everyone else, Elsa.”
“I must go, I will go after him. There is no other way,” she said, refusing to give into Father O'Grady's demands. “What must you think of my feelings? My soul?”
“My dearest Elsie, we already lost someone before and we are so lucky to have her back. Don't make yourself the second great tragedy our community has faced in the past month. We love and care about you, but there is nothing we can do to get that man back for you. The Forest will consume every last person who enters its borders. I can't risk that. What's more--if his brother, a dragon as you say, follows him wherever he goes, that means the man's return will come with much destruction,” O'Grady said, looking sad and tired, his beetle brows hunkered over his eyelids like curious caterpillars.
“Then I must go alone,” she said, resolute. Elsa looked down at her shaking fingers, fearful but brave about her future.
“Let God's will be what it may,” he said, nearing tears at the thought of the danger Elsa willingly planned to put herself in. “Elsa, please promise me something.”
“What's that?” she asked.
“Promise me, no matter what happens, you find your way back to us safe and sound. I am sorry I cannot help you. This news breaks my heart into a million little pieces,” Father O'Grady said, and he then got up out of his chair and walked out his tiny office. Elsa looked around at the artifacts he'd collected and the figurines the children had created for him in appreciation for his guidance. Yes, her heart was broken too, she thought.
CHAPTER 17
The next day, Elsa showed up to her job as a waitress in a Bavarian tavern, saying nothing to her coworkers about the latest developments in her life. Up until Theo and his evil warlock brother Dorien swept into her life, Elsa had almost gotten used to her second-rate lot in life, as a busty (but in her eyes rather pretty) woman, with voluptuous thighs and a roomy posterior. As a little girl, many of the boys ignored her and even occasionally failed to acknowledge her existence. But they didn't know the person she would become later in life, and Elsa was certain all the other girls who were snotty to her in elementary school, could they see her now, would breathe strained sighs of jealousy when they laid eyes on Theo's beautiful body. Elsa knew beyond the shadow of a doubt, could she have gone back in time, she would be the most popular girl in school.
She thought about the events that had transpired the night before. She was in love and would do anything to get Theo back into her life. But didn't even know where to start, as there was not a magical bone in her body. Thinking about the story Theo told her the night before, it seemed reasonable that he was in the Forbidden Forest and that she, too, could become a witch if it meant saving him. It was a dangerous idea, because if Theo's experience with the Forest was any prediction of what Elsa would endure, there would be no point to seeking him out there, as any love she had for him would without a doubt disintegrate into nothing. And then where would she be? She looked out the window of the tavern at the same kids playing before. Their frosted little noses and red cheeks made them look plastic, like lovely dolls, animated by the power of each other's affection for each other. Their innocence was so endearing, and Elsa's heart sank at the image, because it reminded her of Theo's story. She tried to imagine the beautiful little boy he was and his equally adorable, if not wild, brother Dorien. Their tragic fate caused them unredeemable grief, with no hope of ever experiencing the joys of growing up together, getting married, having kids, taking care of their aging parents, as Elsa was sure their former selves would undoubtedly do. She realized both brothers must have carried the pain of lost dreams day after miserable day; perhaps, she figured for a split second, the heavy guilt that compounded any hope of their
“I must go, I will go after him. There is no other way,” she said, refusing to give into Father O'Grady's demands. “What must you think of my feelings? My soul?”
“My dearest Elsie, we already lost someone before and we are so lucky to have her back. Don't make yourself the second great tragedy our community has faced in the past month. We love and care about you, but there is nothing we can do to get that man back for you. The Forest will consume every last person who enters its borders. I can't risk that. What's more--if his brother, a dragon as you say, follows him wherever he goes, that means the man's return will come with much destruction,” O'Grady said, looking sad and tired, his beetle brows hunkered over his eyelids like curious caterpillars.
“Then I must go alone,” she said, resolute. Elsa looked down at her shaking fingers, fearful but brave about her future.
“Let God's will be what it may,” he said, nearing tears at the thought of the danger Elsa willingly planned to put herself in. “Elsa, please promise me something.”
“What's that?” she asked.
“Promise me, no matter what happens, you find your way back to us safe and sound. I am sorry I cannot help you. This news breaks my heart into a million little pieces,” Father O'Grady said, and he then got up out of his chair and walked out his tiny office. Elsa looked around at the artifacts he'd collected and the figurines the children had created for him in appreciation for his guidance. Yes, her heart was broken too, she thought.
CHAPTER 17
The next day, Elsa showed up to her job as a waitress in a Bavarian tavern, saying nothing to her coworkers about the latest developments in her life. Up until Theo and his evil warlock brother Dorien swept into her life, Elsa had almost gotten used to her second-rate lot in life, as a busty (but in her eyes rather pretty) woman, with voluptuous thighs and a roomy posterior. As a little girl, many of the boys ignored her and even occasionally failed to acknowledge her existence. But they didn't know the person she would become later in life, and Elsa was certain all the other girls who were snotty to her in elementary school, could they see her now, would breathe strained sighs of jealousy when they laid eyes on Theo's beautiful body. Elsa knew beyond the shadow of a doubt, could she have gone back in time, she would be the most popular girl in school.
She thought about the events that had transpired the night before. She was in love and would do anything to get Theo back into her life. But didn't even know where to start, as there was not a magical bone in her body. Thinking about the story Theo told her the night before, it seemed reasonable that he was in the Forbidden Forest and that she, too, could become a witch if it meant saving him. It was a dangerous idea, because if Theo's experience with the Forest was any prediction of what Elsa would endure, there would be no point to seeking him out there, as any love she had for him would without a doubt disintegrate into nothing. And then where would she be? She looked out the window of the tavern at the same kids playing before. Their frosted little noses and red cheeks made them look plastic, like lovely dolls, animated by the power of each other's affection for each other. Their innocence was so endearing, and Elsa's heart sank at the image, because it reminded her of Theo's story. She tried to imagine the beautiful little boy he was and his equally adorable, if not wild, brother Dorien. Their tragic fate caused them unredeemable grief, with no hope of ever experiencing the joys of growing up together, getting married, having kids, taking care of their aging parents, as Elsa was sure their former selves would undoubtedly do. She realized both brothers must have carried the pain of lost dreams day after miserable day; perhaps, she figured for a split second, the heavy guilt that compounded any hope of their
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