The Cursed

Chapter Two

Everette

I see Lilura float out of the room, her dress dragging behind. It looks as if it were wax poured into her body, perfectly shaping the curves, then poured onto the ground to trail behind the candle. I collapse back in my chair. There was a glimmer of recognition, she remembered the Iris Kingdom. I saw the fear in her eyes and the confusion in her trembling lips. She was scared, but didn't know why. Anything is better than nothing. I spin my chair to face the sea. It's turquoise in the afternoon sun, the gentle waves gleaming in the light. I run a hand through my hair, causing it to look more tangled than before. I've run out of choices. The witch is my last hope. If it doesn't work- no it must work. It has to.

"My Captain, may I enter?" Alan calls from behind my door. I nod, realize he can't see me and call in response.

"Please come in. What can I do to help you?" My voice sounds tired. Alan enters the room, his vibrant red hair seems to have dulled and his bright eyes are darker.

"Lilura, she's terrified. I can't calm her down, she's pacing in her room, mumbling about butterflies," Alan rushes out. His usually composed stature has broken and he looks ruffled. I run a hand through my hair again.

"I told her we're seeing a witch in the Iris Kingdom-"

"I told you to tell me. We have to help her together." His voice seems to snap at me as he glares, revealing pointed canines.

"I know, I know. I was going to, but I'm desperate. You have to understand,-"

"Understand what? I've known her longer. I helped her before-"

"I'm sorry. I'll tell you everything from now on, but she's muttering about butterflies?"

"I- yes. I thought one of her spells, but she's screaming and scratching at her flesh. Yelling about her eyes and telling them to get off of her-"

"Did you see her?" My voice cracks. She's getting her memories back. She's remembering.

"Quickly. I went to see what was the matter at the first scream, but fled to you after." I quickly stand, knocking a large map to the ground. I step over it, rushing to Alan.

"Hurry, we must go."

"Sir, why is she screaming?"

"Have you not heard how she lost her vision?"

"But she can see?"

"Cured by the third witch I saw after-  never mind. We have to hurry before she scratches to her bone." We rush across the deck, our shoes slapping the worn woods with every step. As we pass sailors, they bow to me and Lilura's voice hums to me. "My royal Captain". I'm not her royal anything. She is my princess. I walk faster, nearly knocking a drunk man into the sea. Alan's steps carry him to Lilura quickly for his legs are long and nimble.

We teach her door, and attempt to push through the lock holding her inside, in a prison in her mind. I slam my shoulder into the wood, and it splinters under the force. Bursting into the room, I see Lilura stands wailing in the center of the room.

"Stop! The butterflies they're crawling on me! Get them off!" Her voice is hoarse as she lets another shriek pass her lips. I see blood splattered at her feet, dripping from her palms. Her hair is wild and far from the contained curls I saw moments earlier in my office. Anguished sobs break past her mouth and explode in the room. I rush to her, wrapping my arms around her, holding her back from whatever's nightmare her mind has remembered. She pushes me away, stumbling into the room, digging her fingernails down her arm, leaving bloody streaks behind.

"There's no butterflies, open your eyes," I whisper. She hears me over her anguish, and her wails fade into small sounds of fear.

"But they were here. I remember I was in a forest and they came and took my sight. Then I was here and they came again," Her voice trails off as tears gather under her eyes and stream down her pale face. I gather her into my arms, tucking her into my chest. I begin to stroke her wild curls, untangling then gently.

"They're gone. There's no more butterflies, they've flown away. You can see now," I whispers into my hair. She clenches her arms around me, pulling me tighter against her. I look down at her eyes, they're shut and seem to not be moving. I see her slowly raise her eyelids, and relief washes over her. She was worried her sight had been lost again.

"Thank you." Her voice comes out quieter than a whisper.

"You're welcome Lilura. Are you alright?" I ask, pulling her away from my chest even though I want to hold her curled against me for moons to come. I hold her by her shoulders and look into her eyes. Tears cling to her eyelashes and she blinks. They run run down her face. I run the pad of my thumb over them, brushing them away. She nods and begins to hum. The hum grows as her lips form words.

Come little children, come and follow me away.
I will lead you to a garden of shadows, where there lays your fate.
It is entwines in the wicked branches of a hanging tree.
There we will al be swinging in necklaces of rope

Come little children, I will grant your wishes and dreams and hopes.
Follow the beckoning hands into this maze of shadows.
The light chases itself into darkness, as you begin to stumble over roots that crawl into the path.

Come little children, to tie your own necklaces. The fraying pieces will save your death for eternity, but the hope of being lost will haunt you.
The man that hangs there watching us smiles. His jagged skull grinning at our hopes.

Come little children into my garden, my garden of hopes and dreams.
Here everything is broken and shattered on the ground.

Little stories in every dead seed.

Hope rises in me. The song that she would sing every night, watching the sunset, has poured out of her mouth. I glance to Lilura, she's looking up at me and shock is etched in her eyes as her eyebrows scrunch together. She shakes her head and begins to hum once again, breaking out of my grasp. She sways to her closet and places her headpiece that seems to have disappeared back on her head. The gold highlights the gold flecks in her eyes as the crystals seem to glow against her ebony hair.

"Lilura," I hesitantly start. "where do you know that song?" She spins to me. Her mouth opens and closes. She licks her crimson lips.

"I'm- I'm not sure," she stutters.

"I only wonder because it's a song sung by children of witches in the Iris Kingdom," I say deciding on truth. She sweeps past me, cloth in hand. She dips down to the blood in her floor and begins to mop it up. "You don't have to—"

"But I want to." Her voice is firm as her head is bowed, focusing on the task at hand. I hear footsteps behind me and see Alan enter the room. Even with one of the biggest rooms on the ship, it's tight with three people, one of which being a muscular guard. Alan looks at me, his eyes asking if she's alright. I give a curt nod. He approached Lilura and places a hand on her shoulder. She jumps slightly, not have hearing him enter.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, please both of you leave my to my thoughts," she demands. Alan immediately obeys, but I hesitate. The last time she was alone, she remembered and nearly tore herself apart. But she needs to process one of the most traumatic experiences she's lived, now for a second time. I duck out of the room. A short man hobbled towards me. His brown hair dotted with grey flops over his eyebrows.

"Captain-" my firstmate, Blayze starts. I cut him off.

"Get a new door for Lilura." When he doesn't move I add "Now." He obeys and limps away to gather my best men. I retreat into my office and shut the door behind me with a snap and lock it.

Shrinking into my seat, I glare out at the ocean. The waves no longer look calm, but short and choppy. Just what I need, a storm.