✨MAGIC✨ (a fantasy short story)

Chapter II: A New Friend

11 long years passed, and both princesses grew up. They were about the same age, so they could be friends. This was just Lostland's king plan: for Emma, his daughter, to befriend the princess and steal the Magic Crown for him.

Emma knew her father's jealousy for Magicland poured evilness in his heart. And even though he loved her very much, Emma's greatest fear was that her father was only using her to get the power and popularity he wanted. So Emma always dreaded the day the king would make her go and fool a princess she didn't know, to get a Magic Crown she could care less about. Even so, the princess did not protest nor say anything when the time came, she did what she was told, but she was very scared.

Emma found Hazel at the top of a small green hill. She was practicing magic all alone. Hazel saw Emma approaching and asked: "Hello, who are you? where did you come from?"
And Emma said: "Hi, I'm... lost, my name is Emma and I live in my family's farm but now I can't find it."
"What a pretty dress, you don't look like a farmer's daughter" said Hazel "more like a princess! but I can help you find your home, we'll go to the castle and ask my parent's help."
Emma was pretty nervous but she agreed, and so they headed towards the castle and got to talk a lot along the way.

Emma and Hazel became very good friends, they did everything together and Hazel's parents became very fond of Emma. She was seriously considering never to go home, but she knew that sooner or later she would have to return to her father with the Crown in her hands, or else he would come looking for her. Emma was terrified of that thought.

One day, the two best friends where playing near the woods when they heard the sound of horses and carriage wheels. A big black carriage appeared, and from it came out a tall man dressed in silk and large robes. It was Lostland's king. Hazel didn't know it, but she saw Emma's pale and scared face. The king said: "Come on Emma, let's go home" Then Hazel turned at Emma and asked: "Is that your dad? He's not a farmer. Are you really a princess? Did you lie to me?" But Emma didn't have time to answer for her father grabbed her arm and pulled her into the carriage and they both disappeared into the dark woods.

Hazel felt deceived and sad but also angry. Her best friend had lied to her about everything! Then she thought perhaps Emma was just trying to escape her evil father. Hazel doubted it, but there was only one way to find out.