. I promise you that. I'll avenge you one way or the other."
And she means it. If her parents can easily sacrifice themselves for her, then she can try to make them proud by being the most powerful fairy the world has ever seen. She's not going to fail them.
She plants a kiss on her hand and then places it on their tombstones, and she allows the tears to escape her eyes one last time.
"I love you both so much," she whispers, then she stands up straight and wipes the tears off her eyes. Then she turns around and walks toward her uncle.
Her uncle Conrad wraps his hand around her shoulder, and they're both on their way out of the cemetery.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you," he says in that thick old school British accent of his, then clears his throat. "We're going to be having a welcome back home ball for you tomorrow, we're inviting all the important people, your family members, influencers, celebrities, and politicians. They all want to welcome you. Unless that's too much, we can call off the ball."
"Are you kidding me? I love a party!"
Uncle Conrad laughs. "Okay, then."
She really can't wait.
After being shown around the palace (The important places) and meeting her cute little cousins and the royal dog. Adele leads her to her room, and as soon as she enters the room, she says…
"Shut the fuck up! This is my room?"
"Yes, it's all yours, everything," Adele says with a small smile on her face.
"Whoa," she says to herself, looking around the room. It's large, larger than her room back on earth, a large bed, a large walk-in closet, a large bathroom, a large full-length mirror and a large balcony. She goes straight for the walk-in closet because Alex said they already have clothes for her.
She expected it to be girly, princess-like clothes. Well, they are, but they're clothes and accessories that fit her aesthetic.
"Wow," she says, smiling, looking around at the coats, the footwear, and the large amount of jewellery.
"King Conrad had to ask Alex what you like, and he got all the things he thought you might like in here." Says Adele, smiling at the clothes around her.
Elena shakes her head, holding a smirk on her face. "Alex, you bloody wanker." she says, looking around, admiring the outfits that are meant for her and only her.
Flowy dresses, loose silhouettes, earthy tones mixed with sparkles. Plunging necklines, silk camisoles, sequined mini dresses, wrap dresses and maxi dresses with flowing cuts.
Carefree elegance with a touch of sex appeal, looks that are thrown together but always look runway-ready.
"What about the dresses for the ball tomorrow?" She asks Adele. "Are they here?"
Adele waves her off in a German fashion.
"That will be sorted out tomorrow morning. But for now, you have to get some rest. If you need anything, just press that bell close to your bed and the maids will be here immediately. I'll leave you to enjoy your room."
"Thank you, Adele," Elena says to her.
"Gern geschehen," she says, walking away in style.
When Elena realises she's alone, she rushes toward the bed and jumps on it, and she laughs to herself.