The girls were given the East Wing of the castle for the night. The rooms were carpeted in emerald green and the marble walls were decorated with gold pictures of what Brooke recognized to be characters from her favorite stories. The girls' beds were the size of their room back home, and the sheets were ivory silk, the pillows were soft as feathers. There was a sitting room adjacent to their bedroom, with fine upholstered couches and armchairs. A fireplace crackled and a buffet was set up with the most delicious food. The food was served on gold platters, and goblets of juice were provided as well. The girls ate to their hearts content and then set off to explore more of the castle.
"I could get used to being here," Brooke said as they walked down the hall. More pictures of familiar fairytale characters lined the walls. Guards stood in intervals along the way, tipping their hats as the girls walked by.
"You do know they brought us here to get rid of a witch, right?" Nicole said gravely. Her face was turning as green as an emerald. Brooke opened a large golden door and the girls entered the library.
"Good always overcomes evil," Brooke assured her. She glanced through the bookshelves, until she noticed her sister still standing in the doorway. "You're afraid."
It was written all over her face. Nicole tried to fight back her tears.
"I want to go home," she cried. Brooke embraced her as she cried into her shoulder. "I'm not meant to live in a fairytale!"
"Everyone is meant to live in a fairytale," Brooke said, wiping tears from Nicole's cheek. "Life would be dull without a little magic. Plus, I can't do any of this without you. Queen Aislyn knows that. If it weren't for you, I'd be in for a world of trouble."
Nicole stifled a sob. She looked up at her sister. "You really need me? I never imagined such a place to exist. I've always dreamed of having an imagination like you."
Brooke smiled. "I've always dreamed of being as smart as you! You know the answer to every problem. You know everything about anything I've never known. You've always had the answers!" She took her sister's hand in hers, "Don't you see? We compliment each other. Together we can defeat the witch. We will learn from each other, and most importantly, we will be together."
Nicole nodded in agreement. After regaining her composure, Nicole and Brooke went back to the East Wing. Queen Aislyn had business elsewhere, and the girls were instructed to rest before their meeting in the morning. When they arrived back to their bedroom wardrobes had been placed by each of their beds. Dresses made in a rainbow of colors were inside. Shoes were placed in Nicole's, some with silk bows or studded with sequins. There were velvet capes and soft cotton robes to wear at night. The girls squealed with excitement.
The sitting room buffet had been refreshed as well. The girls sat down to tea and cakes in their regal armchairs. Finishing her tea, Nicole went over to open the window overlooking the garden they had arrived in. There was a hollow hackberry tree, where they arrived, and beyond was a great wide world they had yet to discover. Brooke joined her by the windowsill. They breathed in the sweet fragrance of flowers, and watched the beautiful sun set over Elandra.
"I'm worried about what will happen tomorrow," Nicole confessed. "We're not old enough back home, so how are we going to fight a witch, a magical witch, who can turn people to stone?"
Brooke thought for a moment, then the chiming of the slippers gave them an answer. "Because we have magic of our own."
They rested well that night, even Nicole as nervous as she was. When the woke up, the each chose a dress from their wardrobe and sat in their armchairs for a breakfast of porridge and fruit. A guard announced that their presence was needed in the throne room. Hand and hand they walked into the throne room, mere children, warriors of dreams.
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