Mosaic Windows

Chapter 1: Is It Safe to Have a Glass Stick for a Shish Kabob?

CW: blood, gore, descriptive pain, and death

Everyone has heard this story a million times. A man is cursed into a monster for being an asshole, a woman is forced to live with him for whatever reason. He learns his lesson, she learns to love him. Maybe some fighting and death is involved, but in the end they get together.

This story, although similar, will be very different. A man is cursed into a monster as a child for reasons that were not his fault, a man is forced to stay in his castle instead of a woman. There will be fighting, and there will be death, but will these two learn to love each other? Will the curse ever be lifted? And why was a young boy cursed into a monster? All questions will be answered in time. But for now... the question for how he was cursed will be answered.

"Your highness?" the garden boy asked, peeking his blonde head into the prince's room, bright brown eyes looking around for a moment before finding the prince.

The younger boy turned around from the mirror and gave a sheepish smile. "Hi Patton."

"What are you still doing up here? Everyone's waiting for you." Patton walked over, taking a look at the prince's outfit. He wore a dark button up shirt with ruffles, and a purple vest. He seemed to be trying to tie a ribbon around his neck.

"I'm having some trouble with this," the prince told him. "Can you help me?"

"Oh of course!" He reached over and grabbed the thin purple silk. The prince waited patiently as he looped the ribbon and tightened it. He tugged it to make sure it's even before stepping back. "You look great!"

The prince would normally be bashful, but his excitement about the day overshadowed any nervousness. He giggled happily, a giant smile stretching over his face.

Patton reached up and pushed his black hair out of his face, that was falling into his gray eyes. "I would say you should put your hair up, but we're already late! Let's go to the sun room now." He took the prince's hand and dragged him out of his room.

They went down a short hall before turning right, passing the grand staircase. A chandelier hung out past the railing, the first floor a wide open space. Above each window they passed were stained glass windows, patterns of roses or phoenix's.

It wasn't a long walk, the castle was quite small in size. They reached a double door and Patton let go of the prince's hand. He opened both doors before standing aside, letting the younger walk in.

The room was giant, the floor a white marble. There were tables and seats set up on the sides, and towards the other side of the room were the king and queen, standing in front of a giant cake and buffet. Servants were standing there as well, they were quietly talking to themselves before the doors opened.

Instead of a back wall, where the king and queen were standing in front of, there was a giant mosaic window. It was newly installed, the prince wasn't allowed in the room for a month. The sun was at the perfect level to shine the colors down against the white marble floor, a reflection of the picture that was up there.

The window is a depiction of the king and queen, and their ten year old son. Their faces were blank, but the king, with a spikey black beard, had his hand on the queen, her brown hair curled down her shoulders. The queen had her own hand on the prince's shoulder, a small circlet of gold and purple around his head.

Colors surrounded them, rainbow light shining through. It was a beautiful sight, reds and oranges in it, mixed with a few greens and blues. Glass roses were on the side, and a purple phoenix high above them, diving in a circle.

The real king and queen smiled at the prince in greeting. Their faces are sharp in the glass, but softer in real life.

The queen wore a purple dress today, fancier than her usual ones. It started with a light lilac, and the further down it went, the darker it became. There were gems sewed into it, and they looked like stars in the fabric. White and purple gems filled her crown.