Reincarnated as an Ugly Step Sister

Chapter 20

Was this really the right choice? Maybe I should have just let Nicholas kiss her, but what if that didn't work? How would I feel if some random person kissed me while I was unconscious? What if I barely knew them? What if I hated them? I can't force someone to kiss her and I can't force her to kiss someone else. What if we don't find the cure? What if we have to resort to forcing man after man upon her until one of them miraculously wakes her up? Questions danced around my brain as I tried to decide whether I made the right choice or not. I sniffle and try to stop the tears from flowing, knowing that it would only result in a stuffy nose and puffy eyes. I will find that cure, even if I have to risk my life.

I turn my head to the right on my pillow only to find that the wall that was there is gone. Instead I'm in the middle of a dry field. I push my way through the grass till I find myself face to face with someone familiar.

"Violet." Cinderella smiles. "How are you here?"

"I'm not so sure myself... where exactly are we?" I look around, the yellowed grass stretching for miles, nothing else in sight.

"I don't know, I'm at peace but I'm still a little scared, like something isn't quite right," Cinderella admits.

"You're under a curse, a sleeping curse." I remember. "Which means that I'm in your dream? Or you're in mine..."

"Does it matter? I'm just glad that you're here." Cinderella takes my hands.

"But this isn't right," I mutter. "I need to save you. Unless..." I look into her eyes. "The only other way to save you is to find your one true love to kiss you... but we don't know who that is. Would you want to try-"

Cinderella shakes her head frantically, her face pale. "No!" She puts her fingers to her lips, face pale. "I don't... please no."

I smile sadly. "I didn't think you would. Nicholas, Chase and I are going to the mermaid kingdom to find you a cure. We're going to wake you up," I take her hand and hold it reassuringly.

She takes a deep breath and nods. "I don't want to put you in danger just to help me. Promise you'll be safe?"

"Of course, I'll be careful but I hope you know that won't hold me back. You're my sister and I have to take care of you. I know I didn't always treat you very well but I'm making up for it now." I wrap my arms around her and hug her tightly. We stay like that, unmoving, holding each other. I know I'm going to wake up soon and I don't know if I'll be able to see her in my dreams again. Suddenly our hair starts being whipped around wildly by the wind. We pull away from the hug to see a twister headed straight towards us. "I'll see you again soon," I yell over the sound of the wind. I'm not sure if she hears me but she looks at me with her big eyes and gives me a slight smile goodbye right before the tornado hits us.

I awake the next morning with puffy eyes and a stuffed up nose, just as I had predicted. I dread having to face anyone looking like I was crying all night so I ask for breakfast in my room. I sit at the window sill looking out on the busy street below. The inn is located in a nicer part of town so there are only well dressed people down below and I admire their clothes. Women dressed in long frilly dresses walking in groups from shop to shop. This kingdom is much quainter and far less powerful than the kingdom of Luxalia, where Nicholas is from. A knock pounds on my door signaling that I should get ready to leave, causing me to sigh. I dress myself in the clothes I packed and head down to the dining room downstairs that leads to the front door.

"Is everything ready?" Nicholas asks the guard to his left who nods in response.

"Morning Violet," Chase greets me with a smile that I attempt to return. "Are you alright? You look... tired."

"Yeah, I just had trouble sleeping last night." I respond as normally as possible.

"Traveling can be hard on people for the first time." Nicholas says comfortingly.

"Are we ready to go?" I ask, even though I already know the answer. As expected I receive a nod of confirmation. "Great."

I slide into the carriage that's waiting outside and leave my bag by my seat. Chase climbs in after me, taking the seat beside me and Nicholas sits across from us. We ride for hours without stopping. Nicholas tells us all about the lands we're riding through, about all the history of each kingdom and the mystical creatures that used to live there. Chase looks bored but I find it fascinating, probably because this world is so different than the one I knew before. Chase recounts adventures from when he traveled the world and I hang on to every word. His stories make me want to laugh and cry. It's the most fun I've had in a long time and I'm just thinking about how grateful I am to be with them on this journey when the carriage comes to a sudden halt.

"What's going on? Are we stopping for lunch?" I ask but I have a bad feeling.

"No, we aren't supposed to stop for another hour. Something's wrong." Nicholas looks around warrily.

We all sit in silence for a few seconds, anticipation hanging in the air. Just I am about to speak up again we hear yelling outside the carriage.