by Diana Flame
The heat of wrath curled in his belly at the thought of his parent’s demise. He was just a baby when the witch first tried to kill him. The image of Marge hovering over him as she tried to take his life was forever imprinted in his memory. He had the scar above his right eye to prove it.
Had it not been for the fairy witch taking him away, he would not be alive today. He was supposed to return to Izadel soon after, but his parents’ death tore him apart and delayed his progress.
Absently his hand came up and traced the sickle shaped scar. The old wound was partially covered by his thick brow, but he was constantly conscious of it being there. Sometimes a sharp pain would grip the area as flashes of memories assailed him. The witches’ white, wrinkly face, her black eyes and her evil grin was all he could see in his mind’s eye.
The fairies told him he must have been charmed before birth to be able to remember, especially since the witch could not kill him. After Marge tried to cast her evil death spell and failed, she casted a creature manifestation spell.
He spent ten years hidden in the palace until it was apparent he could not hide there forever. The fairies took him to the Enchanted Kingdom, but his mission was always to return to Izadel. When he learned of his parents’ death, his mission was to avenge them and take back the throne.
The faes tried everything to break the curse, until the fairy witch casted a spell making him mostly human while on enchanted ground. This spell demanded he remain calm and not allow his anger or hatred for Hughoc to overcome him or else those emotions could set free the beast.
The Fairy witch casted another spell, which would see the reversal of Marge’s spell. That could only happen while on the other side of the portal. He was patiently waiting for that day to arrive.
He knew Cinderella was displeased with him for being mysterious, but that was a price he was willing to pay to save his kingdom from the evil cousins. They murdered his parents and exiled him to live as a beast. Had it not been for the fairies, he’d be roaming the earth as a wild animal.
First, his training must be complete before he would be able to return to Izadel. After moving some distance in silence, he came upon the door leading to the outer world. The portal was visible in a swirling of rainbow colored light. A gasp behind him told him that Cinderella could also see it.
“What is yond?”
“This is the portal to Izadel. We sayeth goodbye hither.”
Their eyes locked and for the first time, Galien felt bare. Her soft eyes bore into him with such intensity that he had to tear his gaze away.
“Goodbye Galien,” Cinderella said.
Her disappointment was evident and he felt bad for not being honest with her. She stepped close to the swirling lights then turned. He wanted nothing but to pull her back and bid her to stay with him.
“Art thee sure I shall be safe from the bear?” she asked.
“Aye, I am sure.”
“Goodbye then.”
She stepped through the portal and was gone in an instant. The temptation to follow her was immense, but he was not ready to face his true self. Once he stepped through the gateway, he would become the bear and she would not be able to handle it.
“So long Cinderella, until we meeteth again,” he whispered.
Galien turned and began running. He passed his cave and ventured deeper into the Enchanted Forest. He knew he was late and that his trainer would be upset with him, therefore he sprinted as if his life depended on it. When he reached an open field, he stopped. From where he stood, he could make out a sword sticking up from the ground.
A male figure stood on the opposite side of the sword looking on with displeasure. Galien waited for him to approach and watched at the figure moved with lightning speed.
“Thou art late!” a stern voice reprimanded.
“I hadst to see Cinderella off Rufus, thou knowest it.”
Ignoring his excuse, Rufus issued a command. “Pull thy sword.”
“Aye Sir!” Galien bent and saluted the two-foot elf.
“Cease horsing 'round and pull thy weapon. I has't a surprise f’r thy training the present day.”
Galien did as he was told, pulling the sword from where he left it. The silver blade glistened in the morning sun. He swung it through the air in a slashing motion, then pivoted and ended with a thrust. When he came to a one eighty-degree turn, he came face to face with a seven-foot elf by the name of Nolen. The tall elf held a sword as though ready to war.
“Beginneth,” Rufus commanded.
Before Galien could get a grip on the situation, Nolen advanced. He had to move quickly to counter the attack and block the opponent’s weapon. They continued in that fashion for a while until Galien was out of breath and sweating profusely. His goal was to defeat Nolen by disarming him and showing how he would end his life. He failed.
As his frustration began to rise at not being able to master the sword, a deep rumbling sound emitted from him. He could feel himself sink into darkness as his inner beast fought to be set free.
“Aaaahhhh!” he let out what sounded like a lion’s roar.
His muscles began bulging while his height extended another three feet. Brown fur started spouting through his skin as the color of his eyes switched from blue to yellow.
“Galien, thou might not but control it!” Rufus commanded. “Thou might not but first control the beast inside thee. Dost not allowest it to defeat thee.”
Rufus’ voice calmed him, allowing him to take deep breaths. Soon, the hair started receding and he shrank back to human size.
“Galien,” Rufus softened his tone. “Dost not be too anxious. Thee might not but concentrate on thy mission and yond is to defeat the foe.”
With the pep talk, the training resumed.
Chapter 8
Galien’s subdued behavior disturbed Cinderella. Whenever she asked about the bear or about his identity, he never supplied any answers. Those final moments they were together before she stepped through the doorway, he’d seemed almost detached.
What greeted her on the other side of the portal was a basket filled with the wild oferacs. Galien must have prepared them for her. She wished she could thank him, but the hole had already closed. As she picked up the basket, she smiled and turned to where she knew the portal to be.
She wanted to ask him so many questions, but it was too late now. Pushing the thought of him aside, she reminded herself that she would never see him again. But as she made her way through the forest, pieces of her time spent with him kept returning to her.
Moving cautiously, she paused every now and then to listen for any sounds of wild beasts. Nothing happened. The bear did not appear and she wondered if Galien had scared it off or worse.
“Anon Cinderella, thee shouldst be thanking the gent f’r making the way safe,” she muttered.
The sun was barely peeping over The Great Hungry Peak when she reached the edge of the forest. It seemed that the Enchanted Forest was a few hours ahead of Izadel, as the morning sun was already high in the sky when she was leaving.
The servants were not yet out and about when she reached her residence. The place was extremely quiet and seemed almost vacant. It was an unfamiliar atmosphere. Usually the servants would be up before dawn doing their early morning chores. Not this day.
Cinderella crept forward across the open yard, after entering from the back gate. When she was halfway to the house, she came to a dead halt, her heart almost jumping from her chest. Coming from the left and right of the house were the palace soldiers.
“Oh the horror,” she groaned, the basket slipping from her fingers.
The basket hit the ground with a splat, spilling the fruits. Some of the oferacs splattered on the dry pavement, their sickly sweet smell tormenting her senses.
“Cinderella, I presume?” the one in front queried.
He was holding sheet of parchment, looking from it to her.
“The prince requests thy presence at the palace,” he continued without waiting fo
r her to confirm. “Will thou accompany us?”
With heart beating heavily, she tried to come up with a plan, but her mind went blank. All she could do was beg for her life. “Prithee, t’wast an accident. T’wast not done purposefully.”
“What has't thee done?”
Cinderella contemplated the frown on the soldier’s face. It appeared he had no clue of what she was speaking. Was he not there to arrest her?
“Wherefore has't thee cometh hither?” she ventured.
“The prince hast been searching f’r thee and would like thee to has't counsel with him ere the ball tonight. He hast hath sent raiment and gifts fe’r thee and thy staff.”
“Oh,” she mumbled. So he hasn’t reported me. I wonder what he wanteth. If I doth not go, he mayest decide to have me arrested, so I mayest as well see what this is about.
“If 't be true thee doth not mind, shall thee allow me to changeth out of this filthy frock?” she asked, thinking of how badly she needed a wash.
“We shall wait.”
As though on cue, one of her servants rushed to pick up the basket and oferacs, while Eliza ushered her into the house. There, they quickly worked to fix her a bath, after which she dressed in one of the garments her mother left her.
“Cinderella, thou art most beauteous,” Eliza complimented.
“At which hour shall thee calleth me Ella, I very much dislike the name Cinderella,” she complained.
“Hush, my lady,” the older woman gently scolded. “Yond name wast chosen by thy belov'd mother because thee wast such a quite quaint baby.”
“Nonsense,” she smiled. “We both knoweth wherefore mine own mother gaveth me yond name.”
“Well, the day thee wast born, we wast cleaning the fireplace and thy mother insist'd on helping. The lady hadst the baby right thither in all the cinder yond we did sweep from the chimney. The lady wast to name thee Bella, but hath decided on putting Cinder and Bella together….”
“And so the name Cinderella, I know,” Cinderella said with a sigh.
“So thee would has't been nam'd Bella, if 't be true it wasn’t f'r thy mother’s stubbornness,” Eliza chortled.
The moment passed that the small talk ended and Cinderella’s worry returned. “Eliza,” she gripped the woman’s hand. “If 't be true I doth not returneth, selleth a few things to payeth the staff.”
“What’s the matter my lady? What nonsense dost thou spew?”
Leaning close, she whispered. “Methinks the prince may be seeking to arrest me.”
“Tush tush,” Eliza laughed. “Anon be off, my lady. The prince awaiteth thee.”
It was obvious that Eliza did not believe her as the woman was obviously overjoyed that the prince sought her company. She would have to find a way to send message from prison if the prince should arrest her.
The soldiers accompanied her to the palace, detouring to the back gate. Cinderella found this to be strange. While on the journey, she had done nothing but fret about her fate. However, now she was curious as to why the prince wanted to meet her in secret, for that was what this meeting amounted to. It meant that the king and queen knew nothing of her visit.
In silence, they led her to the prince’s private entrance and into his studio. High ceilings and crystal chandeliers accompanied the ornately decorated great hall. The red-carpeted floor muffled the sounds of footsteps and beautiful flowers enlivened the senses with their aroma.
Standing across the room was the prince. His eyes gleamed when they set upon her and a smile brightened his countenance. With chin held high, he sauntered over with an air of haughtiness. Cinderella stood her ground, awaiting her fate.
The soldier that had accompanied her inside moved up beside her and whispered, “Thee wilt curtsy ere the prince.”
“Is yond behoveful?” she whispered back.
“Aye, ma’am.”
Reluctantly, she gripped the skirt of her dress, pulling it up an inch from the floor. Crossing left leg in front of right, she bent her knees. As the prince approached, she gritted her teeth and bowed her head ever so slightly.
“Cinderella, thither thou art, my lady!”
Prince Tobyn was obviously pleased to see her. Cinderella did not trust him. To her surprise, he took her hand and brought it to his mouth, brushing the back of it with his lips. While he romanced her hand, he waved away the soldier, who stepped back a few paces.
“How mayest I be of service, Thy Highness?” she queried.
“Straightforward as well as quite quaint,” he observed. “I am fain thee hath asked.” He paused for a moment, then stepped closer. “Thee shalt be mine own bride.”
She stared at him bug-eyed before breaking into laughter. However, he didn’t seem amused. Instead, he stared at her with a smirk on his face and his eyes boring into her.
“Thou canst not be serious,” she said, her laughter dying.
“I am serious. I shall taketh thee this minute to mine own parents so they can calleth off this ridiculous ball.”
“The ball is tonight, t’is too short a notice, Thy Highness.”
“Then I shall have need to announce our engagement there.”
“My most humble apologies, Thy Highness, I canst not marry thee.”
A vein in the prince’s forehead ticked and Cinderella watched it closely. A grim look crossed his face before he threw his head back and roared with laughter. Taken aback by his response, she shuffled restlessly on her feet.
His laughter died as quickly as it started. “I wast not giving thee a choice, dear Cinderella.”
“What meanest thou?”
“Thou either becometh betroth'd to me or be thrown in prison. Thou knowest how brutal the king can be.”
“Art thee serious?” her voice squeaked.
“Hmm,” he nodded, then grabbed his crotch and bending over. “Ouch, yond hurts. I may nev'r be able to has't children.”
His face twisted as though in pain but she knew he was feigning for her benefit. What he was doing was blackmail, but she would have none of it.
“I gage, marry me and I shall not bid the king about the incident in the woods. I can be very convincing at which hour I wanteth. Not only shall they has't thee thrown in the dungeon, mine own men has't not seen a quaint mistress in a while, thee shall maketh valorous company, if 't be true thee understandeth what I am declaring.”
Gasping, her hand flew to her chest and she stumbled back. “Thou wouldst not hath such thing done, yond is blackmail!”
The thought occurred to her that Galien would never do such a thing. Her very thinking startled her that her heart gave a violent jolt as his face loomed before her. He’d asked her for a kiss and when she refused, he hadn’t pressed. Now this maniac was blackmailing her into marrying him and there wasn’t much she could do about it. She wished she’d stayed in the Enchanted Kingdom with Galien.
“Tryeth me, dear Cinderella,” Tobyn’s voice brought her back to the present situation. “Not a one would rescue thee at which hour thou screameth in the lower dungeon of the palace prison. Not a one would heareth thee except f’r me and mine own men.”
Cinderella stared into the eyes of Prince Tobyn and had to blink twice as Galien’s eyes flashed before her. The galloping of her heart and the flushed heat of her cheeks was unfamiliar. What was it about the strange man Galien that made her react in that manner?
Shaking her head, she brought back her attention to what was before her. The prince’s smugness irritated her that she wanted slap the look from off his face. In that moment, she found herself comparing the prince to the mysterious Galien. What was worse, one who threatened or one with secrets? Because she strongly believed Galien was hiding something.
She had no real options, did she? She wished there was a third choice, such as returning to the Enchanted Forest and watch the fairies dance. She and Galien would walk by the rainbow river and play with the unicorns. She gritted her teeth and told herself it was all a dream and that the place did not in fact exist. She would
never see Galien again and the thought brought a dull ache to her chest.
Her reality was standing in front of her. It was either subjecting herself to a life of rape and torture or wedding the prince. There wasn’t much difference in her choices. Marrying the prince would be a kind of torture.
“So what shall it be, dear Cinderella?”
“Well enow, I shall marry thee, but …,” she trailed off, biting her bottom lip. She had to think fast to come up with a plan. “Can thou wait until the ball to declare this announcement?”
“Splendid! We shall announce to Izadel yond I has't hath found mine own bride. I gage to maketh thee a joyous princess, thou shalt see.”
The sun had risen a few hours and it was now mid-morning. She had until sundown to come up with a plan to get out of this. She knew the prince would not allow her to return to her home so she could not get word to her staff.
They took her to a chamber east of the prince’s quarters where she was assigned two handmaids to tend to her every need. Then an idea flashed in her mind. She went to find the prince whose face immediately enlivened upon seeing her.
“What is thy request, dear Cinderella?”
This dear Cinderella crap was beginning to annoy her. His singsong voice was the most irritating of all. She wished she could punch him in the gut and knee his balls again, but that would get a prison sentence or worse. Therefore, she smiled and looked happy.
“I has't one request dear Prince Tobyn.”
Taking her hand, he brought it close to his lips, “Aught fer thee de….”
She cut him off before he could finish. “I do beseech thee f’r mine own maid Eliza attend to me?”
“Very Well. I doth not wish loneliness for thee at all,” he replied, dropping her hand. “Markus!”
“Aye, Thy Highness,” the soldier entered the room.
“Fetch the maid, Eliza, and aught else the Princess Cinderella requires.”
“Thank thee,” she bowed slightly before following Markus out the door. As soon as they were outside the chamber, the soldier turned to her.
“What else mayest I offer thee ma’am.”