Once Upon A [Fallen] Time

by Samreen Ahsan

  It was a long walk. Everyone strolled behind King Stefan, nobody daring to say a word. Would they obey and fear me once I’d become a king? Would they despise me as much as they hated King Stefan? Did they think I was also a sick pervert like my father as what Jasmine said about him now?

  My mind returned to Jasmine!

  Was she truly her? Or was she another woman? If she weren’t Jasmine and not looking for King David then who the hell was she? What did she want from me? It was dangerous that she knew my plans. She knew I was running away. Did she know how my body desired to feel her?

  Shit! No!

  That would make me meek in front of her. I couldn’t afford to surrender myself to her and let all my guards down just to feel her on me. But… I would have to confront her someday. I couldn’t show her my cowardice. Running away from her meant I lacked the courage to see her. She would have to know what damage she was doing here by coming back into my life.

  When we all reached the end of the corridor to turn to the dining hall, I spoke up.

  “I apologize in advance for my intrusion, but I’ve some unfinished business to attend. I will be joining the table soon.” I looked at my father. He raised his eyebrow, surprise showing on his face with my sudden change of decision. “Please carry on with the dinner.” I gestured the crowd to move ahead.

  King Stefan read my face intently for a while—his usual habit of judging me. Fortunately, this time he didn’t argue. There were people already waiting at the table and he didn’t want to create a scene.

  Once King Stefan and the others had disappeared into the other corridor for dinner— and out of my sight—I turned around and hurried back to the chapel.

  It was empty, but the mirror held its own significant presence, drawing me towards it.

  I placed my forehead on the mirror, hoping to see her beautiful eyes, but all I saw was a beast staring back at me.

  My heart started hammering in my ears again. I couldn’t hold on anymore so I screamed.

  “Who the hell are you?” I yelled, grabbing the frame and hoping she was still there waiting for me.

  Within a few heartbeats, the beast turned into a beautiful woman, who was again sending me her warmth through her angelic eyes.

  “You came back. Thank you.” The desire burnt in her eyes, and her gaze pulled me towards her. I knew falling for her was inevitable.

  My breath faltered. She was able to touch me deeply … without even touching me.

  Damn it!

  Why did she have to have all the powers here? It wasn’t fair. It had to be equal. Why didn’t I have any control over this situation? Why did I feel like an enervated animal she could leash however she wanted? It wasn’t bloody fair.

  She placed her hand on the mirror, but I was too scared to touch her. I knew: one touch and I would come undone. I just stared into her eyes. Why did she have to be so irresistibly beautiful and immaculately wicked? Yes, her wickedness would soon trample my fortress if I let her enter my life.

  “Talk to me, Edward.” She started moving her hand on the mirror. “I want to touch you.”

  Shit!

  Did she just say that? Her enamoured voice was erupting all the volcanoes inside me. How could I resist now when I had waited and desired her all my life? Now when my fate was giving me second chances, why the hell was I restraining myself?

  Because you know the beast inside you would destroy her, Edward.

  Yes, it was the beast I was trying to bridle. All these years, I had tried to cage this beast inside me—never to hurt a woman—but her intoxicated voice opened my locks and chains seamlessly without any keys.

  Damn it! How the hell is she controlling everything here? I asked the question again to myself.

  Life wasn’t playing a fair game tonight. I didn’t respond; only my heart was pounding frantically—sending her rhythms to hear me.

  And then I suddenly saw my abhorrent self in the mirror. She’d disappeared.

  Oh no! What did I do? She couldn’t go away like that? It has to end on my terms.

  I waited, hoping desperately to hear her voice again, but I didn’t move away from the mirror. I was sure she wouldn’t give up tonight. There had been a need in her voice. I had felt it. But I also knew I would be doomed forever if I catered to her desires tonight.

  What difference does it make, Edward? You’re already doomed. Make her accountable for it.

  I was still arguing with myself when her grey eyes reappeared. What kind of evil games was she playing with me? Appearing and disappearing whenever the hell she wanted.

  This time, I wouldn’t let her keep me waiting. She had already tested my patience. I wouldn’t let her win this time. I placed my hand on the mirror to see if she would reciprocate my act, or take revenge by ignoring me as I had done.

  But the reins of fate were in my hands now. She didn’t retreat. Instead, she placed her hand on mine.

  A shiver ran through my veins. What was in this hand of hers that had the power to play with my body and senses like this? She made me desire her like a hungry, uncontrollable beast, and I hated it.

  How could she unleash the beast when I had been caging him for such a long time? Didn’t she know what this monster could do to her?

  I kept my emotions intact and glared at her. I didn’t want to fall into pieces in front of her. The beast had been starved forever and now there was a feast right in front of him. How could he possibly resist now that he’d been unchained? What would stop the beast from imprisoning her and never letting her go?

  I entwined my fingers with hers. The mirror no longer held its power. At this time, all the powers vested in my beast. She looked at our curled-up fingers, her eyes shining at my touch.

  The beast was howling inside me to pull her into my world. It was now or never! And so, before she even had the chance to fathom the situation, I seized the moment—and pulled her into my world.

  She entered my life like a flower blooming in a desert, like a sun brightening my darkened sky. She collapsed on my chest, igniting every single nerve fibre like a shooting star, as I held her by the waist.

  Damn it! She still holds all the goddamn powers.

  The beast inside me was submitting to her charms—bowing, capitulating. He lost all the battles. How could he betray me now?

  The first thought that came into my mind after looking at her for the first time: can someone be so perfect?

  Time was frozen on us. Our hearts stopped beating. The moment was seized in its own enchantment. The magnitude of our desires was more than the stars I had witnessed in my life. The chaotic and unrestrained greed was leading me into the darkness of lust. I had never felt this before. An unknown force was pulling me into the depths of her bewitching eyes. I wanted to stay in this spell forever. The way she looked at me, she was stripping me bare, with nothing to hide. I was nothing but an open book to her. She would read me anytime she wanted. She could turn my pages whenever it pleased her or she could write a new chapter in my life if she ever wanted.

  I was totally at her disposal.

  No, Edward. This is not the time to fall. She is a witch. Just remember that.

  She was examining me like an open specimen. Her gaze halted at my lips. Would she kiss me? I swore if she decided to take this step, I wouldn’t be able to control myself. The sick perverted part that I hated in my father was also surfacing in me. That bastard did exist in me. I was exactly like my father and he was right. I wanted her to scream for me.

  I averted my eyes from hers and glanced at the mirror behind her. Such an odd picture—a beast holding a beauty. If she saw it, she’d go back right now. I was battling with my inner monster when she placed her warm hand on my face.

  Shit!

  She killed Edward and unlocked the beast. Why the hell was she risking her life?

  I jerked back and gripped her hand to drag her out of here. If she knew that her simple touch was enough to make me fall into pieces, it would throw me to hell. And I was not ready to
visit hell sooner than absolutely necessary.

  Or was she taking me into her heaven?

  Did she truly have the power to turn my hellish world into heaven? She sure as hell had the power to shatter me into the fragments of avidity, turning me to liquid and each drop was greedy to succumb her completely.

  Haakon’s words echoed through my mind. I could either love her or take her as my foe. She would create a schism in my life either way, but I refused to let her apply the divide-and-conquer theory on me once more. I’d never give her this power over me. I was already a nervous wreck, falling everywhere. If she noticed how apprehensive I was, she would make me a laughingstock for life. It was better if I treated her enemy. That way, I had the power to restrain the beast and keep my desires in check.

  If I allowed her to touch me, she would manipulate the beast and wreck the cage to set it free with her wickedness. I wouldn’t let her win.

  “Edward, stop…where are you taking me?” she shouted as I pulled her out of the chapel. I ignored her plea and dragged her into the darkened corridor. Being barefoot, she had trouble keeping up with my long strides, but I had to prove to her that I was in charge in this damn moment. I knew by looking into her alluring eyes, I would tangle my existence into her web. The wicked web had the power to strangle me and make me fall on her feet defenceless.

  “No, Edward, you can’t take me there.” She pulled away from me with her full strength, her voice restrained and smeared with fear. Did she know I was taking her to the tower? Of course, she knew it. It used to be her damn house. She built this place with her husband.

  But wait…no!

  Jasmine and David never built the tower. It was constructed after Andrew invaded the castle and wanted to punish people in his reign. He was afraid Jasmine would come back to avenge for her children, so out of fear, he turned the palace into a castle, building a tower and fortified walls around it.

  But she’d still know who built it and when it was built. She had always been watching all of us for centuries.

  “Why aren’t you talking to me? What are you punishing me for?” she broke through my thoughts, making me look at her.

  Should I tell her what damage she was doing to my cage by breaking it with her voice? That I wasn’t punishing her but saving her from the goddamn beast?

  If I gave her more time, she’d ask me more questions. I couldn’t risk my emotions spilling through my tongue, so I stayed quiet. Instead of answering her, I lifted her and threw her body on my shoulder. She was a fragile, almost weightless doll. I could probably break her with a flick of my finger.

  I had never punished a woman, but this woman was a sinful temptation. She was the first woman in my life who wouldn’t just surrender to me. Instead, she kept fighting me, hitting me with her hands on my back and struggling to loosen my vigour grip.

  Did she honestly think she would get away from me like that? Did she think her hitting was making any difference?

  Shit!

  It was making a difference. She was the first woman to reject my decision. I had never before met such a strong-willed woman, and her defiance was throwing me into the pit of desire I had never visited.

  I hurried up the spiral stairs, and once I reached the tower, I kicked the door open with one push of a leg, to open it ajar. With one effortless move, I lay her down on the stretch rack. I gave her a moment to analyse her situation. Did she know what this rack was capable of?

  Fear stole the rose colour of her skin. Although it was twilight and a dim lantern was burning behind me, I could see the glow of her beautiful face. Her beautiful, treacherous face—a camouflage to please my eyes. I knew she could curse me anytime she wanted. Why wasn’t she doing it?

  “Edward…” She took a deep breath. I glanced at her, holding her hands tightly. “What are you doing? Why are you doing this to me?” I stayed quiet. “Why aren’t you talking to me?” I looked away. It was pointless to make her understand. She closed her eyes and let her body loose. I looked at her. What was going on in her mind? She stopped defying me now all of a sudden. What the hell just happened?

  She opened her eyes and watched me in a way no one had ever dared to. Her gaze was making me nervous. She smiled at me, which sent chills into my bones. I felt weak all of a sudden.

  Shit! I couldn’t stand anymore.

  Was she going to hex me now?

  If she kept on throwing these amorous glances at me, I would take her right now on this damn rack.

  She was watching me like a hungry beast. I felt like the beast was not in me, but in her that had the power to invade me completely. I ignored her speculative gaze and continued securing her hands. I had to make sure she couldn’t touch me again. When I was almost done, her intoxicating fragrance sent a tingling sensation through me.

  How the hell is this possible?

  It was the same fragrance I had smelled in my dreams. Who was she? Why wasn’t she hexing me now? Why wasn’t she showing me her powers?

  This made me want to question my father. If Jasmine was truly a witch, and if she wasn’t Jasmine, then who was this woman?

  I wanted to kiss her desperately but touching her with my lips would mean submitting all my powers to her and rotting in purgatory for eternity.

  If I asked her name, would she tell me? I didn’t want to drag the conversation between us tonight. I had to think what I had to with her later…but not now. My mind was too clogged with her scent and bewitching beauty to think anything wise.

  Instead, I pulled back, avoiding her fragrance to affect me any longer. This was not helping though. Getting close to her was shutting down all my senses but it was also invigorating other senses I was unaware of.

  I held her ankle and shackled it so she couldn’t kick me. I spotted a silver chain around her ankle, something I had never noticed on a woman before. Did it represent anything? Was it a sign of being a princess? Had I ever seen a woman so closely ever in my life to notice a mere piece of jewellery? But I didn’t want to give her the impression that this was all new to me. That would make me weaker in front of her.

  Her dress was completely different from what women wore in our village. It seemed like she truly had come from a different world. Her lilac dress, made of smooth silk, flowed like an intoxicating wine over her fragile body. I wanted to drink it, devour it, and drown in it.

  I touched the skirt of her dress to feel it. I couldn’t dare to touch her warm skin tonight. It had the power to pull me into her world and burn me forever. Staying cold for such a long time, I wasn’t ready for this warmth. She had already started melting glaciers inside me.

  But through the silkiness of her dress, I felt her body. My hands travelled up to her legs and then to her thighs. I wanted to feel her but I was too afraid to break her.

  My hands moved to her slim waist, where I noticed a silver belt caging her waistline. I tugged on it with my finger. The ornaments she was wearing, they were unlocking all the chains inside me. I wanted to tear off everything from her body to feel her skin, but damn it…I knew if I didn’t control myself tonight, I might kill her with my beast.

  My gaze then travelled to her chest. She was breathing heavily, weighing her charms on my heart. She was indeed a beautiful delight to my eyes. The simple pearl necklace around her slender neck tempted me to kiss her skin right on that spot. She stopped arguing and let me watch her. She reminded of a porcelain doll—immaculate—an epitome of perfection. I didn’t want to crack her beauty. It was too fragile.

  Her dress was sleeveless, provoking me to touch her arms. I couldn’t control anymore and wanted desperately to touch her skin. As soon as my hand made contact with her bare arm, a moan escaped her lips. It unlocked the final chain holding the beast. He was free now.

  Her warm skin was the sun upon my icy heart, turning me into a river of love that wanted to flow and never freeze again. I wanted to swim in this river, flow in it, drench, and ultimately drown in it.

  Although she was tied and chained, I was the one wh
o felt completely defenceless. Her breath-taking moans tethered my heartbeat with hers. Any moment, she’d be able to pull out my heart and kill me.

  She closed her eyes and surrendered herself to me. The beast was banging frantically inside me, desperate to come out and ravish her. Every ornament she wore was dazzling—just like her. She opened her eyes when my gaze stopped at the lilacs in her hair. They were V’s favourite flowers. She had left this world without even touching these flowers. How much she had craved to hold them in her hands. I wanted to touch them, feel their softness, and to know what had made V love those flowers so much. But nature was forbidden to me. I was cursed not to touch it. And she was nature. She had come right out of my dreams—just the way I had been meeting her in my slumbers.

  Everything about her was beautiful. She was not cursed like me. She had enough powers to place these lilacs in her hair and bring them into the castle, where no one had ever made it possible in two hundred years. What if I touched them? Would they wither straight away?

  Her jewellery was enticing, elegant. She looked like a bride—my bride.

  No, Edward. She is a married witch. She destroyed your forefathers.

  Was it a courtly love? Loving secretly to a married woman, and worshipping her forever in my heart? What But what if she wasn’t Jasmine?

  “Edward,” her soft voice broke through my wild thoughts. She had no idea what her voice was capable of. The more she’d talk, the more danger she’d create for herself. I looked at her finally to acknowledge her voice. I wanted to ask so many questions. “You know I’m not Jasmine.”

  Then who the hell are you?

  Her confession still shocked me. Deep inside my heart, something was battling and telling me she wasn’t Jasmine.

  I looked away, locking my gaze with her silver belt tied around her waist.

  “I’ve come for you, Edward.” My grip tightened on her belt. Why was she doing this to me?

  She was slowly tearing down all the defences that had taken me so long to build after Veronica’s death. How could I keep my bearings if she kept attacking my armoured existence and melt down everything with her confessions?