Page 75 of Enchanted in Time
The faithful unicorn looked back at her and all of a sudden stood up as though nothing at all had happened. She was putting an equal amount of weight on all four hooves. How could that be?
“How have you healed so quickly?” Hannah asked, bewildered.
“Healed? Of what? I’m fine!”
Hannah gave the rest of the unicorns a questioning look.
Siegfried stepped forward: “I healed her by means of the magic in my horn.” The silver horn on his forehead was shining. Did it harbor magical powers?
Irmgard, meanwhile, was neighing and trotting back and forth happily.
“So this means you can walk without any pain or problem?” Hannah asked.
“Of course, dear Hannah, why shouldn’t I? Now hop on my back!”
Hannah didn’t need to hear it twice. But as she was climbing onto Irmgard’s back, something suddenly occurred to her, and she looked at Siegfried again. “Does this mean that you can stay now?” she asked. “And will the forest become brighter again, now that the Evil no longer has a soul in its possession?”
“Yes—as long as the Evil has not already gone to Prince Maximilian to take his soul.”
“Let’s not lose any time, Irmgard.”
The unicorn whinnied, reared, and galloped off, with the soul of Mirabelle’s mother floating beside them. It was pitch black,but the adventure had endowed Irmgard with new powers. Her horn shone more and more brightly, and the glow was enough for them to find their way out of the mountains and through the forest. Irmgard galloped through the nighttime woods, and after a while, they saw Mirabelle’s simple dwelling between the trees. A light was burning inside the hut, and as they trotted closer, the door opened. Mirabelle came outside and stood to face them.
For a moment, Hannah found it startling to see the old and ugly woman again. The last time she had seen her, Mirabelle had been about to pronounce a curse on her, and Hannah had fled headlong into the forest. But her fear disappeared when she felt the warmth of her great-grandmother, who was flying close beside her and who was the mother of this sad and lonely figure.
Still, Hannah’s heart beat faster and faster the closer they came. Mirabelle was a member of her family. She was her beloved Grandma Anna’s sister. And Hannah had freed her mother from the eternal void. Mirabelle wouldn’t harm her, would she?
Irmgard came to a halt before the meager dwelling, and the soul floated over to her daughter. When she recognized her mother, Mirabelle’s eyes nearly popped right out of their deep sockets. She flung her arms around her mother’s neck, heedless of the fact that she lacked a physical form. She could still feel her warmth and her comfort.
“Mama...” she whispered, and the tears welled up in her eyes. “Mama, you’re free again.” With every sob, her endless sorrow began to dissolve. Her hard features grew softer and her eyes brighter, as though they were being cleansed by her tears.
“My beloved child, can you forgive me for sending you to the ball all those years ago? I should have been there for you, should have protected you from all of that. I am so very, very sorry. My sorrow knows no bounds.”
“There’s nothing to forgive, Mother.”
They smiled at each other, and the soul caressed her daughter’s head. “All will be well. The time of the Evil is no more.”
“But how...”
The soul motioned toward Hannah, who couldn’t decide whether to stay on Irmgard’s back or dismount and run over to join them both.
“Hannah freed me,” her mother continued. “With the help of the unicorns, she found the fireflower and released me from the eternal darkness.”
Mirabelle looked with suspicion at Hannah, who had slowly slid down off Irmgard’s back and was coming toward them. “But how did she find you in the darkness?”
“She’s a blood relative.”
Mirabelle’s mouth fell open as she looked Hannah up and down from head to toe. She studied her face in search of familiar features. Those dimples when she smiled—she knew those. And the almond eyes.
“She is Annabelle’s granddaughter.”
“Annabelle? She married? And had children?” Mirabelle’s expression turned soft, and her smile was so warm and heartfelt that her blemished appearance was barely noticeable.
Hannah nodded and shrugged as the soul took her and Mirabelle by the hand. The feeling was like a warm breeze wrapping itself around their hands. Over to the side, Irmgard was sobbing.
“How do you know this, Mother?”
The soul pointed to her chest. “I see it in my own heart and in hers.”
