Reflection of Perfection | NaNoWriMo 2016 ( severe editing)

1 7 : a l l i e s · a n d · e n e m i e s

Paris- three months ago

I never realized how lonely my mansion was, until Evelyn left with her maids. The disaster she left behind was almost heartbreaking- furniture that had survived for centuries, earthquakes, and heartless conquerors destroyed by a young girl.

It had taken me almost an hour to find the flaw in Evelyn's spell and break free from her bonds. It taken another half hour for me to lift the sleeping spell she had put on the guards.

"Find them- alive. And bring them back to me." I had ordered. They couldn't have made it far- I had put the Jumping shield spell in my lands so that they could only travel without the help of magic.

As soon as the guards had left, I lost my temper and threw half of a vase across the room. In silence, I watched the vase sail through the air- and heard the loud crash it made when it collided with the wall and shattered. The vase had cut me- left a line blood across my finger, but I could hardly care less as I strolled too calmly to my room.

How did this girl get my best friend to turn on me? That question left my head throbbing. A flick of my now bloodied hand made heard the soft click of the lock and the door swung open.

Inside, the room was tidy and untouched, in stark contrast to the rest of the mansion. Gently, the door clicked shut behind me.

I didn't bother with magic- I went straight for the shelf and grabbed the book whose cover was embossed with flower patterns and opened up to the page that was bookmark.

Messily scrawled next to the prophecy was the word "lost princess." If my teacher had foreseen that the "unknown disaster" was some type of lost princess... then could it mean that Evelyn was some sort of princess?

But how could any lost princess convince the heir to the Fall crown to ally with her?

Unless.... Unless she was one of the dead sisters of Hades.

I had only a faint memory of Princess Aveline and Amberly, but now, I could see the resemblance between the two sisters, and Evelyn and Amber.

The fragile, humble girl was definitely a far cry from the arrogant and sarcastic little girl I had seen.

Even now, I couldn't see how the naive and pure girl could be the girl that would bring upon disaster to the world.

But perhaps that would be my undoing.

~

I had almost forgotten that I was to entertain one of my father's friends today. Combing the library for every reverse and cleaning spell, it had taken almost all my magic and energy, leaving me feeling hungover when I greeted Lord Graymoth and his wife, Lucinda.

"Paris, my boy!" Graymoth boomed, leaving my throbbing head even more sore.

I let my acting do the work. "Uncle Graymoth!" I replied, just as enthusiastically.

Graymoth had jade green eyes, ash white hair that was tied back, and was quite muscular and tall. Meanwhile, Lucinda was a slender and tiny women, her bright red hair and twinkling emeralds of her eyes marked her heritage as one from Spring. I always thought they made a strange couple, but perhaps, opposites attracted.

Thankfully, Lucinda spared me from the effort of talking and dropped a polite nod.

I led them to the dining hall overspilling with food, and let the household magic serve them. Picking on my chicken, I only ate tiny bites, and sipped the wine only to take the edge off. But maybe I drank too much, because my vision was beginning to falter.

"So, champ, how's it been?" Graymoth boomed, making me wonder how one man could have so much energy.

So, I began using the scraps of magic I had left to manipulate his thoughts, to persuade him to shut up and feel tired, while I sighed and replied, "You know, the usual Court business."

Thankfully, he shut up, and my head began to feel even more heavier. Standing up was an effort, as much it was to shoot a quick smile, "I feel really exhausted, so I'm going to have to retire. Clys-" A snap of my finger summoned a spirit butler, "-will show you your room when you are done."

I barely made it into my room, barely to my bed, before my legs collapsed and I fell dead asleep. 

~ 

three months later

"It's always a pleasure, Lord Paris," The Charming brat cooed from his throne. His bride- as I recalled, was a beauty, though her eyes were lined with purple and her eyes were devoid of life. She was wearing a purple chiffon dress, quite lovely, but even I didn't miss the subtle baby bump she had.

Raising my eyebrows, I smirked, "I hear you have a petty vendetta against the lovely Tremaine sisters, am I right? Or do you always let your sisters-in-laws crash your wedding?"

The girl seemed to pale even more, but stayed silent, her hands resting protectively on her stomach.

Charming narrowed his eyes coldly, "Well of course, Paris, I do. With a hefty bounty on their heads too. Isn't that right, Ella darling?"

Ella dropped a short nod, her expression a far cry from smug or anger. Interesting.

I willed an arrogant smile to appear on my face, "Well, Raymond, it's your lucky day, because guess what? I need those two brats too."

Raymond snorted, "What does that have to do with me?" But I didn't miss the greedy gleam in his cobalt eyes.

"I think you know damn well what I mean, Raymond."

He leaned back on his throne, silent, as if he were considering it, but I had already seen his choice in his eyes. After a long while, he nodded, "So, we will hunt for those two girls together. How will we split up the...prize?"

I could've sworn even his wife cringed at his words, but their marriage problems were not my issues.

"I will take Evelyn Tremaine, and you, of course, can have the party crasher."

This time, Raymond didn't even bother concealing his eagerness.

"Of course. So, the deal is done?"

"The deal is done," I replied.

The girl stood up hastily, "I do not feel so well," She announced in a monotone voice, before walking down the dais and brushed past me.

"Ella?"

I scoffed, stuffing my hand into my pocket, "Marriage problems?"

I Jumped away before he could spit out, "Jerk."