writing camp, Hidden beauty

Week 6, stary writing camp, chapter 4

The prince was now panicked, pain surging all over his body and after some time, it stopped all together.

He got up from the floor and tried to wipe up his face but what he saw on his hands, shook him to the timbers.

His hands are covered with hair, yes, that is true, he is covered in hair, all over, even his face, or was it just his hallucinations?.

He rushed over to the mirror and what he saw, made him let out a roar and soon, the mirror was in shatters on the ground.

"No! This cannot be possible, I look hideous, more hideous than anything that has ever set foot on earth" he cries out.

No, he cannot be like this for the rest of his life, he most certainly not.

There must be a away out of this, yes, there must.

He turned to the witch and started pleading with her to please help him out and have mercy on him.

But the old woman wasn't ready to listen, just like he did her.

But the prince kept on pleading to the extent that he was on his knees and in tears.

The Sea witch was now filled with sympathy and remorse. She realized that she did exactly as he did to her. But he still has to learn his lesson.

"You may rise son" she finally speaks up.

"It is not good for a royalty to bow down to anyone" she says.

He got up, trying to brace himself.

"You have learnt your lesson so you will be pardon, you will return to your human form as well as the rest of your servants but..."

The prince's heartbeat came to a halt.

There is nothing good about a but in a sentence.

"As the winter begins, a beautiful and pure maiden with the heart of gold, hair as bright as the sun and long as the mountain peak and the kiss of true love, then you will be freed from this curse, but until the last petal on this rose falls off and then it would be eternal darkness and doom"

And with that, she disappeared into the thin air.

**********

Lucy

Life has been good since father got married again. The house has been lively with more people roaming about, more activities to carry out. But the best of all was that I get to have a sister now.

Intra has been of such a great help to me by being around all of the time even though, she usually tease me about my hair most of the time and sometimes, she even pulls me by the hair. It hurts so bad that I scream and mother has to come and save me from her. Despite that, I still do love that I have a sister to call my own.

But amidst all that, I missed only one person. I just wished that he could be here with us all the time, it would have been better.

Father has left for the city soon after the wedding but he promised this time that he would be back early and that this would be his last long trip to the city as he would be assigning someone else for the job.

He also said that he wanted to settle down and enjoy the rest of his life with his family.

Father was supposed to be back today, so, I got up as early as possible and got myself ready. I just can't wait to be in his arms once again.

I sat there by the gate, awaiting his arrival.

It is windy today and so, my hair was flying all over the place but it doesn't matter, father will he back soon and then we'll take care of it together.

"Hey, what are you doing out here in the wind" intra calls out.

"Oh! I am just waiting for father, he is on his way back home now" I answer, trying to pack up my hair.

"Who told you he'll be back early, it's not like he is flying from there you know, the city is real far, I've lived there before, trust me" she says.

"Ok, I'll just wait anyways, he'll be sad if he doesn't see me out here when he is back" I say.

"Ok, suit yourself, I'd rather go and have tea with Mommy" she says.

She turned to leave but the question slipped out of my mouth.

"Aren't you excited about meeting father?" I ask.

"Of course I am, most especially since he is bringing me that silk dress, the finest of them all" she wiggles her body.

I still don't understand how she does that.

"But I just want to see him and make sure he is ok" I answer honestly.

"So that's why you asked him for the plant he encountered on the road" she commented and walked away.

I ignored her and took my seat again.

I kept on waiting the whole day with no carriage coming this way.

Then it started becoming dark and the clouds getting heavier.

Mother asked me to come back in and promised to wake me up as soon as father gets here.

At first, I hesitated but then she assured me I'll be the first to see him and no one else.

I retired to my room with a view heavy heart.

Father has never been late to come back home, I just hope he is alright.

That night, it rained like it never didn't before. I was even afraid that the skies are going to fall on our roof soon.

Early the next morning, I stormed to the door as soon as I heard a knock.

I know it must be father.

"Father, you're finally back" I say as soon as I open the door.

But then it wasn't him.

There standing before me is another man, a friend of my father's but I can't remember his name.

"Could I please speak to your mother please?" he says.

He walked into the house before I could answer.

While the man and my mother are settled in the living room, I decided to take a sneak peak of what's happening.

"He is dead" the man says.