Behind the Mask

10. A Broken Fairytale

Mel 

I went to my room and laid on my bed, curled up with my pillow, my hand resting on my stomach. 

When I closed my eyes, I could see my past playing again before my eyes as if I was once more making a spell.

But there was no spell. It was only the memory brought by the familiar cold feeling of loneliness that remains when you face your broken hope and shattered dreams. 

I lost my parents too early and I grew up alone, I didn’t have any family members besides Avalon. The tutor designated to take care of me was bitter and made it clear many times that she didn’t like children and that she didn’t like me. I was inappropriate and unlady-like, I never behaved like a proper princess, according to her. 

So, as a girl that lost her mind in uncountable fairytales, I dreamed about finding my mate. I thought that once I found the male that held the other part of my soul, I would know love once again, I wouldn’t feel lonely and unworthy anymore. 

I made the naive mistake of believing that someone could save me from this hole in my soul. 

But he only opened this wound further, making me sink and lose myself. I only saw a ray of light again, when I had my girls. My sweet daughters, the love that made me whole again. 

No fairytale prince, no soulmate, instead what started healing my heart was a toothless baby smile. 

Yet, the memories haunted me, the day that I was denied seeing him for the first time. 

***

 His butler, Cordy, had introduced himself coldly and took me to another sitting room. He told me that my mate would only come if I agreed to wear a black mask. I was confused at first, astonished even, but I ended up agreeing. My eagerness to be close to my mate, to the male of my dreams, was bigger than anything. 

I had waited for him, imagined his face, dreamed about his voice since I was left alone in this world. 

He was my only hope. 

I heard approaching footsteps and soon he touched my hand and I felt the warmth, the jolts of energy diving deep into all my nerve endings. Tingles. Our touch was pure magic. He was truly my mate.

I gasped, I was taken aback. Shocked to the bones.

“You are my mate...” I murmured. My voice was small, almost non-existent, almost another gasp.

“He is your mate,” I heard the voice of Cordy saying.

My mate pulled me gently to him and I pressed the flat of my hands against him, against his chest. It felt so firm and muscular.

His scent entered my lungs and it was so good. It was citric and manly, it made my mouth water. I swallowed hard trying to snap off this haze.

Oh, dear Goddess, I’ve found my mate. But I couldn’t see him. What was even happening?

I was so happy, desperate, and confused!

“What’s your name?” My question only met silence. “Who are you?” Silence again. “Why am I wearing this ridiculous mask?” 

No word.

“You are my mate... why are you making me wear this? I don’t understand... why don’t you want to talk to me?” I pressed my hands further against his chest, trying to push him away a little. I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t know anything anymore.

Tina also hadn’t explained anything. 

“Talk to me!” I exclaimed as I felt some tears escape my eyes. I had enough of this nonsense. “Talk to me! Who are you? You are my mate! You owe me at least that... Wait, are you rejecting me?” I muttered the last part, feeling a pang in my heart. 

That was what it meant. He was rejecting me.

“He isn’t rejecting you, he wants to be your mate, Princess Melinda. Although, for reasons beyond your understanding he can’t reveal himself now,” that annoying Cordy said in a very patronizing way.

“What?” I asked, even more confused. 

I took a step back, trying to put some distance between me and that hard chest. My mate’s.

But he held my hand and pulled me back towards him. Very close, I could feel the warmth radiating from his body and smell that amazing scent, even more, being engulfed by it.

“Please... talk to me,” I asked.

“He won’t, Princess Melinda. Stop insisting,” Cordy replied.

I breathed deeply trying to absorb, understand everything that was happening. Although, I would need more than a lungful of air to swallow it down.

“You can’t do this to me!” I snapped. “You can’t!” I pushed his chest again and he took my hands in his gently, succeeding at calming me down a tad with only a simple touch.

“I want to go home!”

“You should stay,” Cordy said, his tone almost authoritative. 

Was I some sort of captive? 

“You are keeping me here against my will?...I… This whole situation is insane, and probably beyond illegal!” I muttered, trying to wrap my mind around this unexpected turn of events. 

My prince charming wasn’t what I had imagined. I couldn’t even see or hear what he was. 

Who was even my mate? 

More fat tears found their way down my cheeks.

I breathed deeply as a turmoil formed in my mind. What was I? A prisoner? Was I my mate’s prisoner? The prisoner of such a mate that couldn’t reveal his face or even say a word? 

Why wasn't he showing his face? Was he that hideous?

“If there is something wrong with your face... I don’t care. You can show yourself. You are my mate, such a thing doesn’t matter.”

He chuckled in response, it sounded deep and made a funny and unfamiliar sensation rise in my spine, as if butterflies were flying around my lower back.

“There isn’t anything wrong with his face, Princess Melinda, stop trying to understand it, it goes beyond your comprehension,” Cordy replied. 

I ignored his annoyance. That man had such nerve! He was treating me as if I was a child and a very stupid one for the matter.

“I want to go home!! Let me go!! You can’t keep me here as your prisoner.” I argued, trying to untangle my hands from his. He let my hands go.

“You ...” Cordy paused, sounding hesitant. “You aren’t a prisoner. You can go back. If you want to meet your mate again, you can meet me behind the Topaz Grotto. It is located on the outskirts of the Arcane Garden. Be there at 10 am and I’ll bring you back here.”

“I want to go now!” I stated, taking several steps back and already missing the warmth that emanated from him, from our proximity.

*** 

I closed my eyes again, trying to make the insistent memory go away. I didn’t want to think about him, yet he consumed my thoughts even after everything.

Maybe I was insane, or broken.

I couldn’t be alone with my thoughts anymore, I was only hurting myself this way. I stood up and opened a portal away.