Hope and Josie - A Fairytale Ending

Betrayed

Josie POV

They say moments in your life will come when you have to make a choice. Some of these choices will feel as easy as breathing. Some make it seem like you are standing on the edge of a cliff waiting for the wind to sweep you off of it and into the known. However in this moment I was even sure what this choice was. I didn't know what to do.

Hope was leaning in and there was only a short distance until our lips would be touching. All I had to do was lean in a bit more or just let Hope keep going until she reached me. Believe me when I say that it even surprised me when I leaned back and Hope nearly staggered forward when she all she met was empty air.

Hope blinked and looked away.

"I am so sorry Josie. I must have misread the situation. Totally my bad. Let's just forget this and move on. I am so sorry I took advantage of you."

"No Princess. Please don't misunderstand me....."

Hope stood up.

"No it's fine. Don't worry Josie. Your the one person I don't want to upset so sorry if I overstepped. Forgive me. Now if you will excuse me."

Hope hurried out and went back inside the castle. 

I sat back and looked up at the sky.

"What the hell have I just done? You idiot."

Hope POV

I ran and half stumbled as I made my way through the castle. I wasn't sure exactly where I was going but I knew I had to be alone to get my thoughts in line and try to calm my incredibly mixed up feelings. I knew I liked Josie and I have known that for a while. What I didn't consider was that she wouldn't like me back. Maybe I was just too proud especially considering I was never really turned down. I can't remember the last time I was.

But with Josie it was different. I could handle people not liking me that way. I was prepared and ready for it. However when Josie did, it felt like I had been hit by a horse and carriage. Left alone as while my heart shattered. I didn't know what to do in this moment and that scared me more than becoming Queen ever could.

Eventually I stopped and realised I was in my rose garden.  This place was so peaceful to me. My Father and I created it when I was young after I had a bad day and needed some uplifting. Father had took me to an empty spot of grass and told me one day that was would be an amazing flower garden where I could come to when I was worried. That all my troubles would go away as this place held a special kind of magic that only we would know about. I never really took anyone to this garden as it was mine and I never really met anyone special enough to trust.

I thought I finally did but now I wasn't so sure. 

I sat down on a bench and started tearing up a bit. The alcohol I had was wearing off. It was then I realised I still had the bottle in my hand. My whole body told me not to drink it. Just sober up and then head back to bed. I ignored it all and raised it to my lips while the bitter tasting went down the back of my throat. I took  a few more gulps as it hit me and I was pleasantly buzzed. I stood up and was about to go and check some of the flowers when I heard a noise.

I checked and saw two figures just over the the edge of one of my rose bushes. To my surprise one of them was my Mother who was talking to someone in a cloak. In that moment I was brought back to the moment on the balcony when I saw someone running across the grounds in a cloak.

Where they the same person? 

I wasn't sure but I didn't have too much time to think as something cracked into the back of my head and everything went black.

Josie POV

It took a while to leave after Hope did. Apart of me wished I would just stand here and sooner or later I would just wither away into nothing. I walked back to the party to see if Hope had returned but I wasn't surprised when I didn't see her. 

I stood over at the edge of the wall. The whole room felt like it was moving in slow motion. I couldn't get the way Hope looked after I backed away from the kiss out of my head. 

It wasn't like I didn't want to kiss the Princess. Far from it. I had been imagining ever since that day we met what it would be like to place my lips on her. How I would feel in that moment. What emotions would arise when it finally happened. It's just I didn't feel like I was worthy of the Princess. I mean she was far better than me as she was in the royal family. But now that she was to become Queen it wouldn't be fair to her to make my feelings known. She had to marry Prince Landon and I would be her servant for as long as she let me. I would just have to accept that and move on.

It would take a while but what was the alternative? Keep dwelling on it until one day it destroyed me completely and made me a broken shell. I knew the feelings I had for the Princess would leave me damaged and heartbroken but I didn't care. I would feel them for as long as I could and would regret nothing. That's what love wasn't it. Better to have loved and lossed than never to have loved at all. 

Love? Did I love the Princess? 

I guess at some point it happened but I didn't know when. Maybe the first time we met. I mean we did end up in bed that night. Or was it the time I took her back to her room when I found her drunk? Was it just now in the moment we shared?

The truth was maybe I would never know exactly when. Now I wasn't sure if it mattered as I have surely destroyed any minuscule chance I had with Hope. 

Having another look around the party, I didn't even hear Maya approach me until she coughed.

"Hey Josie. How are you doing this fine evening?"

I looked up and tried to put my best smile on.

"Fine Maya. What have you been up to?"

"Oh you know just trying to get by. I was asked to work this party but the Queen just said that they didn't need me so I could just relax. Which is great for me. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out for a bit? We hardly ever get to talk."

I nodded and smiled again.

"Sure, Maya. That would be really nice. Want to get some food?"

We went to get some as I didn't realised how hungry I was. Hanging out with Maya would also take my mind of Hope who every time I thought of her I just wanted to cry and crawl up in a corner. There was a lot of options and honestly I had worked at a few parties that I had been to now, I actually haven't tasted many of the food that they had on display. 

After trying a couple of the food though I then started to feel a bit sick. It must be because the food mixed with the mead wasn't agreeing with me but now I started to feel light-headed. Maya looked at me weird. 

"Josie. Are you okay?"

I tried shaking myself out of it but it wasn't working. I put my hand on Maya's arm. 

"I think I need some air. Could you help me?"

"Of course. Lets go."

Maya helped me outside. Even when I got out there I wasn't feeling any better. If I was being honest it was getting worse and worse by the second. My head felt heavy and I was sweating profusely. I was slouching a bit and Maya caught me.

"Woah Josie. Just calm down okay."

"I don't feel good, Maya. I think I need some help."

"Don't worry. It is going to be okay."

I looked at Maya and she was looking straight ahead.

I fell but this time she didn't bother to catch me. I was now sprawled out on the ground and Maya turned and smiled. It wasn't the same smile she always gave me but a one that almost seemed evil. Then she kneeled down beside me and tucked my hair behind my ear.

"Don't worry Josie. It will all be over soon. Just rest now. I am here."

"What do you mean?"

I didn't get to hear the answer as the world itself felt like it was closing around me and everything got dark as I fell into the void.