by A. W. Cross
She was an obsessed lunatic who would release him from the curse if he kissed her and became her husband and lover. It was a repulsive offer since he didn’t care for her, and she was the reason why his parents were gone. The alternative was waiting for true love.
He had Claire now. She had come close to softening his hard outer shell. But did she love him? Did he love her? Not just attraction. Not only the enchanting feeling of a new passion. True love that could break a curse. Many had tried before Claire. Could anyone truly love him? Was he even deserving of love?
William heard the flapping of her wings before catching sight of her. Edana circled the tower a few times, a taunt that had long grown old. Then she flew in through the large window and landed a few feet from where he was seated.
His refusal to shift into his form didn’t keep her away for long. Why waste the one night a year she can genuinely revel in my misery?
Seeing him staring at her unimpressed, Edana rained fire on the inner walls. He turned his face away from the brightness but did nothing more. He was tired of her silly mind games. Fire couldn’t hurt him.
“Shift to your human form at once,” Prince William commanded. “Stop acting like a beast. I’m in no mood to deal with your childish games.”
Edana turned her red dragon eyes at him. Soon, she shifted to her human form. A woman who was as elegant as she was wicked with golden brown eyes and long, black hair.
“I came to see why you haven’t shifted yet. It’s past midnight. It’s your birthday today. My gift to you to prove my love was to allow you to shift into your true form on this day.” She sashayed her way to his throne. “Do you want to tell me what’s troubling you?”
“Not really.”
“Isn’t your new pet making you happy anymore?” Her red lips curled into a smile, and she leaned closer, gripping the arms of his throne.
“Stop with the games. I have no wish to see you today.”
“It doesn’t matter what you want. I came here to celebrate your birthday and to ask you again.” She smirked. “Did you miss me?”
“Not even a bit since the last time we saw each other.” William clenched his jaw. “Aren’t you tired of waiting for me to change my mind? It’s been fifteen years. It’s about time that you find someone new to obsess over.”
“Only true love can break your curse, darling. Even if someday I get over you, the curse will remain unbroken without a true love kiss.” She spoke close to his ear but didn’t dare to touch him. “A true love kiss like mine.”
“Your chances to convince me this year are slim to none. As you can see, the winter is over this year. I’m happy. Claire makes me happy.”
Leaning back, she flipped her hair behind her shoulder and looked around the room. “Where is she, then? Why isn’t she here to celebrate your birthday? If you love her, you should tell her who you are. What you are. You should kiss her and make her your queen. Isn’t that what they all want? To be queens?” She sighed. “Humans can never love us with all their heart.”
“You know nothing about me, Edana. How can you claim that you love me?”
“We’re both dragons, William. Even if your father decided to be a benevolent king and treat humans as equals, the fact remains that you’re not a human. Stop looking for love outside your kind.”
The prince pressed two fingers against his forehead. “Your speech is boring me. I’m not in the mood to listen to your ramblings.”
She faked a smile. “Yes. This is boring. It’s about time that you understand that I’m the only one that can free you. We can break this curse tonight if you want.”
Squinting, he asked her, “Have you ever thought that maybe I like being cursed?”
“Our kind doesn’t like to be in our human form for too long. We need to shift and flap our wings. Being stuck in a human body for so many days must be hell for you. It’s been so many years already, why do you keep refusing my love? Can’t you imagine how powerful we would be if we married? How many other kingdoms we could conquer?”
“You’ve killed my parents. I’ll endure an eternity if that means that I get to see you implore for my attention.”
Hissing, the witch lunged forward, ready to attack him with her extended hands that turned into claws.
William didn’t move, and she stopped in front of his face.
“I won’t harm your pretty face. I should disfigure you, but I won’t. I understand your rage.” She recoiled and inspected her clothes. “This is the only night of the year that you can shift into your true form and touch everything without killing it. I came to fly with you, not to start a quarrel.”
“I won’t be shifting tonight.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Perhaps, I should descend to the palace and play with your little human. Maybe my claws can give her a new face.”
Clenching his teeth, he muttered, “If you are testing me to see my reaction, I’ll have to tell you that this new girl means nothing to me. She’s just a commoner that they sent. Just another distraction.”
“That’s not what my spies say.”
“Your spies?” He chuckled. “Your spies are wrong.”
“You saved her from me. If she meant nothing, why would you do that?”
“She’s innocent and has nothing to do with our quarrel. I’d have saved anyone else too.”
“Why the sad face then? Why don’t you want to shift tonight? Are you punishing yourself for something that you did? Are you sad because she’s afraid of the big monster outside your palace?”
“No. I was hoping that keeping my human form would dissuade you from coming here.”
Edana sighed dramatically. “Stop sulking and take a flight in the night air. If we must do the same dance, at least commit to the part you enjoy.”
William was surprised that she would admit how much he hated her but loved taking his dragon form. “If you insist, you red harpy.”
He raced into a run and jumped out the window with ease. With arms outspread, he quickly changed from a falling human to a soaring creature of the skies—a majestic dragon with silver scales and the bluest eyes. He took in the cold night air and enjoyed the freedom of flying.
A sharp pain shattered that moment. Edana, in her effort to always be dominant in his thoughts, had attacked. Her claws dug into his back, drawing blood. He reacted, tossing her off and breathing ice right at her. She dodged and sailed around in a usual but still vexing taunt pattern.
“Can’t I have any fun with you?” she asked through their mental dragon link.
“Enjoying the night air in my true form is fun. You will always be a nuisance I have to tolerate,” William blasted back.
“Temper, temper. Only I can lift your curse. Remember that and submit to me tonight,” Edana countered. “Don’t you miss having someone touching you? I’m here for you, William. Use me.”
“You mean less than nothing to me, evil witch.”
Edana threw fire at him.
He dodged. “Enough. Just let me fly in peace.”
“It’s always good to have company,” Edana said, flapping her wings and diving fast into the void.
William ignored her and spent a few hours flying through the air and exploring his kingdom. Edana kept close the entire time, randomly attacking to catch his attention. By the time he returned to the tower and shaped back into his human form, he was glad she would be gone as soon as the sun came up.
“I guess we have reached the climax.” Edana landed in front of him and changed into her human form. She stopped him from reaching the exit. “Prince William, resistance is futile, kiss me, and we will unite our kingdoms and rule forever as king and queen.”
William could feel his skin crawling. He despised her. “No, I will not marry you. Now, leave. I want to get some rest.”
16
Claire was surprised to find the prince in the kitchen. His refusal to let her see her family had hurt her, and she wasn’t ready to treat him the same way she did before.
Before
she could ask any questions, two of the fairies ushered her out to the dining hall with orders to stay at the table until breakfast was ready. Their behavior surprised her, but she decided to wait.
Moments later, the prince joined her at the table and the fairies served breakfast.
“Why do your eyes look so tired?” William asked, catching her attention. “Did you have nightmares?”
Claire was caught off guard. “No, I didn’t sleep well last night.” She drank her tea.
The prince kept watching her while the fairies brought more cakes to the table. Soon, she wished he would go back to ignoring her presence. Feeling his eyes on her was distracting.
“I had a hard night,” he confessed. “That is why the fairies are fussing over me.”
“Oh,” Claire said. “But you are fine now, right?”
“Yes. I am much better now, thanks to some rest,” William said. “Is there anything you want to talk to me, Claire?”
“Nothing that has not already been decided,” Claire mumbled. “I mean, no. Nothing new to share.”
William looked unconvinced but continued eating. “I have proper reasons for everything I do. These decisions are best for both of us, even if you don’t understand why.”
Claire leaned back in her seat. “Frankly, I doubt a prince who’s lived in a palace all his life can know what is best for me. Or what it is to miss someone. I guess, on these occasions, having an ice heart is advantageous.”
The prince set down his fork. After a long silence, he cleared his throat. “What could a peasant girl like yourself know about what’s in my heart? Do you know anything about my life prior to our meeting?”
“No, since you aren’t willing to share anything with me,” she accused.
The prince frowned. “Claire, I’m much older than you might think. I have fought in wars. I lost people I loved. My parents were killed. I know how it is to miss one’s family.”
“Wouldn’t you do anything to see them again if you could?” Claire asked.
“Your parents are well. The Regent makes sure of that.”
“I still miss them.”
The prince breathed deeply. “You accused me of being insensible toward your feelings. That
was never my intention,” the prince apologized. “Life has been hard since the curse, and traveling reminds me of things I can’t have. Like love and happiness, always fleeting.”
“You gave up,” Claire accused. “When we first met, you told me you had no wish to let anyone inside your heart.”
“Still, you make me happy and feel things. You know that, don’t you?”
Claire lowered her eyes and nodded. “I know. That is why it’s harder for me to get upset when you treat me so coldly.”
“I made you cry.”
Claire raised her eyes. “Does that bother you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Prince William seemed to ponder. “You’re kind to me. I don’t want your unhappiness.” He inhaled. “I don’t want you to believe that you’re my prisoner. You aren’t.”
“Your words, yesterday, they sounded as if I was.”
“I know.”
Claire drank tea. “I’m not upset anymore.”
“Your eyes say otherwise.”
“I’ll try harder to please you,” she stated as she sliced a portion of the cake and put it in her mouth.
The prince tapped his fingers on the table. “Do you like the cake? The fairies said it was your favorite. I told them to make all your favorite foods.”
“Why?”
“I wanted to cheer you up. I know that you miss your family. I’m not entirely blind and insensitive.”
She refused to speak and continued to eat her cake.
“In the capital, those festivals you spoke of. Do you know which one is happening soon and what is being celebrated?”
She shrugged. “The next is probably the Summer Festival like many others. There’s music, dancing, food, and other fun activities.”
“Do you really want to go?”
Her gaze rose to meet his. “To the festival? Alone?”
“With me.”
Claire’s heart leaped in her chest. “Are you being serious?”
“Yes. I thought about this, and I will allow you to visit your home village, attend the party, and see your family. But I have conditions if you want me to come with you on this trip.”
“What are your terms?” She beamed at him. “I’ll accept anything.”
Prince William smiled. “I like seeing you like this.” He cleared his throat with a more serious expression. “We will go to the party and visit your mother with a little walking along the way. No one can know I am the prince, and we are to wear disguises.”
Claire had expected stricter conditions. His demands to visit her parents were easy to fulfill. She wondered how Myka was doing with Tanya. They should be married by now.
“I can agree to those terms. People often use masks and costumes for the parties.”
“Yes, the butler said they did,” the prince said.
Claire grinned. Then, she looked at her dearest friends. “Will the fairies be coming with us?”
“Would you like to join us?” Prince William asked his godmothers. “I think that is a yes,” he said when they squealed and flew around in delight.
“While that’s great, you can’t go wandering around the village in your current form,” Claire warned. “People will get distracted, and some might try to catch you just for fun or profit.”
“We have faced humans before,” Kara said.
Ming added, “Don’t worry, we have a plan to mingle with everyone and stay safe.”
“The real question is, what are we going to wear?” Tasha chimed in, and the entire table broke out in laughter.
17
In the Diamond Kingdom, the Summer Festival was a huge event. Especially when the nights allowed to be out in the streets without freezing to death.
The crown jewel of the event was the masquerade party. People from all over came wearing beautiful costumes and colorful masks. Food and drink were plentiful in a festive atmosphere. The music playing put everyone in the mood to tap their feet and join the fun. The capital square became a giant dance floor.
The preparations for the festival had been enjoyable as the fairies and Claire made the perfect costumes. Even the prince got a new outfit made just for the occasion. The fairies turned out to be the most excited. Not being around crowds in a long time, they wanted to look their best. Claire was wide-eyed when her tiny friends turned human size to try on and measure their dresses. There was no expense spared to ensure everyone looked their best.
The fairies, Claire, and the prince arrived at the festival with the other visitors, without drawing attention to themselves. Together they roamed the streets. The prince gloved hand intertwined with Claire’s as she took charge. It felt strange leading their ruler, but he had wanted to stay anonymous, and it’d been several years since he came to the capital.
Claire and William wore black and white matching costumes with masks. Perfect for the masquerade ball and to keep William happy since the mask covered his face. The fairies went all out, wearing vibrant colors for their dresses along with long capes and eye-catching hairstyles. Many men bowed their way, mistaking the disguised fairies for female nobles. Amused, the fairies were enthusiastic with the number of young males who were mesmerized by their beauty.
At the capital square, Claire and the prince danced among the other couples. They switched partners a few times. Then, the couple walked the streets as Claire showed him around.
Believing she had spotted Myka, Claire followed the young lad to the street famous for its taverns.
“It’s him, it’s really him,” she cheered when her friend turned around without a mask covering his face. “He’s alone. I’ll be right back.”
The prince stopped in front of her. “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to talk to him.�
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“And tell him who you are?”
Claire nodded. “Of course.”
The prince shook his head. “He’ll ask what you’re doing here and who you are with. We can’t risk discovery.”
“Myka would never tell anyone who we were if I asked him not to,” Claire insisted. “We can trust him, William. I promise.”
“Please don’t.” The prince caught her arm. “I know you trust him, but being among so many people is daunting for me. I need you by my side.”
Claire’s pondered. “Fine. I will stay with you. But remember, we have to see my mother before we go home. These parties are not her thing, and she wrote in her last letter that she had a fever and needed to rest. My parents are probably at home. She told me that she had improved when the winter ended, but now I’m worried about her health again.”
“I understand. I would see my mother every day if I could,” the prince said.
“Let’s dance some more and eat before we leave the party and walk to my village,” Claire proposed.
William grabbed her hand and twirled her around before guiding her to the dance floor.
When the time came to visit her mother, the pair left the fairies back at the party and walked the cobbled road to the village. Though far on foot, William seemed happy and talked nonstop, which lead Claire to believe that he had enjoyed himself.
An hour later and Claire faced her home that seemed smaller than she remembered. She knocked on the door, but no one answered. Knowing where the spare key was, she let herself in and was surprised when she didn’t see her father in the kitchen next to the fire.