The Distance Between Us

Camille sobbed and hugged her back, wishing she were actually able to touch her daughter. Krys... I'm sorry, I wasn't able to tell you. I love you so much. But I'm tired. I think she's stronger than me. I don't know how to beat her...

Krys smiled softly, "I'll be with you... Daddy left his pocket watch in the kitchen today, he has a lock of my hair in it... I'll be with you." She grinned excitedly, "Daddy is so silly."

She shook her head sadly. Daddy is confused and doesn't know up from down. He doesn't even know who I am anymore. She stood up slowly, struggling with just that. She was scared of confronting Uli, the witch. For years she'd been by Jack's side, and now, when it was Camille's time to take him back, she still wouldn't let him go. She sniffed and wiped her eyes. Stay safe, Krys. I don't know what she can do to you...

Krys let out a laugh, "The worst she could do is put my spirit in a cat... but I can get out of that situation if I can get my body working again. I'm more powerful than her, my powers are genetic." She seemed so mature for her size and voice.

Camille smiled a little. You remind me of your grandmother. She was just as proud, and confident as you. She wiped another tear from her eye. I guess I'll go back inside... and try to see her. Or at least try and find away to calm Jack down. She sighed some and then began to walk back to the house, feeling intimidated a bit by the witch. Camille had powerful magic, but she hadn't been able to lift the curse off of herself. She was scared Uli, the witch, was much more powerful than she.

Camille stepped back inside and found the pocket watch Krys had mentioned. It was the same one Camille had given him as a wedding gift. She sighed sadly and picked it up, carefully looking it over. She kissed it softly and set it back down on the table. If she took it, he'd definitely blame her, and she couldn't stand it when he was mad with her.

*Uli*

"I can't believe you still came back..." A soft voice came, "Just because I'm dead... he still won't let go." She laughed and approached Camille, "And you expect a five year old to protect you? She couldn't even fight against the spell I put on her... she succumbed just like that."

Camille turned around quickly and gasped. Uli was standing there, and she looked frighteningly exactly the same as Camille. The young woman frowned and shook her head. How could any of us, when you cowardly cursed us without confronting us first! You're a coward, and desperate! What did it benefit you to take my child and husband away?

"Seeing you miserable... it was so fun! You were that close, how could I have let you come back? If you'd never spoken to her, Krys would still be alive right now, in fact... if I was gone she could be. It's a possibility." Uli laughed a little more and smirked, "It's your fault."

Camille took a shaky step back. You... you killed my daughter?! You were responsible for that?! She screamed in her mind as loud as she could, tears streaming down her face. I will kill you! She brought her arms out, gathering all of the energy she had, to be able to kill Uli for what she'd done to Krys.

"We'll see about that!" All it took was a snap and the energy faded. Uli laughed menacingly, "See if he ever figures out your name! Let's have a deal... if he does I'll give your precious baby back... but if he never does I'll make sure you never see her again... and that's a possibility. I can put her spirit somewhere else... all it would take is setting that lock of hair on fire or simply destroying it."

Camille fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. She hated this woman for all that she was, and all that she had taken. Her husband wasn't the same man anymore. She didn't know him anymore and she somehow had to break this spell... this curse without her magic. Her magic was gone. What was she supposed to do?

I hate you. She seethed, anger welling up inside her. I hate you so much.

Uli laughed, "Oh come now, don't be so bitter. You can spend all this time with him, create a new life as a mute." She giggled.

Krys was behind Camille, anger in her eyes. It was this anger that made Uli step back as though she were afraid of something. Krys knew something that Uli didn't want her to know.

"I'm leaving."

"Good." Krys seethed.

Camille was crying to hard that she almost couldn't breathe. She'd never been so close to her family, and yet so far at the same time. She wanted so bad to feel the comforting embrace of her husband, Jack, but all he'd be thinking about was how she looked like Uli. He had no more love for Camille... or rather, the love he had that was meant for her... and been broken and warped to fit around Uli.

I hate her so much... but I can't do anything to her! I can't... I can't do anything.

"Yes you can! Find the connection she has to the house and dispose of it, you have the power to be and you don't need magic to rid of her! I'll help you, I want to come back!!" Krys cried, "You can't just give up!"

She sighed shakily and looked up at the ghostly image of her daughter. Camille could hardly see past her tears and her bottom lip trembled. I knew you were a blessing when I birthed you. She sniffed and wiped her eyes. You're stronger than I.

Krys tilted her head a little, "You're strong too... or else I couldn't be. Come on... let's look around, there has to be something that isn't yours here."

She nodded a little bit and struggled to her feet. She was so tired from the new spell that sealed away her magic. Well, drained was more like it. She felt heavier as she walked now, and she didn't like the feeling of being without her magic. I miss holding you as a baby. She said to Krys. You were a beautiful baby, and I'd always show you off. I looked forward to teaching you to walk and talk... but that wasn't my privilege to have it seems.

Krys smiled and turned to her, "Maybe you'll get another chance! I bet it'll work out, I want you to hold me again too." Just then the door slammed shut and in came Jack. His eyes were tired looking and he seemed depressed.

"I still can't think of it... Ca... Cametta... I feel like it's at the tip of my tongue."

Camille frowned sadly. He wasn't going to figure it out unless she got rid of Uli. She picked up the pen and paper and sniffed some, wiping at her eyes. It couldn't have been more obvious that she'd been crying a lot.

Don't strain yourself. It's alright if you don't remember it today.

She gave him a sad smiled and slid the notepad over to him so he could read it. It pained her to see him grieving for another woman, and their child that wasn't yet lost to them.

She took the notebook back and added to it.

You probably won't figure out my name for a long time... so you may assign me a name. But please... anything but Uli. She then slid it over to him again. She felt like she could easily end up crying again, but she probably didn't even have anymore tears to cry.

Krys stayed close to Camille, tugging silently and sadly but she was trying to encourage her.

"Oh." Jack sighed, "I'll just... Milly... I'll call you Milly. It seems fitting, like it belongs to you." He dropped the paper and rubbed the back of his neck, sighing in pain and it was obvious he was in some pain. "You're probably hungry, right? Want some soup?"

Krys seemed to smile. "Milly fits you, Mommy!"

Milly... Camille... it's similar. She said to Krys. She looked to jack and smiled a little, then shrugged. She'd eat whatever he wanted to eat.

She picked up the notebook again and flipped to a new piece of paper.

How did you meet your wife?

Jack smiled just a little, "Uh... we were both at the festival of the falcons... somehow we weren't thinking and ran into a cage and a whole bunch of birds got loose... so we ran and ended up hiding underneath this willow tree, it was so thick and no one could see us. So a month later we got married and along came Krys after that..." Jack grinned.

So he did remember. A tear ran down her face and she quickly wiped it away before writing again.

She must have been quite the catch if you only waited a month. Where was she from? Was she... a princess, or just a farmer's daughter? I'm curious about her.

"She was a princess, I'm almost certain if anyone had any say we would have been forbidden to be together. But we just... jumped into things, we were spontaneous. Krys was the best thing that ever happened to us... she was the best mother." Jack smiled fondly, "Except... at one point her personality and memories seemed off... it was strange. She died so suddenly that it almost seemed like... it was unreal."

That must have been hard for you and Krys. Camille wrote sadly. At least... he had memories of her. He thought it was Uli, but it was really her. That meant Uli wasn't strong enough to erase his memory or her... she just sealed her name away and made herself look like Camille so he'd never suspect.

It's better to have loved and lost though... right?