Once Upon A [Stolen] Time (Stolen Series Book 1)

by Ahsan, Samreen

  Steve was the first one to take out his phone. My phone was with my mother. He took a selfie of us together. Everyone started laughing when he did that. On the one hand, he’d asked his mother for no extra pictures, and now he pulled me close to him for his own private photo shoot. He was fonder of candid pictures than posing for the photographers. He was the total opposite of his parents. He hated public appearances and social events, which was why he chose to study and live in the States—to avoid having English media running after him.

  After the crowd started to gather, everything around me became hazy. My mind was swirling like a whirlpool. I didn’t know who was talking to me, or who was taking me to the lunch table. My mind was continuously calculating time. Every second I kept thinking about what Edward would be doing. Although it was a ridiculous idea to think about him—he was gone a long time ago—still I hoped to meet him, to save him.

  I had no heart for the festivities. I was hardly aware of what was happening around me; I just followed instructions. Steve gave me the ring. I posed with Steve in front of the camera. We had a family photo shoot, and then pictures of Steve and me, separately and together. His arm was constantly snaked around my waist, as if he thought I’d run away if he didn’t hold on to me. We ate lunch at a table with our families. I didn’t remember eating at all. I remembered Steve taking me to his car—suggesting we should take a long drive. I got into his car. He started talking about his game, but my mind was still calculating Edward’s time. Steve kept talking. I didn’t remember at what point my body slipped into deep slumber.

  When I opened my eyes, I realized the car had stopped. I looked at the driver’s seat, but Steve wasn’t there. My heart leapt in panic. I got out of the car hastily, looking for Steve. I did remember him taking me somewhere on a long drive. Suddenly, all my foolish desire to see and stop Edward left my mind. I was running across the barren field when I realized where I was. I was inside the boundary of Hue Castle, in front of the main door. My eyes were searching for Steve. Where would he go? Why would he leave me here all alone?

  “Steve!” My voice trembled. I heard the car’s trunk closing. I turned around and saw Steve walking toward me. He had taken off his ivory suit jacket, and his lilac shirt was pulling out of his trousers. My heart started racing erratically. His hands were in his trousers pockets and he walked casually. He came over and stood beside me, facing Hue Castle. I turned around too, and watched him observing the castle. I wondered what was churning through his mind. Why had he brought me here?

  “I brought a girl here once.” He spoke somberly, his gaze on the castle. He had my complete attention. “Unfortunately, she lost her heart here somewhere in the deep shit of this cursed castle.” I gulped at this stark truth. “She’s going to be my wife someday, and she plans to spend the rest of her life without a heart.” A tear spilled from my eye. He looked at me with a serious expression. “I brought you here to seek help. If you can find that heart that is locked up here inside the castle, I want you to go and find it for me, so that girl can marry me openheartedly.”

  “Steve.” The tears came.

  Once again…he effortlessly stole my voice.

  “I can’t marry a girl who is split between the past and present, when I plan to spend my fucking future with her.” His voice held tightly controlled anger. “You’ve to go and find that fuckin’ heart and bring it back to me. Can you?”

  “I’m so sorry, Steve.” I held his arm.

  “Where were you all day, Myra?” He gripped my hand and held it in front of my face. “Do you remember getting this?” I glanced at the ring. Shit! He was right. I didn’t remember. “I got engaged to a soulless doll who doesn’t even remember what was going on around her.”

  I looked down.

  “Don’t you fucking dare look down.” He held my chin and forced my head up. “Look at me…I’m talking to you.” I gulped in fear. I had never seen him this way. I guessed my lost soul had pushed him to the edge.

  “I admit I used you for my game, for my success, but I honestly fell in love with you.” His eyes showed all his emotions. “What have I done to deserve this?” I kept looking at him quietly. I had nothing to say. “What is it in that fucking dead man that I can’t give you?” Something stuck like a cotton ball in my throat. I could neither throw up, nor gulp it down. His words were strangling me. “What the hell has he told you, that you can’t move on?” He pulled at my arm, shaking me hard. “Damn it, Myra. Tell me what he has done to you that you can’t come out of. You only smile when you’re here. What is he doing to you?” His words were nothing but the truth, but they were throwing me into a deep dark well.

  My knees weakened and I couldn’t find the energy to stand anymore. As soon as I fell on the ground, Steve bent down and held me tightly.

  “No, Myra,” he yelled. “You can’t just back out like a coward by falling down. Look at me and answer the question.” He was not going to give up. “It’s now or never.” I looked up at him. “I will walk out of your life silently if you tell me the truth. What-has-he-done-to-you?” Every syllable was laid out clearly.

  I wiped my tears. He was waiting for me patiently.

  “I’m sorry, Steve.” I placed my hand on his shoulder.

  He jerked back and dislodged my hand from his shoulder. “I’m not asking for an apology. I’m waiting for the truth.”

  I drank my tears.

  “He waited all his life for me. He knew someone was reading his life.” I looked toward the desolate grounds. “When he found me, I lost him by calling him by the wrong name.” I looked up at Steve. “He turned into an iceberg because he didn’t have my love to melt him. He didn’t cry at his sister’s death. He didn’t keep his promise to take care of his niece. He just left today, because there was no hope in his life to tug him back.”

  “But what’s the point of thinking about him when you can’t do anything about it? You can’t change his future because it happened in the past. He was destined to die like this—in darkness.” His anger had subsided. He was still trying to accommodate my nonsense.

  “I just want to stop him from running away,” I whispered.

  “How, Myra?” I could see I was frustrating him.

  “I don’t know, Steve. Maybe if I could see him in the mirror and try to talk to him? Just one last chance?”

  He looked at his watch. “Would he still be there?”

  I hastily looked around the sky. There was still half an hour to sunset. “He disappeared as the sun set six hundred years ago.”

  “You want to check if he’s there?” he asked calmly.

  I jumped like a child in excitement and hugged him tightly. “Thank you so much, Steve. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

  He pushed me back to create distance between us, and smiled at me.

  “Well, I would take that as a compliment then.” He winked.

  He helped me get up, pulling the lilac satin gown away from the black sand.

  “You should have told me before bringing me here,” I said shyly.

  “If you had listened to what I was saying in the car, you would’ve known that we were coming here,” he grumbled. “Now let’s go and check the mirror.” He gestured me forward.

  After walking for a few minutes, I had to give up my shoes. I took off my silver high heels and walked barefooted on the stone. It was utterly quiet—only the sound of my sandal heels clinking together in my hand indicated there was life here. Neither of us knew what to say. I heard my heart beating, but I guess Steve was unable to hear it. It was drumming in my ears. The joy and fear of talking to Edward or failing today were going berserk inside me. I didn’t know if I was thrilled to possibly meet him, or if the fear of actually meeting him was making my heart stick in my throat. Whatever it was, I had waited for this moment for so long.

  It took us some time to reach the chapel. Steve kept lighting the lanterns lining the passages as we went. He didn’t smoke, but he had come prepared with a lighter. We e
ntered the chapel silently. Steve was watching my every move as he lit the candles in the chapel. I placed my sandals on the ground and stepped up on the altar. I stared at the mirror quietly. My reflection—a beautiful and sophisticated version of Myra—was looking back at me.

  “You don’t need my permission to talk to him,” Steve commented from behind me. I turned around and sighed. He stepped up to the altar and held my hand. “Be careful. We don’t know what you’ll find today, but I have a feeling that something big is going to happen tonight.” His words made me shiver, although they were full of sincere concern.

  I stepped closer to the mirror, wondering what I would see today.

  “If you don’t mind…can I make a video while you talk to him? This would be worth making into a movie. If you truly talk to him, I will make a movie before releasing the game.” I looked at Steve, surprised at his request.

  “You say that as if you’re certain that I will talk to him.” My voice trembled.

  He didn’t say anything. Instead, he pulled his iPhone from his pocket and the “ting” sound told me that he had started filming. I took a deep breath and closed my hands around my temples on both sides, placing my forehead on the mirror.

  It was a same scene I’d expected. A service going on for Edward’s birthday. “What do you see, Myra?” Steve asked me. He was completely engrossed in looking at his phone screen.

  I told him what I saw.

  “They are all gathered here—the king, his knights, dukes, the priest, some other guests with their wives, and Edward. A special prayer is going on for his birthday.” I took a deep breath. The priest had ended his part and now King Stefan and Edward stood up from their pews and stepped to the altar.

  Edward was totally ignoring the mirror, but he was still standing close. I could see his side, but King Stefan had his back to the mirror, facing the crowd. I couldn’t see Stefan’s face properly. His royal blue velvet cape was all I could see.

  There was another world behind this mirror.

  His world...calling me to

  haunt me

  tempt me

  excite me

  thrill me

  seduce me

  and ultimately

  consume me.

  I wanted to steal him from his time.

  “Today…as you all know…is a special day for the Hue family.” Stefan cleared his throat.

  Edward was looking down at the floor, his hands clasped behind his back. He was wearing white linen slacks and a loose shirt, with a black velvet cape clipped in front of his neck.

  “My son, Edward Hue, has turned twenty-eight today and is your future king.” He was proudly gesturing toward Edward.

  Everyone looked at the future king. Edward didn’t move at all. It seemed like he was not even listening. He was just staring at the floor, lost in thought. Maybe he was planning a way to disappear, or deciding when to run. I knew he would disappear after this service ended. I felt like he wasn’t even breathing. He stood so still, but looked deadly handsome. I was already lusting after his linen-clad body. He had never worn any other color besides black and white—just like his life. But I swore to paint his life with colors.

  “My time of ruling England is almost over. In a few months, my son, Edward Hue, will be your next king.” He cleared his throat once again, but this time it was to get Edward’s attention. He wasn’t even looking at his father. What was he thinking? Was he really listening to King Stefan?

  “Myra?” I heard Steve’s voice. “What do you see? Why are you so quiet?” I didn’t pull back from the mirror to answer him.

  “Stefan is announcing something but Edward is not listening.” My voice was normal—not too loud and not too low, but Edward’s expression changed. He furrowed his eyebrows.

  For a moment I thought he heard me. But if he had heard me, he would have moved. I had never done this before. I had only watched Edward attending mass; I had never raised my voice. I didn’t know if the mirror was capable of sending our voices to the other time like it did the night Veronica died, unless both of us were touching it.

  “For the time being, I shall be leaving for Italy and France to meet my friends and pay my farewells while my son,” he gestured toward Edward, “will be taking on my responsibilities. He will be Prince Regent while I’m gone.” He paused. “I’ve led my life as a king for a very long time. Before I die, I’d like to meet people I haven’t met for so long.” He already knew his death was near.

  “You better die right now, you arsehole,” I added to his speech. This time, my words were loud.

  Edward’s lips pursed. He tried to hide his smile. He lifted his face and looked at the mirror.

  I pulled back instantly.

  “Shit! He heard me.” I looked at Steve.

  “What?”

  “He heard me,” I repeated. Steve stopped making the video.

  “Did he say anything in return?” He was surprised.

  “No, he pursed his lips. He tried to hide his amusement at what I said. He can hear me, Steve.” I panicked.

  “This is such an adventure, Myra. This has to be a movie.” He was as excited as me, but his excitement was for his movie/game, and my excitement was hope—hope that I might be able to stop Edward tonight. I had to think quickly before he left the chapel. I didn’t care if Steve was recording my excitement and would make it public. All I cared about was reaching Edward and stopping him.

  “All right…I’m recording again. Start talking to him,” Steve said.

  I placed my forehead on the mirror again. Edward was now facing the crowd. I could see his back. His head was no longer down; he was looking at his father.

  King Stefan was still talking. “…so the taxes will be given by people every quarter. Everything will remain the same. No one has to confuse Prince Edward with anyone else. Prince Edward is the proud heir of the Hue dynasty, and my mirror.”

  “But he is not as perverted as you, you sick bastard,” I yelled. How could he think Edward was like him? Stefan was a sadist. I wished he knew that psychological problem existed in him.

  Edward looked down for a moment, and then turned his head to look at the mirror. He stared for a couple of seconds, and as he turned to face his father, he smiled.

  “Oh my God, Edward, you can smile. You can smile,” I yelled at him, as adrenaline rushed into my bloodstream. I had never felt so much alive.

  He pursed his lips again and placed his hand on his mouth, clearing his throat. I knew he was suppressing his smile. I didn’t know what King Stefan was saying now. I was too focused on Edward’s expressions. I was able to bring smile to his face, for the first time in two months. The last time he had smiled was when he held Emma in his arms one morning. That same evening, things turned deadly.

  No one was noticing his expression. Only Edward was able to hear my voice. The rest of the crowd was focused on King Stefan’s speech.

  “And so I’ll announce Prince Edward’s future bride at the dinner. She will accompany us to the dinner table.” I listened to King Stefan’s words. “Let’s all gather at the dinner, welcome the lady and enjoy the rest of the evening.”

  “Let him choose his own wife, you moron!” I yelled again.

  Jealousy seeped into my blood. King Stefan stepped down from the altar—of course without hearing me. Everyone stood up and waited for King Stefan to leave the room so they all could follow. No one was allowed to precede the king.

  Edward didn’t move from his place. He turned his head again to the mirror—probably acknowledging my voice.

  “I know you can hear me, Edward. Speak to me, damn it. You can’t marry a stranger. You know I’m right here.” His chest heaved as I spoke. A few seconds later he released his breath—trying to absorb my words.

  “Edward,” King Stefan called to him. He shook his head and looked at his father. Stefan was signaling Edward to join him. Edward took a deep breath and stepped down from the altar.

  “Edward, no…” I screamed again. I knew he c
ould hear me. “You can’t walk out like that.” My lungs were out of air. “Edward…don’t run away from everything. Don’t turn your face from your future.” He halted for a second but didn’t look back at the mirror. “I know you can hear me, Edward. You’ve waited for me for so long. I’m here now. Don’t turn away from me. Please.” My eyes were brimming with tears. Shit! He can’t walk away now.

  He joined his father and they all walked out.

  “Edward…stop!” I kept shouting his name, but he didn’t bother to look at me.

  He was actually stone. My voice couldn’t pass through his walls to reach his heart. After a few seconds, the entire chapel was empty.

  “Edward…” I whispered his name. I thought if my screams were not audible to him—maybe he could hear my silence.

  I felt Steve’s arm around my shoulder. I winced at his touch and pulled back from the mirror. I could see his beastly reflection in the mirror. Steve didn’t bother looking at it. My face was covered with tears, but the miraculous makeup stayed intact. Steve wiped my tears with his thumb. He wasn’t talking, but his eyes said he understood.

  I shook my head in despair.

  “He didn’t listen to me, Steve.” I turned into his embrace. He hugged me tightly, like a true bonded friend, and supported me.

  “You tried, at least.” His voice was low but comforting. I cried in his arms for a few minutes. “You can’t change his future, Myra.” His hand ran up my back to calm me. “But now at least you can live in peace, knowing that you tried. He was supposed to disappear like that.” His words were true, but they sliced my heart. Instead of calming down, I cried even more.

  Steve took a deep breath. He didn’t say anything after that. He let me cry. The chapel was utterly quiet. Only my lamenting voice was echoed from the barren walls. There was no other sound. The sunset was close. I was glad that the candles were already lit.

  “Who the hell are you?” I heard a loud voice breaking the stillness of the chapel. I jerked and pulled back from Steve’s embrace. His eyebrows knitted as he noticed my shocked expression.

  “What?”