Love Untouched

Witch of the Eastern Lands

            Abernathy crosses his arms and narrows his eyes at the queen. “What do you want?”

            “I heard that Bellezza is sick,” Anne says with a sympathetic smile. “I wish to see her.”

            “If you think that I’d let you anywhere near Belle, you’re mistaken,” Aber says, glaring. “Leave.”

            The queen of Fydelity clicks her tongue with distaste and removes her mask of sympathy. Her mouth forms sneer and her eyes burn with dark flames. “I’m not leaving. You cannot keep me from seeing her.” She shakes her head slowly at the fuming prince. “You are nothing but a speck of dust on my shoulder. I am a queen, a regent of a powerful land. You are barely royalty. Take me to see her, now.”

            “Amharach,” Aber turns at the sound of his mother’s voice. Milis slowly walks into the room but stops upon seeing Anne and Aber’s red faces. “What seems to be the problem?”

            Anne steps forward. “My name is Anne, Your Grace. I wish to see my cousin Bellezza.”

            Milis looks at her son and gestures to the spiral staircase. “Take her to Bellezza’s room.” Abernathy opens his mouth to protest but is silenced by his mother’s raised hand. “Show her to the room.” Her tone is firm as she says this, forcing her son to comply.

            While mumbling under his breath, Aber slowly makes his way to the stairs. He doesn’t bother to look and see if Anne is following him- a part of him hopes that she isn’t- the sound of heels on the stone floor is enough for him to know that she is right on his tail. When they reach Belle’s room, Aber is reluctant to go in. He glances at Neamh who gives him a slight nod before he opens the door and steps into the dimly lit room.

            Bellezza lies on the bed with the silk coverlet up to her chin. Her dark hair covers the pillow beneath her head giving her an enchanted look. She appears to be sleeping, her chest slowly rising and falling, but they all know that she is far from sleeping- she’s dying.

            Anne steps further into the room, earning a growl from Abernathy. She ignores the prince and stares at her enemy lying peacefully before her. Even from this distance she can sense the life draining ever so slowly from the princess. She’ll be dead in matter of days. Anne sneers at the thought and tilts her head to one side.

At this rate she’d be dead by Wednesday.

            Anne shakes her head slightly and frowns.

That’s not quick enough.

            Carefully, she peeks through her hair and sees Aber standing by the door with his arms crossed. His eyes glare daggers into the back her head. Neamh is also by the door. A protective hand is rested on her brother’s shoulder. The girl’s azure eyes are on him, making sure that he doesn’t do anything that he may regret.

            Anne smirks behind her hair and faces the dying princess once again. Focusing on Bellezza’s face, the queen of Fydelity’s thoughts turn vile and evil as she chants the curse that she has had memorized for months, waiting for the proper time to use it.

Spirits of the dark come forth, for your victim awaits your arrival.

Fill her every breath with smoke and flame

Burn her body from the inside out.

Kill her slowly, sweetly

Relish in her pain.