The Curse

Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Audrina's POV

"She hates me, doesn't she?" a voice wondered aloud as I hitched the dress I was wearing's skirt higher to avoid getting it caught on the fallen branches left strewn across the forest floor. 

"Who does?" I asked as I continued walking with my eyes glued onto the backs of Ember and Peter, who were both walking ahead together to map out where we were going, but I couldn't help but feel slightly jealous. Because while Ember got the smart soldier, I got to keep company with the rivalry prince. 

"Ember." he smirked at the sound of her name as the two syllable word came out of his mouth. "Ember Bigot of the South." A smile began tugging and curling at the edge of his lips. 

"Well," I took my time to consider the facts that I knew that Ember had shared with me, but still felt that something was missing from her story as I considered how to tell the rivalry prince kindly. 

"I don't know much, but I do know the fact that you just came barging through the woods or bush or whatever you came out of, and demanded that she marry you immediately. Is there anything you want to add on?" I raised my eyebrows at him, as he cringed at the way I spoke of his actions, but the truth was the truth. 

"Well..." he trailed off helplessly, then sighed. "How else could I have handled it? I mean—" I cut him off. 

"You know, like what normal people do. They get to know each other, and love will find its way, not like you, stupidly trying to seduce her out in the middle of a forest." As I talked, I noticed Ember shooting me a weird look as she saw me talking to the rivalry prince who was going to cost both her freedom to love, and her pride for marrying an enemy. 

"I am the prince." he stated simply, "I always get what I want." 

I scoffed. "You might've been a prince back then, but you are no longer in your perfect little castle, living your life off of someone else's pain. You, your majesty," I pointed at him, "are going to have to learn how to deal in the real world without your 'prince' title, if you want to avoid being killed on the spot. Because, I can assure you, that where we're going, no one is very fond of you." And adding under my breath, I muttered, "No one ever is." 

He chuckled before his face changed expressions and he grabbed my wrist suddenly. I stopped walking. 

"Tell me," he begged, "Tell me how to make her love me." 

"Please," my voice jumped as I stared at the cold and rough hand on my wrist, "Let go of me. You're hurting me." His grip only tightened. 

"You know her, in fact, you know her very well," he states, "Now tell me what I must do to win her heart over." He pulled me closer and I shifted uncomfortably, trying desperately to tug my hand back. It wasn't so much as the fact that he was hurting me, but the fact that his green eyes were burning holes in my soul. 

"N-no," I stuttered with my eyes still trained on the hand on my wrist. 

He turned my wrist slightly and said, "I'll make you a deal then." 

I didn't say anything. 

"You will make her love me somehow, and I don't care how you do it, but you will." he threatened, and a random strand of curly hair fell across his forehead. 

"I'm not going to do that." 

He only laughed and twisted my hand a bit more. "Darling, I'm sure you will do it." 

"And if I don't?" I questioned cautiously. 

"Because, if you don't, I know exactly who to kill first." I clamped my mouth shut, thinking that he meant Ember, but then he tilted his head and smirked at me, before turning his head right past Ember to nod at the boy who was in the front with her.