Chapter Twenty-Five.

Jack POV

The Party.

The party was dull. Exceedingly so.

I knew I was just a servant, and so was not supposed to enjoy myself at these events, but this was very dull.

I watched the scene before me, a load of Ladies dancing around in fine gowns. I wondered how many of them Marion had made.

Ah, Marion.

I couldn't help the small smile that spread across my face when I thought about her.

My beautiful bride to be.

She seemed to be all I thought about nowadays. Lucien had given me a playful smack around the head and told me to stop daydreaming about her several times this week already.

But, I just couldn't stop it.

Marion, the amazing beautiful headstrong seamstress who had captured my heart entirely and completely. With every day that got closer to our wedding, I found myself more and more distracted. I'd spent hours committing the exact shade of her eyes to memory, the way her hair shone in the morning sun. I wanted to remember all of it. The way she came alive when she talked about books and stories, the way she cared so deeply for her family, and her army of siblings.

They were actually a lot less scary than I thought they would be. When she first told me I'd have to meet her five brothers, I almost fainted. I so desperately wanted them to like me, to accept me. I would have hated it if she had been forced to choose between her siblings and me. I could not have done that to her. It would have killed me to let her go, but I would have done it to make her happy.

I'd do anything to make her happy.

She deserved the world.

I snapped myself out of my daze.

'Excuse me!' A young lady said, stood in front of me. I hadn't realised she was talking to me; I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts.

'My apologies.' I said politely, 'What would you like?'

'Wine.' She said, not even bothering to look my way. Her gaze was fixed on Lord Weston, as he prowled his way through the crowd of highborn ladies.

I handed it to her, and she didn't even say thank you. She simply took off in his direction.

Typical highborn.

I guessed there was one good thing about this party, I had been given such a simple task, handing out glasses of water and wine, that I could think about other things while I served.

And there was a certain girl who I'd much rather think about.

And a certain wedding.

I couldn't wait. I felt like my entire life had been leading up to this one day, the day we got married. And each day I became more and more impatient.

I loved Marion so much. She consumed my thoughts all the time, I found myself replaying all of our past interaction almost constantly. She was just so incredible; caring, kind, fiery, beautiful. The list was endless. I had known she was the one for me almost from the first moment I met her, when she was flat on the floor after falling practicing her dancing. My heart knew, but my mind took a little longer to catch up.

And now, she was going to be mine, for evermore.

Why was the wedding still a week away, why couldn't it be tonight?

Lucien had joked many times about the reason that I was so impatient. And yes, I'd be lying to myself if I said I didn't desire Marion. And I certainly couldn't wait for our wedding night.

But more than that, I couldn't wait to be married to her. To spend the rest of my life with her. I could see us living in that cottage, happy and contented.

I even imagined that one day, maybe they'd even be little Marion's and Jack's running around. I knew I spent far too long thinking about this, and I wasn't going to pressure her if she wasn't ready, but I thought she would make a fantastic mother.

We'd call our daughter Lily. I remembered Marion loved lilies, embroidered them on her ball gown and wore them in her hair the night of the ball. She'd have Marion's beautiful face and brown hair, but my eyes. I could almost see her toddling around the cottage, grasping onto things, while Marion and I stood in the doorway watching, and running to pick her up when she fell over. Marion would sing to her, and I'd carry her around on my shoulders, my own little princess.

Our son, we'd call Sam, after my father. He would have my red hair and Marion's grey eyes. He'd be quite the little tyke, always climbing on and falling off everything, always getting bumps and scrapes. I'd always tell him off, and tell him to stop, but Marion would tell him to go and have adventures, and he'd happily listen to his mother and toddle off to the nearest tree. He'd be a happy little boy, always caring and affectionate. He'd fall asleep on my shoulder when Marion read him bedtime stories.

I knew I shouldn't be thinking of this. It was Marion's choice entirely to have children. But I couldn't help but picture the scene of all four of us, curled up by the fire one night as Marion told a story, and I held Lily in my arms as she drifted off to sleep.

This was a long time in the future though, I rather selfishly wanted Marion to myself for a little while. And if she was never ready for children, then I wouldn't mind having her all to myself for the rest of my life.

My thoughts were interrupted by a loud bang sounding from the closed door to the ballroom.

Three knocks.

One, BOOM.

Two, BOOM.

Three, BOOM.

Everyone in the ball room turned to face the door, to see who was making such a loud noise.

Several of the groups of highborn ladies started whispering amongst themselves.

The doors flew open with a mighty crash, hitting against the intricately decorated walls, leaving a large dent. A great gust of wind swept through the room, and several candles flickered and died out.

Silence fell over the room as everyone faced the source of all the commotion.

A man stood in the doorway, his arms flung wide, his long robe trailing behind him.

He had a long grey beard that reached his chest, and long grey hair.

He took long strides forward, people moved out of his way. He made for the centre of the room.

As he got closer and closer to me, I could see more details about him. His eyes were bright and burning, a solid gold colour. He walked right past me, not glancing my way. I studied him, and saw his ears peeking out from underneath his hair.

Pointed ears, sharp as a blade.

That could only mean one thing.

He was Fae.

There was a Faerie right in front of me, walking to towards the centre of the room. This could not be good.

He almost reached the centre before someone stepped out from the crowd and stood in front of him, blocking his path.

Lord Weston.

'Get. Out.' He shouted at the Faeire.

The Faerie slowed to a halt, not out of fear, but rather in challenge.

'Nice to see you too, it's been such a long time.' He said, in a strange and otherworldly voice. It sent a shiver down my spine. I didn't like this one bit.

None had dared move or speak. The tension was crackling around us. All eyes were fixed on them.

'Get out now!' Lord Weston shouted again.

'Is that anyway to greet me, really Adam?'

'Lucien, remove this thing from my sight.' Lord Weston commanded with a snap of his fingers.

'There's no need for that.' The Faerie said.

Lucien made a tentative step forward, but looked terrified.

'Oh, look at that, the dog responds to his master!' The Faeries crooned. 'Call off your pet.'

Lord Weston glared at the Faerie, and then lowered his hand, dismissing Lucien. I could see him take a visible sigh of relief.

'Why are you here?' Lord Weston spat out.

'I was passing through, and I need somewhere to stay for the night. You have a castle, that will suit very nicely.'

'No.' Lord Weston said quietly, a little too quietly.

'Only for one night?' The faerie asked, implying that no wasn't an answer.

'NO!' Lord Weston bellowed. 'Leave now.'

'Well, I must say, I was not expecting this. I'll even give you payment.' The faerie said, pulling something out of his robe.

In his hand was a perfectly formed red rose, as red as blood, and in full bloom. He offered it to the lord, with a small smirk on his face.

Lord Weston scoffed and threw the flower on the ground.

'Get out!' He shouted again.

The Faeries smile only widened. It set me on edge, I didn't like this one bit.

'The mirror really did a number on you, didn't it. How many questions? Three, four?'

'One.' Lord Weston spat out. 'Leave.'

'Only one, really? So there's still a chance of redemption then.'

'I don't want or need your redemption.'

'Oh, but you do!'

'Lucien, Jack, get him out of here!' Lord Weston shouted. My stomach sank. I did not want to have to go anywhere near that Faerie, I wanted to sink back into the shadows.

'Do you always treat your servants like objects?' The faerie asked.

'That's none of your business.' Lord Weston responded, glaring at me to move. I begrudgingly took a tentative step forward.

'Oh, but it is.' The faerie said, his tone sounded ominous.

Lord Weston gestured again, and Lucien and myself took another step forward.

'Last chance Adam. Let me stay the night. Prove to me you don't need my redemption.'

Just say yes, just say yes and let this be over! I thought in my head.

Lord Weston's eyes narrowed and he sneered.

'Never.'

The Faerie didn't react. He turned away from where the Lord was standing, and faces the crowd. No, not the crowd, the servants. He looked directly at each of us in turn. His gold eyes looking remorseful.

'I'm sorry you got dragged into this, but he needs to learn.' He said to no one in particular.

Suddenly without warning, he lifted his arms up to the sky and I felt something wrap tightly around my arms, binding them to my sides. It hurt, the ropes digging in. I glanced down in shock, and found there was no ropes, no bindings, only air.

Something was definitely pinning my arms to my side, but nothing visible.

Magic.

I struggled, tried to pull free. I heard Mrs Potter and Teddy cry out. I looked over to them to see their arms were bound like mine, nothing visible holding them still, but magic.

No, this could not be happening. I pulled and pulled, trying to get my arms to move. It was no use. I was trapped. Truly trapped.

Panic rose in my throat. I had to get out, get free. I had to run.

The Faerie turned back around slowly to face Lord Weston. His eyes were no longer gold, but now a burning red.

I was terrified, utter terrified.

The Lord was frozen too; he was also bound with magic.

The highborns started to work out what was going on, and some of the ones nearer the door began to run, fleeing for their lives.

I wanted to join them. Wanted to run as far away from this room as I could get.

The Faeries lowered his arms to point directly at Lord Weston.

I curse you.

I curse you, Lord Adam Weston.

He spoke the words, I saw his lips moving, but the sound didn't come from him. It resounded all around the ballroom, filling the space.

I was so scared. I wanted to get away. But I couldn't

I looked around and in the corner of the room I saw little Agnes. She too was bound and had begun to cry.

Not Agnes, no.

She was like a little sister. He couldn't do this to her. I wanted to get over to her, to tell her everything was going to be alright, to just give her a hug. But I couldn't move, so I had to watch as she wept.

It broke my heart. I hated this Faerie. How could he do this to a young girl? And to Teddy as well! He was only ten years old.

The Faerie was cruel and wicked. And I hated him for it.

I curse you to be the monster you are. All who see you, will see not this face, only what you truly are like.

Something started to come out of the Faeries fingertips, small strands of golden light, poured from them, cascading down to the floor and moving closer and closer to Lord Weston.

Magic, He was going to do something to Lord Weston.

And what about us? Had he bound us because we were next? What was going on?

I struggled again against the invisible bindings. No good.

The magic wrapped its way around his legs and started to move upwards. His chest rose and fell quicker and quicker. He was terrified.

People were openly fleeing and screaming now. I wanted to join them, to grab Agnes and Teddy and run.

What was going to happen to us?

What if he was going to kill us?

You will remain this way, until you can learn to love another. By the time this last rose petal falls, you must love another, and earn their love in return. If not, you will remain in this form forever.

He was being transformed, That's what was happening. He was being turned into…something.

Would we all be transformed? No, no, NO!

I'd never be able to see Marion again if I was. I'd never be able to see anyone again. I'd be dead to her.

Marion. What if I couldn't get out of this?

She'd think I was dead. We'd never get to live in our own little cottage, never get married, never see each other again.

No, this could not be happening.

The golden magic had consumed Lord Weston completely now, nothing was left other than a bright golden glow in the centre of the ballroom.

And as for you.

I felt a sharp tug, and before I could do anything, my feet left the floor and I was floating about three inches off the floor. I didn't like it. I wanted my feet firmly on the ground.

Then I was being pulled forward. I couldn't reach the floor to try and put my foot down to stop me moving. I was completely helpless. I couldn't move, couldn't break free.

I stopped in front of the Faerie, his red eyes glaring at all of us. He'd pulled us into a line, Polly was floating next to me, sobbing from fear.

I wanted to cry, wanted to scream. But that would be useless against him. So, I stared right back at him, pouring all the hate I could into that one stare. If he harmed any of us, in any way, I was going to kill me. If he dared deprive me of my wedding, and my bride, I was going to kill him.

You will all share his fate unless he breaks this curse, doomed to remain in this form forever.

No, no, no! This could not be happening.

You have until the last petal falls.

I tried to struggle some more, but it was no use. I couldn't move.

And one more thing,

I froze. What else could he possibly do to me?

All memory of you will be erased from the outside world. No one will remember who you are, or that you are here.

What?

No.

He couldn't.

Why?

NO!

Marion. She'd not be able to remember me.

She wouldn't be able to remember who I was.

She wouldn't love me anymore, wouldn't be able to marry me.

NO!

HE COULDN'T DO THIS!

MARION!

The golden light fell from his fingertips again, and began to get closer and closer to me.

Marion, please remember me. Please. PLEASE!

The magic wrapped its way around my legs. It didn't hurt, but inside my heart was breaking, shattering into thousands of pieces. Irreparably broken. She was going to forget all about me.

My gaze hadn't shifted from the Faerie.

I hated him.

I truly hated him.

He was taking her away from me. I might never be able to see her again, hold her again, kiss her again. We were never going to get the beautiful life I had dreamed for us. We were never going to have children and live in the little cottage.

Even though I couldn't move, I gave him the coldest look I had ever given anyone. I was going to kill him for this. If we- no, when we found a way out of this, I was going to kill him.

The light reached my middle, and I continued to glare at him.

His eyes flicked to me, just for a second, and I could have sworn they no longer looked red. Somehow they looked slightly grey.

I had seen those eyes before.

Marion.

Then all of a sudden, they were back to red, and he looked away.

Maybe I had just imagined it. Maybe it was another thing he could do to torment me. I didn't care. I just wanted him gone, wanted him dead.

The light reached my face, and the edge of my vision became surrounded in gold.

The magic covered the top of my head, and I was surrounded by it. There was no escaping the golden glow. I felt strange, my body still constrained. But it was changing. I was changing.

My head felt dizzy. This wasn't real, it couldn't be happening.

The gold light vanished and blackness crept in, and I fell into the darkness of oblivion.

END OF PART TWO.