She was walking out of her room one day. Nothing could disturb the peace that she was feeling. Happily, Soraya skipped through the forest, unaware of the horrors that awaited her. She wasn't sure why, but she felt a pulling in her stomach, so she went faster. She snuck across the dark forest, or at least tried to. Suddenly, Soraya heard a voice: a soft, quiet, sweet, mellow voice.

"Stop, Sapling." Soraya turned; she had no idea where the voice came from. It came again:
"Stop, sapling." She was shaking with fear, quiet at this point, barely able to keep her composure. She barely made her vocal cords work. In doing this, she said, "Who are you?" to which the voice replied, "Sapling, I am the lady of the Forest of Arendale. I am she who takes care of the weak and sick, she who is compassionate, she who is..." But Soraya wouldn't let her finish.

"You're giving me epithets, not a name. What can I call you?" The voice considered for a second.

"I am Elowen." The lady's voice was sweet, mystical, like a river.

Soraya said carefully, "Okay, Elowen, why are you here? What do you want with me?"

Elowen gave a sweet, melodic laugh like a tinkling bell. It calmed Soraya and made her feel as if everything was going to be okay.

Soraya stepped closer to her. The lady came into deeper focus: a long, slender blonde with ocean blue eyes, cherry red lips, and beautiful high cheekbones. A face that would comfort even the worst child.

Elowen waved a hand and said, "Now, child. Now That I've introduced myself, how are you feeling?"

Soraya, who was the victim of the sorceress's enchantment, said, "Yes, Ma'am. Good, Ma'am. My Lady, I am your servant, yours, yours..." Soraya's monotonous speech lasted for
what seemed like ten hours.

Then, Elowen interrupted Soraya by saying, "Now, now, my poppet. Relax. It'll be all right if you just follow me!"

Obediently, Soraya padded after Elowen, eager to serve the lady and her will. Soraya followed the lady through the tall grass and poisonous weeds, Elowen always beckoning to Soraya to follow her. Soraya looked around, enraptured by this woman's beauty. She and Elowen passed a lake, trees, and finally, they reached a small cottage.

If Elowen hadn't stopped at this tiny cottage, Soraya wouldn't have noticed it. It was a tiny thing. It had a rustic beauty about it, and Soraya was shocked: a beauteous witch living in such a spartan dwelling? How could this be? Is the lady poor? Does she give her money to the people? She seemed like a great lady to Soraya. She looked to the front of the house where there was a beautiful garden. Fruit and vegetable bushes and trees encircled the house.

Glittering apples like pure gold hung from the lively trees. They sparkled in the sunlight. Soraya was tempted to eat one. As she reached her hand out, Elowen said, "No, no, dear. You have to EARN your apple for today. They give happiness and health to all of my servants."

Soraya thought something was amiss, but she couldn't place what. The lady's voice lulled her into a sense of false security. Elowen beckoned Soraya to follow her into the house. Like an obedient puppy, Soraya followed, eager to get one of those delicious apples. She had to have one. She was dying to have one. If she didn't have one, she would...

"Soraya, dear. Time to meet the others!" Soraya jumped ten feet in the air and bumped her head on the roof.

She looked at Elowen stupidly for a moment before saying, "Yes... Majesty." She followed Elowen to a little barracks, the servants' barracks, she thought. It was of brick and stone. There was a door that was made of iron. It had a handle that was shaped like a dragon. Elowen opened it for Soraya. She pushed her new servant in and spoke into the barracks, "Mercy, Grace, can you girls get a bed ready for Soraya?" A girl around Soraya's age said from within the barracks.

"Yes, Majesty. I'll get it. As you wish!" Footsteps preceded the girls' voices. Elowen spoke into the barracks again.

"Girls, meet your new coworker, Soraya..." Turning to Soraya, she whispered, "What's your last name, dear?"

"Ellington," the girl stated obediently. Turning to the barracks, Elowen said, "Ellington!"

The sound of scuttling feet began, and one by one, several girls came out. Once they were all out, the girls circled around her. Then, Elowen said, "Girls, introduce yourselves to your new coworker, Soraya Ellington." And so the long and tedious process of introductions began.

Soraya had been through many introductions at magic camp, as she had studied to be a good witch. She was only a daisy, what they called the first years at Gaylord Academy for Magic. Thinking about it, she missed the Academy. A tear fell from her eye, silver and sweet. One of the girls, Mercy, Soraya thought, came over to her. She looked familiar. She had brown hair that cascaded down to her lower back. Her eyes were brown, and she wore glasses. Her nails were painted in sparkly rainbow colors, and she wore high heels. She wore high heels that clicked against the floor when she walked. She was a petite girl.

Mercy stroked her hair and asked, "What's wrong?"

Soraya responded, "I just miss the Academy."

Mercy replied, "Gaylord?"

"Yes, Gaylord. I miss it very much."

Mercy considered for a moment before saying, "I did, too... Hold on, I think I know you... Soraya Ellington? A Daisy at Gaylord... You were my best friend, Raya, I remember you, I.."

Before she could finish, Mercy and Soraya were hugging happily. They danced around, happy to see each other. They did all the things they did when they were back at the academy: their handshakes, their inside jokes, their blunt joking. The children were glad to see each other, and they were inseparable. They did all their work together.

One day, they were picking berries for one of Elowen’s potions when The witch herself appeared. She was livid. Her jaw was clenched. Her brows were furrowed, and her gaze bored into them. Her breathing was heavy. When she spoke to them, her voice was quiet. She spoke in clipped tones. She asked angrily, "Girls, why are you getting so close?" Mercy and Soraya trembled.

Finally, Mercy spoke up. “We... were friends at the Academy, My Lady. We just missed each other.”

Elowen glared at Mercy. Spit was coming out of her mouth now as she said, “You two better not do it again!”; The two girls nodded, and then Elowen dismissed them. They were going back to their rooms to sleep when another girl approached them. She had cherry red lipstick, and she looked almost like Mercy. Mercy, Soraya, and the girl looked at each other. Together, Mercy and Soraya said, “Grace! We have missed you!” 

Grace replied, “Soraya, Mercy. It’s you!!!”

The three hugged and became a close group. They all became inseparable. They worked together on all their tasks. Then, when the witch saw them all together, she became much angrier. She warned them if they
did it again, they would be turned into toads. They didn’t work as closely now, but in the night, they worked out plans to escape the witch’s house, and then take the other girls with them. 

The escape was to be done in the night. Mercy would do the witch’s nightly sleep routine with her. Grace would gather up the other girls, and Soraya would scout ahead. The escape was planned in hushed tones. It was to be done two nights from today, a Monday. The witch hated Mondays. She was always grumpiest on Mondays, and when she was grumpy, she became very stupid.

They would take the other servants to the Academy. It would all fall into place. The next two
days were a blur. They worked quickly but thoroughly so the witch wouldn’t be suspicious of
them. Soon, the sun set, and it was dark. “It’s time,” whispered Soraya, “Places!”

The girls went off to do their jobs. The other servants were rounded up, and Soraya, Grace, and Mercy led them to the Academy. A guard looked at them, recognized their faces, and let them in. All of the girls who had escaped with the trio were still not right. The enchantment was still affecting their minds. Teachers and students worked to help the captives with their minds. Everything was free again. Once everyone was ready, they set out, eager to attack the witch. 

Carnage was everywhere. Blood fell like rain. It was the witch’s blood. The blood of the lady who made so
many miserable. She died screaming insults. Her last words were these: “I’ll be back, children!”

The house was given to the Academy as another way they could sleep. The girls grew up to be famous good witches. The Academy had a prestigious name on it now, and people were dying to go there to study magic.