Pressure - A Wish Sequel

Her Promise

A gentle breeze carried through the courtyard of the castle, the setting sun leaving a slight chill in its wake. An hour earlier, the courtyard had been full of life, people vying for the Queen's attention, wanting her help in making their wishes come true in whatever way she could. Now it was almost empty, just the odd straggler lingering as Amaya made her way across the courtyard, wringing her hands, eager to be back inside.

"Your Majesty!" an over-eager young woman with blonde, braided hair and green eyes rushed towards the Queen and Amaya painted a warm smile upon her lips, despite how drained she was feeling from a full day of interacting with citizens.

"Your Majesty, I was wondering if I could speak to you about my Wish.." Amaya stopped in her tracks, listening to the younger woman for a while before placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sure I can find a way to help.. but it's getting late, come find me tomorrow" Amaya gave the woman no time to protest her response, resuming her walk back to the castle, slipping quietly through the front door.

As the heavy wood closed behind her, leaving her alone with her thoughts, Amaya let out a light sigh, taking a moment to gather herself. She was not used to being front and centre, it had never been something she'd been comfortable with. Magnifico was the showman, the charismatic King who was the centre of attention, whether he wanted to be or not, simply because he oozed charm and personality without even trying. It had been something she adored about him from the moment they met.

Amaya had been the perfect Queen for such a King. Shy and quiet, she had preferred carrying out her duties in the background, where she could observe everything and get things done. Magnifico had known of his wife's natural shyness and had taken a more prominent role so that she was never forced too far outside of her comfort zone.

Amaya had never wanted the sole monarch position she held now, it didn't suit her. Too much time around people drained her, and she had never quite understood just how demanding the citizens of Rosas were before now. The Queen was too nice, she had always ruled with kindness and her people were beginning to take advantage of that. He'd always stepped in, in the past. Any hint of his wife being exploited, and Magnifico would be there to put a stop to it.

Amaya and Magnifico had always been better as a team.

The sound of her heels echoed on the stairs as she ascended to her bedroom. The castle was eerily quiet with the servants sitting down for their evening meal in their own quarters and not busying around the rooms, but Amaya liked it quiet. She much preferred a bit of peace after a day among people.

Locking the bedroom door, her eyes fell upon the strangely shaped glass that rested upright on the window ledge, gently reflecting the light pink of the setting sun. The Queen took advantage of the last of the sunlight, lighting a few candles around the room and letting the warm glow of the flickering flames fill the space. As the candles danced in the draft created by the moving Queen, Amaya finally moved to the window to pick up the glass gently, glancing down into the blank surface as she carried it over to her dressing table.

The Queen took her time to position the glass on the stand she'd had made to hold it, making sure it was in the perfect position before she removed her crown, laying it on a silk pillow Magnifico had created for her. Gently, the Queen began to remove the pins from her hair one by one, placing them into a small crystal dish upon the dressing table. She was about halfway through unbraiding her hair when a soft voice brought a smile to her lips.

"My love?"

Amaya looked at the glass, letting out a gentle breath. He'd always enjoyed watching her take her hair down, often stepping in to do it himself. She tore her gaze away as a pang of pain hit her core. She hated seeing him trapped this way.

"Good evening, mi rey.." Amaya continued to remove all the pins and braiding from her hair until it fell in loose waves around her shoulders.

"How— how was your day?" He asked almost timidly, uncharacteristically so.

Amaya didn't enjoy the change in him, but she understood it. Weeks earlier, she had ordered guards to place the mirror in the dungeon. It had been for show, and once everyone had returned to their homes, she had brought the strange little mirror back to their bedroom, keeping him close, but she knew that the events prior had changed their dynamic, and Magnifico seemed to be overly aware that Amaya held most of the power now, even if she didn't want to.

"It was.." she sighed, rubbing her temples "draining. Oh mi rey, I never before understood what it was like for you. People just want and want and want, and I feel like every time I help them, a small part of me is chipped away because it's not enough for them. It never seems to be enough. They always want more. I'm so sorry that I never realised how it was for you.."

A look passed over her husband's face in the glass, as though Amaya had just verbalised emotions he had felt for decades but never been able to articulate to her.

"I never understood the pressure you were feeling. Not really. You must have felt like the safety of the entire kingdom rested solely on you. I'm so sorry, my love.."

"I should have told you.." his voice was sadder than Amaya had heard it in years. She could feel his regret about how things had transpired oozing in every word, or perhaps it was just a projection of her own. "I should have opened up to you, told you how I was feeling."

"I should have made a point to ask more. When it came to stroking your ego, or calming your temper, or soothing your nightmares, I had my skills. But I should have taken better care of your soul.." Amaya's fingers brushed against the cold glass. How she wished she could hold him in her arms now, cover his face with a thousand kisses.

"You were always so controlled.. I didn't understand the pressure you were feeling.."

"I didn't want to put it on you. It was my job to protect you. If I couldn't protect you, what use was I?" Magnifico looked at his wife, their eyes meeting through the glass. Even now, her heart pounded when their gazes locked. She still loved him more than she'd ever thought possible.

"You always protected me. Since the day you came into my life, you've protected me. Clearly a little too much, to the point where even I took you for granted. I'm so sorry."

"Mi Reina.. please stop apologising. I hate seeing you blame yourself this way.." Magnifico placed his hand upon the glass, beneath the finger Amaya still pressed there. In the silence and the flickering candle light, she could almost convince herself that she could feel his touch once more.

Amaya finally pulled back after a few moments, moving around the room to quickly undress, slipping on her nightgown. She'd not eaten dinner, but she wasn't particularly hungry. Her appetite since Magnifico's imprisonment had been rather hit and miss. Returning to the dressing table, the Queen picked up the glass containing her husband and moved towards the bed, laying it upon Magnifico's pillow as she did each night.

Pulling the duvet around herself, Amaya rested her head back, staring up at the ceiling. Her husband's pillow was beginning to lose his scent, his dent in the mattress was beginning to smooth out. Slowly, all the physical traces of her husband's presence were leaving her life, as much as she fought to retain them, and it felt as though a hand had wrapped around her heart, squeezing it until it broke.

"I'm so tired.." Amaya started, hearing Magnifico let out a soft breath in the glass beside her.
"Being among crowds always did make you tired."
"No, mi rey.. I'm so tired of lying in this bed without you. I can't bear it much longer." she sighed, picking up the glass and looking at her husband, brushing her index finger lightly over the image of his cheek. "I promise, I'm going to find a way to get you out of there."