Short Stories

The Hourglass

written: Sep 19, 2016

"For years, the curse has been inevitable, and now we will pay the price for the King's mistake," I told the people of the Hayden Court, "The hourglass is running out of sand, and the witch will come."

Juno, an adviser of the King, pointed on the map of Hayden, "Scouts have reported heavy traces of black magic here, and this is where we believe the dark witch is hiding."

Maryse, one of the said scouts, nodded, "Yes, but when we tried enter the cave that the traces led to, a force repelled us back."

"Well, doesn't anything penetrate it?" Al snapped, his exasperated tone matched what we were all feeling, "Where is the King anyway?"

I shifted on my seat, "He's... out in the gardens."

"Passed out drunk, again?" Juno snorted, "Typical."

"He is still our King in name," I reminded her, "We are running out of time and we are getting nowhere."

Everybody remembered on the day of the king's coronation, the dark witch Belinda, appeared and cursed the kingdom with an hourglass to determine our fame. As soon as the last grain of sand fell, we were all cursed into Belinda's army.

Al leaned forward, "Is it possible that we turned over the King in exchange for freedom from her curse?" After all, he was the cause of our misery. 

I shook my head, "Belinda wants the man she dreams- a compassionate and kind man, who loves only Belinda and Belinda only." And not a drunkard.

Everybody went silent. King Devin had doomed us all and he would do nothing, absolutely nothing, about the problem he caused.

"You are only queen regnant, Elizabeth. You can't rule for the King forever." Juno gently reminded me.

I flinched at the mention of the King, "We were talking about the hourglass."

Maryse shifted nervously, "Majesty, we have a bigger problem."

"What?" I snapped, groaning as if my day couldn't get any worse.

Maryse pointed at the hourglass and we all spun to look at the cursed object.

Was it my imagination.... Or was the sand falling faster?

Juno breathed out, "That evil witch."

Al stood up suddenly, "I have a plan, but-you aren't going to like it."

~

I stood at the doorway, still as stone.

"You can always reconsider, you know," I murmured to Al, who was packing his clothes, his belongings, his everything.

Al looked up, a sad smile playing on his lips, "Cousin, this for our country, our people. I have to do this."

I stepped closer, "But Al, you and Juno are all I have, all I have before I go mad like my brother."

Al was done packing now, "I know. I'll miss you, little cous."

I threw my arms around Al, sobbing "I'll miss you too."

~

Juno did not look happy about the King.

"King Devin, please be sober." She muttered to my brother who was reaching for the bottle of tequila.

"Sober?" He snarled weakly, "Why would I be sober when there's more to drink."

I slammed my palms on the table, "Listen here, brother. Your best friend is going to sacrifice his life for you, for your people. At least sober up, alright?"