The Return of The Nutcracker

Chapter 8

       I was puzzled by what he said. "What do you mean?" Eric grabbed my hands and held them in his. He had a bright smile on his face. "Part of my new curse was for you not to remember that I was the prince. Alexander wanted to make sure I suffered."

Still confused, "But why make me forget? Why not just make you disappear instead?" He shook his head. It seemed like there was more to it. Eric got closer to me. "Clara... I need to ask you. Do you want to go back?" My eyes looked up at his. Deep down in my heart, I didn't. I loved my family, but things have changed. Shaking my head. "No, I really don't. But I will have nowhere else to go."

He squeezed my hands. "Once this is over, you can stay here with us. April would love to have you here." He got close to my ear. "Between you and me... I think Sam has grown a soft spot for you." I laughed a little. It was true. He didn't hate me as much since when we first met. He smiled at me. "I would love it if you stayed." Letting go of my hands, he wrapped his arms around my waist. My heart was skipping beats. "I don't want you to start treating me any different from before. Now that you know I'm a prince." He pulled me closer into his wooden body. "Do you remember what happened before you left here? It's very important that you try to remember."

My head began to hurt again. After April and Sam danced, Eric brought me up there and we danced. I remembered being so happy. A sharp pain hit me. I stepped back and held my head. Eric's hands were on my arms. "It's okay. Don't force yourself. It will come back." The pain went away. I looked up at him. It was different to see that he was the prince instead of a poor man cursed once again. Was there a reason he really wanted me to stay? "Eric do you want me to stay because..." Before I could finish, footsteps could be heard running down the tunnel. Chuck stepped into view. "We need to move now." Eric grabbed my hand as we raced down the tunnel. April and Sam were waiting for us. Chuck led us through a different tunnel. His men following behind us. Light hit us. We were outside the castle. Chuck looked around, then motioned us to follow. Eric squeezed my hand. We kept close to him. Making sure we didn't slip on any rocks. There was a wooden door outside the castle walls. Chuck used a key to unlock it. He opened it up. "You guys must hurry and find the king. I will gather my men and prepare for an attack." Eric nodded.

    April gave him a hug. "Please be careful." She whispered to him. Once we were all inside, the door locked behind us. In front of us, was a tower full of stairs that led to the top. Our eyes were all looking up. Sam looked at April. "Remind me again why you guys have a prison tower like this?"

April sighed. Eric spoke up. "Father wanted to put a prisoner who has done so much wrong to be put up here. There's a trap door for a private execution." April's eyes widened. "She knows." April looked at me, smiling. There was a loud crack, something fell from above us. Sam tossed April against the wall. Eric grabbed me and pinned me between him and the wall. We heard a loud snap, then silence before another thud came. A loud scream came from April. As Eric turned around, his eyes watered. Sam was trying to comfort April. As my eyes looked behind Eric. There was the King, with a thick rope tied around his neck. His head was cracked open on the floor. He was dead.

     I was sitting by the wall in silence. April wouldn't stop hugging her father's dead body, wailing and crying. Sam sat next to her, hands on her shoulders. His head hung low. Eric was leaning against the wall, deep in thought. Alexander killed the king. He was serious about ruling. It was all because of me. What if I just surrendered to him earlier? Would he have still have killed the king? Most likely. Something had to be done. More people were going to die. I stood up. April was slowly being pulled away. Sam helped her to her feet. Eric looked over at me, his eyes widened. I held up the key necklace. "Clara, no!" April looked at us confused. "I have to do this. If I don't, one of you could die next. I can't have that happening." My shoulders felt like I was holding in a lot of guilt.