Miriana's Curse

2. Confrontation

“You’re overthinking it.” Miriana scoffs, brushing her fingers through her silky white hair. “I need to make sure I look perfect! You know how mother gets if even one thing is out of place!” Abigail yells, clearly in a rush and out of breath.

“Who cares what mother thinks? As long as you love yourself, you’re perfect. Besides we both know this has more to do with Andrew but do you see the way his face lights up when he lays his eyes on you? He is so in love!” Miriana yells.

“Ok, I think I found the perfect dress!” Abigail cheers, stepping out of the closet wearing a beautiful emerald green ball gown with golden details, a matching tiara placed gently on her head.

“Woah,,that is definitely your color.” Miriana mutters in aw. “Emerald is just as much your color as it is anyone else's in this family.” Abigail giggles. “I wish, I like white though but no it’s not ‘royal enough’ in mothers words for a ball.” Miriana scoffs.

While yes, their mother loved them both dearly. She certainly made no effort in hiding the fact that she preferred Abigail over Miriana. Abigail is everything anyone expected of a princess. She was elegant, well mannered, educated and overall strived for perfection.

Miriana however was the opposite. Clumsy, wasn’t well mannered, didn’t care much about being well educated and was far from perfection in her mothers eyes. It certainly hurt Miriana sure, but over time she had come to accept it.

“Hey look at me.” Abigail demands as Miriana looks at her. “You are plenty royal, mother may want you to be one way but you find the courage to be yourself. That’s what I love most about you.” Miriana looks down at her tiara in Abigail's hands.

“Really?” She asks hesitantly. “Really.” She places the tiara gently on Mirianas head.

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“May I present the Lovian Family!” The ballroom bursts out in applause as the family steps out. Miriana stood there, smiling awkwardly, tears welling in her eyes. Miriana always hated these events but now more than ever. Ever since the fire she could always hear angels muttering of her condition, some feeling sorry, others not so much.

“Hey, you alright?” Abigail mutters. “Yeah, just still not used to all this.” Miriana sighs, blinking the tears out of her eyes before spotting Andrew, staring at Abigail in awe. “Well there's your knight in shining armor.” Miriana teases, pointing in Andrew's direction.

“Will you stop?” Abigail pouts, her little sister always loved teasing her of her relationship with Andrew but still found it cute. The same couldn’t be said for Miriana, Miriana was labeled as the outcast that of the few times they attempted to arrange a marriage, the family outright refused.

“Alright, just go say hi to him, maybe give him a kiss.” Miriana teases as Abigail punches her arm playfully. “Well too late to go up to him because he’s coming to you.” Miriana laughs as Andrew walks up to them.

“Hello ladies.” The dashing prince smiled. “Miriana, looking beautiful as always.” The prince complemented. He grabbed Abigail's gloved hand, kissing the back of it. “Lovebirds.” Miriana scoffs as the two laugh.

“Cheer up Miriana, I’m sure you’ll find a prince who will treat you like the princess you are.” Andrew laughs as Miriana rolls her eyes at him. “I could care less about some prince, besides all the princes think I’m weird.” She scoffs, glancing at the princes, not far from them. Pointing and laughing at her.

“Ignore them, they are not deserving of you. Regardless, I've heard your father is assisting in the preparations for the extermination, yes?” The prince asks, Abigail taking a sharp breath in. “Please Andrew don’t speak of the extermination or father. Miriana isn’t too pleased he’s assisting in it.” Abigail explains.

“I and everyone else have every reason to be upset. They’re killing innocent demons.” Miriana pouts. Andrew, while not entirely understanding Mirianas interest in hell and its inhabitants, knew it was important to his future bride that her sister was being supported.

“Well, those are certainly some strong opinions, Miriana. While I don’t see them as innocent I do believe there could’ve been a better way to go about this.” The prince sighed. “Exactly, who knows maybe they could even be redeemed.”

“Pardon me?” Miriana turns, her mother standing not far behind her. “Mother.” Miriana laughs nervously. “What is this talk of redemption?” Their mother laughs, Miriana doesn’t dare breathe a word, just stays silent.

“Miriana I’m done with your ridiculous interests and ideas! You are making our family look like a joke!” Their mother shouts as the whole ballroom goes silent. The angel doesn’t say anything, just stands there, tears in her eyes.

“Miriana, don’t.” Her sister begs, grabbing hold of her hand before Miriana promptly pulls it away. “Mother, you are horrible. You’ve never loved me, not as much as you love Abigail at least. You don’t even try to hide it! You never support me or any of my interests! I hate you!” She yells, before running out of the ball room.

“Miriana!” Her father calls out. “How could you say that to her, Ophelia!?” He yells, turning to face Abigail and her mother. “It’s true Osvaldo! That girl doesn’t care for the Lovian family or its image!” She shouts back.

“Mother, would you stop!?” Abigail yells, everyone facing her. In her 118 years of life, she had never once raised her voice to anyone but especially not her mother. “Miriana is perfect the way she is! If you can’t realize that well then maybe you don’t deserve to have her as your daughter!” She yells, promptly stomping out of the ball room, ignoring her mothers calls for her to come back.

She ignores the muffled sound of her mother and fathers yelling, instead their yelling slowly being drowned out by the sound of Mirianas quiet sobs. “Mira?” Abigail mutters, slowly stepping into the room to find Miriana packing a bag.

“Miriana, what in Heaven are you doing?” Abigail asks. “Running away.” Miriana mutters, shoving another dress into her bag. "And where will you go? This is Heaven! Mother and father will find you." Abigail yells as Miriana glances up at her before promptly looking back down.

"Miriana, that's got to be the stupidest idea you've ever had!" Abigail yells. "Well the portal is open! This is my only chance and after it closes no angel can go back down! Don't you see Abigail? I don't belong here, I'm an outcast." Miriana sighs, blinking the tears out of her eyes.

The thought of running away during the extermination had crossed her mind once, before she promptly shoved that idea away but after what happened out there.

That was the last straw.

Abigail looks into her sisters eyes, something told her there was no talking her sister out of this. “Miriana please, I am begging you. Don’t do this. Should mother and father somehow find you, they will never forgive you and they’ll never forgive me for letting you go.”

“Then don’t tell them.” The young angel scoffs. “Miriana, you don’t have to do this! We can find another way but going down to Hell is too risky. Sinners down there who won’t turn a blind eye to a princess!”

For once, Abigail wanted to make her sister see the bad in Hell and its sinners. Even if it hurt her, she couldn’t just watch her sister do this. “Abigail, I can't keep doing this! I can’t keep living in your shadow for the rest of my life! I love you but this can’t go on!” She yells, grabbing her bag and throwing a potion onto the floor.

A portal slowly opens beneath them as Miriana steps in, the portal closing shortly after.

There was nothing left to be said.