Cursed Hearts

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Sage

"Your majesty, King Nicholas would like to speak with you," Desmond, one of my guards says.

   I nod at him but before I leave my room, I stare at myself in the magic mirror.

   My long jet-black hair is perfectly coiffed and neat just the way I like it. My tight and lacy purple gown flatters my body. My hair and my dress look good as usual, but my eyes are sad.

   I turn away from the mirror, I hate looking into my own green eyes.

   "You wanted to speak with me?" I question the frail and feeble man who is my husband as I get to his room.

   "Yes, Sage. I want a divorce."

   My eyes go wide and my jaw is on the floor.

   I've barely gotten any steps in my plan accomplished.

   How am I supposed to take over this kingdom if I'm not the queen?

   Nicholas sees my horribly surprised look and continues to speak. "Sage, I know you're the one who made my daughter run away and you're not fooling anyone if you think you've stayed loyal to me. You're a harlot and a horrible stepmother. I'm done."

   I hold back my tears. I've had to deal with harsh words all my life, but these ones hurt the worst.

   My plan, the brilliant plan I've come up with to get back at my family, will never become a reality.

   "Pack your things and be gone by tomorrow," the king finishes and walks away.

   I ask Desmond to help me gather my things. He's the only guard I trust.

   I plan on being gone by tonight.

   I'm extremely embarrassed and petrified.

   How the hell did I think I could get away with sleeping with guards, huntsmen, and many other common folks? And how the hell did I think I could get away with scaring precious Princess Snow White into hiding?

   I'm such an idiot.

   "Be careful with the mirror, Desmond," I say to the guard as he's packing my things into the carriage.

   He nods and obeys my orders. "So, where are you gonna go?"

   I haven't even thought of that. "Oz, probably," I say and shake my head in disbelief. All I ever wanted as a little girl was to stay away from that cruel and wicked kingdom, but now I'm going back.

   After Desmond loads up my things into the carriage, he bows to me and it'll probably be the last time someone will.

   He leads me into the carriage and I motion for him to follow. He does so and becomes my last meaningless affair as the queen of the White Kingdom.

♡♡♡♡

From the carriage window, I stare out into the dark and windy night. I have a long journey ahead of me and I'm anxious to go back to the place I called home for the majority of my life.

   Oz is cold and eerie, my mother made it that way.

   She's the infamous Queen Crystal that inherited the kingdom of Oz. The people there call her the Snow Queen and she proved them right by creating an eternal winter. My older sisters, the twins, Calliope and Aurora, recently got to rule Oz and split the kingdom into two.

   Mom lives with Calliope, the favorite, who rules the West. I'll probably go there first, then visit Aurora in the East.

   Aurora realized that Mom had only really cared about Calliope and decided that all of the magic Mom had taught her should be used for good.

   East Oz is gorgeous. Its beautiful and lush green mountains put the snowy ones in the west to shame.

   Aurora's castle is such a sight too, with its magnificently built green glass windows and emerald walls. She used her magic to create the castle, but she gave it such an ancient feel, full of mystery and surprise.

   I love Aurora, she always made sure I felt safe and secure growing up, while Calliope and sometimes even Esme didn't care to bat an eyelid at me, their annoying little sister. Because of them, and especially Mom, I've always wanted to prove that I could be evil. That I could be better than all of them. But now, I'm proving them right by going back to Oz as a divorced ex-queen.

   Night falls and I decide to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a day full of shame and misery. I need to rest.

Lilah

The carriage ride back home went by so fast. Everyone was excited and full of joy. I mean, I did just get engaged to the love of my life, the handsome and valiant Prince Archie.

   As soon as we got home though, my parents pulled me aside.

   "Lilah, we need to speak. It's important and we should've told you sooner," Dad says with the usual plain look on his face.

   Mom has some sort of sadness in her eyes, I very rarely see it.

   "As a baby, you were cursed," she pitches in.

   What? How come they've never told me this? Why now? What curse?

   The look on my face shows everything I was just thinking. My mind is racing and I have a million questions.

   "At your birth ceremony, we invited many people from all over the kingdoms. Except for the witches of Oz, they weren't invited. And they were not happy about it," Dad starts. "Calliope was just starting to get powerful and she decided to give you a gift," he continues.

   Mom rolls her eyes.

   A gift from any of those witches in Oz isn't a true gift.

   "So a curse?" I question him.

   They both nod.

   "On your twentieth birthday, you'll prick your finger on a spinning wheel and fall into a deep sleep for one hundred years," Mom says as tears start rolling down her face.

   What? Fall asleep? For one hundred full years? Why? Why would Calliope do this? Why me?

   More questions fill my mind. I need to break the curse.

   No, I will break the curse.

   "How do I get rid of it?" I ask.

   I must know. I can't waste one hundred years sleeping while my family and friends live their lives without me. They'll be dead when I wake up.

   Dad laughs at me. "You don't."