Isabel Grace Montoya had saved Enchantia and the kingdom couldn't forget it. For nearly four weeks the kingdom would hang on her every word, every movement. The attention got to her. She wouldn't wear her tiara anywhere. She wouldn't wear fancy clothes. She wouldn't use her magic. It frightened her. She just wanted to be a normal girl.
When she'd go into the city to buy anything, Dante went with her and everyone stared at them.
"LOOK! It's Princess Isabel! She's the one that saved us. All hail the princess!" they shouted.
Isabel, sometimes, wore a disguise but was still bombarded with questions and praise.
"Please, leave me alone. I've got to go." she said struggling through the crowd.
Dante made a distraction so the princess could escape the crowd's clutches.
Isabel run off into the Forbidden Forest and into the secret passageway where the mystical animals were. She went there everyday since Dante showed her the place. She loved the animals. She befriended a unicorn and named her Majesty. Her and Majesty sat behind a huge tree where Isabel would read or think about everything,
"Isabel? Where are you?" a soft, kind voice said from behind a tree Isabel was sitting against.
"Who is it?" Isabel asked.
"It's me, Alicia."
Isabel stood up and walked to the queen with her head hung.
"What's the matter, child?" the queen asked pulling Isabel's head up softly.
"I don't think I'm cut out to be a princess. I hate going into the city because they're always asking me questions and they're always yelling and praising me. I just -- I don't like all the attention."
"Isabel, it's a princess's job to go out and interact with her subjects. You are the rightful heir that saved the kingdom. The people just want to thank you for it. You'll get the hang of it. Just be patient. I can't think of anyone that could serve a kingdom better than you. You beat Merlin without laying a single hand on him!"
"I guess." Isabel said. "I'm just not sure about anything anymore. I almost killed a man. If it wasn't for Dante, I -- I would have. And there's something wrong with me. I can't explain it. You wouldn't understand."
"Can you show me, then?" the queen asked.
Isabel hesitated for a moment. Then she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She focused and opened her eyes. She held out her hand and aimed at a tree seven feet in front of her. Her hand started to glow and burn. Then a ball of light hit the tree, devouring it in flames.
Queen Alicia smiled.
"Nothing is wrong with you. You've finally developed the royal gift." She held out her hand and a ball of green fired appeared. When she clinched her fist, it disappeared. "Any member born in the royal family has this power. They are born with this power but it doesn't surface until after they turn sixteen."
Isabel looked at the queen in utter amazement.
"Why? How? I have so many questions!" Isabel said.
"I'll answer them all in due time. We must begin your training as soon as possible. You need to know how to control it. It is a gift, but it is also very destructive and dangerous. If you can't control it, you can hurt the ones closest to you. We start tomorrow at sunrise." the queen said.
The next morning came. Isabel and Queen Alicia went into the Forbidden Forest to start Isabel's training. They practiced precision and different ways to channel her power.
Isabel aimed at a tree but hit a napping baby dragon instead.
"I'm so sorry, Aquamarine!" she said running over to the light blue dragon, stroking her snout. "Why can't I get anything right?!"
Aqua just looked at Isabel for a moment, licked her face, then closed her eyes and went back to sleep.
The queen smiled and shook her head.
"Your powers appear when you're scared, angry, nervous, frustrated -- really, they can surface at anytime. You could be in the middle of a speech to the people of Enchantia and you could hurt someone if you can't control it." the queen looked at the little blue dragon and laughed. "But thankfully dragons are fireproof."
"Can we try again?" Isabel asked frustrated.
"Of course. We're here for you, not me. Give it another go."
Isabel took a deep breath and closed her eyes, calming herself down. She opened her eyes and pointed at the tree with a target painted in the middle of it.
"Focus, and... fire." the queen said.
Isabel fired and hit the center of the target.
"Good. Next we try healing."
"Wait. You can heal with this kind of power? It's fire... so how is that possible?" Isabel said with an eyebrow raised.
Queen Alicia smiled.
"There's lots of things you need to learn. This power is very unique. Every dynasty of royals have different types of power. Some, like us, heal and have fire based powers. Others have had water powers, air powers, and earth powers. Some even have spiritual powers. They can conjure the spirit of any animal and use it to defend the kingdom. But that's a very rare power. I haven't heard of that power in a millennia." the queen said.
"How is the power determined for each dynasty?" Isabel asked.
"Would you believe me if I said the Forbidden Forest determines it?" the queen whispered.
Isabel laughed.
"At this point, I'll believe anything. I mean, the forrest is the one that told me I'm the true heir and that turned out to be true. And I'm shooting fireballs out of my hands... so why not?" Isabel said smiling.
"The way it works is the first person of the new dynasty goes to the waterfall. The one where you told me you saw the unicorn. They are escorted by a unicorn and they go behind the wall when the unicorn opens it. The heir of the new dynasty steps into the light beam in the middle of the 'cavern'--I guess you can call it-- and then they are given their powers."
"What does the Forbidden Forest have to do with the waterfall?" Isabel asked.
"Without the forest, there would be no waterfall. Without the waterfall, no powers."
Isabel looked at the queen with an eyebrow raised.
"I hate magic! Why is it so confusing?!" she groaned.
"You'll get it, eventually. Now, let's start the next lesson." Queen Alicia said.
They burned the day away training, preparing, learning.
"We'd better get going." the queen said. "It's getting dark out here."
Isabel walked over to Brush Fire, her griffin, and jumped on her back.
"Care for a ride?" Isabel asked the queen.
"Oh, I don't know." she said.
"Come on. It'll be fun... and quicker."
The queen smiled and jumped on the back of the griffin.
Brush Fire spread her wings and took off.
They soared through the air and then made it to the palace in a blink of an eye.
When they landed, Isabel kissed Brush Fire's beak and sent her away.
"So, can you summon your powers at will now?" Queen Alicia asked.
Isabel opened her hand and a ball of green fire appeared in the palm of her hand.
"Good. That's a start. We train same time tomorrow. But for now, you need your rest, Princess Isabel Grace."
"Thank you for your help, your highness. Because of you, I know that I'm not cursed. I have a gift." Isabel said laughing. She hugged the queen.
"Oh." the queen wrapped her arms around Isabel. "Please, call me Auntie or Aunt Alicia. Your highness is to formal. You're family. It's been nearly two months since you became princess. I'm sure now is as good of a time as any to call me Auntie."
The queen smiled down at her niece.
"Okay, Auntie." Isabel said.
They sat down for dinner and then went to sleep to rest up for the next training session.