The Cursed Queen

Regret and Move Forward

When we had finally reached the place there was a cloud of shadows encircling the castle. I stepped out of the carriage and watched as the flowers seemed to droop. Each step we took toward the place was almost equivalent to 50,000 steps; it felt like a gloomy weight on our shoulders.

We reached the square and found the patrols a mess. They were sprawled on the ground like a child would throw their toys. Blood dripped from their heavy jackets and some had even been turned to dust.

"Yemi" Tunji calls.

I twist to face him as he holds his mother gently in his arms.

"Someone did this you can feel the magic in the air can't you"

I nodded, that's why it felt so laborious to walk toward the castle. Something was trying to keep us out. We enter the palace, and see the guards lifeless on the floor. One had his arms reaching out – like he was begging for mercy.

"Why don't you blame Zevheriah, Varlene" The princess yells

" You seduced him, you couldn't get over that he chose me" a shrill voice calls.

"Not on his own will" the princess screamed

I walked towards the entrance of the throne room, the king and the other royal family members were unconscious lying on the floor.

"And you gave birth to that cursed creature

I froze, what was she talking about? Everyone knew that nobody had ever been in a relationship with the princess; she was isolated inside the palace since she was born.

"Why are you so vengeful Varlene? You kept the man, you had the child, you got your perfect little fantasy" Princess Nifemi growls as she lifts herself up.

Her eyes begin to gleam a bright yellow as she rises to her feet.

"Your dirty mutt will destroy us all" Queen Varlene yells.

She too rises and a cloud of black smoke engulfs the room. The castle walls begin to jerk at her power. I steady myself on the floor and watch as the royals exchange blows. A blast of light shoots across the room hitting the Queen. The Queen promptly pulls herself up and dozens of shadow hands reach for the Princess.

"I lost everything to bring peace, to make everyone happy Yemisi didn't deserve that- letting her go was the hardest thing I've ever had to do" Princess Nifemi cries.

I freeze – Yemisi didn't deserve that? To be abandoned by her. She had to be joking, she was my mom's best friend. As much as she had irritated me Princess Nifemi didn't need to take responsibility for me and lie. She couldn't be my mother- could she?

She shoots another ray of light decimating the shadows. She then surges upwards cornering her and setting her up for another devastating blow

" That's what you deserve, he was my first love. I planned everything with him. How dare you, you scum!" The woman screeches.

The lights in the palace begin to flicker, and the castle continues to shake. The Queen extends her sickly arms to the sky and a wave of darkness stretches at her command. She gives her arm a flick and the wall moves to swallow the Princess.

I surge towards her, I carefully scoop her up and race towards my hiding spot. Her eyes were screwed tight and black residue littered her face. I move to wipe it but she stops me and clasps my hand.

"Careful it burns your skin" She murmurs.

Both women looked defeated, But it was clear Queen Varlene was worse. She hadn't noticed her opponent had escaped and was holding her wall of darkness even to her own detriment. That type of power she's wielding isn't natural for someone who married into the Pyran royal family. While her wall was less efficient than the Kings she still managed to knock out an entire castle of Celestians- royal ones for that matter.