My Reverse Fairytale

Chapter 8: Fake Paradise

"Fields, have a seat." The King's smile was twisted, his voice thunderous, his meaty hand gesturing to the chair in front of him.

Fields. Not even Miss Fields, Janice Fields, just Fields, like I was a servant bringing him his tea. Or maybe he drank blood.

"I'll stand." My response was quiet, my hatred sliding to the back of my mind as I remained by the door.

The King clasped his hands together, setting his snake-like eyes on me. "Your wedding is in a few days." Apparently time flies when you're being held against your will. He took a large step towards me, closing the gap between us quicker than I thought he could. "You will wed my son, and you will pretend to love him.”

I lifted my head and rolled back my shoulders, a little trick my mother had showed me before she died. She used to say that it would keep people from walking on you. It radiated power. I wondered if she had ever used the same trick on the same man I was now. I ran my tongue along my lips. "I do not see how you can force my liking." I knew that retort was a mistake the second the words slipped out of my mouth.

The King chuckled, like I just recited a famous joke. "Oh, you naïve little girl," he spat each adjective, "You do not have to truly like it, but you must pretend that you do. Do you really think that the public will think fondly of me if they see a young, helpless woman like yourself unhappy?"

Helpless. Damn him.

"So they'll see you as you are," I mumbled, and I didn't stop there. I continued: "If that would make the public unhappy with you, then why shouldn't I show them that you forced us to wed so unhappily? I could have you dethroned by tomorrow if I got enough people on my side. Why shouldn't I? What's stopping me?" Apparently I hadn't learned from my first mistake.

I expected the King's mouth to form into a frown, or at least a glare of pure hatred. I could not have been more wrong. The man's lips lifted into a smirk. "You are an intelligent girl, Fields."

Again with the Fields.

"I expected this from you, but I must inform you that despite your wits you are still under my command. If you do anything, anything so much as to show the public any sort of distaste for Prince Carter I will lock you in the cells along with that friend of yours back in Crosston. What was her name?" he pondered the thought, "Ah yes, Carla. One false move, Fields, and she will not live to see your life come crashing down after hers."

Tears burst in my eyes as I turned my head away, refusing to show him my weakness, my defeat. But my shattering heart was apparent to the King whether he could see my tears or not.

He cackled. "Do I make myself clear?" he asked the question quietly, the power behind it unmistakable despite the lack of volume. I swallowed again, unable to push down the lump in my throat. Finally I nodded. The King held my gaze for a long moment before he broke free of the trance, staring at the door. "Head to your room," he said. More like spat...

I nodded. "Always a pleasure speaking with you." I turned to leave, slamming the door behind me as if that would let my entire rage close with it. The King was a coward. I strode down the halls, letting my anger boil inside me, igniting my flames. With my tears impairing my vision the oncoming person was not a clear sight. My chest slammed into the passer's shoulder, sending us both stumbling backwards.

"In a hurry?" Carter asked with one of his genuine smiles.

I scoffed, annoyed with his carelessness, "Not at all."

"The King?" he asked. Who else?

I nodded with a sigh, "The wedding is in two days, and the twit used every evil ounce of power in him to tell me that. Don't forget to act happy." I spat the words, instantly hating the thought of sounding even remotely like the King.

He gave his head a bob, a slight look of fear sparkling in his bright eyes. "I was told that something special is planned for tomorrow," Carter told me, the terrified look in his eyes fading away.

I stared at him, not bothering to try to hide my confusion. Special? What on earth did that mean in a place like this?

"Who told you that?"

"Ella," he said the little girl's name with such a smile it was like the mere thought of the girl was enough to lift him from the gloom of even the darkest days.

I smiled back. "She trusts you?" Well that was a dumb question...

"Well," he cleared his throat. "She better."

"She better?"

"A girl should trust her brother, should she not?"

If my jaw had dropped anymore I would be licking the dust bunnies off the floor. Ella had said her mother worked in the first-aid center. Carter's mother had died years ago.

Carter laughed, bathing in the enjoyment of my confused state. "My father had an affair with her mother just after my own mother died. After she got pregnant, he gave her a little room to herself as long as she would raise Ella as a maid." He shrugged his shoulders, "So I guess she is only my half-sister."

I shook my head. The King had an adorable little girl, one who was the rightful Princess. Not me. "The King won't allow her to be a princess since the mother is not the queen. He does not wish to crush his bloodline with the woman, apparently," Carter finished the explanation as if taking the questions straight out of my head.

"That monster."

I was pretty sure that one could be in serious trouble for talking poorly about the King.

~

"Janice, wake up."

My eyes sprang open as small hands shook my shoulders, forcing me to wake from the deep sleep I had hopelessly fallen into. I sat up, staring into the tired blue eyes of the eleven-year-old Ella.

"You wouldn't wake," she whispered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she removed her hands from my shoulders.

I smiled, a weak, morning smile. "Sorry," I said. She pulled off my blanket, leaving me to get dressed and eat my slice of toast. "What is this special event happening today?" I asked her. I was itching to know what was planned. Patience was not one of my strengths.

"Well, that is where I am taking you." Ella grinned, "So dress."

I pulled the gown over my head. "Where is Beth? I thought she was assigned to be my maid hand?"

The girl shrugged. "She told me that you would rather I help you."

A reply evaded me. I sat down on the bed as Ella gathered the breakfast dishes. She walked over to the closet and grabbed a small bag before tossing it at my feet. "Pack up a few belongings," she said.

I stared at her for a long moment. What was there to pack? And where I was packing to go? I stood up before rummaging around the room for a few pieces of clothing. I grabbed the stack of parchment and the pen, placing them in the bag as well. I picked up the bottle of ink in my hand and began to look around the room. What the hell was I to do with that?

Ella dropped the last plate onto the pile and walked over to me with the now empty milk pitcher. She removed the lid and handed it to me. I took it from her slowly, supplying a slight smile before I silently poured the black liquid into the pitcher and closed the lid tight. I put it in the bag, searching around for anything else to bring. I glanced over at Ella, her tiny hands wiping the table. I hopped over the mattress and stuffed my hand under it, removing the small envelope containing the letter that Carla had written. Sticking it in between the parchment in my bag I followed Ella out of the room. I didn't ask her why I was to pack, because I knew not even she would know the answer. And even if she did, she wasn't willing to risk her life to feed my curiosity craving.

"Here we are." She turned towards a door and shoved it open with one hand. In the center of the room sat a large, canopy bed. The walls were painted a faint blue, gold lining the walls just like my other room, and plush red carpets filled the floor.

I slung the bag over my shoulder as I wondered if this was to be my new quarters. In some way I hoped it was. It was twice as large as my other one, the bed monstrous.

"Why are you here?"

I turned towards the voice to find Prince Carter standing in the doorway, the King hovering behind him like an evil shadow. The King snapped his fingers at Ella, at his daughter, and she left.

"Why are we here?" Carter shifted the question, now directing it at his father.

"You two are here because this is your new room." The King held out his hand as if gesturing to the beauty of our new living quarters.

I glanced at Carter. He glanced at me. "Together?" We said the word in unison, both our voices cracking at the end.

If the King had smirked any larger I thought that his lips might crack open. "Have fun." He closed the door, Carter and I standing next to each other, flabbergasted.

I dropped my bag onto the floor, putting a finger up towards Carter to act as a goodbye before I slipped out of the room. I started off at a walk, then a jog, and then I was running. Down the corridors and up the steep staircase, following it up as high as it went until I reached the top floor. I pushed open the door and sprinted down the hall until I came across the balcony.

I slowly leaned my body against the railing as if afraid it would shatter at my touch. Looking down over the edge my heart leaped in my chest. The fall was a big one. I sat down onto the small bench and propped my elbows up on my knees. The horizon was stunning. Birds darted across the fading blue sky, their chirping swallowing me whole until they vanished into the clouds.

A lake sat just on the outskirts of the kingdom, seeming to be calling me towards the crystal clear water. I was living in a paradise. But it was a fake paradise, one where the gorgeous scenery and empty land was placed in front of me just so I could explore it, yet it mocked me, the castle walls trapping me within its confinements. A fake paradise. There were so many fairy tales about the Prince falling in love with the Princess, their beautiful lives in their beautiful castle with their beautiful children. All damn, disappointing lies.

The real world was nothing but a.. but a.. Yes. Nothing but a reverse fairytale. I watched as the sun soared across the sky hour after hour until finally it sank down behind the hills, darkening the paradise. I sighed. Was this my life now? Watching the sun move all day long? Twenty-four hours a day? Every day? I suppose it could be worse.

I got to my feet, my knees buckling. I hobbled down the staircase and through the halls until I reached my room. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sight of Carter sitting across the room, the realization that we shared one flooding back to me. He looked up from the desk at me, a weak smile appearing on his face.

"Sorry, I should knock," I said quietly.

He stood, shaking his head. "It is your room, too." He did not ask where I had been.

I nodded, letting the redness fade from my cheeks as I walked over to the closet. More gowns. I grabbed one and made my way to the water closet where I slipped it over my head. Stepping back out I found Carter's eyes resting on me, his body perched against the mattress. My eyebrows raised, I stared at the bed.

"I'll take the couch."

"Thank you."

I slid into the covers of the bed, letting my muscles relax against the soft mattress. I watched as Carter dropped onto the sofa, tossing himself around like a ragged doll. He plopped onto the floor in his search for comfort. I giggled at his embarrassed smile.

"You can share the bed. I guess I cannot expect you to break your back each and every night," I said the words quietly, revealing a small grin and red cheeks.

The Prince cautiously made his way over to the bed and settled down onto the mattress. A good six inches spread us apart. I gave him another smile and turned over so my back was towards my future husband.

"Goodnight, Carter."

I felt the mattress move as he readjusted. "Goodnight."