The Enchancian Curse

Prince Cole

Chapter 6

(Hugo POV)

I didn't know what was happening but I had to keep Sofia safe. I quickly stepped in front of her guarding her with my arm as I watched a vine wrap around the room blocking all the exits and windows trapping all of us inside. "Sofia stay behind me," I said glancing back at her. She didn't look surprised, scared or even shocked, she looked like she was anxious. Almost like she knew what was about to happen. "Sofia I am going to keep you safe but, you need to trust me. Do you know what is going on?" She still didn't speak she just put her arms on my shoulders and held on to me. All the candles in the room immediately went out. The sorcerers began trying to bring light back to the room but nothing worked. "Hugo" she whispered in my ear causing my body to become stiff, "if anything happens talk to James." I didn't understand what she meant. Before I could ask her to explain a flash of lightening came down in the middle of the room forcing us to move to the side.

A cyclone of dark green smoked swirled close to us in the center of the ballroom. I turned to Sofia and saw her wide eyed expression before watching as a dark green flame ignited in all the light fixtures. The cyclone grew bigger as we stepped farther away from the center of the room. I kept my back to the cyclone and kept watching Sofia.

A dark figure emerged in the center of the room. A man stood where the cyclone once was. He wore all black, had pale skin and dark, midnight black hair. He had a silver crown on his head and his eyes were the same dark green as the cyclone that was previously there. Sofia mumbled a name, "Prince Cole." I guess that was the man who was in the center of the room but before I could ask her to confirm. "It is so good to be back." he said stretching his arms up and leaning back. "Now I have come for my prize. Bring forth the Enchancian princesses." I looked toward Sofia and could see her breath quickening as she grabbed onto my arm. "Of so we are playing that game this millennium alright." He brought his hand into the air and lightening came out touching the top of the vine and breaking off into two one went to the middle of a crowd and the other struck down right in front of me at Sofia.

(Sofia POV)

I looked down of my dress and the pink fabric turned white. I looked at Hugo and he stared at me petrified bracing both my arms. "Sofia, please don't leave me." I could feel my eyes tearing up, "I don't want to." "Well it looks like I have two choices at my bride. Princess please come forward." I didn't move and neither did Amber. "Well no one can say I didn't try to be nice." Prince Cole spoke.

Magic surrounded me and I felt myself being carried forward. Hugo's grip was tight but the magic pulled me away. Amber and I were now in the center of the room. Amber's gown was also turned white and she was in tears but, I was trying to keep face as Prince Cole walked around the circle looking at everyone else. "Well it seems that the ancient curse is going to be fulfilled once again. My Enchancian Princess ran away from me and now I take a niece of hers as my bride once every thousand years. It appears this time it appears I have a choice tell me," He went toward Amber and but his fingers to her chin lifting her head to look him in the eyes, "What is your name my potential bride?" "A-A-Am-Amber" she stuttered. I think that is the only time I ever heard her stutter. "Very nice, very nice you are quite a beautiful princess. You remind me of my bride a thousand years ago a Princess Lilith. You could be an excellent choice." Amber was now completely in tears as he turned toward me, "And what is your nam-" he stopped mid-sentence as he looked me over, "Alice" he whispered.

He began circling around me, "My name is Sofia" I said. I stood still trying to not let him see how he was rattling me. He continued circling, "It is uncanny, you look just like her." He grabbed my face and forced me to look at him. "My beautiful Princess Alice," "Sofia" I spat. "Feisty as well, just like her" he whispered in my ear causing a shiver to escape my body. I regained my composure and spat back, "Drop dead." He smiled at me and nodded coming around the front of me toward the center. He then stood in between Amber and I grabbing both of our hands. "I have made my choice," he said with a sick grin on his face. I turned to look at everyone and I just noticed a green smoke separating the three of us from everyone else in the ballroom. I looked at Hugo and tried to give him a smile as my eyes glossed over. No tears fell but Hugo knew as he tried to make his was through the smoke. I felt my arm raise into the air and the world was silent. I turned and saw Prince Cole mouth my name and as I turned I saw Hugo trying even harder no to break through he was screaming something. I let a single tear fall and then I felt numb.

(Hugo POV)

I didn't know who that was or what was going on but I did know he need to take his hands off Sofia. I don't know what this talk about choosing a bride was but, Sofia needed to be as far away from him as possible and back in my arms. As he circled her like a predator and I could feel myself being sickened to my core. He got closer and whispered something in her ear and she was visibly shaken before she quickly spat, "Drop dead." I had a moment of pride before I remembered the danger of the situation. He stood between Amber and Sofia and grabbed both their hands. I kept trying to get closer but some type of magic was keeping me away. "I choose Princess Sofia to be my bride." He held her arm in the air and I looked in her eyes and saw a tear fall. She stopped reacting after that as he planted a quick kiss on her forehead wrapping an arm around her pulling her close. I was screaming trying to get closer, trying to save her, trying to do something.

I watched as a vine came down from the ceiling. She still wasn't reacting, her eyes closed, she opened her mouth. The vine wrapped around the Prince Cole and Sofia starting from their feet and working up their bodies as she tried to speak. Her voice was so soft and lacked something, like she was absolutely hopeless, "I'm sorry Hugo. I didn't mean to leave. Talk to Ja-" she was completely covered in the vine now. The vine then began unraveling around the room. I followed it with my eyes and as the final layer unwrapped I ran after it until it went out the window and back where it came.

I dropped to my knees as everyone and the room went silent. This wasn't supposed to happen. The night wasn't supposed to go like this. I was supposed to dance with her and then take her on a walk in the gardens. We were going to talk and laugh and enjoy each other's company. I would take her to her secret garden, get down on one knee and tell her I loved her and ask her to marry me. I pulled the box out of my jacket pocket and stared at it. I needed to know what happened, what was he talking about, where is Sofia? "What the hell just happened?" I asked out loud. I looked toward the King and Queen but they silently stared at each other. My eyes drifted toward James but he looked as numb as Sofia had, had. Finally, my eyes landed on Amber who looked stunned and heartbroken. No one responded and the anger and frustration in my voice began to rise, "WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!"