𝔗𝔥𝔯𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔗𝔞𝔩𝔢𝔰 ✓

Part 2: Not Close to Happy Ending

I spat out sand that just happened to fly in my mouth as I brushed myself off and looked around. The very last story, I thought. I was so tired right now that the only motivation that encouraged me to keep going was the fact I'd get to see my family again, even if I failed.

Oh yeah, did I mention that I'm failing at this hero stuff? Cinderella was lucky, but by myself I didn't have much luck stopping Morgana. She had taken all the other princesses and locked them in her realm. After all my failures to stop her, I started to give up more and more. I just kept landing in stories anyways. They wouldn't get their happy endings and neither would I.

I spotted Ariel pretty quickly, naked on the beach. Eric hadn't found her yet and she looked helpless. That reminded me that this princess could neither talk nor walk without feeling immense pain.

"Hello," I said softly, coming up to her. "My name's Mina and I'm here to help you. I'll help the prince fall in love with you."

Like a fairy godmother, a voice asked in my head as I jumped. She can speak to me in my mind? Well this was new.

"More like a guardian," I corrected. I was definitely no fairy godmother. Although I was turning out to be a pretty crappy guardian as well.

That's when I noticed a handsome brown-haired man walking on the beach and waved him down like a maniac.

"Help sir!" I called as he ran over.

"What happened miss?" he asked, looking at Ariel, who had collapsed in my arms from the pain.

"I found this girl on the beach," I told him. "She hasn't said a word. I'm not sure what to do. I think she might be sick or injured."

"Let me take her," he told me. "I'll bring her to the castle and help her until I can find out where she came from."

"Let me come," I pleaded. "I feel responsible as well."

He didn't even give one thought about it before nodding his head. At least they were very trusting, I thought. Following him to the castle.

I told him that I needed to stay with Ariel, so he found a room with two beds and placed the now sleeping girl upon one. Flopping myself on the other, I sighed.

I honestly just wished this would be over. I wondered how much Lark was worrying and if my dad even noticed. He used to be so caring. As a child, my dad was my best friend, but that ended soon enough. I had changed from that experience as well, turning from a hopeful and dreaming young girl into a realistic adult who no longer saw the magic in fairy tales.

Morgana definitely had a worse childhood and I could understand exactly why she was bent on ruining the princess's happy endings. She had a rough life and this was the only way she thought she could have a happy ending. I don't think that Morgana ever felt happiness in her life and the chance to carry out her dreams she's had since she was a child was too tempting.

The difference between us was that she never really grew up. Morgana always had hope that this would be the only thing she that would make her happy. She focused on that part of her life while I geared toward the person I love: Lark. I don't know Hunter's story, but I know that she never put her focus on her own child.

Speaking of Hunter, I hadn't seen him since Cinderella and frankly, I hoped I wouldn't. 
(A/N: Don't jinx yourself XD) I still didn't trust him, especially when my life force was being sucked out of me and he didn't move a muscle.

The only reason I didn't die was because like Hunter said, Cinderella left with the prince and they rode off into the sunset, whirling me into a different world. You should have seen Prince Philip's face when he saw how weak and unstable I was. That was how Morgana easily grabbed Aurora. She was already defenseless and Philip was busy taking care of me.

The other flops were usually because I was careless, just too late, or too weak. I hadn't seen Aldus either and one teenager against a witch basically guaranteed a defeat from me. If only he'd be there to help me, I thought.

Mina?

"Oh you're up," I voiced out loud as her blue eyes settled onto me. "How are you feeling?"

My feet are getting better, she answered. I can't walk for long or they'll become too painful and I'll collapse.

"I'll make note of that," I promised. "Eric said he's expecting us for dinner, so let's head down."

Leading her down the hallway, Eric met us halfway and asked if Ariel was ok. We ended up sitting at the table. His parents were nowhere to be seen.

"They are visiting my aunt and uncle," he explained. "but my cousin is joining us. He came to visit me."

Turning around, Eric smiled and patted a tall male who sat next to him.

"This is my cousin, Eaton," he introduced, and while Ariel was more than eager to shake his hand, I could only stare at him.

He might have ink black hair similar to Prince Eric's, but I could recognize those emerald green eyes from anywhere.