CURSED: FROM THE BEGINNING [D.M]

-(59) our new queen

ZILLIAH steps out of the hut with Draco, having regained control over her magic. There she finds three people, awaiting her arrival.

"I'm Theseus Price", a tall, lean boy, well built, with brown curly hair and brown eyes introduces himself to her, extending his hand. And she has never seen him before in her whole life. Not even once. But it's so hard to miss that face. The same face that haunts her in her nightmares.

Chills travel down her spine as she shakes his hand. "I'm Zilliah Em-", she stops mid-word, remembering she doesn't have to lie any longer. "Auclair. I'm Zilliah Auclair." There's a sort of freedom and dread that comes with it.

"This is my grandmother, the oldest witch here", Theseus says as an old lady with almost the same appearance steps up to her. And gods, does she feel like
throwing up because this is getting too much for her.

"Hello darling", her voice is soft, careful. "I'm Mira Price. Everyone here calls me Nana Price." She smiles warmly, reaching her hands out and placing them on Zilliah's shoulders. "Your mother had left me and my grandson in charge of the things here, you know, as she was always away."

"She wasn't here?", Zilliah asks, confused. Because she had always assumed her mother gave more importance to her duties than to her own child. But then she remembers what she had seen. The Elixir.

"No, my child", she replies, heaving a sigh and casting her eyes down onto the ground. "Your mother was a good woman. A good queen. But now.."

Zilliah doesn't want her to complete that sentence. "Who are you?", she asks the girl standing next to them.

"I'm Layla Cruz", she says, her curls and her ocean blue eyes giving her a fierce look, her skin glazing in the sun.

"She's one of our best warriors", Theseus says, smiling at her.

There's a blush that finds it's way into Layla's cheeks.

"You have a lot to learn", Mira continues. "The people. Our ways. You shall gradually learn it all with Theseus and Layla's help. But we cannot delay your coronation, for the throne, it cannot be empty."

Zilliah takes a step back, in surprise. Draco clutches onto her shoulders from behind lest she should trip. "Wait wait wait", she mumbles, relaxing a bit at his touch. "Coronation?"

"You're our new queen", Mira says as it is a matter of fact.

"I can't be the queen."

"You're an Auclair", Mira speaks with her warm smile again. "The only heir to the throne from your family."

"I don't know anything about you guys", Zilliah replies, worry flooding into her.

"I know", Mira says maintaining her calm composure. "That's why you'll have assistance from these two. And from me. From every single one of our people. Your people."

"I didn't agree to any of these."

Mira, Theseus and Layla laugh. "You have royal blood flowing through your veins", Layla says, her voice mocking. "That's the only agreement needed here."

"Can't it be anyone else?", asks Zilliah, desperately trying to find a way out of this. She doesn't want this new responsibility she can't even wrap her head around.

"Yes, someone else can take the throne", Theseus says, a gentle smile on his face, just like his grandmother's, "but only after your death. It'll normally be your heir. But if you don't have an heir, the power will transfer to our family. To the Price family. To my grandmother and then me and then my heir because we're the next most powerful family here."

"So why can't it just be you now?", Zilliah asks, just wanting to be done with this.

Theseus chuckles, his eyes soft yet piercing as he looks at her. "Our magic doesn't work that way. You know we derive our powers from nature, right?" Zilliah nods. "The ascension to the throne is also nature's way of retaining the magic. It cannot be broken. It should be maintained within the most powerful bloodline until the bloodline ceases to exist."

Zilliah sighs, bringing her hand to her head, her mind heating up with all this information. "Hey", Draco whispers into her ear. "It's okay, just breathe. Take it one at a time. I'm right here with you." She nods and looks at him, his silver eyes ever so reassuring.

She turns back to Theseus. "There's no other way?"

"There is."

"What is it, then?"

"Union."

"What-"

"Of me and you. Our marriage", Theseus says, his eyes glinting with an emotion that she only registers now. That's affection in his eyes. Longing. Draco's hands clutch onto her shoulders tighter as if he senses it too. "You're betrothed to me as per our lineage and magic. You are to be my wife according to our customs."

"No", Draco speaks at last, laughing a little as if this is a joke. "That is so not happening."

"It's how this works, Malfoy", Theseus looks at Draco, his eyes turning fierce, his jaw going taut. "And you have no right to interfere in it. Or to even be here , for that matter." He walks upto them, trying to grab Draco to probably oust him.

But Zilliah catches his arm before he can even touch him. "He stays as long as I do."

"But-"

"You want me here?", Zilliah looks at Theseus' with a strong glare and a fire in her that wasn't there before. "He's staying."

"He's a Malfoy", Theseus grits through his teeth.

"I don't care", Zilliah bites back. "And our union? It doesn't have to happen, right?"

Theseus' eyes turn darker, angrier. He harshly withdraws his hand and takes a step away from them. "No", his voice is cold all of a sudden. "Only if you want a co-ruler."

"And there's no law binding this union?"

"No, it's just our customs."

"Good", Zilliah mumbles. "My rule, it is then. Alone." She takes hold of Draco's hand and clutches onto him, trying to calm her nerves. "His access into this place at any time he pleases should be ensured."

"But-", Layla starts but Zilliah lifts a hand to silence her.

"It's royal order. You're ought to obey it."

Mira steps forward, her pleasant manners all gone. "An unspoken rule about the throne. To anyone who sits on it, it's always ought to be the people before themselves."

Zilliah can't help the tug of her lips as she walks upto the lady, letting go of Draco and clasping her hands at her back, her head high up in the air. "One thing about me is that I don't like playing by the rules, ma'am. Your better know that."

"You'll doom us."

"I have no reason to."

"Your existence is enough."

Zilliah should feel hurt, disrespected. But she just continues to smile at her. "Arrange for my coronation."

Mira's eyes burn into her. "Coronation shall only be arranged for later. There's something else that needs to be done now."

"And what is that?"

"Funeral", she says, her cold eyes and cold voice drilling holes inside Zilliah, that single word making her smile dissipate into thin air.

Funeral. For her mother.

For her dead mother.

-

Theseus Price and Layla Cruz's images can be found in the 'character's and aesthetics' part of the story.