The Enchancian Curse

On Our Way

Chapter 9

(Sofia POV)

I stayed still. I didn't move from my spot after he brought me in, I didn't move. I was out of ideas. My only hope now is that my family would be able to save me but even that hope was fleeting. I wasn't there to help them for the last 4 years, I wasn't there at the attack 2 years ago, I wasn't fulfilling my responsibilities as a daughter, sister, friend or princess. It is like Amber said I wasn't her real sister, I wasn't a real princess. It is better that he took me than her. It would have been worse if he took Amber, she was a princess, the heir to the throne, and she had been there when I was not.

It was better that I am the one who was taken.I was the direct descendant of Princess Alice and the sailor Joshua. It was my ancestors fault. They brought this curse on Enchancia and this already cost the life of one real Enchancian Princess , it was better that it didn't take another.

"I deserve this" I whispered to myself. I went down to my knees on the floor, "I deserve this." I cried into my lap.

I don't know when but I drifted to sleep on the floor of the suite, but a maid came into the room. She was silent as she began to help me take the gown off and put on a nightgown. She walked me over to the bed and then left the room locking the door. I was lost. Lost in my thought, lost in this palace, lost in my world. I laid awake for a long time. I let my mind drift into the darkest depths, of my thoughts but there was one lifeline I had left: Hugo. I hoped Hugo remembered to ask James for the letter. I hope he knows the truth and I hope he can be happy. I closed my eyes and continued to think about Hugo and eventually fell asleep.

Prince Cole sent the same maid to dress me in another black gown the next morning. I stayed in the room the entire day breakfast and lunch were brought to me and then Prince Cole would escort me to dinner where he would talk about how excited he was to make me, Princess Alice, his wife. He would then walk me around the maze of hallways that felt like they changed each time I walked down them and then lock me in my room. As each day passed I lost more and more hope and my lifeline was hanging on by a thread, until it was Friday. I would be married in 2 days and it didn't look like anyone was coming to save me.

(Hugo POV) 3 days ago

We continued flying for 2 days, until we landed at the end of the path. There was nothing else to indicate where Sofia was, "There has to be more to the path. There has to be something." I said frantically looking around. James landed next to me. "Hugo you need to calm down." "NO! I NEED TO FIND HER. I CAN'T LOSE HER." I screamed as I turned to him. He released my shoulder and sighed. "There was more in the letter, wasn't there?" I gave a sad nod.

I then looked over at James and saw him deep in thought. "The Which Way Bow," he said, snapping his fingers. "The what?" I turned to him. He then took Sofia's bag off my shoulder and began digging through it. He pulled out a purple bow and an arrow. He pulled it back and shot it straight in the air, "Princess Sofia" he said as he released it. The arrow then began spinning around before it went down into the last spot of broken earth from the vine. We then saw that the hole was big enough for us to fit through but not the horses. "We don't know how deep it is," James said. I then went to the saddle bag and tied the rope off on a broken root. "We have 200 feet of rope, let's see how close we can get." I said releasing the rope into the hole. James was hesitant, "I don't know, it's risky what might happen." "I'm going down," I said, "with or without you."

James gave a confident nod and we began climbing down until we reached the end of the rope. I looked down and saw water below us, I looked up at James and let go of the rope landing in the water. I saw the arrow and it was still going down. I dove further and further into the water following the arrow. The water came to an end and there was a section of land underneath it. I fell from the water above and landed on the ground below. I looked up and saw James coming down next to me.

The arrow began turning again until it continued going straight ahead. We began our trek in the dark and gloomy path not sure what we were going to come across. We had walked for hours and decided to stop for a moment and rest. James handed me an apple from his bag and we each took a drink of water. We rested our eyes for a moment knowing we needed to be at full strength when we faced Prince Cole.

2 days ago

We continued walking until we saw it: a gigantic, cinder block cube with vines interwoven with the walls. There was no windows, no doors no way in and no way out. At least not seen by the naked eye. The arrow began going up the walls of the cube. "Looks like we're going up," James said.

We began scaling the wall climbing on the vines that were in the walls. We reached the top of the cube and saw a break in the wall where the vines had made a hole. We jumped down and we're in the castle. Now we just had to find Sofia. We were in some sort of town setting. We were surrounded by people but they didn't seem to notice us. They were dressed in all black and when I saw their eyes they were white with a gray iris and they were glossed over.

I then overheard a conversation between to of them, "The wedding is in 3 days. We must prepare the fabric for the wedding dress." One said. "She will be a beautiful bride." I went to talk to them, "Where is Princess Sofia?" I asked hoping that my black clothes would make them respond to me. "The wedding is in 3 days. We must prepare the fabric for the wedding dress," The first one repeated. "She will be a beautiful bride," the other one spoke again. I looked over at James and he gave me a shrug. We walked aimlessly in the hallways, following the Which Way Bow, through a maze of hallways. It was no wonder Sofia wasn't able to get out of here I had no idea from what direction we came or where we were going. No one acknowledged us as we continued walking. "Hugo, we need to rest," James said. I shook my head, we had rested before on our way into this place, I was so close to Sofia and I couldn't stop now. I continued walking and he held me back. "We don't know what we are walking though and we don't know what we are going to face but, if we aren't rested we can't help Sofia" I knew he was right but I didn't want him to be. "I-I-I..." I began stuttering, "I love her." I said James looked at me, "I know. You wouldn't be here if you didn't."

1 day ago

I rested first and now was keeping watch as James rested. I looked at the arrow and it kept changing direction, Sofia was on the move. I don't know what this feeling was but I knew Sofia was somewhere nearby. I couldn't explain it, I couldn't describe it but, I knew Sofia needed me and she was close by. I got up for a moment and walked keeping James in sight. I then saw that prince, that had taken Sofia and I saw her.

She was a shell.

Her eyes were empty as she looked at the ground. Her face was blank and I just wanted to reach out and take her away but, I had to be smart. I had to let him have her now so I can keep her safe forever. I watched her walk past me and continue down a new set of the maze of hallways. We were close and tomorrow I would see her. Tomorrow we would get her out. Tomorrow I would hold her. Tomorrow she would be safe.

Tomorrow she won't be empty.