A Grim Fairy Tale

Chapter Eighty

Charlotte's anger toward Alastor simmered just beneath the surface as she paced the room, her heart racing. How could he think so little of her? She had always prided herself on being more than just a title, more than the expectations that accompanied her role as a princess.

"Why does he have to make everything so complicated?" She muttered in frustration. "What's wrong with him? We used to be able to talk about anything, and now he's acting so strangely."

She paused, taking a deep breath to steady herself. Leaning against the wall, she tried to gather her thoughts.

"Or maybe I'm the one acting strange. I don't know."

As Charlotte closed her eyes, she attempted to sort through the whirlwind of emotions that had erupted. Alastor had always been a source of comfort and companionship, but now everything felt different. The way he had looked at her, the way he had spoken, there was something deeper there, something she had never fully acknowledged until now.

"Why can't he just be honest?" She whispered, her voice barely audible. "Why can't I just be honest?"

The truth was, she had new feelings for him. Feelings that had quietly grown over the years, nurtured by their shared laughter, their conversations, and the way he always seemed to understand her in a way that no one else did. But now, with the weight of their unspoken words hanging heavily between them, she felt lost.

Suddenly, a knock at the door broke her thoughts.

"Charlotte?" It was Alastor. "Are you still mad at me?"

Truthfully, she wasn't, but confusion still clouded her mind.

"I know I upset you today, and I'm sorry. But I brought you something that I think might cheer you up."

Charlotte hesitated. She wanted to cling to her anger, to hold onto her frustration, but the sincerity in Alastor's tone tugged at her resolve.

"Just a minute." She called out, taking a moment to compose herself. She wiped her eyes and straightened her posture before opening the door.

But it wasn't Alastor standing on the other side. It was her beloved sister, Vagatha, smiling at her with hazel eyes full of love and relief.

"Charlotte, you're okay!" She cried.

"Vagatha!" The sisters instantly threw their arms around each other. "Oh, I thought I'd never see you again!"

Charlotte's heart swelled with joy as she embraced Vagatha, the warmth of her sister's presence washing over her like a soothing balm. The tension from her earlier confrontation with Alastor began to dissipate, replaced by the comforting familiarity of family.

"I was so worried about you!" Vagatha exclaimed, pulling back to look at Charlotte with concern etched on her face. "When I heard you had run off, I knew I had to come find you. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Charlotte replied, though the weight of her earlier emotions still lingered. "I just- Wait a minute, what do you mean 'ran off'?"

"Well, Mother told me that you ran away to find your father. That you couldn't accept that he had died. Charlotte, what were you thinking? I know you're upset about losing him, and I know how hard it is to accept something like this, believe me, I do. But to go off into the forest alone? You could have been killed if Alastor hadn't found you."

"Vagatha, I didn't run away. I was-"

Then it hit her; at some point, she would have to reveal to Vagatha that their mother had tried to have someone kill her. But how could she possibly break those news to her?