30: Welcoming the Linwoods

Layla got out of the shower quickly towel drying her body before putting on the clothes that Amaya had brought for her. She was surprising to see that everything even the bra fit her perfectly. She quickly parted her hair down the middle brushing out the two different sections. She used her powers to dry the two sections before putting her long blonde hair into two space buns.

She grabbed her phone off the counter and checked the time seeing it was almost 11:30. She took a breath looking at her reflection. “We’re ok. We are going to do this. And we are going to succeed.” She turned looking at her side profile. She was happy it fit her. She turned and left out her bathroom and tossed the dirty clothes into the dirty hamper. She was about to go and open the curtains when there was a knock at the door. She turned and went to open it seeing Amaya and a few other people she didn’t know carrying different bags and such.

“What is this?” Layla asked confused. Unsure of what they were doing at her door right now.

“Shoes clothes other stuff for you.” Amaya answered she knew that it was important to prepare for her transition here. After all they wanted everything to go well. “We’re supposed to bring it here until you and Jonah are married and then everything will be moved there.”

“Ok come in i guess.” Layla said stepping asside to let them enter.

“Right this way put everything into the closet don’t touch anything don’t ask questions in you go.” Amaya ordered. SHe was working on making the transition as easy as possible for the princess and that meant not letting any of the staff question anything.

Layla watched them bring in the different things she was feeling a little guilty of all the new stuff that she was getting. “This is a lot.”

Amaya shook her head she knew this was what was needed. She was the lost princess she was important and she had things that she had to do like save everyone. To her this wasn’t even enough. “You are going to be living here and it is unsafe to go and grab your things from your house so we had to buy you all new things.”

“When.” Layla asked confused. She knew she had hardly been there an entire day as this was just starting.

“Early this morning.” Amaya answered.

“Don’t you guys sleep.” Layla asked. She didn’t want them going out of their way to do things for her.

Amaya shrugged she really didn’t mind doing this. After all everyone needed to do their part for this. “We’re early risers.”

The girls com from out of the closet bowing to the princess before addressing Amaya. “Everything is there Amaya.”

“Good you are all dismissed.” Amaya said. All of the girls scurried out of the room leaving. Amaya looked over at her she knew this was a big adjustment but everyone honestly wanted to see her succeed. “Your parents have arrived. Prince Jonah has given them a tour of the palace they are now in the family room waiting on you. I was told to lead you there.”

Layla nodded she knew this was becoming more and more real with every moment. But she was ready for it or she needed to be. “Alright well let me grab shoes i’m not putting on those death traps and i didn’t have any others for my sightseeing this morning.”

“Yes Princess take all the time you need.”

“Thanks.” Layla turned and walked to the closet amazed at how fast they worked. Dresses lining the closet shirts, pants, shorts, and skirts lining the shelfs. A whole section of shoes for every ockassion. She went and grabbed some black ankle boots slipping them on before turning and heading out. She knew that was another thing she was just going to have to adjust too. “I’m ready.”

“Right this way princess.” Amaya smiled.

Layla turned off the light and closed the door following Amaya out of the room. Down the winding hallways and stairs they stopped outside of two large oak doors. Amaya opened one letting Layla walk past her.

“I shall be going.” Amaya said. She knew that they had urgent matters that they were needed to deal with.

“Thank you Amaya.” Layla was very happy Amaya had been so helpful since she had been there.

“Of course princes.” Amaya bowed before turning and leaving closing the door behind her.

“Laya.” Liam ran over to her she stooped down to pick him up.

“I wasn’t even gone that long.” Layla smiled. In all honestly she had missed her little brother to she didn’t like being away from him.

“I don’t like it when you leave.” Liam admitted he hated whenever he sissy had to go somehwere.

“I know little one.” Layla had been the other parent when needed she was who he came to whenever something was wrong. She didn’t like being away from him either.

“Hi sis.” Ethan smirked crossing his arms over his chest honestly since overhearing everything he was finding it interesting.

“He was eavesdropping when we were talking to you.” Liana shot her son a glare she loved him but hated when he decided that listening in on private conversations were how he wanted to spend his free time.

Layla chuckled she knew her brother was definitely good at finding out things people didn’t want him to know. “Now that sounds like my brother.”

“Come on after all the times i just knew when you were practicing or about to practice you don’t think i overheard that?” Ethan had a skill and he used it to his advantage whenever possible.

“I don’t like him.” Zamiyah admitted. He was irritating her at the moment she didn’t like the fact that he was helping them keep things from her. She wanted to be in the loop too.

“He’s your brother Zamiyah.” Liana reminded she didn’t care how much they despised each other at times they were stuck together.

“So what that changes nothing.” Zamiyah responded she didn’t care if he was her brother she could still not like him. They had the perfect plan and he had betrayed her and chose that going to the ball and being chosen by the prince was the best idea. Without consulting her. “We were all for mission letting Layla run away and then he is just ok with her going.”

Ethan went over to his sister throwing his arm around her he knew that to her it made no since. But after everything he heard he knew that his sister was going down this path whether they liked it or not. “Well you didn’t hear what i heard.”

“And what did you hear that i didn’t.” Zamiyah questioned.

“Maya.” Layla warned she loved her sisters enthusiasm for this she did but she needed her to be patient.

Zamiyah groaned looking between the two of them she just wbated to make sure they let her in on this. “Ugh fine but i want to know too.”

“Not right not maya later promise.” Layla could fill in her sister on everything but right now they had to focus.

“Fine.”

“How about we all have a seat?” Emma suggested. She knew that they had a lot they wanted to discuss.

“Of course.”

They all went and had a seat at the table Layla sat by Jonah putting her little brother in her lap.

“I never would have guessed you were a witch.” Liana admitted she knew that things were different and that obviously someone was from Layla’s world but she hadn’t thought it was her. But it did make sense since her son was Layla’s soulmate.

Emma nodded they had planned it that way for the safety of everyone. “We always did our best to keep it from the kingdom for their safety.”

“Right that’s understandable.” Liana nodded in agreement she knew she did the same for Layla. She wanted her to be safe no matter the cost. “I was very strict on what she could do i was scared someone would try to hurt her.”

“I have to thank you for protecting her. I knew her parents.” Emma was happy to see that Layla had went to a good family tha she was going to survive.

Liana smiled knowing that her daughter was from the land of the unknwn she was always curious about what they would be lile. “I always wondered what her birth parents were like.”

“I was chosen to be her godmother her mother and father had been so excited. They thought Lucinda was going to stay here leave them alone. But she didn’t.”

Henry nodded he remembered when Lucinda had come to try and take over greenville and that it had been a fight and they never thought they’d get through it. “I remember when she tried to take over Greenville.”

Emma sighed she knew that she had made some bad decisions in the past and she was trying to make up for them. “She only succeeded at first because of me. She hated it but the witches of the Ice Kingdom were always stronger we were calmer we knew when to step back. The Fire Nation witches didn’t. They didn’t care they were short tempered and that was her downfall. And she only succeeded in taking The Land of the Unknown’s throne because they had to keep their newborn daughter safe. And then they had to send her here. Because i closed the border and she threatened to take Cameron out once in for all. It was the throne or Cameron she refused to let Xavier keep both.”

“We are going to announce their engagement today wedding 96 hours tops.” Ryan knew they had to rush this before the barrier went down it was his wife’s wish after all.

“I need to see my son married before i go.” Emma had lived to see him grow up and he final wish was to see him married. To see him happy.

“Your dying?” Liana asked.

Emma nodded she knew that it was time she had protected them as long as she could. Now it was time for them to fight to show the world what they were capable of. “I originally helped Lucinda with her takeover but after i met Ryan things changed and i knew what i needed to do. First save Layla Lucinda would have killed her if she had stayed in the Land Of the Unknown. So she was sent here for her safety so in the future she could follow through with the prophecy with the warning that scared the entire kingdom.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, but to seal the border after she decided she wanted it all that she wanted the people she once called her best friends dead. Sealing the barrier was the only way anyone was going to survive. But to seal it was and make sure that Lucinda couldn’t open it i had to link it to my life. So it’s been draining me and soon it will kill me i have maybe a week left.” Emma admitted. It was sad but she had lived a good life it was time.

“Oh my god.”

Emma nodded she was happy they were going to be happy and she knew they could do it when they set their minds to it. “I have to see them get married i know they can do this. But it’s the only thing i ask for.”

“And we’re going to do it.” Jonah promised. He was going to honor his mom’s last wish and make sure that she got to see him happy.

Layla nodded in agreement after Emma died they would make sure they honored her by getting rid of Lucinda. “And then we are going to stop Lucinda and make her regret ever wanting the power she took.”

Emma smiled looking at the two. “I have no doubt of that.” She was proud of what the two of them had become. I would like to talk to you to to explain everything. But i need to spend a few hours with Layla letting her get some practice in from someone whose practiced with both of her parents and know how difficult it is to maintain one of the Key Elements of The Land Of The Unknown let alone both.”

“That sounds like a good idea.”

“I thought it would be.”

“Why don’t Layla and Jonah explain to her siblings what they can know while we talk to y’all.”

“Sounds good.”