Once Upon A [Fallen] Time

by Samreen Ahsan

  “I wasn’t sleepy so I was going to get some fresh air, Your Majesty. Why would I run away from your hospitality?” She faked a smile to curb the anger that was sparkling in his eyes.

  I realized that even if I let her go, King Stefan wouldn’t let it happen. He’d want to keep her forever, as long as he lived.

  He observed her from head to toe. The way my father was looking at her with drunken eyes, it was as if she was not wearing anything at all. The bloody bastard was stripping her with his perverted gaze. “Then if you’re not sleepy, shall we walk around the castle and talk for a while?”

  Shit!

  I looked at her with boiling blood. Did she really have to leave the chamber at this hour? And why did she have to mention she was going for fresh air? When would this woman stop creating new problems for me?

  King Stefan never heard no for an answer. The way she looked at me, she was waiting for my decision, but I stayed quiet and left it to her. Why would she expect me to defend her now when she was the one who had stepped forward in this battle? Asking for shields in this moment was pointless.

  “My pleasure, Your Majesty,” she replied with another plastered-on smile. King Stefan squeezed her hand. The bastard didn’t leave any opportunity of touching her. He wanted to make sure again and again that she was real and not his dream anymore.

  “The pleasure is all mine,” he spoke in his most seductive voice, as he kissed her knuckles. “I believe Edward has not given you a tour around the castle yet?” All his anger evaporated as she smiled at him. She was indeed casting a spell.

  I shot her a hostile glance. She should read the message in my eyes now. At least we shared this level of understanding. She had earlier understood what my eyes said when my mouth couldn’t.

  “Lady Farrow had a busy day today,” I stepped forward. “I will give her the tour tomorrow.” King Stefan was still holding her hand, but I showed the courage to take her other hand. “She needs to sleep now. Tomorrow is going to be a long day once again.” My words held a promise though I didn’t plan for anything yet. Each moment spent with her was a surprise.

  King Stefan assessed me for a few heartbeats, the way he had always judged and read me. Then he looked at her. “We have mass every morning in the chapel. Please join with Edward in the morning.”

  Shit! Where did that come from? Did he want to test himself if she could be seen in the mirror?

  It seemed like someone drained her skin of all the colour because she turned as white as a ghost. I decided already she wouldn’t go to the chapel. It was too risky. What if King Stefan really wanted to find out if her reflection could be seen in the mirror? Obviously, it would show. What would he do then? Would he be assured that she was a witch from his dream or someone who had come to end the curse?

  “Lady Farrow was telling me she was a teacher in her village,” he smiled at her and she returned him a smile. “Since Gillian is gone for a while to tend the McQueens’ son, how about we hire Lady Farrow’s expertise in teaching the children who attend mass with their parents?”

  Was he asking me or proclaiming his decision? Obviously, he never took no for an answer. I looked at my captive who was equally stunned by the king’s decision.

  “Lady Farrow told me she’s good at teaching children by making them learn through stories.” We were standing on her either side—both of us holding her hands, as if we were about to pull her in different directions. “Let’s see how good she is at storytelling?”

  Really? I knew how good she was at weaving inane stories. She would cast the same spell on children as she did on my father.

  “She must sleep then,” I asserted.

  It was quite obvious I looked livid. I pulled her on her hand so King Stefan had no other choice than to release her other hand. She pulled away from my grip and bowed gently.

  “Good night, Your Majesty.” He shot her hair another glance, and I knew he was still wondering how she could carry anything natural inside the castle. When his eyes met mine, I could read him clearly for the first time. His emotions were spilling from his gaze. He wanted to keep her in his chamber for worshipping.

  Over my dead body!

  She turned around and, without even waiting for me, climbed the stairs.

  What just happened? I was trying to take her out of Stefan’s grip and she was giving me shit?

  King Stefan’s gaze never left her as she disappeared into the stairs. Did I make her angry? When she could not be seen anymore, he blinked and looked at me. He was totally besotted—whether it was due to wine or her, it didn’t matter. What mattered was the danger lurking in the castle’s walls for her. I didn’t know what he had planned for her.

  “Edward,” he grabbed my attention as he placed his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t forget what I told you. Keep watching her every move. I want to know what she’s here for.”

  I nodded.

  “Good night,” I said and created a distance between us. Once King Stefan had turned around to walk to his chamber on the other side of the castle, I took the stairs and ran towards my own chamber.

  She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her back facing the mirror, when I entered. Her hands were covering her face, her elbows resting on her knees. I closed the door behind me and walked closer to her when I realized she was sobbing.

  What happened?

  Why is she crying?

  Her sobs twisted something inside me. My heart started running at the speed of Ulysses. One more time, she had rendered me helpless in front of her. No matter how many battles we fought in one day, she always disarmed me. She had trampled all my plans once again. I had planned on inquiring her, asking her why she had run out of the chamber, but the way she reacted right now clearly indicated she did not enjoy what had happened either. Indeed, I should probably appreciate the way she had taken the matters in her hand and run them with patience. She knew that had she argued about visiting the chapel, it would have enraged King Stefan. But now that she was alone—and out of Stefan’s grip—I could see how much she truly hated his touch.

  I sat beside her. I knew she felt my presence because her body shifted in a way only I could understand.

  “I’m sorry to snap at you earlier,” I said softly after a few beats of silence. She was the first woman who made me feel guilty. She made me break yet another rule—of apologizing to a woman face to face. She still didn’t uncover her face. “But you shouldn’t have left—”

  She removed her hands from her face and looked at me. “I want to go home.”

  I drew my eyebrows together, bewildered by her demand.

  “Didn’t you hear me clearly? I want to go home. Right now,” she screamed at my face and stood up from the bed. I grabbed her arm. “Let me go, Edward.” She tried to pull her arm out of my grip. I kept staring at her as she continued her struggle of leaving me. “Please, don’t make it hard on me. I can’t stay here.”

  Shit! She can’t leave like that. I don’t even know her real name.

  I stood up but didn’t release her arm. “And how do you think you’d go back?”

  She turned towards the mirror. I could see her reflection, but I couldn’t see my reflection from where I was standing. “I will go to the chapel now.” She was still contemplating the mirror. “If I could come through it—”

  “No,” I shouted and jerked her arm. “Don’t you dare go to the chapel without my permission.”

  “And what about in the morning? Your father has asked to attend the mass. And the way he keeps…” She created some distance between us and shook her head. “I can’t handle it, Edward. It’s too much to take in a day.” A tear dropped from her eye. “And you’re irked all the time.” She turned around to walk to the other side of the bed, where her favourite window was. She stood by the windowsill—wind swiftly playing with her hair. Her hair was still made like it was yesterday, elegantly pinned with lilacs. A few locks were kissing her shoulder. The image of her was etched in my mind. I had a sudden urge to draw her on canvas,
to freeze the moment in time. I would give away my whole kingdom, just to hold on to this moment.

  She liked to watch the world outside the window. Nature apparently calmed her down. She was just like a flower that could not be kept in the dark. She was everything nature could be—beautiful, priceless, and something I could not touch. God knew how much I craved touching her, feeling her skin to skin, but I knew the beast inside me was a greedy monster. He would crush the petals of this flower.

  If my perverted father had fallen for her then why was I punishing her? It wasn’t her fault that she was breathtakingly beautiful. It wasn’t her fault that she haunted my father in his dreams. I shouldn’t have snapped at her earlier when she had asked me for a chambermaid to help her change the dress. She was truly tired and she needed to relax and for this, she needed to change her clothes. She needed rest, as we didn’t know what morning would bring us. The least I could do was to provide her with peaceful sleep.

  I was the prince and I could arrange any servant at this hour for her, but I lied to her intentionally. I didn’t want anyone to enter my chamber when it was just us.

  I walked towards her, ignoring the mirror on my right side, and smothered the candles on my way. I stood behind her. The room was partially shrouded in darkness, but the light from the fireplace was enough to see each other. Her body acknowledged my presence as I felt the heat emanating from her. After having been frozen for so many years, her body was like the sun to me—melting me slowly, without flooding it.

  This was our night. The night I had dreamt of forever. I had wanted to talk to her for so long. Tell her who I was and tonight was the night. Her breath staggered as she felt me close to her back. I didn’t know how many lies she had woven so far. I didn’t even know her true name yet, but right at this moment—I wanted to forget everything and let loose the beast in me to devour her.

  The curled locks draped flawlessly across her nape. Her skin even glowed in partial darkness. I picked up a dark brown lock and placed it aside to reveal her nape. At my touch, she released the sweet breath she had been holding. How could I resist now when I knew she was equally attracted to me? Perhaps I didn’t need to worry about my father winning her heart. I still ruled her heart. If only I had the courage to own her body—but damn it! She was so fragile I feared my beast would shatter her crystal beauty.

  I ignored the burning desire in me and decided to help her take off this dress first. I draped my arms around her waist and unhooked her silver belt. I placed the belt on the sideboard next to me. Then I gently unhooked the first pearl from the loop. This would take a while. There were around twenty-five pearls hooked in loops from her nape, all the way down to her back. I wanted her to talk but she stayed silent. Yes, we argued whenever we talked, but her voice gave me life.

  On the third loop, when she still hadn’t said a single word, I couldn’t resist anymore. I spoke to her in Italian, hoping she’d understand my feelings. The visions of my dream last night, with snakes, leeches, spiders, and blood—they started fogging my mind. I could never confess my love to her. It would take her life. My love would kill her.

  “Non isperate mai veder lo cielo…”

  Hope not ever to see Heaven…

  I unhooked the fourth loop and warned her with Dante’s verses—a Florentine poet who had died a hundred years ago.

  “i’ vegno per menarvi a l’altra riva …”

  I have come to lead you to the other shore…

  I continued the verse from Canto III and unhooked the fifth one—my voice ominous.

  “ne le tenebre etterne …”

  into eternal darkness…

  She raised her head as I released the sixth loop.

  “…in caldo e ‘n gelo…”

  …into fire and into ice…

  Seventh loop.

  She must have understood by now that there was no hope between us. Being with me would eventually lead her to eternal darkness. Was I creating an inferno for both of us?

  “You and I both know what we have between us,” I repeated the same words she had said last night when I had incarcerated her in the tower. Ever since she had come into my life, I had been the one to be caged by her beauty.

  I unhooked the eighth loop. “There is no war going on here.” Her back stiffened at my words.

  Ninth loop and she still didn’t say anything.

  “No matter how hard you try to stop your emotions, I know you desire me,” I remembered everything she had said to me last night.

  Tenth loop and she didn’t utter a word.

  “Your body…”

  Eleventh loop was untied.

  “…your body speaks the truth.” She took a deep breath.

  “You asked me last night…”

  Twelfth loop…

  “If I’d give you to my father?” She held her breath.

  I untied the thirteenth loop.

  “You came for me…” I grazed her back with my fingertips. There was a black mark on her mid back, which I couldn’t see properly due to the darkness. Perhaps it was a birthmark.

  A moan escaped her lips. Shit! It was impossible to resist now!

  Fourteenth loop released.

  “How could you think I’d hand you over to that monster?” She released her breath on my words.

  Fifteenth loop.

  “Always remember…” I took my time to articulate my chaotic thoughts. “You’re mine to keep.”

  Sixteenth loop and she didn’t argue, which meant she agreed with my words.

  “I don’t know where you have come from.”

  Seventeenth loop to go...

  “Or what will you do to me…”

  She listened to me quietly.

  Eighteenth...

  “But I know one thing…” Shit! It was harder than expected. “You are here because I desired you.” She straightened her neck but didn’t move at all.

  Nineteenth loop untied.

  “And now since you’re in my protection,” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

  Twentieth loop unhooked. I could easily undress her with my eyes closed now.

  “You must know one thing about me,” I opened my eyes again.

  Twenty-first.

  “I have lived in darkness forever.” The weight of the words was choking me, but I had more to say.

  Twenty-second loop freed.

  “But there is enough light for me to see the beast inside me.” Her back straightened again.

  I unhooked the twenty-third loop.

  “My father has been feeding this beast for a very long time.”

  Twenty-fourth loop, and her dress was finally open. I could see her entire back. It was waking up my beast.

  I held her by the shoulders and spun her around. Lust simmered in her eyes, but I had to ignore it.

  I looked her in the eye and grabbed her by her bare arms. “The beast holds the power to kill you.” I released my grip. She looked at me, stunned. I took a step back. “Don’t try to wake up this beast.” I lifted my palms to surrender. “I have already done enough damage around me.” I took another step back. “Please don’t provoke me to do any more damage.” I pressed my temples. “I can’t handle more losses.”

  A tear dropped from her eye. I was already disarmed in this battle, and retreating from the battlefield was a wise thing to do right now. Fighting with her was pointless. I had no shields, no weapons to fight. I could no longer stand looking into her captivating face, so I took a coward’s turn one more time and left my chamber.

  “Your task is not to seek for love,

  but merely to seek and find all the barriers

  within yourself that you have built against it.”

  ― Rumi

  CHAPTER 11

  STEVE

  JUNE 12th 2015

  I reached the hotel room where the Farrows and Julia Watson were waiting for me impatiently. They turned pale when they noticed the serious expression on my face. I just wanted to sleep, but damn Myra! She had stolen my
sleep and peace. Her parents had been shadowing me like ghosts ever since her disappearance, and I couldn’t even run away from it.

  I met my gaze with Mrs Farrow and sagged down on the couch.

  “I was right,” I stared at the ceiling, focusing nowhere. “She has travelled through time to Edward’s world.” I couldn’t even believe I was saying this. I glanced at Myra’s mother who had sunk into the couch. “She is fine,” I looked at everyone, “apparently that old man has the power to travel through time too.” Julia Watson looked at me, astounded. “I gave him a note for Myra and he promised he will bring her answer but he said,” I was having trouble speaking as my mouth went dry, so I cleared my throat, “he said that she has chosen to live with that prince and she wants to stay there.”

  “What does that mean?” Mr Farrow asked in fury, as he rose from the couch to approach me.

  I looked him in the eye. “That means she doesn’t want to come back, Mr Farrow. Your daughter is in love with that dead man and has chosen to live with him in his daunting medieval castle instead of this modern life you were giving her.”

  Paula Farrow looked completely devastated.

  “Will she come back?” she asked, never losing hope of a mother.

  I averted my gaze from her and looked out of the window. “I don’t think so,” I took a deep breath. “Bakr says she has chosen to stay with Edward.” Shit! I couldn’t even say this truth to myself and I hated to discourage them.

  Paula Farrow started crying like a mother who had lost her only child forever. If we took it this way, she had indeed gone from this world.

  Another dimension!

  Was it even possible what Bakr had said?

  “I’m not going to believe all this rubbish,” Mr Farrow shouted and pointed towards me. “You will bring my daughter back—I don’t care from where—but I want my daughter, Bernard, or else you’re going behind bars.”

  I stood up, anger surging in my veins.

  “You think I have purposely hidden her somewhere?” I wanted to grab his collar and shake him, but I couldn’t forget the fact that this man was still my future father-in-law. I had to respect him no matter how much rubbish he talked. “Why don’t you ask your wife? She knew who Edward was and what damage he had done to your daughter’s mind.” I raked my fingers through my hair. “I thought if she spoke to Edward one last time, she’d move on, but damn it!” Mr Farrow was tongue-tied, as he listened to me quietly. “You have no idea what I went through when she disappeared like thin air—in front of my eyes. I stayed there, helpless, for hours, Mr Farrow, and she…” I shook my head, “she bloody chose that goddamn beast. She thinks these medieval kings are the same as we see in Hollywood movies? She doesn’t even know how barbaric they are—illiterate, ill-mannered, sadists, perverts…”