Forgotten Garden (Gay Romance / Fairy Tale)

Part II - Joy Garden

Image by JamesDeMers from Pixabay;

Steven Lewis

...

— He hanged her... Then her teardrops became a stone that is the heart of this place. When she died, most of her power was lost, but she gave some of it to me, somehow. That is why I'm like this. - Elliott had already cried a lot because of her murder, that's why he could think and speak straight. But the pain was never gone, so more teardrops fell to the ground.

— Who did that to her? Who killed my mother? - Steven looked into Elliott's eyes, afraid of the truth.

— It was her twin brother, Merle Lewis, your beloved uncle. - The prince fell to the ground, punching it. That was too much to handle, the truth was worse than he had ever imagined. He felt powerless, betrayed, furious, all at once.

— This is not fair!! - Some minutes after hearing the truth, when Steven could speak, he yelled.

— No, it is not! - Elliott said surely. - That's why we, your mother and I need you. This kingdom is slowing dying because she wants justice.

— What? Does she want revenge? And how could you know that? - Dorothy's son was confused.

— No, she doesn't want revenge, what she wants is justice. She wants him to be arrested to repent of his sins and find redemption. She always wanted to break free, to just go away and find peace. But she cannot go knowing that anytime that monster could hurt any of her children. - Elliott explained.

— Wow! - Steven didn't know how to process that information. - But how can I help? Even though I want to see justice too, I have nothing to offer.

— You are more powerful than you think. - Elliott took his hands. - You are her first son, so you have a lot of magic inside of you.

— I see, even so... I still don't get it. - The prince admitted to Elliott. - If you and I are so powerful as you say, why didn't you look for me before? We could've set her free a long time ago.

— It is complicated... - Elliott looked for a way to explain everything in a way Steven could comprehend. - Once you step outside the Joy Garden, you forget everything you lived while you were here. Your mother is the only one who might remember everything she saw hither. Once you step inside here again, you'll get your memory back, but every time you leave this place, you'll lose it over and over.

— That explains a lot. That's why my father and they never found any clues on my mother's current location, even her body. - Steven understood the truth. - Although her magic is inside of you, have you ever tried to leave?

— Yes! - Elliott answered. - Before the magic, I tried sometimes, but your mother helped me find a way in again. After the magic, we were tired of waiting, so I tried only once, and that was enough to never try it again. I got lost for a whole week in the woods. It was pure luck when I appeared up here again.

— Wow, I can't imagine how you felt when your memory returned. - Steven was afraid of how the story would be if he had not ever found a way back because of coincidence. - Despite that, how am I going to help?

— Every time it is your mother's death anniversary, some part of the Garden dies and becomes an evil piece. Howbeit, the Garden radius gets bigger. So, in about a hundred years, probably, the Kingdom will become part of here. But it will take too long. Then, we believe that you and I, with our magic connected, we will force the radius to grow, until your father's kingdom becomes part of this kingdom. - Elliott said.

— Wow, that is a lot to process. - Steven was really impressed. - Let's give it a try, I need justice. I'm totally in!

— Great! Now we just need to wait until the right day and the right time. - Elliott clarified.