Happily Never After

Chapter 5: New Princess

It was another dark and stormy night in Phrygia. Rain plummeted from the clouds above, lightly flooding the brick roads. Midas was once more seated upon his throne in a state of melancholy. This time his queen stood beside him with a gentle hand placed on his shoulder. The royal couple still dawned a black wardrobe, as they would forever grieve Amalthea. The sound of the rain was both terrifying and peaceful. However, the monarchs were pulled out of their grieving when they were alerted by a loud knocking. It was coming from the palace doors.

“I’ll go see whom that could be,” the queen said.

“No, don’t,” Midas protested tiredly. “What if it’s him?”

“You know very well that I can handle myself if it is,” the queen replied. The queen walked to the doors at the face of the palace and opened the doors. There stood a girl who couldn’t have been any older than ten years old. She had wheat blonde hair down to her ankles and wore a pale blue dress littered with tears. “Oh dear heavens, child. Come inside.” The young girl entered the palace and followed closely to the queen. “Midas.” Midas’ gaze turned to his queen, then to the girl beside her.

“Who is she,” Midas asked?

“My name is Adastrea,” the girl said.

“And what brings you to my palace at such an hour, Adastrea,” Midas questioned?

“I’m running from a warlock,” Adastrea explained. “He’s been keeping me in a tower as long as I can remember. He never actually stays in the tower, more like he comes in and he touches me. Please, could I stay here? I don’t want to go back there.” Midas and the queen felt remorse that this young girl was being held hostage only to be used for r**e.

“Stay as long as you’d like,” Midas agreed. The queen guided Rapunzel to one of the many vast bedrooms in the palace. She helped Adastrea get cleaned up and let her rest. The queen returned to her husband, who was still seated upon his throne.

“Darling, our prayers have been answered,” the queen said. “A child has come to us that we can raise and protect as our own.”

“And you’ll still tax the people of Locksley,” Midas inquired? “You’ll separate children from their families just like Robin Hood said?” The queen frowned at her husband’s words. “Answer me, Bromwen!”

“I only did it for us,” Bromwen replied. “The people of Locksley didn’t even know who I was.”

“And the children, Bromwen, what of them,” Midas asked?

“They will be reunited at dawn,” Bromwen promised. “Darling, I just wanted to see you happy again. I wanted to have a child again. I wanted Phrygia to prosper again.”

“If you wanted another child, you could’ve said so,” Midas said. “We could always try.”

“But I can’t have children,” Bromwen admitted.

“What do you mean that you can’t have children,” Midas questioned?

"Oh, darling, I’m sorry,” Bromwen apologized. “I knew you wanted a child, and I couldn’t give you a child in the way you wanted.”

“But I was there,” Midas stated. “I was there when Amalthea was born.”

“It was all an illusion,” Bromwen explained. “You weren’t the only one to make a deal with Rumplestiltskin. He came to me when I realized I couldn’t conceive. He told me he would give us a child if I gave the mermaid a dagger. He said he knew what would happen next. Please forgive me, darling.”

“Of course I forgive you, Midas said softly.”

“Then we can let Adastrea stay and be raised as our own,” Bromwen asked. “Please, darling, she needs us. Whatever warlock had her locked in a tower hurt her.”

“She will stay,” Midas said. “And she will be announced as the new princess within three days time. We shall have a ball to welcome her.”