When morning engulfs the palace it was time to execute my duty as the head maid.
My life wasn't that complicated nor excited- well not yet at least. This was the time when the curse yet to be cast and our dear little prince was still to become a man. The prince was just a babe when his mother died, and the king- well, so long as he already has an heir, for him everything was just another normal day. In short, he wasn't actually father material, nor did worthy to be called a king. But what could we do in this monarchy system? One world and 'off with their head!' A terrible reality that we must face and choose to accept.
Since the queen died I stood as the mother of this little prince, I choose to raise him as a kind and charming boy, hopefully, when he becomes king he would eradicate slavery and serve his people equally. The boy had some characters needed to be corrected, a trait that he got from his father- more like influenced by his father.
When the boy turned seven I face a terrible tragedy.
I was mysteriously killed.
Well, I had my doubts about who was the killer.
No other than the right hand of the king. The boy would listen to no one but me. A fact that he desperately wants to change. He has been brainwashing the king into adding more taxes to the people; benefiting him to plunder more money to his pockets. I made sure that the prince would know of this so that if ever he tried to sway his majesty's mind, he would fail. When he knew about it, I presume he ordered someone to assassinate me.
And he succeeded.
I could feel myself grew cold as they dump my body to the lake. I was doom to die.
That's when a miracle happened.
I was chosen as a vessel to an enchantress. She could feel my desperate pleas that I was not ready to die. I have a family. I have a son and a husband. And the prince! Who would take care of the boy?
With warm hands, I was lifted off the flowing stream and I was facing a goddess-like beauty. She smiled at me and my whole body was no longer shivering in cold.
"You are slowly departing this world. I can assure you your soul would be in paradise."
I tried to utter some words but none would come out.
"I can hear your thoughts. You can speak through your mind" Said the enchantress as she saw me struggling.
"I cannot leave this world yet. I have a family to come home to. And the prince, the poor prince. What would come of him?"
There wasn't much to say since my soul was leaving my body. But the enchantress ease my worried when she said;
"Worry not human. I will live your life and take care of your family. And as for the prince. He will face many challenges, but I will assure you. He would find peace in the hands of his future queen."
As the enchantress kept on talking, although I could hear her clearly her voice echoed at the end of his phrase and I enter the world of calmness.
...
Meanwhile...
After the departure of Heath, his brother, Maurice, fell into despair and guilt. He regretted betraying Heath in exchange for his pregnant wife. It was eating him alive. Later on, he begged the villagers to help him get his brother back. However, everyone just ignored his pleas and disregarded him.
Though Heath was a sweet child loved by all, there was no helping him. Since Heath got abducted by the beast, the was once again peace. There was a tranquility that everyone dreamed for a very long time. Heath was the last victim, and the beast no longer lingers in the woods, attacking villagers and forcing families to sacrifice their loved once.
"Please! I beg you! Save Heath!"
The villagers tried to console Maurice to accept Heath's fate.
"Maurice, you need to move on. There is nothing we can do to save him."
But Maurice just shook his head in disagreement. He cried at the table with a cup of beer on his hand. It has been four months since Heath was traded, and he has not heard of him since then.
"Brother, my little brother... forgive me... brother..." Cried, Maurice.
The villagers could only pity his situation and did their best to comfort the sad man.
"Will no one help me!" Maurice said as he threw the cup, spilling a good root beer.
Maurice started to cause a commotion. He threw some chairs and broke bottles of liquor. He was drunk, drunk in depression. The villagers were forced to drag him outside, and when he tried insisting to go back inside they decided to lock him in the dungeon for a while.
"He has gone." Said one of the villagers. "Hush. Let the man mourn for his loss. It was just him and Heath back then. It must be really hard for him."
As Maurice continued to sob on the filthy floor he heard the cage unlocked. He heard whoever it came inside the cell as his sole click on his every step, he raises his head and saw a man around his thirties.
"Who are you?" He said to the stranger but was only replied in silence.
He ordered some prison guards to take him and was dragged to an unknown room. He was forced to sit and only one candle was their only source of light. He was now sitting with the man in silence.
"My name is General Gaston and I have a proposition for you."
