The Criswell's Curse

Time passed by too fast. Without noticing, the day arranged to meet with Terrel had arrived and so, here I was, waiting by the tall palace iron gates, stretching far into the sky, hoping to one day shred apart the clouds.

“Only Lady Ophelia may enter the Royal Palace.” A man in his mid-thirties stopped us right at the entrance of the gates, a prideful expression stretching far and wide on his chubby cheeks.

Of course, Terrel wouldn’t play nice. A maiden shouldn’t wander around without her entourage, especially in such a prestigious place such as this. And yet, the two men standing before me tried to pass a noble lady for a fool, throwing sand into her eyes as such opportunity had never, and would never, happen again.

Does he think I’m that stupid? I chuckled at the thought.

“You understand that is it unfit for an unmarried lady to walk around without an escort, correct?”

He simply shrugged while his partner averted his eyes, trying to shield them away from the pressure befalling my gaze. They were both on it together, hearts clouded by the green of a handful of golden coins. “These are the Royal Palace rules, milady. I hope you understand that this decision is not mine, but the King’s.”

Palace rules my ass... No matter how I saw it, this was clearly a trap, perfectly settled and planned by a very wicked man. Surely, this situation was unexpected, yet extremely predictable. It was almost a perfect scenario, isolating me from any protection, leaving me to the beast for him to do whatever his desires wished to.

I only had three options: create a scandal, refuse to enter, or simply play along; none of them, a good choice. Ophelia Criswell, the naïve young maiden trapped inside her mansion for 15 years, was ignorant regarding matters of high society, especially the palace’s etiquette. It would be suspicious if such ignorant mind contested their words, displaying any type of knowledge on this matter.

“It’s alright Jade. I’ll be back soon.” My hands fell onto his arm, patting it softly as his gaze fell on the men, grins wider than a full moon.

He approached me, whispering softly into my ear. “If something happens, use the ring, Master. I’ll come find you, no matter what.”

Only Jade knew my secret, at least the parts I chose to disclosure. He knew some of the horrors my soul had been through, not being able to begin to comprehend the extent of its damages and yet, here he was, caring for my wellness more than some whose blood pumped through these veins. Part of me wished to foolishly believe these feelings were consequences of the kindness of his heart, perhaps something more but I knew better – such were born out of forced emotions, bounded by the loyalty of his release.

“Right this way, milady.” The guard walked towards the tall palace doors, covered in precious gems and golden pieces. As it opened, the rays emanating from the sun reflected against them, causing them to magically shimmer.

As we strolled through the extensive halls of the palace, my attention didn’t seem to focus on anything at all. Perfectly cut marble rose into walls, a golden carpet passed through the inner side of the polished dark wood, sculptures found their way between the large pathways connecting the upper floors with the land. The poles were pearly white, mimicking pure porcelain, adorned with yellow strokes of what seemed to be the rawest form of gold. How could someone be this wealthy?

“Lord Terrel will arrive shortly. Please take a seat.” After arriving in the waiting room, far deep into the palace grounds, the guard walked out, his armor clacking against each other until there was nothing but a deafening silence.

My body sunk on the couch as it struggled to relax. The braided hairstyle Olivia had created was causing my head to hurt, as it strongly pushed the strands into my scalp. My chest was restless, struggling to breathe properly. The corset was far too tight, making it seem God himself was squeezing the organs out of my body. Nerves passed through me; anxiety clouded my mind.

Was I truly ready to face him?

Terrel was working in the royal palace on a project alongside the second prince, according to Edgar. It seemed he was planning something big, impactful to secure his position and yet, I’d never heard of it. Could the second prince have helped Terrel inherit the duchy so quickly? That certainly would explain most of the events that had come to pass.

Seconds turned into minutes, which turned into two hours. My fiancé was nowhere to be found.

Impatiently, I rose from the couch but, by doing so, a strange yet familiar sensation passed through my hand. When my fingers rose from the table, they had been tainted into the color of stone, curtesy of the dust lingering on top of the wood. Hastily, my figure darted through the room, noticing my greatest fear had just come true.

Tables coated with an even layer of dust. Books yearning to be opened. Shelves completely covered by the consequence of time. This wasn’t the typical room for visits. It didn’t make sense for it to be as far as it was nor as dirty – the nobles would definitely complain and use such irresponsibility to attack the crown. Terrel set me up.

That bastard.

“Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom.” Immediately, my knuckles knocked on the door, hoping the guard would allow me to leave yet, no one replied.

I gulped. My hands turned the knob, but the door didn’t open. They had locked it from the outside, of course. Frustrated, my lower body attempted to kick it, allowing a small dent to be formed onto the wood due to the spikiness of the high heels.

“How could I be so stupid...!?”

Cursing myself for being so naïve, my mind spiraled in a guilt trip – even knowing this could be and would probably be a trap, it still let itself be fooled by that cunning monster. I should’ve known better, been far more attentive and yet, my thoughts kept on reviving the painful memories of that forsaken past, turning me into an emotional wreck of a woman, unable to think rationally, to be smarter than him.

“Is someone there?” I yelled, punching the door with my fist repeatedly. “Let me out!”

Nothing. No sounds echoed through the corridor except for my voice and my uneven breathing. Someone clearly voided this area of life, barely having anyone passing by. My emotions kept on rumbling inside, panic settling in. If I didn’t leave, God only knows what would happen to me.