The Wolf's Den

Path 3: Tilli, Chapter 12

        "Tilli, stop for a moment. I want to ask you something. Sit against the nearest section of wall for me, please."

        She held her hand out to hold him as if to face her, a nod softly for him to go on.

        "What if it's not a princess I want?"

        "But princess' break curses."

        "Not all the time."

        "Wait, what do you mean?"

        "Look, not every princess can break a curse, sometimes curses have... Leeway's. Loopholes, ah... I've actually met you before, I just didn't want to say anything in front of Mr. Wolfe. We've been here before, had this conversation before, been reset before. And it keeps repeating each time. We have a chance, we lose our chance, and we get it back again because he let's us."

        "You mean it's not just my memory?"

        "Here's the problem with resetting: if you're reset and sent back to your place, in this case my pond, you remember everything and are forced to pretend until you know it's safe to say. But you... Your siblings, you, all of you forget because he send you to your apartment and you just never remember. And here's the part you're going to hate."

        "I don't want bad news, I just want to be with you. Please, don't say it."

        "I hate to say it, Tilli, but here it is: I have to leave you. If you fail, we both know you'll be reset, I'll be reset once I'm found from my hiding place---which is always different---and we'll do this song and dance all over again. You're going to find your siblings and make your final choice. If you can't decide right, you get reset and sent away from here, only to come back again, sometimes a captive and others a hero with too many flaws."

        "It's so unfair, though, I want you to come with me, Heinrich!"

        "I can't."

        "But your curse---"

        "It ends when you kiss me, Tilli. Often, we get found and I have to hide, meaning you've failed no matter what."

        Tilli closed her eyes and whimpered, a frown marrying her lips. "Then what do I do to get it right this time? I'm tired of failing."

        Without warning, Heinrich pressed a froggy kiss to her lips, one which surprised her. "I'll see you soon, Tilli," he said, hopping down from her hand and hopping away.

        Tilli stood after a moment, watching him go for a couple moments before reaching the door with three pigs drawn on it, just like her story, before opening it and stepping into the room. Whatever happened in there, she was ready for it.