Pressure - A Wish Sequel

His Rage

"Amaya.. what did you do?" Magnifico repeated as he moved towards the glass, his eyes scanning it in horror as it slowly began to contract, returning to its smaller form, sealing Amaya within.

"I had no choice, mi rey" Her voice sounded echoey, distant, and the King shook his head, unable to believe that she'd tricked him in this way.

"Why? Why would you—"

"The Kingdom is in danger. War is on its way. I'm powerless to help anyone but you... Nothing matters more than Rosas."

"You matter more than Rosas!" Magnifico snapped, raising his voice. "You matter more than all of this. The whole Kingdom was built to protect YOU, to keep YOU safe, and you've gone and done this!" He paused before letting out a growl. "You should have told me you were doing this! There must have been another way!"

"If I'd told you, you would never have agreed..."

"Of course, I wouldn't have agreed!" He snapped again. He didn't mean to be so cross with her, but it was a lot to take in. He was free, finally, after what felt like a long time trapped in his own personal hell. The hold that the 'Forbidden Magic' had over him seemed to have left him thanks to Amaya's kiss, his own magic was returning, and he could feel it surging through his veins, growing stronger by the second. But now, his beloved, irritatingly selfless wife was trapped in his place, and his Kingdom was once again under threat. Unable to help himself, Magnifico began to pace back and forth, brushing his fingers over his face and through his unruly hair.

"For heaven's sake, Amaya, did you have to be so reckless?! What if I can't get you out? What if you're stuck in there forever?"

"I already thought of that. It was a risk I was willing to take."

"Well it's not a risk I would have been!!" A sudden rage built up within the King, a rage caused by the fear and loss of control he felt. Why did she have to be so selfless? It made being cross with her seem cruel. Frustrated, he picked up the closest thing to hand, a heavy crystal rose he had given Amaya years before, that she kept on her dressing table, and hurled it across the room, watching as it shattered into pieces. It didn't make him feel any better.

Before the situation with Asha and that damned Star, Magnifico had never doubted his own ability or his own power. Now, he was doing so for the second time. The first time, his doubt and his fear had driven him towards that book. This time, he wouldn't let his wife's sacrifice be sullied in such a way.

"You should have at least given me the choice." He growled, his blue eyes full of rage as he looked at Amaya in the mirror. She flinched slightly and his eyes softened, filling with fear and then, sorrow. The three emotions - fear, sorrow, and rage - all battled within the king, and neither of them knew which was going to win.

"I had no choice. Rosas needs you."

"Well, they should have thought about that before they turned on me, shouldn't they?" His rage was winning, and Magnifico knew that he was hoping it would. He knew it was rage that he needed right now.

Noticing the discarded letter on the ground, the King bent to pick it up, his eyes scanning the words on the page.

Naval ships. All bound for Rosas.

Now his rage had a new target. How dare anyone think they had a right to his Kingdom, just because he wasn't able to defend it. How dare anything threaten HIS people. Most of all, how dare anyone threaten HIS WIFE.

Magnifico moved towards the window, glancing out over the sea beyond the city as he crumpled the parchment in his hand in irritation. No sign of ships yet, but that didn't mean that they weren't close.

"I'm going to take a bath," he finally said, glancing towards his Queen's worried face in the glass still hung up on the wall. "and then I'll decide whether these people deserve my protection."

Amaya gave a nod, remaining silent. Magnifico pressed a finger against the glass, the way Amaya had over and over, and the Queen raised a hand, as though they could make contact through the barrier. Her eyes scanned Magnifico's face. He was dishevelled, his hair a mess of strands that fell this way and that across his forehead, but the green in his eyes had long gone, and his ice-blue hues returned, full of emotion. Her benevolent King was back, just a little angrier than before.

The scent of roses filled his senses as the steaming water washed over his form, reminding him of Amaya. She had always loved adding rose petals to their baths, all her perfumes were rose-scented. She was truly the Rose of Rosas, but now the smell just made him feel melancholy.
Trapped inside the mirror, he felt as though he had lost most of his senses. Taste and smell had all but been taken. There had been nothing to eat, he had somehow been sustained by the force of the magic itself, and there had been nothing to smell, just darkness. Touch had been limited too, beyond himself there had been nothing but the barrier to touch.

As he relaxed in the bath, cleaning away the grubby feel of the mirror, he felt his rage simmer. He knew what he was going to do, that he was going to give in and use the power he had regained to protect Rosas, but not because they deserved it. Had Amaya freed him another way, had she not trapped herself to release him, he would have taken his wife and left Rosas, leaving his citizens to save themselves. After all, they had decided that they didn't need his protection, and he no longer felt the need to protect them. He wasn't even sure that they were worthy of his protection, not after they had left him imprisoned, even celebrated his defeat.

No, only Amaya deserved his protection, and Amaya was the only one he wanted to protect. But she had given her freedom for Rosas, perhaps permanently, and he wasn't going to let her sacrifice be in vain. He would defend Rosas, and then, he would take it back.

"I'll do what I can," he sighed as he looked at those beautiful hazel eyes in the glass. He looked like his old self now, his image as perfect as it had always been. Amaya felt a deep pain surge through her as their eyes met. She longed to be at his side, and now she had no idea whether she would be again, but if she had faith in anything, it was him.

"Thank you."

"They still don't deserve it.." he sighed, lifting the glass from the wall, brushing his fingers over its edges as he recalled the day he'd made the dreaded staff. He wished now that he'd never bothered. "But I've never denied you anything before, why start now."

Amaya was about to say something else when several loud knocks pounded against their bedroom door.

"Your Majesty?" Asha's voice called through the thick wood, panic in her tone. "We have an emergency! Can I come in?"

She had barely gotten out her question when the door opened slightly. Asha straightened up, about to take a step into the room when a large figure blocked her path.

Magnifico smirked down at the teen, the glass containing the Queen in his hand.

"Hello, Asha. Why don't you come in...?"