Escaping Her Curse—Completed

Chapter Twenty-Three

Lifting the curtain to the side, Jessie watched the rain drizzle outside. It cascaded over the garden, over the roofs of the buildings, over the training grounds that were empty. Water seeped into every crevice, pooling into puddles, and dripped from leaves and awnings. The grey clouds were relentless as they passed overhead, dumping their cargo onto anything and everything below as it passed, as though someone was wringing out a drench towel. It fit her mood perfectly.

Jessie had passed through the day in a daze. Her eyes perceived the world around her, yet she saw nothing. Her ears listened intently to those speaking to her, but she heard nothing. Food passed through her lips, yet she tasted nothing. She was trapped in an endless cycle of anxiety and fear-inducing thoughts. Her greatest fears were presenting themselves again, except this time, there were deeper consequences. The more Jessie stewed on what had happened last night, the more out of control she felt herself become. And the more out of control she was, the easier it was for her magic to surface. Lydia’s words rolled around in her head, and she mulled them over and over and over again. Every time she thought she had decided upon an answer, she changed her mind. Could she really start all over once more?

After Jessie had woken up from her nightmare, Lydia had attempted to calm her down. Lydia had seen her secret and had told her that everything would be alright. But could she really trust a maid she only met a year ago and barely knew? The two had only just gotten on better terms. The previous eight months had been a struggle, but after one good day, was she just supposed to take her word and trust her with life-altering decisions?

Jessie sighed.

“Okay, that is the fifth time in literally a minute. Are you going to tell me what’s going on with you or what?” Oliver jokingly snapped.

Jessie dropped the curtain and watched it fall back into place before turning to face Oliver. She opened her mouth to say the words, but they died on her lips.

Oliver gave her a pitying smile. “I told you that we are going to figure something out. It’s only been, like what, two days? We have the time to think of a plan or talk father out of the decision. Don’t worry,”

Shaking her head, Jessie shrugged her shoulders in defeat. “It’s, it’s not just that. There’s so much about this that is…”

“Hey,” he cooed at her, walking over to stand in front of her. He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Simon told me about…yesterday, and what he saw. I’ve already addressed it with Baron Carter, so that won't happen again.”

“Until I’m married to him,” she bit out, unable to help herself.

Jessie then attempted to swipe his arms away, but Oliver stood firm, his blue eyes burning into her own.

“He will not do such things as long as I’m breathing,” the prince said through clenched teeth. “I will not let him.”

“But–”

“No, Jessie. I will not let him. I will not let him touch you, let alone marry you.”

Swallowing her nervousness, she timidly asked, “Why? Why do all this for me? Or at least why try? You can’t be with me. What’s in it for you? I don’t understand why you’ve gone this far for me. I’m a nobody with nothing to offer you. You brought me here, and I still can’t comprehend what made you do it.”

Oliver chuckled. “Yes, I know. It seems weird from the outside looking in, but Jessie, I cannot ignore how I’m drawn to you. You’re the first person I think of when I want to tell anyone anything. I have grown to rely on you to the point where people have started to ask where you are if not by my side. And after that kiss-”

“We shouldn’t talk about that,” Jessie quickly interjected, eyes wide.

“And after that interaction,” he corrected with a soft smile. “I can’t stop thinking about you and about how you reciprocated those feelings. It just tells me even more how you are and I are meant for one another. I want you, Jessie. Since I met you, it’s always been you.”

“And what of the king wanting you to marry Lady Christine?”

“That isn’t going to happen. My father thinks he can still control me as if I’m a child. He refuses to see me as a grown man, who will take ownership of my actions. Just like how he refuses to see the state of the commoners. If he ignores them, then there is no problem. If he ignores me, I’ll just give in. Perhaps a year ago, I would have just given in, but not anymore. Not after how you’ve shown me that I can live my life apart from his standards and everything he’s set up for me. Jessie, you’ve helped me become my own person, whether you know it or not. All the late nights, all the work gone into revamping new policies and our military–all of it has helped me grow and change into the type of ruler I want to be. You gave me the confidence to do what I know needs to be done for this country.

“I will not stop fighting for you. Surely, by now, you’ve seen that. Surely, you’ve seen to what lengths I will go for you.”

Jessie felt tears welling up in her eyes. She shook her head.

“You can’t mean all that. You still don’t know me.”

“Nothing could change how I feel about you. Nothing,” he said with a bright smile. “I’m yours to the very end.”

Pressing the back of her hand to her lips, her tears finally spilled down her cheeks. It was all too much. Though these were the words she had always wanted to hear from the man she loved, she couldn’t bear it. Everything was wrong. But, how could she even utter a single word about this? She felt trapped every which way she looked. There was no out; there was nowhere to go. Someone was bound to get hurt no matter what she did.

“You don’t know who I am, Your Highness. You don’t know my past. You don’t know what I’ve done.”

“I don’t care. I don’t need to know about your past. I don’t care what you’ve done. I know who you are now, and that is enough for me.”

Reaching up, Oliver gently swiped away one of the tears. He then fished out his handkerchief and offered it to her.

“Please don’t cry, Jessie. Just promise that you will trust in me. I will keep you safe,” he said. “Wait for me. Just try to wait for me.”

She turned, unable to face him any longer. Everything in her was telling her to run. She couldn’t offer him what he wanted anymore. Walking away for the first time had devastated her. Jessie wasn’t sure what the second time would look like, but it was in that moment that she knew what she needed to do. She had loved every moment by his side; however, she couldn’t spend another minute with him, else she changed her mind.

Jessie tentatively took his proffered handkerchief and dabbed her cheeks. “I apologize for my demeanor and lack of decorum,” she began.

“There’s no need–”

She held a hand up and continued, “I cannot wait for you, Your Grace. You are destined to have a queen that society would approve of. You are destined for things far greater than me. You may be fond of me, but that will pass, as most feelings do. I am a small and insignificant part of your journey. A maid turned assistant, but that is where my story ends. I cannot be what you want, and the king knows it.”

“So, you’re agreeing with him, now? You want to marry that pig?” he shouted at her, suddenly angry.

“You’re hurt, and rightly so. I don’t blame you, and–”

“And what? Huh? How are you going to make this better for me? I just told you my feelings–feelings I know you have for me as well–and you just shoved them in my face! How am I supposed to take that, Jessie? Is there someone else? Simon?”

Jessie took a deep breath to steady herself. “There is no one else,” she replied calmly and quietly.

“Then why?” he whispered, his face crumpling in pain. “Why not me?”

Already hating herself for what she was about to say, she replied, “I was caught up in the moment. To have a prince be interested in me is something little girls only dream of. I do not love you nor can I love you properly. I am not worth pining after. I apologize for dragging you through this mess and giving you false hope.”

She watched him work his clenched jaw and ball up his fists in anger. He then uncurled his fingers, smoothed out his shirt and raked his fingers through his hair.

“Alright. You don’t want me. You’ll accept your fate and marry that disgusting p*****t. So, what then? You resign?”

“Yes, m’lord.”

“Fine. Accepted. I expect you to stay out of my way until you’re married and then never step foot in the palace again unless you absolutely have to.”

“Yes, m’lord.”

“Leave. I’m tired of this conversation now.”

Jessie curtsied, barely managing to see through her tear-filled eyes. She hated hurting him, but she had to force him to let her go. She then turned and left the room, practically running to her room before collapsing to the floor sobbing.

It had rained nonstop all day. The irony was not lost on her as her tears continued to fall well after Lydia picked her up from the floor and helped her to her bed.