See You on the Other Side

Chapter 4

(Arissa)

I am Arissa. Just Arissa. I am the Archmage of this kingdom.

When I was young, magic was frowned upon, so I tried to hide it as much as possible. I would suppress my powers and try to fit in with the other children. It didn't work.

One day, when I was six, my aunt Akria took me to the royal castle with her. She said that she was the Archmage of the kingdom, so I followed her. I got to go to school for the nobles, and that's where I met Emris. While other children were scared of me, or just ignored me, Emris was different. She would play with me and give me food when I needed it. She was the only one that accepted me, knowing I bore magic. My only friend, and still to this day.

When I found out she was the princess, I was scared. I would treat her like a friend when she was my superior in every way.

After I found this out, I went to her after class, got on my knees, and begged.

*FlASHBACK*

"Princess, please, please, save me from the king. I didn't mean to disrespect you. You were just so nice to me, I wanted to be friends. Please, don't let me die," I cried and cried. Emris then looked at me strangely. She suddenly took my hands in hers and pulled me up. "Never get on your knees for me. EVER. Okay? It's fine, Arissa. You're my friend too. Friends don't do that to each other." I ended up crying for hours more, but she was there the whole time, holding me in her arms.

*END OF FLASHBACK*

I smile while sitting in the chair she just occupied a few minutes ago. I sigh. If only Akira didn't curse her. It's all my fault.

My parents died when I was four, and coincidentally, at the hands of Akira. My mother was her sister and my father was her lover. Akira's lover. Before I was born, they were the happiness of couples, until father's eyes strayed away from Akira to my mother. They ended up getting married and having me. Akira wanted revenge, so when I turned four, she killed them with poison and took me with her to the castle. If she couldn't have him, no one could. She kept me close because I was the only part of Father that she could have forever. The child she could never have with him. I had his black hair and black eyes.

She would showcase her powers to the king, and she ultimately won his favor. She had lived in the castle years before. Two years later, after much debate between the court officials, she was announced as royal Archmage of the kingdom.

As I went under her wing as an apprentice, my powers grew. They grew so much, too much for a mage who was only six years old. I surpassed Akira in every way possible. Starting then, she saw me as her sister who took away her lover, not my father whom she loved dearly. She saw me for not only taking her lover away from her, but also her title.

Seeking revenge, she targeted the one thing that was most precious to me. Emris. She snuck to her royal highness's chambers that night of her eighth birthday and cast a spell, a curse, forever repeating life. All because of me. I beat myself every day for it.

When I attended academy with Emris, I remember it as the time I was most happy. Prince Hayze of Rorsum would also attend our academy, and being two years older than his foriegn princess, he was always provoking her. Maynard Holmes would try to stand up for Emris, but she would just tell him to move his fat head out of the way. I laugh at the thought.

On the night before the princess's tenth birthday ball, Akira went to go find her. She took her in the dead of night and brought her down to the Archmage's Tavern, using the path in her closet. When the princess woke up, she screamed. Everyone mage heard, for all the mages lived in the tavern. Quickly, I ran with everyone to where we heard the sound. When we laid eyes on the situation, everyone gasped. The princess at the hands of the Archmage. I watched Akira wrap one arm around the princess's neck. She held up a dagger in the other hand. Behind her were the other magicians that helped plan out the scheme. They smiled while looking at me. "For Arissa," Akira said looking at me, "for not only taking my lover, but also my title." Emris then looked at me, her eyes glistening from her tears. I ran as fast as I could to save her. I really did, but Akria slit her throat before I was even halfway there. I shake at the memory. All I remember is her lifeless body on the wooden floor, the blood spilling out of her neck, pooling around her.

We healed her scar and cleaned the blood up with magic, then took her to the tavern's infirmary. A few hours later, she woke up. Well, the bimbo did. I explained that she was the princess, but the whole time, she only asked about the attractive boys and the money. I explained that it was her tenth birthday and it was her duty to attend today. Her face lit up at the idea of the attention. I asked for her name. "My name is Lacy," she said.

"I think I like Bimbo better," I thought.

⁂

For the next eight years, I watched over her from afar. Watched her never going on missions. Watched her stalk the living hell out of Maynard. Watched her live only for the livestyle, not her kingdom. In the end, she only got two things: an engagement to Maynard and hatred from everyone around her.

Lacy never visited me, and why would she? She didn't know me. Everyday, I prayed she could leave so that Emris could come back.

I've missed Emris for the past 8 years. At this point, I had no hope for her to ever come back. Throughout the years, my skills grew and I exposed to the king what Akria did to the princess. I only told him about the curse, not Emris's death. He banished Akria from the castle and made me the new Archmage. I've been looking for Emris everywhere, always studying to get her back, but I could never figure out the curse. I didn't even know where Akira was.

A few minutes ago, I brought down some high class noble. We were attracted to each other, of course, but the alcohol messed with our heads. In the middle of the makeout session, I felt a new body enter the tavern. I ignored it though, until I felt it in front of my door. At this point, the noble and I were on the table, but we suddenly stopped and turned out heads to the person clearing their throat, interrupting us. As soon as I saw her, I couldn't help but smile at my best friend.

She's finally back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

This story will be in more than one POV which I think is more interesting in my opinion. 

Next chapter is Hayze's POV!!

Do you like the story so far?