Chapter 10: The Forgotten Tower Room
Back at Blue Diamond's castle, it was almost time for Lapis' birthday party to begin. The fairies were helping the princess get ready in one of the furthest rooms of the castle. This was to ensure that her arrival was special.
"Don't you just look lovely my dear, you'll be the belle of the ball this evening," said Pearl as she brushed Lapis' hair. "Wouldn't you agree?"
But poor Lapis didn't answer, she was still thinking about her true love, whom she had now likely lost forever. The other fairies took notice of this, and once Pearl finished brushing, they thought it would be best if the princess was left alone for a while. As they made their way out, Steven, and Peridot, who felt sorry for Lapis, decided to stay for a few moments to try and comfort her.
"Don't be sad Lapis, I'm sure that your party will cheer you up," Steven spoke innocently.
"Indeed, and I can guarantee, that you will love your main present most of all," Peridot added, winking to Steven regarding Lapis' new dress.
Although she was still heartbroken, Lapis gave the two fairies a small yet sad smile, trying her best not to upset them. Suddenly Garnet re-entered the room and politely asked Steven and Peridot to leave.
"Come," the magenta fairy spoke. "Let Lapis have a few moments alone."
So, Steven and Peridot exited the room unhappily, with the former giving one last look to the saddened princess before he stepped out into the hallway. What a terrible mistake that was, as White Diamond's three minions had overheard Garnet's words from outside and flew into the forgotten tower room to alert their mistress, who saw this as the ample opportunity to put all her bad magic to work. Afterwards, White Diamond ordered her minions to wait at the bottom of the staircase until she requested them.
With her fairy guardians now out of the room, Lapis turned away from the door and looked at herself in the vanity mirror. "I wonder if that young man is thinking of me now?" she said with a heavy sigh. "Oh dear, what will he think of me, if I'm not there to meet him."
The thought of not seeing her true love again made Lapis feel as if she was about to sob. But as she sat feeling sorry for herself, she heard a gentle synth of music playing, accompanied by a faint whisper that seemed to be calling her name. Curious as to where the music was coming from, Lapis noticed another door on the other side of the room, just a few inches away from her. Bewitched by the music, Lapis got up and upon opening the door, she came across a long winding staircase.
"I wonder where these stairs go?" the blue girl thought as she began to climb, with the music still carrying her name. Lapis was so entranced, that she did not notice White Diamond's minions hiding in the darkness, who once the princess was out of sight, locked the door from the inside.
"That's it, climb the staircase, little Princess" whispered Aquamarine smugly.
As a captivated Lapis made her way up the stairs, she found that they were continuously going around and around, making them seem endless. "Whenever will I get to the top of this staircase?" she wondered. Finally, she reached the top and noticed a little door right in front of her. "The music must be coming from inside here," Lapis said to herself. "I'll open it and see."
With a turn of the handle, the door creaked open, and Lapis soon entered the room of the old, forgotten tower. The room itself was very dim, with only the setting sun appearing through the tower's window as its only source of light. Lying only a few inches away from Lapis, was a spinning wheel, the only one that had not been burned.
"I wonder what this is?" said the princess curiously.
Abruptly, a mysterious tall figure appeared before her. It was none other than White Diamond, who had disguised herself as a seamstress. "Hello, my dear," the wicked fairy spoke, which startled the princess.
"Oh, I'm dreadfully sorry madam," Lapis said politely. "I just thought I heard something or someone calling my name."
Suddenly, Lapis heard the voice again, to which she speculated that it came from the spinning wheel. "There," she said to the faux seamstress. "That must be where the music was coming from."
"Oh, that is just my old wishing wheel, my dear," the wicked fairy said, coaxing the princess to come closer with her finger.
Lapis was intrigued by the strange contraption, as she had never seen anything like it before. "A wishing wheel?" she asked.
"Yes," replied White Diamond. "I was just using it to wish for someone to talk to, and here you are."
Lapis was left astonished, for this wishing wheel was beginning to remind her of the fairy's magic. "So, this contraption, is magical?" she wondered.
"Naturally, why don't you try it yourself?" responded the wicked fairy. "It's very simple, you just make your wish and then you touch the spindle right there."
Lapis' attention soon turned towards the pointy needle present on the spinning wheel. She thought it looked quite sharp, but the thought of making a wish sounded so intriguing to her. "So, if I touch this, I could wish for anything?" she asked.
"Yes," replied the wicked fairy. "But we are wasting time child, is there something that your heart truly desires?"
Lapis thought for a moment, but then she remembered her encounter with Jamie in the forest and how she longed to see him again, despite what the fairies had told her earlier.
"Oh yes, I wish I might see him, just once again," the princess said to herself in a daydream-like manner. "My true love".
"Did you say, true love, my dear?" asked White Diamond, who was curious to know if the 'true love' the princess spoke of was the stable boy who was currently being held prisoner in her dungeon.
As a response, Lapis began telling the faux seamstress about the young man she had fallen in love with, and the dance she shared with him. "Oh, it was wonderful," she spoke dreamily. "It was almost like a fairy tale."
"Indeed, my dear," replied the wicked fairy slyly. "But where is this young man now?"
Lapis gave out a heavy sigh and explained to White Diamond about what had gone on between her and her guardians and how she could never see her true love again. From this information alone, the wicked fairy knew that her minions had captured the right person and that the princess was now firmly within her grasp.
"What a tragic tale," the wicked fairy responded, placing her arm on the heartbroken girl's shoulder as a sign of comfort. "But have no fear, once you touch that spindle, your troubled heart shall be at rest forever."
Lapis was becoming more intrigued and began to reach out her hand. The wicked fairy watched in awe, as her curse was about to be realised. However, as the princess reached closer and closer, she began to have second thoughts about this decision. Although she wanted to see her true love again, she was unsure about touching the spindle, for it looked quite deadly upon closer inspection. White Diamond picked up on the princess' scepticism and began to realise that she was not as gullible as she first thought.
"Quickly child, quickly!" she expressed, hoping to keep Lapis enticed. "Wish, before the sun sets!"
But alas, Lapis decided to withdraw her hand away from the spindle.
"What's the matter, Princess?" asked White Diamond menacingly. "Don't you wish to see your true love again?"
"I do madam," replied Lapis politely. "But I'm uncertain about touching that spindle, it looks quite sharp."
With that response, White Diamond knew Lapis wasn't going to fulfil the curse willingly, so instead, she had to resort to a more direct approach. Without warning, she threw off her disguise in front of the blue girl, startling her, before gently grabbing her by the wrist and calling her minions. Just then Jasper, Eyeball and Aquamarine came into the room with the former standing behind Lapis to ensure she wouldn't escape.
"You are smarter than I first anticipated," said the wicked fairy as she gave the princess a cold stare. "Perhaps you need a bit more convincing!"