۞ᕯ❂ᕯ۞
Icurus gasped as he woke, eyes wide. Scrambling to sit up, he observed his surroundings. He was enclosed in a small area surrounded by cream curtains. Beside him sat a desk with a glass of water. As he reached for it, the glass shattered, splashing his face with water.
“Oh come on...” he sighed.
“You need to relax,” said Edward, suddenly beside him in a black tunic. His usual fluffy hair was damp and his tired green eyes held a subtle smile. His pale cheeks flushed pink.
Edward poked Icurus’s cheek playfully. “You need to stabilize your magic flow.”
Icurus recalled Miss Evans’ lecture on magic flow - how magical beings had a separate circulatory system connected to the heart, brain and eyes that were key to controlling magic. Like Eden, whose spirit-seeing magic depended on her eyes, and Icurus, whose magic depended on his mind.
Edward stroked his cheek, hands on Icurus’s dark skin. “I was really worried...”
Icurus gently grasped Edward’s hand, smiling. “Sorry I worried you,” he said, lifting Edward’s slender fingers to his lips in a gentle kiss.
Edward’s face reddened as he met Icurus’s silver eyes. Icurus stroked his hand, smirking charmingly, his gaze a little flirtatious.
Flustered, Edward pulled back his hand. “I need to check on my brother...” Shyly, he parted the curtains. “See you later...” The curtains fell behind him.
“Where did you learn to flirt like that?” scoffed Xavier from the corner.
Icurus frowned. “When did you get here?”
Xavier approached. “Since you and Prince Edward were having a ‘moment.’ together”
Icurus smiled mockingly. “Feel like a third wheel?”
Xavier punched his arm and flipped him off. Icurus materialized a giant watery hand to flip him off back.
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ᕯᕯ★✵ᕯᕯ
Still in the darkness, I couldn’t think straight. Being trapped in my own mind felt like an eternity, would I ever leave? Is this the end for me? What about the others? Are they alright? Is my little brother alright? My mother, my father?
Questions raised through my mind, I didn’t wanna live like this...
My twin sister rested an assuring hand on my back, “Do you think Vinter has a big dick?”
Why would I ever think my sister would ever be reassuring?
“I don’t know,” I told her.
“Do you think Icurus has a big dick?”
“He is a fucking teenager!” I scolded her for her unholy thinking and predatory behaviour.
She clasped her hands, “That’s right he has time to grow! I will ask Eddie”
I groaned, she was hopeless, no wonder no prince wanted her. Vinter is not included.
“How will you ask? If we are stuck here!”
She looked at me confused, “I am not stuck, I am wide awake!”
“Huh?”
“I am pretending to sleep, I can hear Mum, Vinter and Rosabella talking!” She cheered.
“Well, fucking wake me up as well!”
She looked at me, “Okay! But you can’t be mad at me”
“I won’t”
“Okay,” she then slapped me and everything went black.
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★ᕯ✬ᕯᕯ❂ᕯᕯ✵ᕯ✷
Queen Bellatrix of Venora spoke to the two royals, “It’s alright, there’s no need to worry about the damage done. What matters is that everyone survived.”
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Vinter nodded, replying, “I’m still a little concerned about them, though. They haven’t woken up yet.”
Rosabella turned around, watching the two siblings asleep. Eleanor tossed and turned in her bed, while her brother Ernesto lay still as death in his bed. An empathetic smile stretched across Rosabella’s face as she said, “They’ll wake up soon...”
As if on cue, Eleanor leapt out of bed, stretching her arms. She marched over to Ernesto’s bed and slapped him, before flipping the bed over completely.
Ernesto awoke with a gasp, rubbing his head as he glared at his sister. Bandages wrapped his body. He shouted, “Fuck you!“.
Eleanor put her feet down, saying, “You said you wouldn’t be mad!”
Flipping the bed back over on the right side, Ernesto retorted, “I make no promises!-” But he stopped short when he noticed his mother, as did Eleanor.
Ernesto held out his hand, forcing a polite tone. “Thank you for waking me, dear sister.”
Eleanor shook his hand gracefully. “It was my utmost pleasure, brother.”
“Their acting is terrible,” remarked Edward, who stood behind his mother.
Wrinkling his nose, Ernesto shot back, “Yours is worse!”
Edward hid behind his mother, pouting. “Mummy, he’s being mean!”
Rolling his eyes, Ernesto sighed, “How do you expect Icurus to like you when you’re such a baby?”
Gasping dramatically, Edward cried, “That’s crossing the line!”
“Both of you, be quiet - especially you, Ernesto,” Queen Bellatrix scolded her sons.
“Sorry, Mummy...” Edward pouted.
“My apologies, Mother...” Ernesto mumbled.
Rosabella laughed. “This is free entertainment”
Ernesto pretended to not notice her remark.
“Well, I must be going now. Please don’t do anything foolish,” Bellatrix said as she turned to leave the infirmary.
“I should go too - I need to check on my little sister,” added Vinter. “I hope you feel better soon, Eleanor...”
Eleanor bit her lip. “I’d feel so much better if you let me suck on your-”
Ernesto cut her off by throwing a pillow at her face, knocking her back. “Icicles. She wants you to make icicles so she can eat them.”
“Uh, um, sure,” stammered Vinter.
Giggling, Eleanor said, “Icicle, that’s a great name for his-”
Once again, Ernesto silenced her by throwing a mattress at her. “You know what, you don’t have to do that. Go check on your sister.”
“If you say so,” said Vinter as he left the room.
Eleanor whined on the floor, “Why are you so mean?!”
Rosabella laughed again. “I can’t with you two!”
Frowning at her, Ernesto was about to speak but noticed the bandage on her hand. “What happened to your hand?”
Showing her bandaged left hand, she replied, “You accidentally burned it.”
★ᕯ✬ᕯᕯ❂ᕯᕯ✵ᕯ✷
✬ᕯ★ᕯ✬
“I did that?” I said out loud.
I accidentally burned her hand? I harmed someone. Is this the extent of the curse...the prophecy? What if next time I accidentally kill someone? What if he makes me kill someone? I am destined to be a killer, a murderer. And the worst part, I wouldn’t even know it. He would be using me like a puppet to murder people. While I am a prisoner in my mind. Trapped, alone. No wonder the Fates called me ‘The Puppet Prince.’
‘Oh, my Gods! You are overreacting!’ I heard his annoying voice again.
‘Shut up!’ I told him.
‘Aw...but why should I?’ He chuckled, ‘Besides I am here to warn you...’
‘About what?!’ I demanded.
‘About Edward...your beloved little brother...’
‘What about him?’ I asked.
‘You know his little crush Icurus...? Yes him. He has something inside him, a dark energy...’
‘What kind?’
‘He is a siren above all, something to do with water and...I am sure you know the dark magic related to water?’
‘I do...Crimson Arcanist...blood mages..’
He chuckled, ‘Exactly! What if he is the blood mage in Edward’s prophecy? Of how he is sold by the terrified Gods to be married off to a Dark mage who has the power to end them all!’
‘Oh shut up he is just a kid!’
‘Ah...but children grow, don’t they? After all, you are also a child.’
‘So you’re saying he might grow up as a God murderer that the Gods feared so much that they gave him a gift,’
‘Yes, you’re getting it now!’ He cheered, ‘The gift would have been your sister but alas, that blood mage prefers pretty boys~ Sounds like Icurus doesn’t it?’
‘I am not hurting anyone without proper proof.’
’Ugh! You’re so difficult...but think about it” he whispered, ‘His friend...he saw it all, just this morning.’
My head felt dizzy again, I don’t want to listen to him.
I felt a hand on my chest, “Ernesto! You there?!” Rosabella called out to me snapping me out of my thoughts.
“Yeah...I am here” I stroked my head, “I just feel a little dizzy...”
I sat back down on the bed, she sat beside me stroking my hair and moving it out of my face.
“Do you want water?”
“Water makes plants stronger...” I told her.
Her pink lips formed a line, “Would you rather drink poison then? Or do you want me to put chilli in your water to make it spicy?”
Wouldn’t drinking chilli water be like drinking you because you’re so hot? No, I’m not telling her that.
“No...plain water is fine,” I said.
“As you wish your majesty!” She got up flipping her hair, “You should rest...” she said.
“I don’t feel like resting...” Whenever I close my eyes I see him.
She gave a comforting smile, “Don’t listen to him...whatever he says is a lie, don’t give in.”
She held both my hands cupped between hers, “I believe in you, I know you wouldn’t hurt anyone on purpose.”
Among the seven human kingdoms, she is known as the princess of hope, the one who cuts strings. Now I see why, she has so much of it, it’s intoxicating. Or perhaps it’s just intoxicating to me. It was terrifying.
The way she smiles, her every smile is elegant and beautiful. Her eyes were like fog on the winding road, blurring my vision and muddling my senses. Her hair was like a golden river. Her personality is as bright as the sun.
I have read somewhere... The feeling of falling in love was very much like the feeling of fear.
ᕯᕯ★ᕯᕯ
۞ᕯ❂ᕯ۞
Stretching his arms, Icurus got up. “I think I’m good to go,” he said.
“Be careful, drink plenty of water,” Diana reminded him as she took off her coat.
“You know a lot about medical stuff,” Xavier remarked.
“Well, I’m from the Kingdom of Healers,” she winked.
“Thanks for your help,” Icurus smiled.
The two exited the infirmary, taking a deep breath of fresh air.
“What should we do now?” Xavier asked.
“I think we should find Ariana or Edward... Should we check on Alcester?”
“Nah, he’s fine,” Xavier reassured.
“So what do you think we should do?”
“I’m gonna take a nap in our room - I’ve had enough bullshit for today. You?”
“I’m going to find Edward,” Icurus said.
“Okay, good luck, don’t get lost. And after dinner tonight, I need to talk to you...it’s very important.”
“Um, alright, see you later,” Icurus replied.
The two parted ways.
Icurus went straight to Edward’s room, where he was last night. He walked down hallways with large windows. As he approached, he heard a sweet melody playing.
The door was slightly ajar, so he entered to see Edward lounging by a big window. His neck leaned back, a lyre balanced on his stomach as he held it with one hand and plucked the strings with the other. He was gazing outside, the sun’s rays catching his skin, defining every contour - the curve of his neck and collarbone, the shape of his lips.
He didn’t seem to notice Icurus. “Hey...” he called out.
Edward snapped out of his trance. “Oh, hello!” He sat up straight, tossing the lyre into the corner. “I wasn’t expecting you... How are you feeling?”
“Much better than before,” Icurus replied, closing the door behind him. “I didn’t know you played the lyre...”
Edward pursed his lips. “I play many instruments...the lyre just happens to be my favourite.”
“How are your brother and sister?” Icurus asked, sitting on the floor beside his legs.
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❂ᕯ۞ᕯ❂
“You don’t have to sit on the floor, you know...” I said, patting his head gently.
“Uh...old habit,” he replied, getting up and sitting right next to me, his hand nearly touching mine. He faced me with a warm smile. The sun’s rays illuminated his face, making his dark skin glow like gold. His turquoise hair framed his face beautifully, and his moonlike silver eyes met mine.
“So, what exactly happened to your brother?” he asked again.
“Uhm...” I hugged my knees tightly. “I think it was...his curse.”
Resting his left hand on his propped-up knee, he said, “Does it affect you too?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “They barely talk about it with my sister. What would they tell me?”
My mom and brother never told me anything about the prophecies or how my grandmother twisted the threads of our fates to be so bleak.
From what my brother told me, all three of us were cursed the day I was born.
He gazed outside thoughtfully. “My mother once told me about the dark fairy, the one who rules over the mystic forest.”
I looked out the window at the forest edge, my mother’s home.
He continued, “She said the dark fairy cursed all her daughter’s children for choosing to be with a human.” He looked at me knowingly.
He figures things out far too quickly.
Placing a hand over mine, he asked gently, “Do you know what your curse or prophecy is?”
“No...” I met his gaze. “They said I don’t have one, yet.”
Icurus took me into his arms, “Well whatever it is...I will protect you, promise”
I leaned into his shoulder, it felt nice. It felt safe.
❂ᕯ۞ᕯ❂