His brow furrowed. “Looks like I’ve made it worse.” He frowned at his own flour-coated fingers.
I giggled. “There’s no hope for me, then. I shall be a flour-covered heroine for this chapter of my story.”
A smile tugged on the corners of his mouth. “Ah, there’s one of your delightful comments I’ve missed. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen you.”
I tilted my head. “We saw one another yesterday.” When we’d almost…my face burned. His own face became swallowed in a blush.
“Mm, only a single day? Perhaps a villain has cast a spell on me to make it seem far longer.”
His fingers returned almost hypnotically to my hair, which he stroked between his thumb and forefinger with the utmost attention before he seemed to catch himself. His already rosy cheeks deepened to crimson and he yanked his hand away, as if he’d been burned, leaving me yearning for his touch.
Another awkward silence settled over us, each second feeling like an eternity as I searched for anything to say to him. “How’s Eileen?” I asked.
“Overall well, so please don’t be distressed over her.”
That was a best friend’s job, even a former best friend. I frowned. “Don’t lie to me. I can clearly see she’s not well.”
“She’s admittedly out of sorts, but she stopped crying yesterday, so that’s progress.”
Dread pooled my stomach. Did that mean Eileen had been crying most of her time in Arador?
“And she seems to be enjoying her time with her mother,” Ali continued. “Although I can tell she misses His Highness.”
His words were like another stab to my already guilt-ridden heart. “If they don’t make up soon, I’ll be responsible for breaking my best friend’s heart.”
“Not in the least, Rosie,” he said, his tone far more gentle than I deserved. “Everything will be alright. You’re a good friend to be worried about the princess, but you should be focusing on this spell of yours.”
He met my gaze and smiled, one that was so sweet and felt extra special, for it not only cracked his usual rigid expression, but felt like it had been saved just for me. My heart gave a strange flutter.
“Are you ready to go to the Forest, Rosie?” Eileen had appeared in the doorway, her finished letter in her hands and a strange smile directed towards me.
I suddenly realized just how close Ali and I had been standing. Too late I hastily scooted backwards several feet to put the appropriate distance between us. “You really don’t mind taking me?”
“Of course not.” Her smile grew. “I haven’t been inside the Forest in so long, what with royal duties getting in the way.” She pulled a face. “Let me just find Ferris and have him see that this letter is delivered to the palace.”
I nibbled my nail nervously as I glanced out the window, which gave us a view of the swaying trees. “What if we get lost?”
“We won’t,” she said. “The Forest has always loved me, but now that I’m its sovereign, it also respects and obeys me. It’ll lead us to the final ingredient and then you can finally create the reversal spell.” She looped her arm through mine and tugged me outside into the warm sunshine.
The moment we stepped into the Forest, the trees swayed excitedly, the wind pulling Eileen closer to them and caressing her hair as if giving her a hug. She giggled as she tipped her head back to smile up at them with undeniable fondness.
“I’ve missed you, too. I wish I could linger, but we’re in need of enchanted water from the waterfall. Can you take us there?”
The trees rustled again—seeming rather excited to be of service—before the path before us wriggled into a new position, twisting deeper into the Forest and out of sight.
I frowned at it warily. “Will that path really lead us to the waterfall?”
“We’ll never know unless we take it; that’s something I’ve learned.”
Eileen gently tugged on my arm as she stepped confidently onto the path, Ali maintaining his usual respectful distance behind us. I followed, keeping a close eye on the trees. Sunshine tumbled through the leafy canopy above us, dancing around us in glittery pools, making the Forest feel truly enchanted. The knots twisting my stomach slowly eased.
Occasionally, the path would shift in a new direction as the Forest gently guided us. Eileen seemed to be in no hurry as she followed the Forest without hesitation. I searched her expression, taut and missing her usual vibrancy. Guilt returned to gnaw at my heart.
I reached out and brushed my fingers on her wrist. “Do you hate me?”
She glanced towards me, her eyebrow raised. “Hate you? Why would you think that? You’re my best friend.”
“One who doesn’t deserve to be your best friend any longer.” The tears I’d been fighting to keep back escaped. “I’ve ruined your happily ever after.”
She blinked at me, seeming confused, before her rigid posture crumpled. “You didn’t ruin my happily ever after.”
“That fight between you and Aiden was all my fault.”
Eileen carefully stepped over a log strewn across our path before glancing back at me. “You didn’t cause our fight; I did, because I’ve neglected to confide in my husband.”
I stared at her, stunned. That hadn’t been the response I’d been expecting. “What do you mean?”
She sighed. “I mean I’ve been discontent for quite some time, but I was afraid to tell Aiden for fear of hurting him. We were both worried about how I’d handle this drastic change in my station, but nothing could have prepared me for how difficult it’s been.” She shook her head. “With all the challenges I’ve faced, I can’t understand why you want to marry a prince.”
“Because in storybooks—”
“Life isn’t like one of your stories, Rosie,” Eileen said gently.
I now realized she was right, but despite my own life turning out very differently than the fairy tale I’d always planned, I still yearned to believe that portions of them could be real. “That’s not true,” I protested. “In your story, an enchanted forest led you to your true love, who happened to be a prince who swept you away to live in a castle.”
“But you’ve forgotten to read beyond my happy ending,” she said, her tone becoming serious. “I may have married a prince, but his family doesn’t approve of me and his court constantly judges me because I don’t measure up to their high standards, not to mention learning how to be a royal is an arduous process. I miss the freedom I used to enjoy, especially the days I’d spend exploring the Forest and drawing. Now there’s little time for that as I’m swamped with royal obligations I’m not even good at. What’s worse, I fear I’m disappointing Aiden and that he regrets marrying me.” Her eyes shone with unshed tears.
“Of course he doesn’t.” I gave her hand an assuring squeeze. “He loves you.”
Eileen frantically wiped her eyes. “I know that, and I love him. But is love enough?”
“Of course it is,” I said, baffled that she could even consider otherwise. “Love is the most powerful force in the entire world.”
Eileen tilted her head. “Then why were you so willing to settle for less than true love just so you could become a princess?”
My stomach jolted. I lowered my gaze to the leaf-strewn path we walked. “I thought I loved Prince Liam, but now…I don’t think I ever did. I was merely in love with the idea of being in love with a prince.”
“I think you allowed yourself to get caught up in a fairy tale,” she said kindly. “Liam is handsome and charming—everything a prince should be—but he isn’t your prince. You’ve been looking so intently for a man who’s a prince on the outside that you’ve failed to recognize your true prince based on who he is on the inside. But I’m confident you’ll soon find your true love, likely in the most unexpected of places.” She looked up at the trees, a soft smile on her face. “Being here brings back so many memories of when I first met Aiden. I was rather blind to love myself, but now that I’ve finally recognized it, I know that it will see me through any
difficulty. It’s the reason I made the choice I did. But it’s still hard at times.”
“Do you ever regret it?” I asked.
Eileen didn’t even hesitate. “Never, even if our life together isn’t at all like your fairy tales.”
“What’s it like instead?”
She stared out across the sea of green surrounding us like a cocoon. “Stories always end when the heroine finds her happily ever after, but I’ve come to learn that happily ever after is different than I expected. It’s not the end of a story but the continuation of it, and like any story, it’s full of ups and downs, moments of happiness woven through moments of sorrow.”
“So sometimes you’re unhappy?” I asked hesitantly.
She shook her head. “Not at all. I’m very happy with Aiden. The longer we’re together, the more I love him, but…” She bit her lip. “Every day brings a new set of challenges. I knew I never wanted the princess life and I was right, but while I never asked for this royal life, I care for Aiden too much to allow anything to keep me from him. Love is about sacrifice. Aiden sacrificed getting a polished princess for a bride, and I sacrificed the simple life I love. Although it’s hard, I don’t regret my decision. I chose the right path for me—now you need to do the same for yourself.” She gnawed her lip. “I just hope Aiden hasn’t regretted his decision either. I’ve been thinking about him ever since our fight. I know I’ve hurt him. I can’t wait to return to him and apologize.”
We continued the remainder of the journey arm in arm and in silence, this one full not of tension but of contentment. The woods were so peaceful; I couldn’t believe I’d never explored them with Eileen before now. The more the paths twisted and led us, the more I trusted they’d take me where I needed to go. Could I place as much trust in my own uncertain journey and muster the faith required to allow my story to write itself?
Soon, the path opened up into the clearing with the waterfall of enchanted water, whose turrets fell in colorful streams, creating a mist that glistened in the sunlight.
Returning here brought back memories from my first visit, when I’d wanted to investigate the falls for mystical life and buried treasure, only to fall in and be saved by Ali. My cheeks warmed at the memory of his firm arms wrapped protectively around me following his daring rescue, the worry that had filled his stoic expression, how that moment had been a turning point in what soon after quickly developed into one of my dearest friendships. I shyly peeked back at Ali, who by the look in his face was also lost in his reminiscences. How fitting that this was the location for the final ingredient in my love reversal spell.
Eileen noticed my backward glance and lowered her voice. “You two are a good match, don’t you think? He plays along with your imagination yet also grounds you.” Eileen settled on the bank next to the frothy pool and I followed, my heart beating wildly.
“He’s a good friend,” I ventured.
Eileen raised her eyebrows. “Only a friend? Really, Rosie, you need to stop focusing on what you think your story should look like so you can recognize what it already is.”
Feelings stirred in my heart, ones that I’d fought to suppress for fear of examining them too closely. After my recent disaster with “love,” I was afraid to give it another try.
I ran my fingers through the cool water, currently a light lilac. “I admit I’m rather confused on what my story should be, considering I got it so wrong the first time.”
“Well, that’s the beauty of being the heroine of your own fairy tale—when it doesn’t go as planned, simply rewrite it.” She handed me a glass jar.
I dipped it into the enchanted pool, now a lovely shade of rose. The water glistened within the jar, a reminder of its magic. Magic had gotten me into this mess, so surely it’d get me out.
Even after I’d tucked my final ingredient away, Eileen and I lingered, soaking our feet in the shimmery pool, making crowns from the wildflowers growing in the clearing, and laughing and talking, just like we’d always done. Despite my mistakes, nothing had changed between us. That thought was incredibly comforting.
As sunset began to caress the treetops, Eileen reluctantly pulled her feet from the pool to tuck them beneath her. “We should probably return to the real world now, shouldn’t we?”
For once, the real world was exactly where I wanted to be. I was anxious to return to my bakery and begin baking the reversal spell in order to put my happily ever after back on its proper course. I stood, brushing off the loose blades of grass from my dress.
“We should. But this was fun. We’ll have to come back sometime.”
“Definitely. Spending more time here would help me handle my royal duties better; the Forest rejuvenates me.” We walked towards the trees, but before a path could appear before us, another opened up several yards away, coming from the opposite direction. We turned just as Aiden entered the clearing.
Eileen’s breath hooked. They stared at one another, wide-eyed, for a long moment. I held my breath waiting, hoping…
“What are you doing here?” Eileen squeaked.
Aiden took a tentative step forward. “I’m here to see you.”
Eileen’s forehead furrowed. “But how did you know I’d be here?”
Aiden patted a nearby tree with a smile. “I have my sources.” The tree ruffled its leaves smartly. Eileen gave a strangled sound that was a mixture between a laugh and a sob.
“The Forest told you I was here?” She was silent a moment. “Then it did what I asked it to do.”
He grinned. “Interesting. We both made the same request of it.”
Eileen released another choked sob and ran to him. He met her halfway and seized her in a tight embrace, burrowing his face against her hair.
“Eileen, Eileen, Eileen…” He murmured her name over and over. She tipped her tear-streaked face up to smile up at him.
“You’re here,” she murmured.
“I am,” he said. “The moment you suggested coming to Arador I wanted to come with you, but I thought you needed time…away from me.”
“Not you,” she insisted. “Never you. I missed you.”
He released a long breath. “And I missed you. I thought of you the entire time you were gone, worrying…” He cradled her cheek. “Darling, are you really so unhappy in this life with me?”
“Of course not, Aiden. I’m so happy with you.” She bit her lip. “I just feel like I’m a disappointment as a princess to you and the king. Royal life is so foreign to me.”
“I know it has been a big adjustment, but please believe me, you’re doing a wonderful job.” His assuring grin became mischievous. “You can’t doubt you’re the only one for the role, considering you won that Princess Competition of mine.”
Eileen laughed. “We both know that competition was rigged.”
“Naturally.” His arms tightened around her to nestle her even closer. “The moment I met you I knew you were the one for me. Please let that be enough.”
“It is, Aiden.” She snuggled closer. “You’re the right path for me. I’ve never regretted it, and no matter how hard things get, I never will.”
He released a sigh of relief.
“And you want to know a secret?” Her expression became mischievous. “I actually missed life at the palace. I guess I’m adjusting better than I thought I was.”
He nestled against her hair. “I’m so glad.”
I watched the sweet, utterly romantic scene with a full heart. Everything was alright between them. Their reunion served as a reminder that nothing could separate true love. Hopefully that meant that a love reversal spell could separate two who weren’t in love. Now that Eileen’s happily ever after was back on its proper course, it was time to fix mine.
Chapter 22
Upon our return from the Forest, Father and I baked the reversal spell, measuring each ingredient carefully to ensure it would have the desired effect. When the toffee had cooled, I carefully wrapped the enchanted treats and tucked them into my reticle for our return trip
to the palace.
The following day, I wriggled anxiously in my seat in the rose parlor as I awaited Prince Liam’s arrival, casting several glances towards the door where he was due to appear any moment now. I was only distracted from my restless waiting by Ali, who seemed especially grave today and failed to meet my gaze.
Eileen looked up from conversing with Aiden and reached over to squeeze my hand assuredly. “You made the spell perfectly. I’m sure it’ll work.”
I took a steadying breath, trying to believe her. I’d never made a spell with so much precision and I was quite confident I hadn’t made any mistakes, but would it be enough? How I hoped that it would be. Spelling the Crown Prince of Draceria had not only been wrong, but I could finally admit, however reluctantly, that we weren’t an entirely good fit.
I tensed as the door opened and a footman entered. “Crown Prince Liam of Draceria here to see—”
“Rosie!” Prince Liam nearly knocked the footman over in his haste to reach my side. He knelt at my feet and seized my hand, staring up at me with eyes wide with adoration. “Oh, Rosie petal, it’s been far too long since we last saw one another. I nearly died without you. How was your trip to Arador? I’ve only just returned from Draceria, where I thought of you every moment of the day.”
I sighed. The potency of the spell seemed more off-putting now, considering the wonderful distance I’d had from it. Since my right hand was currently being repeatedly kissed by the lovesick prince, I tried to wriggle the reticule free one-handed. “Your Highness, I’ve brought a gift back for you.”
“A gift from my Rosie?” He lit up.
I managed to extract both my hand and my reticle, which I opened to reveal the spelled toffee I’d painstakingly created. “I baked another treat especially for you.”
He eagerly held out his hand, palm up, and I started to hand it to him…but hesitated. Did I really want to do this? Part of me still wanted to believe a life with Prince Liam was how my story should go, considering I’d imagined that ending for myself for so long and the storyteller had caused me to believe in it. It was a hard admission to make that it was wrong, for doing so would destroy my lifelong dream of my own prince in my own castle.
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