Normal POV
Diane had arrived at the entrance of the tree dome. The pathway was very dark. The only thing lighting her way was the pink glowing light at the end of the tunnel. Somehow a feeling of safety washed over her. The walls were playing her a lovely tune. The wind passing through the holes made the tunnel sound just like a flute. Diane thinks that she had heard this tune before. As she listened better, she now remembered where.
"This tune....is the same tune King played on his leaf flute...." If King played this then that means Elaine taught it to him. She was close.
At the end of the tunnel displayed the Fountain Of Youth. It's pink holy water flowed beautifully. The major roots growing under the fountain must be the roots that keeps the Fairy King Tree alive. This was it, the source of all life and also, the cage of King's sister.
Diane can clearly see the cup displayed at the middle of the fountain. It was too high up. "I wish I had something to get me up to that spot.." her wish was granted when the nearby roots wrapped themselves on Diane's waist therefore hoisting her up till she was close to the cup.
"I forgot these trees listen to me. Okay..." Diane was like a foot away from the cup. Diane reached for the cup. Light emitted from it as her hand touched the cold handle. What seems to be a floating slab showed an incantation to say. " I can't read this......" But Diane had to try. Elaine's life is at risk here. "Okay....here I go...."
Diane's POV
The writings were readable but I can't understand it but I have to try. At this rate, I would do anything to get the job done and that means reading the hopefully not cursed inscription.
"Me seize thy gore N' tie the loop.
Per wholly of my heart of hearts, Me long acquire thy place.
As per catalyst of limbo, wholly mean to see, to create Paradiso per site to stab.
Thou wholly be holy N' callous. As per acclaim the Reyna...the intended. Thy mean to reign."
The whole incantation sounded freaky but it worked. The pink water turned transparent. I hope that's a good sign. Looking around, I didn't bring a knife or anything I could use to make a small cut on my finger until my eyes landed on a leaf at the tip of the root holding me. I had an idea.
"Uh..excuse me but can you make this leaf sharp enough for me to be sued to cut?" These trees were so obedient. The softness of the leaf turned steel hard. It's particles turned hard and shinny. I plucked the leaf and sighed deeply. Slowly, I slit my finger.
"Ow..ow..ow..." the stinging feeling was there. I immediately let the red liquid drip in the cup. At least 3 droplets. Retracting my finger, i started sucking on the bleeding part. The transparent water turned blood red.
"What did King say again?" I think I'm supposed to drink from the cup. I was nervous but excited. With this, I'll have my wings. Down goes the liquid through my throat. It was tasteless and normal like water. Once the cup was empty, I put it back to it's position and waited for something to happen.
Everything was shaking including the root holding me. The root pulled me back to the ground. "What's happening?" I don't know if this was a good or bad outcome. The fountain was rumbling. Something was underwater. I can feel it. The water was rising and overflowing the area. I went to higher grounds by climbing up the branch. The whole area looked like a whirlpool. I hate to be sucked into that watery doom.
After minutes of waiting, the whirlpool stopped. The water was steady now. The atmosphere was dense because of the steam from the boiling water. That's another reason why I shouldn't go down yet. At the middle of the dome, the cup was overflowing even though there is nothing pushing the water.
Out of the water was a diamond shaped water blob. Ever so slowly it morphed into a person's body figure. I had to get close to see for myself. Climbing down the branch was easy. So was walking cautiously in the leftover flood that might suck me to death. As I got closer to the watery female, she outstretched her hand.
"My...Queen..." she called out. I touched her hand. A blinding light enveloped the dome. It didn't last long though. When I reopened my eyes, the place had gone back to normal. There was no evidence of a flash flood at all. I also noticed that the watery figure had disappeared from my sight.
"My Queen!" yelled someone from above. A child in a white gown and two fairy wings descended down.
"Are you Elaine?" she bowed before me.
"Your Lady in Waiting, Your Highness. I am Elaine." I also did a curtsy. "Thank you rescuing me. I am forever in debt to you."
"I am so glad that you're okay. Being trapped in here for so long must have been hard." I held both of her hands. King is gonna happy cry from this. I'm sure of it.
"I would do anything for my kingdom....for you My Queen." Elaine smiled like a child receiving a Christmas gift.
My back suddenly burned. It felt like a weight was hanging behind me. "Elaine..what..what's going on?!"Was I hexed?
"This is a good sign, My Queen.Just a little more..." Elaine comforted me as I crouched down the ground. "It's almost over...just a bit more...." she chanted. I gripped her shoulders tight. What was happening?
After 5 agonizing minutes, the burning had disappeared leaving some kind of baggage on my back. "Elaine,what happened?"
"Congratulations, My Queen. Your wings have grown!" she cheered.
Wait Wings??? I quickly ran to the fountain to look at my reflection. I had wings! My very own wings! My face was wet. I was happily crying from my achievement. "I have..w..wings...I can finally go home....." I wanted to faint but wished that when I wake up, it won't be a dream. These happy thoughts didn't last long since the whole dome started shaking.
"My Queen, what is happening?"
"I'll explain later....for now, we gotta go."
"My Queen....."
"Can you stop calling me 'My Queen'? It's getting very annoying." If I hear another formal address I'm gonna puke.
"You can call me Diane. I'm not the Queen. I can't stay here for long." Elaine's face turned pale.
"What? That can't be! You are married to the Fairy King!"
"I did not marry Gloxinia therefore I am not a Queen." I just saved her and now we're arguing.
"The forest responded to you..." She pressed forward.
"Because I was the 'chosen' Queen but I am not married." This debate can continue later. We need to get out of here.
"But you are married."
"Can we do this later? Gloxinia is out to get us." I grabbed her by the hand and started running.
"How can you say that you aren't married?!The moment you read that incantation, you have sworn your right of rule. To top it off, your blood in the cup already signifies your marriage contract with my brother!"
I stopped dead in my tracks."W...what?"
"You are now married to my brother,Harlequin" That name. Why does that name ring a bell but I can't pinpoint where the sound came from.
"Who is Harlequin?"
"The one and only heir to the throne.... My older brother, King." my eyes widen in shock. Elaine stood there telling me everything.
*****
Normal POV
King had taken down the last of the warrior fairies. He made sure not to kill anyone since he did not want to harm any of his fairy brethren. A blinding light resonated from the dome. King had a good look for a moment before turning his focus back to Gloxinia. Did Diane do it? Has Elaine been free? These are his thoughts while fighting.
"You just won't give up do you...huh.....Har-le-quin?" Gloxinia tried the old 'say-his-name' trick but nothing happened. King was hoping for bad luck to strike him but nothing came.
"Diane did it..." he let out a breath. A smirk formed on King's lips. "Looks like you won't be able to hex me anymore, Gloxinia." King felt a huge amount of power flow right into him. His powers were coming back. Gloxinia's curse had been broken.
King felt the power surge into his veins. All the rights taken away from him were slowly being absorbed in his body. The magic particles filled the gaps of where he lacked his magic. King glowed neon green from the power up. It's been a long time since he felt like a ROYAL again. This isn't even his full potential yet. Until he drinks from the CUP too, only half of his royal magic is restored.
"Eat this, you Royal pain in the butt!" King commanded Chaste to morph into a giant sunflower from behind Gloxinia.
"Shine..." the rays from the sunflower acted like lasers. Gloxinia was struck on the back. His body fell from the sky and hitting the ground with a hard 'thud'. This isn't the final battle. King left the battle field to greet Diane. The forest recognized his aura as 'Fairy King' so they made a path for him.
He floated straight to the entrance of the Fountain Of Youth. To his great happiness, two of the people he valued the most were there. "Diane! Elaine!" he called out. Elaine heard him and started flying towards him.
"Brother!" The siblings had been reunited once again.
"I missed you.." King hugged his little sister tight. Elaine returned the gesture. When he opened his eyes, he could see Diane standing in front of the fountain. What surprised him the most was the wings growing on her back. He let go of his sister for a moment.
"Diane! You did it! You got your wings..." As King came forward, Diane did not acknowledge his presence. She simply stood there. King noticed that her feet were shaking and her fists were clenching.
"Diane?" He didn't saw it coming. King received a hard slap to the face. The sound echoed in the dome. Elaine stood at the back silently sobbing.
King had a visible red hand print on his face. "Dia----"
"Liar!" Diane was crying.
"What..whats wrong?...Diane...." King tried to touch her but Diane kept her distance.
"Don't you dare touch me you liar!" Seeing Diane breaking down in this emotional state broke King's heart. "How could you........lie to my face.....all this time!..." She was breathing heavily. "You...used me......I trusted you....."
At that moment, King realized that she NOW KNEW of his plans. He looked to his little sister who only replied with a frown. "Elaine told you--"
"Elaine told me the truth!!!" he flinched. "You're the real King? That's bullshit........because a real King doesn't deceive his people.................especially the Queen." Diane knows of his true intentions now. King wished that he had told her honestly than her finding out this way.
"Why?...why would you lie to me? Giving me.....false hope......." Diane was shaking.
"Diane let me explain....."
"I don't wanna hear it!" She covered her ears and stepped back.
King was going to calm her down but someone else beat him to it. The dome was ambushed. Tentacles of branches crashed in the interiors and started impaling anyone in the room. But their main target was King. He was struck on his lower abdomen. Blood oozed from the wound.
"Brother!" Elaine commanded the rogue branches to stay down. The branches obeyed but were fighting Elaine's control. She was having a hard time controlling all of these branches.
"Diane...." King had to protect Diane but he was too late. Diane was nowhere to be seen.
The sound of Diane's scream came from above. "Looking for someone?" Gloxinia had Diane wrapped in a cocoon. Her whole body was now covered. Gloxinia snapped his fingers and commanded the roots to take the cup from Fountain Of Youth.
"Let her go!" King tried to move but the branch continued to grow deeper further impaling him. King vomitted blood. "Diane.....she has no...no use....for you....." Gloxinia wasn't sticking to his plan on marrying Diane anymore since his goal to obtain the Cup from the Fountain Of Youth has been achieved.
"Sorry but..I have other plans for...Our Queen....." he snickered before floating away. Gloxinia casted a hyper-speed spell. His speed in flying increased. In seconds, Gloxinia was now 10 kilometers away from the damaged tree dome.
"Diane!" King yelled out. Elaine gritted her teeth and focused every ounce of her magic. These possessed branches are now free from their curse and are serving under the Guardian Saint's command. Because of the amount of blood loss and damaged internal organ, King blacked out on the spot. Even in his blank mind, he couldn't escape the pain of hurting Diane, his newly wedded wife.