Chapter 10: The Silver-Bound Soul

Elliott was accustomed to his old version following him. He liked to see that… sometimes. But right now? Not so much. He wanted to punch the window, free him, and finally talk to him. Inside those tinted castle windows, it looked like he was suffering. Because he was… different from his dreams. Now, he still had long white hair just above his waist looking grayish more than white, and it had stuck to various parts of his body. His eyes were green once, Elliott was sure, though they looked dull and teary, desperate. He never heard what he was saying, just speculation. Face to face in the window, he was sure the words were his name: “Elliott.”

While Mrs. Mallory was tailoring and measuring him, he stared at his face. The reflection looked relieved that he finally caught Elliott’s attention. Because of the little kid he was, Elliott was trying his best to ignore the big, gloomy guy banging and giving his best to approach him at every chance he got. Elliott didn't say a word to Laima nor Iselda. No one knew about the guy he was seeing behind the mirrors. That was the real reason he was so unwilling to give up on his mirrors. They held truths or mysteries. Sometimes it looked pretty scary to him, but other times it… was… fun… He never thought of communicating with him, but in this pretty boring tailoring process, he was tinkering with the idea.

His face must have taken on a bewildered expression of deep thought, for Laima, already visibly worried, approached Elliott without interrupting the tailor's work. “What’s wrong, little guy? Still on becoming a prince stuff?”

Abruptly, Elliott’s train of thought came to a stop. Irritated, he shouted, “I am STILL BORED!”

Laima was taken aback by how weird Elliott was acting today. She got that the tailor stuff was boring, but he shouldn't have been acting out like this. “Okay.” She put both of her hands in the air as if she was surrendering. “Um… Not gonna bother you again, My Prince.” She mockingly saluted him and left him alone, rolling her eyes after. Elliott did feel bad shouting at his savior, but the reflection was most important now.

The tailoring took more than three hours at least. In the end, Elliott was slouching on one of the luxury sofas; pink, velvet, and soft. Everyone had left the ballroom except for Iselda and Mrs. Mallory. Iselda was concerned about her wedding gown, which looked too fluffy and pink for Elliott’s taste, talking nonstop to the tailor so they could fix some non-existent problem on it. The wedding would be held in this room tomorrow at noon, and he would be crowned as a Prince.

“Uggghhh.” Elliott began to sink even deeper into the sofa he was sitting on. The reflection on the window was gone. He needed to know who he was. Maybe he wouldn't dwell on the prince thing if he distracted himself with the reflection. With another lengthy sigh, he rose up and dragged himself to his room, bidding Iselda a farewell before it.

When he reached his room, darkened by the lights outside, he looked around to see if the reflection guy was still in the windows. But, unfortunately for him, there was no sight of him anywhere. Elliott reached his cabinet containing the mirror and the flower, as well as the ring, which is still a surprise how he even manages to hide it so well even from the narrator themselves. He pocketed the ring, took the flower in his right hand, and wrapped his fingers on the handle of the mirror with his other.

He believed for once he could use his powers. Nobody in his periphery had used their powers before, if he did not count Iselda’s attempt to gain his trust when they first met. The powers, though, seemed tough to activate. Normally, you need to reach at least fifteen to be in control of it, as well as a critical situation for you to use it as a defense. Besides these, you wouldn't be able to use your core powers; Elliott learned that. He knew he wouldn't be able to use his powers as easily as he thought but, but a little side of him believed that he was a special boy. What kind of a normal kid sees weird, grown versions of themselves in reflections? Huh? He should be special to do that. Or, or he was going to be a prince tomorrow with his white strands everyone was afraid of. Laima found him and helped him, as did Iselda. He was both lucky and special. He believed that.

So, yes, he would try his powers to have a talk with his future self. He sat on his bed and cleared his mind to focus on the power running through his veins. 

Deep breaths.

Eyes closed. 

Deeper breaths. 

Nothing happened. 

But when he half-opened one of his eyes, he saw his future-self was looking at him in the mirror. Scared, he jumped in his place. The guy in the reflection was staring at him, his eyes crunched a little. Elliott didn't know how to talk with him. Maybe someone trapped him there. But it couldn't be; he looked like Elliott. Or he thought that just because his hair was the same color as his. The reflection certainly knew what had happened to his community, though. Right?

But he couldn't talk behind the mirror. What if Elliott told Laima to help him talk to this stranger? No, it would be no good. He shouted and angered Laima today. Iselda? Nah. No. Absolutely no way. She could throw him away from her Tunnel. Then… he is alone in this. He could do it.

He tried to talk with the reflection. “H-h-hey!” He waved his hand shakily. “Ummm… Can you talk?” He wasn't waiting for an answer, but in case, he waited for a response. The reflection brushed his hair with his hands and cleared his throat. 

Cleared his throat? Now, Elliott was scared. He could talk. HE COULD TALK! His eyes widened, mouth agape.

“You are alone, right, Elliott?” said the reflection. His voice was soft and understanding. He reminded him of the grass slowly drying in the sun after the rain. It felt like home, as if he ever had one or knew what it had looked like. The guy looked unsure of himself. Why did he never talk to Elliott before if he could speak? Elliott had been seeing him since he was placed in this room.

“Elliott?” the reflection asked, his voice barely reaching Elliott.

“Y-y-yeah, I-I am alone. Completely,” he shakily answered. He should have been the one who asked the question, but he was losing that fight from the first minute.

“Good, good.” The reflection took a deep breath. “Greaaatt. Now, Elliott, you can’t talk about me to no one. Like, I am telling you, no one. Okay, buddy?” He put his index finger up to his lips to indicate that Elliott should shut his mouth about him. Elliott just nodded. “I am Daniel. I am like, I don't know how to describe it.” He began to rub his chin with his hand as if he were tinkering with what to say next. “Hah! I am your Nature Spirit, buddy.” He clasped his hands, his eyes looking brighter in color. “I am here to guide you on your journey. Not everyone has someone like me in their life. So, consider yourself lucky.”

He snapped his fingers and pointed at Elliott from where he was, in the mirror. “You can’t talk about me because if you do…” He clicked his tongue and shook his head forcefully, indicating something terrible would happen if Elliott let that secret out. So, he would carry it to the grave. “I won't, sir. Would never.”

He didn't want to admit that he was scared of him. Because like at the ballroom, Daniel looked unkept and dirty, but now as he looked at him from the mirror on the bed, Daniel was looking quite okay, like the man he was in Elliott’s dream. “I was just busy with my… my… uumm…” He also didn't know what he should be calling Laima and Iselda. Mothers? Caretakers? Queens? “Prince stuff.”

“I get it.” He folded his arms and nodded. “But I am here. So there will be no worry after this.” He looked determined. “Oh, and Elliott, I am sorry for how I looked back then and for my insistent stalking. We, Nature Spirits, couldn't form our true selves without being acknowledged by their truthful owner. You must have seen me in your dream. That was me. Real me.” He showed himself head to toe. Indeed, he looked like the dream version of himself.

Something weird struck Elliott. “That’s why I called your name when Iselda asked,” he mumbled to himself.

“What did you say, buddy?”

“Oh. When Iselda asked my name, I-I told your name to her. I said Daniel. She told me it wasn't the name of Nature.”

“Ohh.” Daniel averted his gaze. “Not all of us have the privilege to have a Nature’s name, Elliott.” He half-smiled sadly, his eyes glistering with unshed tears. “You and I are different from most of our kind. Don’t worry. You will be a good Naturalist and a better Prince to this Tunnel.”

Elliott couldn't hide the hurt either in his face or voice. “Yes, I am sure.” He finally had the greatest opportunity to learn and develop himself, so he wasn't chewing up this one. Also, he would learn so many things about his own kind and traditions. Like how they had Nature Spirits to help people who have lost their way. He was glad that Daniel wasn't a malicious power user like Iselda’s mirror incident.

“Oh, one more thing, Elliott. You see the ring on your right?” Daniel pointed at the dark blue ring, big enough for an adult man to wear and small enough for Elliott to carry it carefully with two hands. Elliott nodded. “That is how you communicate with me. Without that ring, you can't talk to me. That's why I was shouting at you through the reflections.” He chuckled as if he was remembering some old funny memories. “Keep it close to yourself and never give it to someone else,” he warned.

Elliott eagerly nodded. “Thank you, Daniel.”

“No problem, buddy. You can tell and ask me anything, anytime and anywhere. Feel free.”

Daniel looked rather relieved. He took all of his long hair on his right side and started to braid the end of his hair. Elliott was also relieved. He smiled to himself, giggling. His life would be fantastic after this. Daniel wasn't his future self, but this was a better outcome. He now had a Nature Spirit helping his way around both being a Prince and a Naturalist.