Cursed

Chapter 2

Eva's POV
I didn't have a chance to rest when I got there. It was straight to the throne room with my father, still holding onto me tightly. Honestly, I feel like I would've been too exhausted to walk there, I'm grateful he was there to carry me.

"So that's where you were..." An older woman said, sitting on a throne. Her silvery hair resembled my father's, except it was long and flowing, nice and silky smooth. "I can only assume that this abomination is the daughter you set out to find."

"Don't talk about her that way. Listen, chances are, you killed her mother in that fire you wanted so badly. I couldn't let my daughter die and you know it."
"And I'm sure you're aware that the fire was supposed to kill her, I was hoping you wouldn't find out about the plans because I knew you would try to stop them. You know, all those innocent people died because you were so selfish that you could only be bothered to save your daughter."
"You're lying, some of them must've escaped."

"No one did."

Hearing that, it just confirmed for me that my old life was gone. I was still cold, it was still dark, my new life was supposed to be colourful. This wasn't colourful.

"I'm not sure what you want me to do with that," the woman sneered, pointing at me.
"I want you to let me keep her. If you do, I won't ever go against you again. I'll do what you want, I won't try and make Pures and Impures equal. I'll be on your side. She's your granddaughter, at least show some sympathy."
"Fine... you can keep the girl. Let me see her."

Carefully, dad placed me on the ground and ushered me towards the majestic woman.

"You certainly do resemble your father," she whispered, combing her fingers through my tangled lilac locks. As she placed a hand under my chin, I felt a sudden chill colder than what I was already used to. I guess my reaction was noticeable enough as she moved her hand away.

"How peculiar... what colours do you see?"
"Umm... just black and white and grey. And I'm all cold too."
"When did this happen?"
"When I had to be taken away from mum. As they took me away from her everything went cold and dark."

"Peculiar indeed, I've never heard of someone cursing themself. I've never heard of a child who could use curses. I wonder if it's got something to do with your blood..."

"Can you fix me?"

The only answer I got was a shake of her head. Dad picked me up before I could talk with the woman anymore and lead me away, glaring at her as he closed the door behind us.

The next thing that happened is something I'm still trying to forget. I couldn't believe that my father was married to another woman, and I couldn't believe that he loved her. I'm not trying to imply that she was a bad person, but he put so much effort in to try to save both of us, that I couldn't imagine him caring that deeply for another person.

"Caleb, there you are! Your mother said you had gone missing and I was so worried, I'm so glad you're back," the woman said, stopping us in the middle of a grand corridor. "Oh, who's this? She's very cute."

Nervously, I buried my face in my father's shoulder, trying desperately to not make eye contact with her. I believed for so long that if dad came, it would be me, him and mum living alone together, no one else. But with that woman in the throne room, this woman here and the multitude of people I'd seen dotted around, I could tell that my wishes weren't going to be fulfilled.

"Rose... we need to talk, okay? Come on, you can stay with us Eva," Dad says. Holding tightly onto the woman's hand, he strode down the corridor. This was the first time I fully chose to look at my surroundings.

Everything was still monochrome, but it wasn't hard to see the beauty in the corridor's grand design. Large framed paintings decorated the walls, with nameplates at the bottom of each one. Squinting my eyes, I managed to read just one name from the collection.

Despite my poverty ridden childhood, my mother did her best to teach me what she could. By age five I was able to read and write reasonably well, so as an almost seven year old, I'm sure I could have read most of the names. But I didn't until a few years later.

The name I read then was "Queen Elara."

The woman in the painting was the one on the throne. The woman in the painting was my father's mother.

My father was a prince, but strangest of all, I was a princess.

Eventually, we arrived in a room that reminded me of Uncle Maven's living room. Yet much more extravagant. If Maven's taste was similar to that of an average Pure, I couldn't even begin to fathom who would've wanted such an exaggerated design for a room.

Dad sat down on one of the seats, placing me in his lap as he smiled slightly. Then he glanced up to the woman, who was now sitting on a sofa, and sighed.

"Rose... this is my daughter, this is Eva."

I've never seen anyone look so shocked, conflicted, lost than she did that moment.

He explained everything and she listened; despite being on the brink of tears, she listened closely.

"Well I think now is the time I should tell you something too. It seems to fit. I went to the royal doctor about it, apparently I was cursed, I can't have children. So, I'll willingly accept Eva as my own. Not just for my own sake, but for yours too. You've been waiting to see her for so long, I can't take her away."

That night I slept in a large bed, blankets piled on top of me, yet it was still cold. It wasn't my first time sleeping in a proper bed, when I fell ill before, the villagers would let me stay in one of their houses to avoid things getting worse.

My life stayed the same for the next few years, dark and cold, and with a new mother. She treated me like I was her own, and I appreciated that, but I was missing my own mother more than anything else. I longed to see her, but I didn't know where I would be able to find her, or if she was even alive.

But one night, I was wandering through the palace late at night, it was past my curfew and I was supposed to be in bed, but I didn't like these rules. When I was younger, it was sometimes safer to go out at night, everyone was asleep then so no one could try to hurt me. It was a time where it was just me and my mother, strolling through the streets alone.

I walked past my father's and Rose's room, and noticed the light was on. They were talking. Arguing.

"I can't take it anymore! She's a lovely girl and all, and I really do care about her, but I don't feel like I could ever be a good mother for her. She isn't mine, and I can't ever replace the mother she grew up with."
"What are you talking about? She cares about you, I only see her smile when she's around you-"
"I know that, but it makes me feel like she's doing it to be polite. We both know that curse on her hasn't been broken by anyone here, no one can replace the warmth of her mother. Not even that boy she befriended. No one can help her now..."

I was lost, I thought I couldn't be fixed. But that implied I could be, as long as someone could replace the warmth of my mother. Immediately, I raced to the library, where I spent almost half an hour searching for a book on curses. I had seen it before, but I never thought about it until then.

Eventually, I found it. Skimming through the pages, I tried to find one that matched my condition. And there it was.

"To break the curse, someone must replace the warmth and colour they have lived without," I whispered as I read it. "No one here has done that for me. That means I have to find that person. I have to find mum again."

That's what brought me to make a life changing decision. My bag was packed, I had the book on curses, and most importantly, I had the wand that Rose gifted me. She noticed my interest in magic, and behind my grandmother's back, she gave it to me.

Carefully, I snuck through the corridors, getting to the bottom floor of the castle where I could escape through one of the windows.

I was going to find my mother.

I didn't care if they implied she's dead.

I wouldn't believe it.

I still don't.

Nova Note: Time to spam y'all with chapters