The Flashback Episode

Andrea's heart jumped when she saw a man with kohl eyes and fancy clothes emerging from the forest. She couldn't believe it was him. "You!" she exclaimed, a mixture of surprise and relief in her voice.

The man smiled. "Me indeed," he replied, his voice smooth and melodic. "I see they are still kicking, as they say. Not the bucket though of course – or perhaps I myself am dancing in the heavens."

"No, we have not kicked any buckets," Andrea replied, feeling her tension melt away. "But why were you following us?"

The man's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Ah, my bell, a riddle for a riddle. Perhaps I was following you to ensure you were safe?"

Andrea chuckled. "Perhaps," she said. "But it doesn't matter now. I'm just glad you're not a threat."

"Nor I to you, my lady," the man said with a bow. "I simply wished to catch up to you, to see if you had solved the riddle that I gave you before we parted ways."

Andrea's brow furrowed in confusion. "The riddle? I don't even remember you giving me a riddle."

The man smiled gently. "No wakkers," he said. "Perhaps I will give you another one."

Andrea laughed, feeling a sense of comfort around the man.

"Who the hell is this?" Etherea interjected, eyeing the strange man that Andrea had just reunited with.

Andrea felt embarrassed that she hadn't shared her encounter with the man before. She had completely forgotten to mention it to the rest of the group.

"I'm so sorry, I forgot to tell everyone about him, with Johno being a nuisance at the time and such. I met him a few weeks ago by a pond. He spoke in riddles and said some strange things, but he's totally harmless. I'm sorry, I should have mentioned it before."

Etherea eyed the man up and down with intense judgement, "He looks as though he's been lost in the fairy realm for way too long." She said with a loud cough.

He snapped out of his stupor, "I have indeed been lost, but I've found my way back to you, my gorgeous angel, without you my world is meaningless!"

Andrea continued as if he hadn't said anything at all, "I never caught his name. He disappeared shortly after we met."

"Well, we have more pressing matters to worry about than some lost fairy man," Etherea said as she turned to walk back to camp.

"Oh, but he is so lovely Etherea! He is hilarious too; you'll totally like him- "

"No way Andrea, I don't trust him. He's too mysterious and unpredictable, plus not my type at all, god I could barf just looking at him."

"Ah, but that's the fun of it, isn't it? The unknown and unexpected? Have you truly lived if you haven't motivated the very soul of your twin flame? Your paramore? With everything that I am I would give it all even if I am marked with an air of discomfort!" the man interjected.

"Okay, I definitely think we should keep an eye on him. Oh, but look at him Etherea! He's literally playing with the grass," Andrea whined.

Said man had in fact dropped into the grass with a thud only moments ago, the sound echoing through the quiet forest. The man's eyes gleamed with an otherworldly light as he spoke, his words expressing every syllable and dancing across every vowel - like a melody.

"Friends, I've heard you are all very anxious and troubled. Scallywags and sailors need not fret, I have brought with me a thing that will calm your nerves and soothe your souls. It is a gift from those who know the troubles of the world." He then reached inside of his satchel and pulled out a small, wrapped package, before holding it out towards Andrea and Etherea.

Andrea took the package, unwrapping it nervously, she pulled out a small silver container that was decorated in intricate gold patterns, it looked expensive. Andrea twisted off the lid revealing what looked like an exotic tea blend. "Oooh I do love a well-brewed tea!" Andrea remarked, bending down to give it a sniff, "Hmm I'm not familiar with this variation, could it be Jasmine?"

Etherea shook her head before responding firmly, "No way am I putting some strange concoction in my body. Who knows what it could do to us?"

Andrea laughed nervously, "Relax, Etherea. It's probably just something to help us sleep," she said as she looked to the man for clarification. But before she could say anything, the man plucked the container from her hand and started to move toward the campsite.

Andrea and Etherea exchange a glance before following the man as he skipped back to their set-up. They watched him curiously as he moved with an unnatural grace. As they got closer to the campsite, they noticed that he had already made himself comfortable around their fire.

Etherea spoke up, her voice laced with suspicion. "I don't know about this," she said, eyeing the tea warily. "There's no way I'm drinking anything from some random stranger we found in the woods."

The man just smiled enigmatically and pulled a teapot from some hidden pocket, he was completely unfazed by Etherea's scepticism.

Oakley and Juno stirred in their sleeping bags, groggy and disoriented from the sudden noise. They looked around and found Andrea and Etherea arguing while a man held the teapot up in the moonlight with an assessing look. Juno made a huffing sound before letting out a sleepy neigh, while Oakley sat up and squinted in the dim light.

"What on god's green earth is going on, it's like three in the morning!" Juno asked, his voice still hoarse from disuse.

"This is a man I met in the forest a few weeks ago," Andrea explained. "He brought us some fancy tea that's supposed to be really good for the soul - relaxing! I haven't had proper tea in so long, I swear if I don't have tea at least once before risking my life to defeat that evil Odessa, I'm literally going to cry, I didn't think I could go through withdrawal from wanting tea."

Juno raised an eyebrow and huffed skeptically. "And you trust him? After he followed us all this way?"

Ignoring Andrea's whole rant about tea, Etherea rolled her eyes "Andy is sure he means us no harm apparently," She said exaggeratedly, eyeing the man warily.

The man simply smiled and nodded, before pouring the brew in four cups he had pulled from a pocket, plopping them in Etherea, Andrea's and his own laps, and placing the fourth in front of Juno.

"Why doesn't Oak get one ya whipper?" asked Juno.

"Ah, no, no, no, dear boy. This tea is not for him. They are for adults only. They can make you quite... sleepy. He is far too young for such things."

Oakley scrunched up his nose and made a face. "I don't like tea anyway, I prefer coffee you doink!" he said, crossing his arms over his chest, shuffling back into his sleeping bag.

As Etherea assessed the tea, giving it a long sniff, Suddenly her eyes lit up with recognition. "I know this tea blend! Blue dragon-bell fruit and tear ring mushroom if I'm correct!" she exclaimed. "This is so hard to come by, I haven't seen it in ages!"

She wasted no time draining her cup, lost in the sensation of the flavour.

Andrea, Juno, and the man followed suit, with Andrea hesitantly giving it a sip before also chugging down the tea, and Juno doing so with excitement. The blend was definitely not jasmine, it was quite unusual, but not unpleasant, Andrea thought to herself, quite tasty if you actually think about it.

Soon, the Princess's head began to spin, and bright shapes and colours floated before her eyes, making it difficult to keep her balance. She stumbled and collapsed onto the grass, bringing Etherea and the man down with her. Juno was already lying on the ground, his eyes closed in a state of relaxation.

The strange man chuckled and said, "I see the tea is doing its job."

Juno sighed, his eyes drooping. "This is quite unusual, what the hell did you give us?"

The man grinned. "Just a little something to help you all relax. You needed it after all that walking."

As Etherea's mind began to drift into her memories, she found herself standing in the garden of her childhood home. She saw herself as a young woman, standing beside her mother who was tending to the plants with care.

Etherea's mother turned to her and said, "You're such a good help to me, my sweet little fairy. I don't know how I could do all this without you."

Etherea smiled and responded, "It's my pleasure, Mother. I love helping you take care of our plants."

As she walked through the garden, Etherea remembered the pride and joy she felt in being the eldest of six sisters and helping her mother run their household. She reminisced about how they used to gather vegetables from their garden and sell them in their shop to earn a living.

"I miss those days," Etherea said out loud to herself.

The scene before her shifted, day merging into night, a mix of colours and shapes revealed an older Etherea standing before her now.

That forgotten memory melted into intense reality as Etherea watched herself creep out of her Mother's home, out of that long-forgotten cottage quaint and picturesque. It was the middle of the night, her heart beat fast with anticipation. She glanced around nervously, making sure no one was watching, before hurrying off towards the edge of the forest.

As she approached a clearing, she saw a fairy waiting for her. She was breathtaking, with long auburn hair and fine silks that hugged her freckled skin. Etherea's heart beat faster watching the memory, she remembered the intensity of that long ago night - how excited she had been.

"Anastasia," Etherea whispered in unison with her past self, she was lost in the memory - consumed by it.

"Shh," Anastasia replied with a chuckle, holding a finger to her lips. "We don't want to wake anyone up."

Etherea smiled and wrapped her arms around Anastasia, feeling the warmth of her embrace. They stood there for a moment, holding each other close before Anastasia pulled away.

"I have something to show you," Anastasia said, taking Etherea's hand and leading her towards a hidden grove.

As they walked, Etherea couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement. She loved spending time with Anastasia, and every moment they shared felt like a precious gift.

Finally, they reached the grove, and Anastasia turned to Etherea with a mischievous grin.

"Close your eyes," she said.

Etherea did as she was told, feeling her heart pounding in her chest. She heard Anastasia whispering a spell and then felt a burst of light as her eyes were flooded with colour.

When she opened her eyes, Etherea gasped in wonder. The grove was filled with glowing flowers, their petals shimmering in the moonlight.

"Oh, Anastasia," Etherea breathed, reaching out to touch one of the flowers. "It's beautiful."

Anastasia smiled, taking Etherea's hand in hers.

"I wanted to share this with you," she said. "To show you how much I care."

Etherea leaned in and kissed Anastasia, feeling a surge of passion as their lips met. They held each other close, lost in the moment until finally they pulled away.

"Thank you," Etherea whispered, gazing into Anastasia's eyes. "Thank you for everything."

Anastasia smiled and took Etherea's hand.

"Let's stay here a while longer," she said. "Just the two of us, in this magical place."

Etherea was tearing up now, knowing what was about to come. As the memory continues to play out in Etherea's mind, she saw her mother bursting into the grove, eyes full of fury and disgust.

"What is the meaning of this?" her mother demands, looking down at the two women intertwined on the grass. "Etherea, I can't believe what I'm seeing. You know how wrong this is!"

Anastasia looked up at Etherea's mother with defiance in her eyes. "Love is love, no matter who it is between," she yelled, her voice ringing out clear and strong.

But Etherea's mother was not swayed. "This is not natural," she said, her voice shaking with anger. "I can't allow you to ruin yourselves! Etherea! To do this would be to kill your own mother, you dishonour me, I can't allow this! I won't allow this to continue, I forbid it!" she screamed.

Etherea watched as her mother dragged her away from Anastasia, they were both crying desperately as they were wrenched apart. She remembered the way her heart split in two as she realised that she would never be allowed to see her true love again.

The memory faded away, and Etherea blinked, desperate to clear her head. She looked around groggily and noticed that the others were still on the ground, lost in their own experiences.

Andrea twitched and murmured, and Etherea knew her memories wouldn't be pleasant either. She was indeed correct.

…

Looking back on it, Andrea's mother had been sick for longer than young Andrea had ever known. Andrea stood like a ghost watching her younger self run through the halls of the castle, playing hide-and-seek with her mother. Young Andrea watched in shock as her mother collapsed to the ground in a bunch of silk and linens.

Her mother's face contorted in pain, and her breathing became laboured. Andrea could hear her own heartbeat pounding in her ears as she stared at her mother, unable to move or speak. The world around her seemed to slow down as she watched her mother's condition worsen, as her past self's whole world came crashing down around her.

In those faraway memories she could see herself frantically running through the castle, her mother's body too heavy for a six-year-old Andrea to carry. She could hear her sobs echoing through the halls as she called out for help, her father the king and the castle staff rushing to her side.

The scene evolved in a smokey haze, the colours muddling to show her mother now laid out on a bed. Her mother's face was pale and stricken, her eyes creased in pain as she struggled to breathe. The Princess could hear the whispered voices of the healers as they tried to figure out what was wrong.

Through it all, Andrea clung to her mother's hand, willing her to wake up and be okay. But deep down, she knew that something was terribly wrong and that her life would never be the same again.

Before Andrea's mother passed away, she had a close relationship with her father. He was often busy with his duties as king, but he always made time for his daughter. One of their favourite activities to do together was horseback riding.

Andrea loved the feeling of the wind rushing past her as she rode through the countryside with her father. They would explore new trails and paths, talking and laughing the whole time. Her father would point out various plants and animals along the way, teaching her about the land and its inhabitants. Those moments with her father were some of the happiest times of her childhood, and they helped her feel loved and valued by him.

The scene changed again, and Andrea's father, the king, was telling her in a stern voice that it was her duty to remarry after the death of her mother. "You'll have a new mother soon, Andrea, whether you like it or not," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Once her stepmother wed the King, Andrea noticed a change in her relationship with her father. He was distant, always preoccupied with his duties as king and with his young new wife. It was as if Andrea didn't matter anymore, her father's attention was now solely focused on her stepmother.

Gone were the days when they would spend hours together, riding horses. Her father's new Queen took precedence, and Andrea was left feeling like a burden. She tried to hide her hurt, but it was hard to ignore the growing divide between them.

When Andrea's stepmother gave birth to a son, this rift between Andrea's father and herself only grew worse. The King's neglect was painfully clear. From that moment on, the King practically forgot Andrea existed, favouring her brother and devoting all his time and attention to the little boy. Andrea was left to fend for herself, feeling like an outsider in her own family.

Andrea looked back on it all, reflecting on her childhood - the immense hurt and betrayal she felt at being pushed aside.

"Just because I was a girl - or now a woman, why does that mean I shouldn't have been heir anymore? Why does that little leech get to be the ruler of Greencourt? I was trained to do it before he was born, to rule and protect my people. I was good at it! I literally wasn't even a bitch… Now though, well I don't know about now," Andrea muttered to herself.

The scene changed again, winter, spring, summer, autumn and back to that cold winter. Andrea was a year older, she was surrounded by the ladies of the court, who themselves were surrounding the new queen. The room was abuzz with ladies embroidering and sharing the latest gossip. The young princess, who was dazzled by the beautiful young queen, eagerly approached her stepmother, hoping for a moment of her attention. "Excuse me, Stepmother," Andrea said, holding up her needlework. "Could you look at what I've sewn this morning?"

Her stepmother barely spared her a glance before tsk-ing dismissively. "I'm a bit busy at the moment, Andrea," she said, placing a hand on her pregnant belly. "Why don't you go show a maid?"

The young princess's face fell as she watched her stepmother turn away from her to laugh at something a courtier had done. The princess was left alone, sitting in her little spot as the world moved on without her. Andrea watched it all with a feeling of deep sorrow, those painful memories appearing before her so clearly, she had buried them so deeply, she hadn't even remembered a time when she had felt true happiness after her mother died. Unable to move from her spot, Andrea watched her stepmother walk down into the royal gardens, she watched the King caress her swollen belly, his smile curled ear to ear, when had she ever seen him so happy? So sure of himself? The forgotten child, pushed to the corner of the room, longing for any kind of acknowledgement from her father who seemed to care more about their new baby than his own daughter.

Another memory flowed by - Andrea was dressed in her finest ball gown, as she spun around the grand ballroom, she had practised many hours for this moment, the blisters hadn't healed yet but she was desperate for her parents to notice her, to commend her etiquette and grace, to tell her she reminded them of her late mother. But they are too busy socialising with the other guests, leaving Andrea feeling ignored and alone. The emotions bubbled up in one scalding mess, she couldn't help it as the tears started flowing out of her. She was making a scene and disgracing her parents in front of their guests. The King looked at her with disdain, flicking his wrist at her servant to remove her from the hall, as she was being pulled out she looked behind her, desperate to meet her father's eyes, to apologise, but he was already gone, only her stepmother looked on, a satisfied sneer plastered across her face. They were supposed to love her, she thought to herself, she was their princess, their one princess.

Now another memory, it came quicker than the other, a sickening sensation filled Andrea's stomach, she wasn't ready. The memory was of Andrea, a young teenager, and her chambermaid who wasn't much older. They were huddled in a cosy alcove, their faces flushed with a mixture of excitement and fear. They were both nervous and shy, their words coming out in stutters and giggles.

Andrea's heart raced as she spoke to the chambermaid, feeling a strange electricity between them. They talked about silly things, but their eyes betrayed their true feelings.

As they leaned in closer to each other, their hips touch, and they both blushed furiously. Andrea felt a rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins, and she couldn't help but giggle. The chambermaid looked at her with a mixture of affection and shyness, and Andrea could tell that there is something more there.

But their moment is interrupted by the sudden appearance of the Queen, who burst into the alcove, her face twisted in disgust. "I knew it!" Her stepmother exclaimed, Andrea felt a wave of shame wash over her, as she hung her head as her stepmother picked up a piece of metal used for the lining of bodices, Andrea had asked the chambermaid to remove them because they hurt so much, she felt the instant regret down to her.

"You are a disgusting little wretch, the both of you! Kneel down before me" her stepmother spat, her face contorted in anger. The two girls started to cry as they crawled toward the queen. Andrea was trembling as the queen swung the metal against the back of her bare leg, it struck like a knife, erupting with a slice of red hot pain. Andrea cried out, as the queen struck the chambermaid with all her strength. Andrea, through her tears pleased, "Stepmother please, I didn't mean it, it wasn't like that I swear, we're good girls! Please don't hurt her!"

The queen swung the metal again, Andrea could feel the hot blood as it broke her skin. As the queen hit the chambermaid, she started pleading too, "Your Majesty, it was all my fault, not the princess, I forced her to do it, please punish me, I swear it was all me!"

The queen smiled, those red lips twisting with malice as she held the metal up to get a better look, "You know what you are, Andrea, you are a disgrace to this family." Those words felt worse than the metal, not just because they hurt, but because they were true. "If your father were to hear about this he'd shave your head and send you to the nunnery! How could you even think of such things?" The queen shouted.

Andrea felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment and shame as her stepmother continued to berate her, flinging the metal down again and again. Through the burning pain, she couldn't help but think that this was what she deserved, this was the price she had to pay fix what she had done, to earn back her parents love.

The queen didn't end up telling the king, Andrea wasn't sure why, but she couldn't thinking that the fate the queen had in mind was worse than a nunnery. After all that she never did see that chambermaid again, Andrea had always hoped that her stepmother was merciful, but she was too afraid to ask what had really happened to her.

The scene changed again, she was in the throne room kneeling in front of her parents as they sat atop their thrones. They were telling her of her betrothal as a footman handed her the official letter. Beneath her nervousness, Andrea's heart pounded with excitement, Prince William was his name, a future King… Finally, after years of feeling unloved and unwanted, she has found her place in the world. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of being a Queen, living in a castle with the man who will one day be King. She would be such a good Queen, she wouldn't hesitate in sharing her heart, she couldn't wait to share it with her betrothed, he was sure to be a good man, he had to be if he was going to be King.

Her stepmother watched on with a blank expression, which Andrea took as a good sign. Her father, however, surprised her by smiling at her for once. His voice rang out with authority, "It's time you did your duty for the future of this Kingdom, this match will secure your brother's reign, I assume your stepmother has prepared you with all you need to know?"

Andrea nodded, It was as if he was finally proud of her, he finally saw her as something more than a nuisance, more than an afterthought.

Andrea could hardly contain her excitement as she imagined what her life will be like as a Queen far away from here in a dazzling kingdom. She'd have servants to wait on her hand and foot, and beautiful clothes to wear. She'd attend grander balls and banquets than ever before and be the envy of every woman in the kingdom. Best of all, she'd be loved and adored by everyone. Her father would finally hold her, even as he gave her away to another man.

…

Andrea slowly opened her eyes, feeling a dull ache in her head. The memories of the previous night came flooding back to her, and she groaned, rolling onto her side. The world around her seemed to be spinning, and she had to close her eyes again for a moment to steady herself.

As she started to sit up, she noticed everyone but Etherea around her, still sleeping peacefully. She took a deep breath, trying to clear her head, and then slowly got to her feet. The world still seemed a little hazy around the edges, but she knew she needed to try to find Etherea and make sure she was alright.

The strange man slept on, he himself transported back to his years studying in temples. He saw himself sitting in a grand library, surrounded by shelves upon shelves of ancient books. The room was adorned with intricate gold and orange decorations, and the soft scent of incense and jasmine lingered in the air.

He was reading through a thick book on healing parasitic spells, carefully taking notes, and muttering to himself as he went.

As he turned the page, a young woman walked into the library, interrupting his studies. She was dressed in a flowing yellow robe, her dark hair cascading down her back in loose waves. He looked up and felt his heart skip a beat – it was her...

"Why hello there," she hummed, smiling at him. "I've noticed you here every day, always reading these old books. Are you perhaps studying to become a healer?"

The young man couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement at her words. He hadn't been around a woman in weeks – which for him was an extremely long time for him. Despite that, he had never seen someone so beautiful, her porcelain skin and eyes that gleam like violets, he desired her more than anything.

"Indeed! I've been pouring over these books for months, I have an innate fascination with medicine, it's my deepest wish to be the greatest healer this world will come to know!" he took a deep breath, "And you? May I enquiry what this fair lady seeks in this dusty temple?" The woman laughed, "Of course you may, I'm searching for something lost." the man gave a confused look, but she simply smiled. "I desperately need an introduction, it's my mission to know all the greatest healers in this temple"

The man looked up at her with an indescribable look, "You can call me Roy." he said, "May I have your name, my lady?"

"Ah, I'm sure as you'll most likely come to see, I'm no lady, I do however go by the name Odessa," she said with a bemused look.

Odessa took a seat across from him, and they began talking about their shared love for healing and the art of medicine. Roy felt a warmth in his chest as they spoke, so when she invited him to the full moon celebration that night, he thought she must share his affections for him as well.

At the party, Roy had desperately tried to impress Odessa with his charm and wit, he was sure she was interested in him, she had seemed so impressed with his work. But the more he tried, the more repulsed she seemed. Roy looked on at his past self, so full of confidence, so fearless, he couldn't help but yell, seeing himself, the scene that would unfold he wanted to try and save himself, to stop it. But nothing can change the past. Odessa pulled Roy's hand so suddenly he flinched, "I had hoped you were different, but you truly are all the same" she whispered in his ear. The sorceress started oozing shadows that enraptured Roy's entire body, he started screaming as the crowd looked on in horror. She had cursed him so he could never feel love. Roy is absolutely horrified, not understanding what he had done to deserve this.

He was devastated as he transforms into a hideous troll, his skin turning green and warty, his nose growing long and twisted. He ran away from the party, desperate to hide himself away, afraid of what the world will think of him now.

The scene faded, and the strange man – Roy – opened his eyes. He tried to hold onto the memories, but it slipped away, his confusion taking hold of him.

As the sun hit his skin, Roy felt a sharp pain in his body. His bones cracked and his skin stretched as his body contorted into a new form. He let out a shriek as his fingers grew green, his teeth sharpened, and his eyes turned yellow. The transformation was excruciatingly painful, every muscle and nerve in his body was wracked with agony, until finally, the transformation was complete.

The man was no longer a man at all, but a troll. Roy let out a deep, confused sigh, before slowly hobbling over to his tent, leaving a sleeping Juno behind him.

…

As Etherea and Andrea walked back into the clearing, their faces beamed with a newfound closeness. They had spent the past few hours talking about their visions and experiences, connecting on a deeper level than ever before.

Etherea's eyes sparkled with excitement as she caught sight of Oakley and Juno, who were waking up. "Hey, you two! How was your sleep?" she called out.

Juno neighed sadly. "I dreamt of my children, how... how they were taken from me," he sniffed. "But now I'm more ready than ever to take down this Odessa lady. I'll nip her ankles right off I will!"

Oakley ran up to Etherea and Andrea, looking up at them with a wide smile. "I had a great sleep, without your yucky tea," he said proudly.

Andrea chuckled, ruffling his hair. She turned, "I'm so sorry Juno, I can't imagine what it must be like having your family ripped away from you. We will get them back, I promise."

As Etherea prepared breakfast, Roy hobbled out of his tent.

"Well, hello there sleepy head! You missed out on a big night," Etherea called. The troll grumbled out some sort of response, immediately asking Etherea to use her light magic to warm up the kettle. Etherea noticed Andrea looking at her curiously. "What's up?" she asked, noticing the look on her friend's face.

Andrea shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "It's nothing. I'm just glad we're all here together."

Etherea nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of peace wash over her. She knew that no matter what challenges they may face, they were in this together.

"Wait, where did that strange man from last night go, Andy?" Oakley asked.

Roy hummed in the background, sipping on his coffee like it was nectar from the gods.

"I don't know Oak... but I'm sure he'll come back again soon," she smiled.