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Why in Hades does the world choose to fall apart all at once? Leave it to my sister and her silly wish-granting fairies to meddle in things that
do not concern them!
Nanny wondered if it was all a ruse to confront Maleficent. She found it difficult to believe the Fairy Godmother cared about the odd sisters. No, she was just being paranoid. How would the fairies even know that Maleficent was on her way to Morningstar? The fairies were coming to discuss the odd sisters. Miss High and Mighty Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo was coming to cast judgment on the odd sisters. Simple. Straightforward. Nothing to worry about.
Nanny’s gut instincts nagged at her. No. This convergence will be disastrous. She was sure of it.
Nanny felt overwhelmed, not only by everything that was happening, but also by the rapid-fire recollections that continued to flash through her mind. It was strange. Her memories were flooding back, but Nanny couldn’t remember how she’d lost them in the first place.
“You probably put a spell on yourself to forget. Seems like something you would do,” Circe said from the doorway, interrupting Nanny’s thoughts. Circe was probably right. It was highly likely that Nanny had caused herself to lose her own memories as a way to deal with the pain of her failure to protect Maleficent. It was horrible enough to remember all her own regrets, but to remember Maleficent’s memories in such vivid detail was breaking her heart. It was no wonder she had chosen to forget.
Nanny switched the subject, trying to avoid the memories just for a moment. “How are your sisters? Any change?”
Circe shook her head. “No.”
Nanny looked sad, lost in her thoughts. She didn’t say so, but Circe could tell she was also dreadfully concerned about the odd sisters, and she was worried about Maleficent.
“I don’t want you to worry,” Circe said finally. “I know we will find something to wake my sisters. And as for Maleficent, you have Pflanze. You have Tulip. And of course, you have me. We’re here. There’s nothing Maleficent can do to you with us beside you.”
“I’m more worried about my sister and her goody-goody friends, honestly,” Nanny said, handing Circe the Fairy Godmother’s message. “They’re also on their way.”
Circe narrowed her eyes. “That is a problem. Is there no way to turn them away? To tell them that they’re not wanted?”
Nanny shook her head. “My sister never imagines a situation in which she isn’t welcome. Telling her she wasn’t wanted wouldn’t even register. Turning her away isn’t an option. She’ll simply look at me blankly and pretend not to understand what I’m saying.”
Circe sighed. “Why is she coming? You don’t think she’s the one who put my sisters to sleep, do you?”
“I honestly don’t know. I assumed they were sleeping because it took so much of their strength to fight the spell they created to help Ursula,” Nanny explained. “But they still won’t wake. Nothing I’ve tried has helped. Nothing you’ve done has worked. And now I’m wondering if the fairies have somehow intervened.”
Circe’s eyes flashed with anger. “Intervened how? If they’ve hurt them…”
“No, their magic doesn’t allow them to hurt anyone, not even their enemies,” Nanny said. “And your sisters have never been their enemies, not really. Yes, they’ve sided with Maleficent in the past. The odd sisters have helped her before, but they never hounded the fairies. It seems my sister’s been stepping out of her providence lately. She’s taking her role of Fairy Godmother too far. Princess Aurora is not her charge, but if she has taken it upon herself to cast an endless sleep on your sisters, I’d wager it’s for the protection of her beloved princesses.”
Circe frowned. “I thought Cinderella was her only princess.”
“She is, and is living happily. But I suspect my sister may be growing weary with not much to do. So she’s putting her round little nose in where it doesn’t belong.” Nanny sighed. “Enough about my sister, I just hope she doesn’t bring those insufferable little sycophants, the three good fairies, with her.”
“You have no love for fairies, do you, Nanny?” Circe asked with a smile. “I don’t blame you. If it’s any consolation, I don’t see you as a fairy. In my heart, you are a witch and always have been.”
“Thank you, dear. Your sisters once said something quite similar to both me and Maleficent. Something about being born a fairy but having a witch’s heart. I suppose they were right.”
Circe considered that. “Well, if you think about it, a fairy can just as easily be a witch, as a human might, if she’s capable of the right sort of magic. But with you, there’s a little more to it, I think. It’s what I see in your heart. You don’t share fairy sensibilities.”
“Too right! And I thank you, my dear, but—”
Nanny was interrupted by a loud knock on the front door of the castle that made them both jump. Nanny’s heart sank. She wasn’t ready to face Maleficent just yet.
Circe took Nanny’s hand and squeezed it, reminding Nanny she was there to protect her. How Nanny wished she had always had Circe in her life. What would it have been like always to have had such a young powerful witch willing to do good by her side? A witch who had an open heart and none of the bigotry that ran so deep in the fairy community? Nanny had been preparing herself for Maleficent’s rage, but she wasn’t quite ready to meet it. She wasn’t ready for the condemnation. Maybe when Maleficent saw Circe, she would see into her heart and see Nanny through Circe’s eyes. And maybe she would hold less judgment in her own heart for Nanny by virtue of the love Circe held for her—an old woman who only now had remembered who she really was.
Hudson came into the room with a grave look on his face. He was pale and seemed very uncomfortable.
“What is it, Hudson? What’s the matter? Who is here?” Nanny asked.
“It’s Queen Snow White, ma’am. She’s sent a message.”
For the love of all things good, what could Snow possibly want with us? Nanny wondered.
Hudson shifted his weight back and forth awkwardly. “And the page, ma’am, he says the message is from Queen Snow White and her mother.”
