AZALEA
On the day Celeste died, it heavily rained. Thunder rumbled and lightning struck the once vibrant kingdom of Glass. As if the sky was the only one mourning Celeste's death. As if the sky was the only one regretful to lose the witch who lost herself in the end.
As if it was a sign that the heavens listened to Celeste's sorrowful dying wish and allowed the curse to spread through the whole kingdom.
My legs wobbled when I returned to my senses as my mouth hung open. With trembling hands, I brushed the hair sticking on my face and forehead, covered in sweat due to the scorching heat surrounding me.
With a confused look in my eyes, my mind continued to wander.
Celeste's heart. . . Celeste's heart turned into glass. . .
Apparently, she was not completely dead yet in that sense. Her heart was here somewhere, buried under the dirt. And the only way to lift the curse, to free this kingdom, was to destroy her heart.
This way, Celeste's soul would also be freed. This way, she would finally find peace. This way, she could finally move on.
But why did no one notice this before?
Why did this detail escape everyone's attention?
Why did no one find her heart?
Why?
Did this mean that everyone was so cruel to forget about her? And none of those who burned her were remorseful of her death?
But before I could contemplate further for a suitable answer, the eerie cackling sounds of the dried leaves and twigs and branches forewarned my impending doom. The widespread blazing fire already crawled and rushed to every direction, incinerating the wild blooming rose shrubs obstructing its way.
As if the flames were saying that it wouldn't wait for me to lift the curse and that I must hurry to decide about my fate.
Fear crawled on my skin. Time was not on my side, that I realized.
My eyes darted to every corner of the forest, looking for a possible way to escape but there was nothing for me. I was completely surrounded by the aggressive flames. And perhaps, if I tried to run straight and forcefully pass through the fire, I would be already dead and roasted before I could even leave the forest.
And I didn't want to risk that.
I was the only one who knew the way to break this curse.
And therefore, I realized escaping from the fire was not an option in this situation. And helplessly dying in vain was never an option too.
At that very moment, I made up my mind. I must find the witch's heart—to end this curse, before the flames could completely incinerate me to ashes, for the people I love, for Dion and for the people of this kingdom.
So everyone could live freely. . . so they could love with all of their hearts, without worries.
I wish to save them. And I will do everything for them now.
With firm resolve, my amber eyes wandered in the forest, despite the darkness, despite the full moon covered by thick patches of clouds that hindered its light, as I desperately recalled the exact location where Celeste was mercilessly burned.
It was somewhere in the middle of the forest, which was not covered in flames yet. Without wasting time, I dashed towards it, and knelt on the dirt while biting my bottom lip. Despite my well-polished nails, I dug on the ground. Dirt and grime accumulated in my fingernails as I desperately searched for the heart of the witch.
My heart raced together with the flames as it devoured everything around me.
While covered in cold sweat, blood gushed from my fingers as some thorns and stones with sharp edges cut through my skin but that didn't discourage me a little. The panic and fear I felt inside was no match for my desperation, for the adrenaline rush I experienced at the moment.
For me, this was a matter of life and death.
It was a blessing in disguise that the ground was soft and that I managed to dig deeper than what I thought I possibly could. Several minutes had already passed yet I still couldn't find the witch's glass heart.
The scorching heat and suffocating smoke was no longer tolerable, much to my growing discomfort, and I was already nearly losing hope. The flames were just a few meters away from me and I still hadn't found the heartglass yet.
My mind was already playing tricks on me like what if someone found it long ago and hid it somewhere? Would I die just like this?
But as if my hands had a mind of their own, they continued to search in spite of the doubt building in my chest.
My breathing was already getting heavier. My forehead was already sticky with sweat. My body was already nearing its limit. The exhaustion was taking over me while I was coughing due to the thick smoke, with my eyes already swelling with tears.
I clenched my fist and tightly bit my bottom lip as tears finally slipped in my eyes. I felt so hopeless, so helpless.
If only I had more time. If only I still had time to search for Celeste's heart. . .
I was about to give up when I heard voices outside the forest, desperately shouting my name—desperately calling my name.
"Her Majesty!"
"Queen Azalea!"
"Azalea! Are you there? Where are you? Answer me!" Someone shouted in a worried and desperate tone which was very familiar to me. His voice was already cracking and choking.
I decisively went up on my feet. "I'm here! Your Majesty! My king! Dion!" I answered back, desperately screaming for him to hear.
The knights were already surrounding the forest while Duke Ross and Dion were looking everywhere for me.
I desperately waved my two hands and called for Dion's attention.
Mystically, Dion heard my call and quickly turned to where I was.
Horror filled Dion when our gazes met, horrified to see the blazing flames around me.
"Quickly! Extinguish the fire! Save the queen!" Dion ordered with clenched fists.
Wide eyes filled with terror, the townspeople who helped to search for me panicked when they finally saw me surrounded by flames. The knights didn't waste time and immediately ran to the nearest river, with a determined expression on their faces to put off the fire with all their might. The townspeople followed their lead and fetched buckets of water to help.
Dion, who could not hold himself back anymore, grabbed a bucket of water from a knight and drenched himself while wearing a determined expression on his face. He was about to enter the forest when the knights and Duke Ross stopped him. Of course, no one would willingly sacrifice their king's life just for a queen.
The queen was replaceable but the king was not.
I bitterly smiled, not because he couldn't save me by his own accord, or he couldn't come to me when I needed him the most, but because I would somehow regret if this would be the last time I could see him, without a final touch on his face, without a final kiss to share, without saying a proper goodbye, without saying how much I love him.
My heart ached. I would definitely miss him even in the afterlife.
Tears uncontrollably fell in my eyes but I decisively wiped it off and knelt on the ground as I continued the search. My mind raced. Even if I failed to survive here, I must not fail to destroy the witch's heart—all of this was for him, for Dion, and for my family.
Covered with filth, I continued digging, pulling and removing the rose branches hindering my sight, frantic.
After a few minutes, while the flames were already a few meters away from me, with misty and blurry eyes, my breath halted with a gasp upon seeing something glittering under the pale moonlight, a glass buried under the roots of the rose shrubs, with several roots already growing through its cracks.
Tears continuously welled in my eyes and with trembling hands, I reached for Celeste's heart. It had small cracks on it but it was still whole and somehow it was still magically beating. I could feel the faint vibrations on my hands.
When I turned to check my surroundings, the flames were already a meter away from me, completely realizing that I must end everything quickly.
My free hand found its way to a sharp stone that caught my eyes. The only thing in my mind was to destroy Celeste's heart and free everyone with tears blurring my vision. I tightly held the stone on one hand as I placed the witch's heartglass on the ground.
My heart ached that I was fated to die after saving everyone and finally lifting this curse.
I somehow regret that I wouldn't experience a life of having a normal beating heart. A life of loving without any restriction. A life of loving without fear.
My heart tightly clenched as my lungs constricted. It was so hard to breathe.
My left hand tightly grabbed on my chest to calm myself down. I even heard Dion's exasperated voice as he argued with Duke Ross to let him go.
I bit my bottom lip and took a deep breath. I must not wait for him anymore.
I must end this now.
With a determined goal to save everyone, I no longer cared about my own ending—whether it would be tragic or if I would miraculously survive.
I raised the shard stone in the air and with all my remaining strength I stabbed Celeste's heart.
The glass shattered and light emerged from it, completely blinding me.
A strangled whimper escaped my lips.
I let out a scream full of anguish and pain as small cracks formed in my heart until it was completely shattered.
Undoubtedly, my heart broke into pieces. And it was painful. Totally painful.
I clutched on my chest, as my body curled on the ground, crying and suffering in inexplicable pain, as my vision turned blurry. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I continued to scream. Before my vision completely turned black, the rolling thunder reached my ear, and the flames were already near, almost touching my body and face.
~~~
A century had passed and Celeste was still trapped here. It felt like she just awakened from a long slumber. And she was getting tired of staying in the same place—the same cruel place where she died—the forest that was now forbidden from anyone's reach.
She was still here with her heartglass already collecting dirt and dust.
Her crestfallen eyes darted on the wild roses surrounding her grave. Her soul was stuck here while she realized that forever was too long for her. She was already getting tired of waiting for someone to save her as she sauntered around in bare feet despite the thorny path she was walking on.
Well, she was already a soul and nothing could hurt her anymore.
With a bitter smile, she lightly touched the red rose petals.
Everything about her was caged in this place. Her regrets. Her fears. Her wrath. Her love. Her brokenness.
Maybe it was already time for her to act on her own and leave this place.
Walking in a white silk long dress with her long red hair, she decided to visit the town where she was sent in exile. She saw people celebrating a festival, uttering their prayers, releasing lanterns—which were surprisingly meant for her to be heard. As if they were treating her like some kind of god to ask forgiveness from.
They all wanted to be freed from the curse she casted on this kingdom. They wanted for their hearts to return to normal. They wanted to love without fearing that their hearts would break.
Tears fell from Celeste's eyes.
Maybe she was wrong all along. Maybe the curse she placed on this kingdom would never appease her soul—it would only sadden her even more, plunging her to a greater misery than she could ever imagine. It only caused her soul great suffering. If only she didn't hold a grudge, maybe she was already moving forward somewhere. Maybe she was already reincarnated and was already happy somewhere.
Right at that moment, with eyes gleaming in tears, Celeste decided to hear their prayers and find a way to free everyone from the curse she started a century ago when she was once blinded by anger.
She wished to end their sufferings at the same time, finally end her own, to make everything right.
Celeste wandered further in her soul form. She discovered that she could only visit the places she had been to when she was still alive. Some parts of her soul were left and scattered to the spots she had personal attachments with. She was tied to these places because of her own memories.
While walking in the rose garden—which was sadly already dead, she saw a red-haired girl ambling around—Azalea. Azalea had the same red hair as Celeste. They were similar in some ways and Celeste felt a little connection with her.
Since the start of the Crown Princess selection, Celeste was already looking for a way to inform Azalea of how to break the curse. It was a good thing that the Crown Prince was also searching for a way and that they had the same goals.
Somehow, hope continued to grow inside Celeste.
Because Celeste could only infuse her memories to some objects, she decided to share some of her past with Azalea. She dropped some of her soul fragments for her to figure out the way to lift the curse, wishing that Azalea would hear her cries for help to be freed.
Azalea was pierced by a thorn and Celeste's memories rushed to her. Celeste started doing this whenever she could find an object that might trigger the memories on her soul fragments.
Celeste continuously infused soul fragments for Azalea to connect with. In the garden. In her old room. In the library.
But Azalea started being confused. Azalea started questioning herself if her death was the answer.
Celeste could only sigh on a corner, while watching Azalea as she asked herself if she was really the reincarnation of the witch.
If only Celeste could appear in front of her but she couldn't do that. She was also tied to the curse and for some reason, she could not directly tell anyone how to break the curse she casted herself.
Fortunately, the day came when Azalea and Dion were forced to go to Woodcrest to find more clues.
But when Azalea was dragged to the forbidden forest, Celeste could only watch with a nostalgic look in her eyes. Azalea reminded Celeste of her past self.
As long as there was jealousy, people would be blinded and would be willing to do anything, by any means, whether outrageous or illogical, just to get what they desire.
But if not for this unexpected and cruel event, Celeste won't be able to infuse the last soul fragment, the answer to lift the curse, to Azalea.
While watching Azalea, Celeste could only wish for her safety and for her to find the heartglass.
Celeste finally decided it was already time to go. Time to go home.
She watched as Azalea desperately searched for her heartglass, hands covered in filth and blood.
Celeste smiled with tears in her eyes when Azalea found her heart. She watched Azalea, with anticipation, as she stabbed it, shattering her heart to pieces. Light descended upon Celeste as if it was about to finally take and guide her home.
Now that the curse was finally undone, her life and existence would definitely be turned into folklore. Eventually, her story would be turned into a myth that everyone won't be able to forget.
She let out a gentle and grateful smile. The pain and frustration she once felt was already gone as if it was already washed away by the light. The anger and all the despair which corrupted her soul already disappeared.
Celeste could finally say, with great confidence, that she was finally freed.
And from here, she could finally move forward.
***
Author's Note:
Hi, Thank you for reading this story! I will be posting the epilogue this October.
~Missmaple