The True Story Of The Original Witch

Chapter 13: The Light I Demand

"Clara... how did you get here?" I asked.

"Magic, of course," she replied. Her face was cold and stony, the love in her eyes that she once had for me now gone.

The feeling was mutual. "Nice dress. Someone's moved up in the world. Unless you decided to go with that 'fairy godmother' shtick. That I made up for you."

"I am a fairy godmother. That's the title I chose. Julia chose something, too."

"Julia? Now that's a name I haven't heard in a while. So she's still talking to you, but not me?" I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. It's not like she matters anymore. I think I've made it clear that I've cut you both from my life."

"I know that," she said, tucking what I assumed was a wand into her sleeve. "Julia and I are good witches. Even Julia is at least a more neutral sort. But you... you're just evil."

I leaned in closer. "So what if I am? You say the darkness is corrupting me, but I like it," I leaned back. "And so does Joseph."

"Again with the prince," she said. "Joseph is just as drunk on the darkness as you. Without your powers, or Beau's legacy, he may not have given you a second look."

Clara approached me slowly, now looking down at Briar Rose. "And now look at what you've done. You've destroyed any sliver of light left in your heart. It's all just... darkness." She looked disgusted.

For some reason, that really hit me. Not her words, but her face. I'd never seen Clara look disgusted, let alone at me. But I had seen that face before; at the ball, when my hand was exposed. I knew that kind of stare, the fear that comes with seeing the ugliness of my hand. But Clara, Clara never looked at me like that. She saw what was inside. But now, all she saw was darkness. To her, I was just as disgusting as my hands.

"Maybe it's mostly darkness, but you're forgetting something," I waved my hand a bit in the air and summoned the door back. It swung open, and Joseph stepped into the room, his eyes instantly focusing on Clara. "I do have a little light left. Joseph and I, we have true love. That's light."

Joseph came up behind me and he wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned back into him, closing my eyes with a sense of rapture. "I suggest you leave us alone, woman. Clearly, you have magic as well, but it's nothing compared to Elise."

"Your highness, do you not recognize me?" She asked.

"I do. I met you in the garden at the ball. You were Elise's friend. That is the reason why I'm allowing you a chance to leave, rather than just killing you outright."

I got out of Joseph's grip and turned back to him. "She's no friend of mine anymore. Feel free."

I looked back at her with a smirk, my eyebrows curled downwards. Joseph smiled in the same way and drew a dagger from inside his shirt. "With pleasure."

He charged towards Clara, but she quickly retrieved her wand from her sleeve and pointed it in front of her. Joseph ran straight into an invisible wall. A shield. He staggered back, but regained his footing and tried to lunge again, the dagger still bumping into the wall. He gave up after a few more tries, steppin back.

"Someone's been practicing," I said.

"I've had time. And so have you."

I sighed and gave an exaggerated shrug. "So. What exactly did you come here to do? Lecture me? Because there's nothing you can really do here."

"Actually, I came to rectify this situation. I'm not here for you. For once. I'm here to help wake Briar Rose." She turned back to the bed, gently brushing the hair out of the princess's face.