The witch bride and her familiar

Chapter 3: A heavy decision

There was a gentle thud come from a rather large bed that evening within a well decorated bedroom within the palace.  Erika now lay across what was to temporarily be her bed horizontally with a withdrawn expression on her face as she stared up a the ceiling above her... today felt as though it wasn't real at all. So much had happened all at once, she had been take from her home, preparing to be killed for her use of magic- met with the royal family that had been persecuting her kind for years- only to find that the only family member there was far different from the cutthroat ruler she imagined... then there was this whole ordeal with the curse and the fake marriage... it sounded almost as though it was some story book now she really reflected on it...

'I had a hunch you were someone I could trust Miss Hartell...'

'If you leave the palace during this time, your identity as a witch will be leaked out...'

Erika had a hard time gauging the true personality of prince Leon from her brief encounter with him... on one hand, he seemed like a totally different person from who she ever imagined-  an sincere, almost innocent type if person despite the terrifying curse that had been laid on him.  He spoke in such a sophisticated way, however he still seemed to as ordinary as her... and yet there were glimmers of a much more dark side she could see within that honest and warm smile.  Even with his friendliness, he still forced her to stay in the palace.  He still held that fierce aura around him-  she found it hard to tell what was truly an act with him or not.
"Honestly, these royals have absolutely no respect or honour at all! Blackmailing us to be here even after you had the kindness to consider their request! If I wasn't bonded to granny, I would have busted us out of here!" Mira grumbled loudly, stretching out her body by the front door of the room.
"It's fine Mira... at the very least, we weren't here to be killed right..." Erika suggested, trying to put the small cats mind at ease, though this appeared to have the opposite effect.
"The fact that, that was a step below where we are now is not a good thing!" Mira snapped at Erika crossly as Erika sighed, being unable to argue with that.  She didn't quite understand what the reason was for keeping her here in the palace... was it because they were afraid she would run away from their request? In this case was this less of a request and more something that was forced?  She turned over  to lie down normally in her bed, a troubled expression on her face.  She didn't get a chance to light a candle by her granny's grave or tell her about her day today... there were medicines that the villagers back at her home were counting on her to make... and yet she was now so far away from the small cottage she used to call her home... from her ordinary life... part of her was scared.... If she couldn't cure the prince's curse, then what would happen to her? If she turned down the prince's request would she even be allowed to leave?  She hugged the pillow next to her, her head buzzing with thoughts and anxiety... she wondered if her grandmother would ever expect such a story for her to tell that day... rather what was it that her granny would do in this situation?

"Erika...?" Mira looked back to the young girl, noticing she had become oddly quiet, only to see her huddled up in her bed, trying to do her best not to cry as she asked herself these questions.  It was to this that the cat looked back at the door, before giving up on her attempts to stubbornly try to get it open as she pattered over to Erika,  jumping up onto the bed.  "Don't worry okay?  We'll find a way out of this situation... I promise, things will turn out okay in the end..." she told the huddled up witch who didn't respond to the cat, most likely too overwhelmed to respond.  The cat looked at her sympathetically as it was with a twitch of her ear, all the lights in the room were put out. The cat didn't say much more, however she wandered up to the mound under the covers,  flopping down next to it and curling up into the ball... it was going to be okay... they could figure out what to do next come the morning time...

Ring

Erika was woken up somewhat abruptly the following morning by the sound of a small bell ringing from over at the door way. Despite that she felt somewhat refreshed, it seemed as though they had allowed her to sleep in to match her sleeping time.  She sat up from her bed half awake to look to where the sound of the bell came from, only to see two maids come in to the bedroom with a cart in front of them.
"Huh.... What is it..." Mira muttered quietly under her breath out of ear shot to the maids as she stretched as Erika looked over to them curiously... were they allowed to be in here? 
"Ah Miss Hartell right?  We are here to get you ready for the morning!" One maid with curly brunette hair and gentle blue eyes mentioned cheerfully as the maid middle aged maid with ashen blonde straight hair made into an neat bun and relaxed green eyes next to her nodded, pushing in the cart some more.
"We have your breakfast right here,  we hope it's to your liking!" The older maid noted, the two coming closer to the rather taken back Erika... it seemed as though there were allowed in here... she hadn't been made a breakfast by someone else since her grandmother had passed away...  Mira from next to her stuck up her nose, having to talk quietly so as not to be caught speaking by the palace staff.
"Hmph, if they think this can win us over, then they are going to have to try much harder!" Mira scorned as the maids lifted up the covers to the plates revealing what looked to be a rather luxurious and large breakfast, much to Erika's pleasant surprise... even Mira appeared to be a little awe inspired by the well laid out meal before her served upon expensive looking platter... before she shook her head stubbornly.
"Ah... thank you,  I don't know what to say, it looks really yummy...." Erika responded, being at a loss for words at the high end meal before her as Mira frowned.
'Don't be drawn in by food Erika! A commoners weakness is their stomach!' The cat thought over to the girl she looked after fierily, trying not to be drawn in by the tasty smells and good looking food herself.  Though this stance of hers seemed to all but change with the older maids words as she raised up another cover.
"Your thanks is plenty enough, we also have a special meal made for your pet cat here too, we hope it's to both your likings!" The maid explained, revealing a finely cooked fish to both Erika and the cat.