Kingdom of Mirrors and Roses

by A. W. Cross

  “Can’t you guess how these things became like this?”

  Swallowing hard, she whispered, “You touched them.”

  “Look at me,” he ordered.

  Her head rose, and she faced him.

  “You were right. I’m a monster that doesn’t deserve love.”

  “No.” She stepped forward with her hand up.

  William moved back and shook his head. “Don’t touch me.”

  “William, please.”

  “Don’t move!” he ordered, out of temper. “I’m not wearing my gloves.”

  Claire froze in place and looked at his hands. They were behind his back.

  “Will I turn into one of them if you touch me?” Claire asked. “Is that what happens to the girls that don’t return home.” She turned around to look at the statues as dread took over her limbs. Her breathing hitched. “There are more women here than the ones missing.”

  “They used to send more in the first years. Four per year. From other kingdoms, too.”

  Claire inhaled sharply, her hand holding on to her chest. “Ten statues. Ten girls who lost their lives.”

  “Are you afraid of me, now?” the prince asked.

  Claire didn’t dare to look at him.

  “Do you still want to touch me? Be with me?” His hand touched her sleeve, and she jumped on her skin. “Do you want to kiss me like they did so I turn you into a statue?”

  Claire’s limbs obeyed as she circled William and ran away from that cursed room. She kept running until she arrived in her bedroom and closed the door behind her.

  “No.” Tears fell down her eyes. Her back slipped down the door, and she sat on the floor, crying.

  19

  Claire had no idea for how long she cried. No one came to check on her. Not the prince. Not the fairies. She felt all alone with her misery and fear. Until all that was left was a sore throat and red eyes.

  In the morning, someone knocked on her door. She reluctantly got up and found a tray of food with a note. She read it with little enthusiasm. It was from the prince. He was thanking her for her services and telling her that she was no longer needed at the palace. She could return home to her parents.

  Just like that, she was dismissed and thrown away as if she didn’t matter. Their days together didn’t matter to him. Her feelings for him didn’t matter either. Why would he care about her? He was heartless and had a garden with statues of women who tried to break his curse.

  She should obey his order and ran away to never turn back. Wasn’t what she wanted to do when she found the truth?

  Instead of bowing and leaving, she washed her face, brushed her hair, and stormed into his library where he was meditating.

  William opened one eye. “What do you want?”

  “What is this?” Claire showed him the note.

  “My permission for you to leave.” He closed his eyes and returned to his meditation.

  Claire threw the paper against his face. “Tell me that to my face. Don’t hide in here.”

  The prince opened his eyes, unfolded his hands, and raised to his feet. “Okay. I want you to leave. Are you happy now?”

  She shook her head. “I’m not.”

  “What more do you want from me?”

  “Why are you sending me away?”

  He sneered, turned his back on her, and walked to one of the couches where he sat.

  “William, talk to me.”

  “You can address me as my prince, your majesty, your highness, but not William. Not anymore, Claire.”

  Claire walked to him. “Your Majesty.” She bowed. “Why do you want me to leave?”

  “I was under the impression that it was what you wanted after what you saw yesterday.”

  “I don’t.”

  “I don’t want you here,” he claimed with austere eyes.

  “Why not?”

  His jaw tensed before he spoke. “I’m a monster; you deserve better than this fate. Go home and create a better future for yourself. Spared from the dangers of what happens to those who can’t love me back.”

  “Why are you acting like this?” Claire’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry about the garden. I won’t enter there again.”

  “You came here to help your mother and are in love with your best friend,” the prince accused. “While noble, it will not help to break the curse I am under.”

  “What nonsense are you saying? I didn’t even want to be here in the first place.”

  “Exactly,” the prince said. “You didn’t want to be here. Now you can leave and be happy with Myka.”

  “I don’t love Myka,” Claire protested. She held her hands to him. “William.”

  “Are you foolish? Have you forgotten what happens if I touch you?” he shouted.

  She shivered with his rage.

  “Go!” He pointed at the door.

  She stood her ground. “No. I want to stay with you.”

  His voice was softer. “Even after knowing that I’m a monster?”

  “You’re not a monster. You’re cursed.” She walked another step. “I had time to think about what I saw.”

  William inhaled sharply. “Are you this foolish?”

  Claire focused on his lips. “If I kiss you—”

  “You’ll die like the rest of the other girls who tried before you. Do you think that it’s the first time that one asked me this? Do you think that I forced them to kiss me?” He rose up. “I didn’t.”

  Claire looked up at his face.

  He leaned closer with cold eyes and a menacing voice. “I thought I loved each one of those girls. They only remind me of how foolish I was. I never meant to hurt them, but only true love can break my curse. Now, I realize that I can only be with my kind. Don’t sacrifice yourself for a monster, Claire. I’m not worth it.”

  “William.” Her heart shattered with his speech. Tears slid down her cheeks. “Those girls didn’t become that because of you. It was the curse. If they are like that, it means that they didn’t truly love you.” Her voice shook. “Not like I do.”

  William moved back with widened eyes at her words. “Clai-re.”

  “Don’t you know by now? I love you.” She swallowed her tears. “Am I not important to you? Don’t you feel anything for me? Am I just someone who they sent to entertain you?”

  “Claire, as much as I enjoy your company, you aren’t in love with me. This between us isn’t love.”

  She balled her hands. “Why not? Am I not enough for you? Are you waiting for a princess or some noblewoman to break your curse instead? Should I call Deborah to take my place, then?”

  He raised his hand but dropped it. “Just go home and forget about me. Live your life.”

  “I won’t! I want to stay with you.”

  “Don’t be stubborn. You have no life with me. I can’t touch you without turning you into diamond. That’s not crystal. That’s why you always cut yourself in the sharp edges when you brush your hands against the plants in the garden outside. Everything that has life and I touch turns into diamond. The plants, the trees. Only dead things escape my curse, or I’d starve to death. But you are alive. You have a beautiful life ahead of you. I don’t want you here anymore.” He turned his back on her. “Leave.”

  “You’ll be lonely again,” she wailed. “How can I leave you?”

  He glanced back. “Are you worried about winter returning?”

  She wiped at her tears with her sleeve and shook her head. “I don’t care about that. I care about you.”

  He sneered as if what she said was funny. Claire didn’t think it was. She was baring her heart to him and showing him how much she cared.

  “Claire, don’t be foolish. If I give in to temptation and kiss you or hold you with my bare hands, you will become a lifeless statue. Don’t you fear death?”

  “William…” Claire touched her chest. “Can’t you understand what I’m saying?”

  “All that I understand is that I’m wasting my time with you. My heart can’t tak
e another failure. Go home. You can’t help me. Don’t you understand?”

  “Don’t you love me?”

  His eyes narrowed, and he eventually shook his head. “No.”

  “What if I want to stay even if you don’t love me? Can’t I?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  He clenched his jaw. “Are you that reluctant about leaving the luxury of my home? Are you appalled by returning to your home and take care of your sick mother?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then why do you insist on staying.”

  Claire swallowed hard at his accusations. It seemed that no matter how many times she tried to explain her love for him, he believed that she had ulterior motives. Was he that distrusting of people?

  William walked closer and leaned. “I’m tired of your presence here. You don’t make me happy anymore. Leave and never return.” His eyes flashed silver when he added, “You have one hour to pack your belongings before I throw you out.”

  Claire’s heart shattered as he stormed out, not once looking back. The threat didn’t hurt as much as his rejection. He wanted nothing to do with a peasant girl. She should have never fallen for him.

  Up in her bedroom, she ignored the expensive dresses and valuables as she gathered her meager belongings. Seeing those things now brought back memories of broken promises and heartache. Best to let them in the palace. The prince thought she was interested in his money. She wanted to keep her head straight while going back home with her decency and honor intact.

  Changing into the clothes she wore upon arrival, Claire waited in silence until the fairies came to lead her outside. The carriage waited as she entered after looking back a few times. She hoped the prince would at least show up to say goodbye. But his absence was no surprise despite it adding to all that day’s disappointment and woe.

  20

  Claire returned home to little fanfare. All hope of William finally being saved and the kingdom restored vanished. Another failure meant more bad weather and waiting for the next celebration to take another stab at breaking the prince’s curse.

  It wasn’t Claire’s concerned anymore. She went back to help her mother with embroidery and her father with the daily chores. Her parents avoided discussing why she was sent back before the six months were due. Either way, she had lasted longer than the last five maidens that were sent the previous years. Five months of sun were an unexpected gift.

  As time passed, her life returned to its routine as if she had never left. One silver lining was Myka’s road to recovery from nearly turning into an alcoholic. He had improved when she came home. He genuinely cared about her and was glad about her return from the palace safe and sound. The pair started talking and hanging out like they did before she left. As if ready to make up for the lost time she had spent up in the Diamond Palace. They even traveled together to the fair to sell their wares. Time apart only ended up strengthening their friendship.

  The ice storms returned and grew more relentless each day. The progress made by Claire had vanished. The kingdom was back to facing terrible forces of nature with no relief in sight. The bad weather forced the closure of many businesses, including the mines. The Regent had to suspend the fair as well until the weather improved. It was too risky to spend long periods outdoors, and visitors would not travel there. Worst of all, Claire began to notice people turning antagonistic towards her as if the entire curse was somehow her fault.

  She had cared for the prince and tried her hardest to melt his heart. Love didn’t happen instantly or without the other person returning the affection. William had sent her away despite knowing her feelings for him. She had begged to stay. What else was she supposed to do to change his mind?

  She missed him and the fairies. Her heart ached, and it hurt more with the notion that William was sad. The weather was controlled by him. How sad one must be to create such havoc?

  It was late in the day when she decided to check on her mother. She was having trouble with the adverse changes in the weather. While still healthier than before, Claire worried about her mother getting severely ill again.

  “Daughter, I can tell you are troubled,” Mother said. “Sit and talk about what’s on your mind.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “You’re not fine since you’ve returned. You don’t like to talk about it, but you need to if you want to let go of the pain.”

  “I’m not the only one feeling pain. The kingdom is covered in snow because I’m back.”

  “The kingdom is used to this,” her mother reminded her.

  “Not like this.”

  Mother patted her hand. “Do you miss him?”

  Claire nodded. It was hopeless to try and deceive her mother. “More and more each day.”

  “Why did you come back then? Weren’t you happy there? Was it because of your father and me? We can take care of ourselves. Do you know that?”

  “I begged him to stay, Mom,” Claire said with tears in her eyes. “I did. I was ready to crawl … this is how pitiful I am.”

  “Not pitiful, child. Love isn’t pitiful.”

  “It is when it’s not corresponded.”

  Mother’s fingers brushed her tears away.

  “It hurts so much, Mom. My heart hurts so much. I miss him so much.”

  Tears kept falling. Her body shook with the emotion, and she fell into her mother’s arms and cried like she hadn’t allowed herself since she had returned.

  When there weren’t more tears in her eyes or strength in her body, her mother asked, “What do you want to do about this love you have for him?”

  “What can I do?”

  “Go to him. Try again.”

  “He doesn’t want me there.”

  Mom stretched her lips and shook her head. “Silly child. Winter has never returned so fast like it did this time. He’s miserable. Why do you think he’s miserable?”

  “He’s alone.”

  “He misses you,” Mother countered. “He wasn’t this happy for ages. He sent you away. Maybe he had his reasons. Did you do something to anger him?”

  Claire nodded. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”

  She placed a strand of golden hair behind her daughter’s ear. “Did you apologize?”

  “Of course.”

  “If you love him, try again. He had time to miss you too. Maybe, he’s willing to forgive you.”

  “He doesn’t love me. He said so. He doesn’t want me to kiss him, either.”

  Mom arched an eyebrow. “He doesn’t want you to give him a true love kiss? Why not?”

  “He says that I’ll turn into diamond like the other girls.” Claire covered her mouth when she realized she had revealed William’s secret.

  “Do you think that the elders don’t know what happens to the girls that never return?”

  “Do you know?”

  “Of course. But they will be back to normal once his curse is broken. It’s terrible, but it’s not his fault. The witch cursed him. He’s our prince. He fought for us. His family protected us. We need to save him. You need to save him. Even if you don’t kiss him, Claire. If you love him, you should be with him. Let love grow between you two until he’s convinced that he won’t fail if he takes you as his bride.”

  Claire swallowed and wiped her face. “You’re right. We don’t need to kiss to be together. We spent months together, and … I made him happy.”

  “You did.” Her mother smiled and held her hands to Claire’s shoulders. “It’s time to stop sulking and return to him. If he sent you away because he wanted to protect you, then I believe that you need to show him that you love him enough to be by his side and aren’t afraid of what might happen.”

  Claire felt her mood brighten. “You’re right. He must have sent me away because he cared, not out of spite.” Her smiled faded as quickly as it appeared. “But what if he truly doesn’t care for me? Won’t I be making a fool of myself?”

  “Love makes us do stupid things. Try one more time an
d see what happens.”

  “Thank you, Mother.”

  “Now go pack your things and let me rest. You’ll have better chances to arrive at the palace early in the morning. You know the roads, don’t you?”

  Claire nodded.

  Once her mother closed her eyes, Claire went back to her room and laid down. Her mind kept going back to the prince. He had tried to fool her into thinking this act was done out of anger, but it was out of fear for her safety. She felt awful leaving him all alone in that lonely palace. William needed her.

  In the morning, she left a note for her parents. The money the Regent had given them allowed her parents to buy more cattle and two sturdy horses. She would take one and journey to the palace, facing the storm.

  21

  The trip was hard and foolhardy. The storm only got worse as Claire raced against time and freezing weather to reach the palace. The horse was able to make it on sheer determination alone. Almost as stubborn as the rider on its back.

  Claire had no idea what time it was when she collapsed at the main entrance and slightly knocked on the door. She was too weak to open it and hoped the fairies heard her. Before losing consciousness, she listened to a chittering noise.

  Waking up to the warmth of the fireplace, she saw the fairies fussing around her.

  “Claire?” Ming hovered in front of her face, waving her tiny hands. “Can you hear me?”

  Claire nodded. “Is it really you, Ming?”

  “She’s awake!” Ming shouted.

  Kara and Tasha showed next to Ming and clapped her hands with an excited expression.

  “How do you feel? Are you thirsty? Do you feel your limbs?” Kara rained her with questions.

  Claire closed her eyes, moved her limbs, and inhaled sharply. “I’m sore, but I’m not cold anymore.” She sat up. “My horse?”

  “He’s fine. The butler took it to the stables,” Ming replied. Then she narrowed her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. “What were you thinking? Don’t you know you could have died? Why did you do something like that?”

  Claire’s eyes widened with Ming’s scolding. “I missed you.”