Cursed to Hide

Deal

                "Liat!" The King's voice shook causing Amara to quickly stand and move through the crowd making a straight pathway towards the King. On her way over to Marcaus, she couldn't stop herself from pulling at the edges of her wedding dress and the veil behind her. The King noticed, patting his leg and motioning her to sit down which she hesitantly obliged.
Amara smoothed out her skirt and crossed her legs turning away from the King as his hands found her shoulders, leaning over her as he whispered something in her ear which made her cheeks sprinkle with gold.
               Jack's face flushed red with anger at this display.
               Marcaus. You will not get away with this. Amara will never be yours, even if it costs me my life; I will prevent this. I will free her from your terrible grasp. Amara is not an something to be possessed.
               The guard from earlier moved his palm into Jack's cage urging him to step on. Jack followed suit crisscrossing his legs with annoyance, sitting on the guard's hand, and crossing his arms across his chest not daring to look at his golden treasure; whose focus continued to be stolen by the King and his advances.
               Jack sucked in a breath through his teeth, biting his tongue, trying to fight every muscle in his body from confronting the King. He breathed deeply reminding himself that he needed to be patient. He needed to pick the right moment.
                The clinking of a champagne glass raised the attention of everyone in the room back towards the stage, "Everyone I am pleased to announce our esteemed guest, Jack the Traitorous Giant Regicide." Jack was raised in the air receiving at first malicious glances until they shifted to confusion eyebrow scrunches. A young man's voice from the crowd broke out (possibly one of the guard's friends).
"That's not the traitor that's a short green man, ha! You've got yourself a leprechaun there Marcuas." The audience laughed heartily though they all stuttered into silence as the King looked at them displeased; continuing to stroke the shoulders of his bride who seemed completely blank from all expression.
                 The guard cleared his throat, "No! This is not a leprechaun. This is our traitor." The guard looked down at the little man, than back at the crowd who all blinked slowly not believing the guard, "I'm serious! I know its hard to believe, but it is him."
                "Oh, yeah prove it." A daring old woman mentioned raising her golden cane as the rest of the audience nodded with a few blurring out a chant for him to ptivid evidence. The Guard nervously looked at the King who only nodded at him continuing to pressure Amara to tempt him with her metallic kiss.
                The guard poked Jack in his ribs as he whispered, "Go on say something that will prove to them, that you are Jack. Turn invisible or something." Jack's eyes turned upward at him as he puckered his lips returning to his French accent, "How can I do that? I don't have my manteau." He patted the sides of his pants. The guard rolled his eyes as he moved into his pocket pulling out a translucent fabric draping it over Jack.
                Jack immediately turned invisible releasing awestruck expressions from the audience. The guard grinned obviously needing to boost his ego, "As you can see the traitor is...Hah!" The guard stopped itching his beard, then itching his back as he felt something prickle around him. The guard giggled falling to his knees as he clutched his belly as he fell to the ground. A sudden whip of air passed through the crowd until stopping abruptly at the King's feet. Though the breeze snapped from its focus as a firm fist jolted around the invisible figure's neck raising.
Marcaus pushed Amara from his lap as he stood from his throne as he used his other hand to pull the fabric back from the figure revealing: a green dwarf that had grown to the size of a Giant child. King Marcaus grinned from ear to ear watching Jack's hands fiddling around his fist trying to loosen his grip. "Why didn't you grow bigger before? This is much more enjoyable watching you struggle?"
               "Let Amara go! I don't know the kind of spell you have put over her. But she's not yours she's a person...and I know she doesn't love you." Jack gasped for breath as the King's hand tightened around his throat, "She loves me now, she took my love potion. We are bonded both soul and mind, whatever she feels and thinks I do as well. So, I implore you to return to the stage, and resume with your execution; unless you want to cause my Queen harm."
               Jack huffed into submission, focusing on the King's slimy hair that was imprinted with a golden crown, matching Amara's; Jack forced himself to swallow the saliva he had building in his throat, "Fine."
              The King's hand released Jack's stumpy form causing him to collapse; Jack dared to look at Amara. Her globes were wide and her eyebrows were thinly pierced, though there was a softness in her lips presented a curious fascination with his frame.
             Before the King could have a chance to stop him Jack grabbed Amara's hand pulling her through the crowd and onto the stage; she willingly allowed herself to be led; Jack positioned himself in front of her losing the cloak from his shoulders allowing it puddle to the floor.
           The guards moved to surround him, though the King raised his hand, "Leave him be. Let him have his last words. I promised the traitor that." They nodded, loosening their hold around their weapons. Amara gazed into the crowd and back at the King before she felt a soft pressure pinch the cuff of her lace sleeve; tugging her down to her knees to the face of a strange green creature.
           Jack found his hand moving over his treasure's cheek, stroking the silver vines as his other hand moved to her shoulder, "Amara, do you remember me?"
           "Whose Amara?" He blinked his eyes from moisture as he forced his hands to remain.
           "You...your name is Amara. I called you that because I want you to always be in my life. I wanted you to last forever...as I hope my mother would." Jack paused momentarily, "Amara, we're friends or at least we were once and, I...looked different than when you first met me, ha! I wasn't green."
           "Then what were you?"
             Jack bit his lip forcing him to speak his truth, "I was a selfish boy and I made a huge mistake by leaving you here with a monster." Jack sighed roughly as he moved his hands to her arms bringing them in front of him, "Amara you never deserved this life, you were once a princess and this Kingdom was yours. And it still can be. You are their rightful ruler not that pretender on that throne. You are their rightful Queen and it is time to take charge of who you are. You don't have to answer to anyone especially not him."
              "Even with a love potion, I can see in your eyes that you don't love him." She blinked back at him shocked shaking her head, "That's not true, I lo-," Her words died in her throat as there was a shift in hues deep her eyes fighting her lips from saying the words. Jack stroked her fingers, "It's okay, take your time."
             Amara's eyes rose, "Who are you?"
             Jack sadly smiled, bending his head to his feet, "My name is Jack, my princess. And in your Kingdom, I am a murderer and a robber. I attempted to kidnap you and trespass your borderlines. I am vain, stubborn, and...I'm a bit of a narcissist." Jack hesitantly responded as he heard the snickering of his friends below him. "I am loyal and brave, and Amara you have taught me the value of empathy."
            "I never quite knew what kindness was, though I often regarded it as a sign of weakness. However, I found a much deeper intimate reason why most people do it, for the ability to be understood. And I wish I could have been more empathic towards you like you were for me."
            Amara's lips rounded with a question.
           "Amara, you are kind, brave, loyal, and are the most beautiful thing I have ever been blessed to be seen by. As much as everyone likes to assume I'm a prince, I am not. I pushed you away because I knew a stable boy like me could never be with a princess like you. How could I offer you less, than the life you've grown accustomed to?"
           "He's right, Liat. Surprisingly." The King's voice erupted from their conversation, "How could he ever maintain the amount of riches I have given you; each one never stolen and each one perfectly designed with you in mind." Something in Amara's eyes shifted much slower than before as she let go of one of Jack's hands, standing to face her husband, "What does Liat mean?"
             The ballroom remained still waiting for the King to respond. A single child could be heard in between as he tugged on his mother's gown asking her if he could have more food. The mother's answer couldn't be heard as the King finally spoke, "It means you are mine and belong to me alone." Amara's body shook with unease as she tightened her grip around Jack's hand, "Why would you call me that?" King Marcaus's persona seemed to shift to someone kinder, "So, you would never forget how much I love you." He smiled with wide teeth extending his arms, though they immediately dropped at Amara's response, "What am I to you, besides your wife?"
             "You are a woman to be adored, divinely worshiped; to be treated above all people. You were meant to be on the arm of a man who can give you anything you want without delay. And I know I am the man that can provide, no one else could measure to me."
              "So, you are my captor." Marcus blinked back with surprise, "Oh no, trinket I would never trap you." She sighed in a deep breath, angling her words sharply at him, not wishing to be ignored.
              "Will you give me a choice?"
                Marcuas words became dark, "It depends on what you choose."
                Amara's eyes squinted downwards looking between Jack and Marcaus a look of confusion coming over her features as she looked deep into their eyes trying to understand their intentions, "I have memories of you, but they don't...you aren't the man I remember." Amara glanced down at Jack as she willingly fell to her knees bringing her hand up to his cheek with Jack immediately grasping it as he tenderly moved his lips to the inside of her palm causing a smile to appear brightly over her face. "Jack. I believe you are the man I love."
                 Jack moved away from her palm his eyes fixating on his golden treasure, "You do?"
                "Yes. Marcaus's face is the one I can recall from my past, but the gentleness of your touch, the sound of your voice, and that admiration in your eye. Is far more than I know my King could ever give me." Amara's eyes traced from Jack's lower lip to his aqua eyes which seemed to swim unevenly as he shockingly found her moving close to him as she whispered, "I want to belong to you."
                Jack's heart sped in his chest as her lips touched his and he couldn't resist pulling himself deeper into their kiss. A wave of fog and dark oil spiraled around them shifting to a fair shade of white glowing with a heavenly blue light. As the magic around them drifted two people remained: a young woman with brown skin and long dark curls, that were gently touched by the high sun; and a man with pale skin with light freckles on his nose his hair was blond and was spirled messily upward. The couple stood hand in hand their lips remained pressing into the other until Jack's eyes popped open taking in the appearance of Amara. He broke their connection his hand coming into her hair.
                "Jack! You're a-,"
                "Enough about me, look at you!" Jack held out a strand of her hair, releasing a shocked, joyful expression, "Hah! It's real?! HAH!! It's real Jack! I'm real! Look at me!" Amara latched her arms around Jack's neck as he spun her around in his arms before a voice shook them to an abrupt halt.
                "Guards! Seize my wife and the traitor!" The guards advanced towards the stage, though they were abruptly stopped by Merlin, Hans, and Arthur each gripping their weapons of origin. A recognition rose through the troop of soldiers, "You're part of the F7."
                "That we are," Arthur announced proudly, and with total astonishment all the guards lowered their weapons, bowing their knees. "What are you doing?! Pick up your weapons and fight!" The King stood from his throne pursuing his way forward nudging his guards to stand as he made a full-on pursuit towards them. Merlin held up a bolt of electricity, "If you come any closer, I will shock you."
                The King grinned grasping Merlin's hand, absorbing the magic into his skin creating a shocking light within his eye, "You're magic does not influence me." The soldiers turned to each other before they, quickly, scooped up their weapons defensively raising them back toward the the trio.
               "Alright, now what!" Arthur spoke his sword remaining drawn. "Yes, what's the plan because whatever that was. Was not what I was told would happen." Hans responded holding his shield up higher. Merlin glanced at Jack who protectively kept his arm around Amara, barely covering her with his cloak, "It doesn't matter, we came here to fight and we shall. We'll ensure that Fairytale Island never has to suffer at the hands of this tyrant." Merlin pulled out a few more talismans, aiming them at the guards.
                "Wait!" Amara moved from the inside of Jack's cloak, "Amara?", Jack reached for her though she wouldn't allow it as she raised her hands above receiving everyone's attention, "People of the Kingdom of the Golden City of Ray. The man before you is not your true ruler; I am." The room rose with surprise; the elderly woman from before raised her voice, "Prove it!" Amara cleared her voice. "My name is Princess Marigold and my father is King Midas. He was deceived by Marcaus's great-grandfather, Rumpelstiltskin who remains serving his family after all these years. We were cursed for my father's transgression and stolen from our homes to live under a false King for over a century. Well, no longer."
                  Amara pulled her wedding veil from her hair throwing it to the ground and stomping on the fabric with her white heels before flicking them off her feet as they hit the King's face.
                   "Liat!" His eyes blared into her eyes trying to control her gestures, "You have no power over me and you will no longer have authority over my people." She glanced away from the King's face whose features continued to flush with rage, "I protected you from the greed of the world. You owe me your life, Liat! And so, does everyone else here." Marcaus grappled the collar of a nearby guard spitting saliva over his face, "My Queen has done nothing for you, other than become a temptress. I gave you a home; I led you with honor, and I treated you to grand meals-,"
                 "-That was not yours." Jack's voice shouted at him latching his hand on Amara's shoulder, "You called us humans greedy, when in fact you stole from us first.'
                "You have no right to speak, boy. You killed my father and you would have left with Liat if he allowed. And I know for a fact, that she would have never returned for her precious people if you weren't standing by her side." Marcaus flicked something silver from his belt, flying past Amara's shoulder and hitting Jack in the middle of his chest.
                  "Jack!" Amara fell to Jack's side and at the same time Arthur, Merlin, and Hans loosened their stance sending the King running up the stage and grasping Amara flinging her over her shoulder, "No! Let me go." Amara kicked and screamed against Marcau's chest. "If it takes his death for you and my Kingdom to remain then so be it. Besides I wanted to do it myself anyway." Amara watched in horror as the King stood over Jack's body steeping on the hilt of the blade and pressing it through his ribs to the back of the stage with a thump. Jack clutched the hilt of the dagger trying to stop its pursuit though it was hopeless, "Any more last words, boy?"
                Jack's eyes became bloodshot, though he managed to gesture with his hand for the King to come closer so he could hear him, "How dare you devoid Amara from having her own life."
                "You keep forgetting she belongs to - Clang!" A large metal pan hit the back of the King's head sending him to his knees, Hans stood over him a look of pride present as Marcaus face-planted against the stage. He swung the pan around his index finger, "And that my friends is how all Giant's come to their knees." Amara struggled below the giant as she held out her hands, "Help, me up please!" Arthur lifted Marcaus with ease as Amara scrambled from underneath him making her way to Jack's side as he breathed heavily his throat gulping back globes of bloody saliva. "Jack?"
                   A fine tear was present on his chest as blood slowly began to pool drifting the purple of his shirt to a darker hue. Jack's words were soft causing Amara to lean over him, "I told myself that I would die for you, but I don't want to die, Amara," Jack coughed, "I don't want to leave my brother and I don't want to leave my friends." Jack's lips twinged.
                 Amara found her golden tears tracing around Jack's limp form as she grasped onto him her fingers shaking with disbelief, "No. You're not going to die for me. You're not going to leave anyone behind. Is anyone here a doctor, he's losing a lot of blood!" Amara glanced around at her people no one made a move, everyone was completely shocked they weren't sure what to think. There King had been dethroned and there entire existence was changed.
"Please! Someone! I need help." Hans, Merlin, and Arthur looked at each other before slowly surrounding Jack their hands becoming clasped as they watched over Amara's shoulder; offering the best support they could.
                     "You can't just stand there! You can do something. I know you can!"
                      "Amara...Marigold." Jack's speech softened, placing his hand in her palm, "They don't know how to address a wound." Jack seemed relaxed despite the obvious shaking of his voice; His hands and legs no longer shook with unease, though the movement of his eyes, shaking, truly presented his fear.
                     "Do you know how? I can do it. Just tell me what you need and I'll do it." Tears dripped from Jack's eyes, gazing upward from the stage, "I'm going to die. I'm going to die, just as I deserved." Jack closed his eyes trying to find acceptance, "Amara when you see Jack again, tell him I'm sorry for what happened to Mother. Please let him know he doesn't have to be angry with me anymore." Amara's voice rose, "You can tell him yourself! You will not die like this!" She remained holding his hand as her words cut through the ballroom, "Rumpelstiltskin! Rumpelstiltskin!! Where are you?!"
                     "I'm right here, my princess." The crooked stilt man appeared before Amara's eyes dripping with dark oil as he bowed before her.
                     "Enough with the formalities; fix this!" Amara gestured to Jack. Rumplestilskin smiled his teeth fleshing with puffy gums, "I can't raise people back from the dead."
                    "He's not." Amara's words died in her throat as she felt the breath of Jack's breath completely evaporate, leaving a bloody host behind, "No! Wake up, please wake up! Come on Jack. Please!" She moved her hand from his head to his face noticing the way his body limply moved at her touch, she huffed heavily, "Life. It's so fleeting. In one moment they are here and the next they are not." The woman's eyes skyrocketed with fury, moving herself from Jack to grapple the man to the floor, "Except for you! You have managed to surpass death, you look the same as when I first saw your cruel despicable face a century ago! I know you can do it and you will do it!"
                        The stilt man seemed to grow weaker as she shackled him against the stage, "I will not make deals with a traitor."
                      "Then make a deal with me, your princess."
                       "What do you have that you could possibly give me?"
                        Amara looked at the man her golden globes blazing the golden aspects of her eyes to liquid as they swished with efficiency, "The only reason you remained alive all these years was my curse. If you bring Jack back to life, you can have my body as a vessel for your magic for the remaining years Jack has to live."
                       "That's only an extra eighty years."
                      Amara's fists grappled him closer as her jaw locked into a grimace. She was done being controlled, "Would you rather die than or now?"
                        Rumplstlskin looked at his form slowly melting through the woman's fingers; he thought about this offer bringing his bent fingers around his chin, "Will my grandson and I be punished for our crimes if I take this deal?"
                      "If you save him and never to return to torment my people or myself. You will not be punished; you and Marcaus can live how you please. Just as long as you stay out of mine."
                      The stilt man's smile dripped, "You have yourself a deal." Amara released her grip returning to Jack, "I know you are going to be terribly upset with me for doing this, but I know you'll forgive me." Amara traced her finger over Jack's jawline as she came close kissing him for the final time with her human lips. She could taste butterscotch and feel the grooves of his teeth as she breathed deeply into him. An oily black darkness returned around her as she pulled from Jack spirling his fluffy blond hair between her fingers.
                      It was awful to know she would not be able to feel, taste, or smell anything afterward, but Amara knew as long as she was with him and as long as she remembered what it was like to be human she knew she would be alright.
                      "I curse you love sick, Marigold. You will remain a golden harpist until your dear love dies in his own time or until I willingly remove your curse." An oily smoke wrapped around Amara grasping onto her limbs and imprinting into her veins a golden light that entrapped her in a breathless body, that some would say was devoid of a soul. As the mist cleared she was once more left in her golden state with Rumpelstiltskin and Marcaus nowhere to be found.
                     The ballroom had shifted leaving them and the remaining of her subjects in the vast green forest just outside of Risky Rock. Everyone had reverted to a normal human size including Merlin, Hans, and Arthur who stood amazingly confused at how they had gotten from the giant castle to here. Amara looked upward into the sky not noticing the huge clouds that took over the west, there was nothing as though the Kingdom of the Golden City of Ray had never existed. A coughing sound shook her thoughts.
                     "Jack!" Amara fell to her knees eyeing the blade that had been ripped from his chest and placed into hers. She pulled it out with ease acknowledging the mark it had made; brushing back her hair from her eye as she watched him become conscious his eyes flittered open. However, instead of joyful surprise that he was alive, he was instantly alarmed as he stroked Amara's face with his thumb. "What happened? Why aren't you human? What did you do?!"
                    "I made a deal with Rumplstliskin."
                      "No. Why would you do that?" Amara touched her forehead to Jack's as he leaned upward by his elbows, "Because I love you." She smiled though Jack did not return it. His features remained plastered with discouragement. "Don't look at me like that. It isn't all that bad."
                    "It's not fair. You should be able to live your life. You shouldn't have done this for me."
Amara somberly giggled, "Nothing in life is fair, you taught me that. At least I can still live my life. Besides, it doesn't matter what I am or look like, I'm still me. Unless you're trying to say that you no longer care for me."
                     "No, of course not. I only wish-." His words caught in his throat as Amara gently kissed his lips stopping him, "I have no regrets. I couldn't live my life without you in it."
                     Jack finally smiled sitting more upward as he tenderly returned her affection. The guests from the ballroom and the trio of Princes stood around them for an instant before Merlin took charge escorting everyone upward towards Risky Rock.
                     "Alright everyone nothing to see here. Please follow me, up to Risky Rock we have refreshments and we'll answer all the questions you most definitely have."
                      Arthur joined in, "Yes. What he said." Hans rolled his eyes before he shrugged looking back at Jack and Amara, "Awe, the things we do for friends."