The Quiggard of Zyd

Chapter 5

"It was four years ago I was in love with a palace guard, his name was Vincent. No one knew because it was forbidden for me to love him. But I loved him more than the sun loves the moon.
"One night he snuck into my room and proposed to me. I said yes immediately and we made a plan to elope. I had all my things ready and we started leaving. We had to be very sneaky to escape the castle because of all the guards. We finally made it out of the castle and were about to make it out of the palace walls but someone spotted us.
"We were taken to the King immediately for trying to escape. Vince wasn't thinking straight and told him that we were in love. My father didn't believe him. He thought Vince was trying to take me as a concubine and that was all my father needed to hear-"
"Your father?"
She nodded. "Vince was hung the next day and I never got to speak to him again."
"Your father?" He said even more confused.
She nodded as a tear trickled down her face. "My father is the King. I am Princess Maddalyne of Zyd."
"But you're so old!"
"I created the Quiggard in the hopes that it will take down my father and everything he loves. Because he stole my entire world.
"When I created the Quiggard I made sure that I was immune. But I didn't create it as well as I thought. I was among the first that were infected. I started experimenting on myself to find a cure but every time I did it just aged me."
"Princess, let me help you."
"You're one to talk."
"Excuse me?"
"I know you are here because you want the fame, the glory. You want to be the person who saves the day. You want to be rewarded for curing the Quiggard. Well guess what Petrona? You are going to die here."
"I know you're upset. And I know you think your father needs to be punished but this isn't the way. What would Vince want you to do?"
"Don't talk about Vince!" She screeched.
"Please Princess, let me cure you. I can make you your young self again and you can get out of this place so you don't ever have to see your father again. You can start a new life and fall in love again."
She looked into his eyes and he could tell her eyes had not seen many years. "Really?"
"Really."
"Okay." She reached down and started unraveling his binds.
He stood up and smiled. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault."
"No, for this." He reeled back and punched her in the face. The old princess fell down and hit her head.