Breaking the Guardians Curse

The tears and pleads were endless as all and sundry ran for their dear lives but it was impossible to run too far because the guards were stationed in all places like the devil waiting for whom to devour.

"Please, do not kill us." these were the words that could be heard throughout the kingdom. The guards took no pity on them as commanded by King Ghardiel. They were slaughtered, some were shot with arrows, and some had to kill themselves to save themselves the shame of being killed by mere humans.

There was a woman with a baby girl in her hand. She was tired from running and the baby was smiling as she watched her mom run for her dear life. The mother couldn't stop the tears that rushed down her cheeks as the baby giggled.

Only if she knew the danger she was in. Her mother thought.

"There's one running away," one of the guards said as some guards ran in the direction he pointed at.

The woman kept looking back and running but she wasn't watching where she was going and her foot hit a stone, making her fall flat to the ground she made sure her baby was protected while she took all the pain. A groan escaped her lips as she saw that one of her legs was bleeding.

She saw a young lady who was also running to safety and she knew if she kept her baby with her, the child would die.

and she couldn't bear to lose her baby. She stretched forth her hand towards the lady, trying to make signals for her to look at her and when she finally did, she said, "I am so sorry to bother you but please help me..." she cried.

The lady turned to look at her and the baby who was smiling before turning to look at the woman again. "Despite how much I'd love to help you..." she shook her head and said, "... I can't."

"Not me," the lady quickly corrected. She revealed her baby to her. The young lady glanced at the baby and she noticed the baby's beautiful blond hair and her blue eyes glimmering with brightness as she smiled. She looked behind her and could see that the guards were getting closer.

She turned to look at the woman who is groaning in pain and said, "I am sorry but I can't..." she was interrupted by the baby crying. She knew if the crying continues then the guards would get them, the woods won't be a shade to them forever so she collected the baby.

"Here..." the mother of the child said, handing an amulet to her. "... Make sure she keeps it safe and ensure she stays away from fire."

Fire? The young lady wondered if she heard right but before she could say anything, the woman gave a bittersweet smile, muttered a few words and a strange portal opened out of nowhere. "Go!" the woman instructed.

"but..." the young lady was about to argue when the woman used her hand and a strange wind pushed the young lady and the baby into the portal and immediately, the portal disappeared.

The woman breathed a sigh of relief when the guards came and without a word, pierced her chest with a sword. She gave up the ghost but with a smile on her face.

***

A few days later after the massacre, the king's son, Prince Edward arrived in the kingdom. The prince was five years old and as the only son of his parents, he was spoilt and arrogant like his father. He got his golden-brown eyes from his mother and his handsomeness was due to the fact his mother was a beauty to behold but his nonchalant attitude was inherited from his father.

Queen Elise was surprised to see the kingdom in such a cold atmosphere. It was like everything and everyone was dead. The absence of the supernatural beings could be felt, she had no choice but to ask her husband what the deal was and urge him to explain what was happening in his kingdom.

King Ghardiel smiled and said, "I got rid of those demons."

Surprised at his words, Queen Elise turned her back to him and with so much anger and disappointment in her eyes, she bowed her head in shame.

King Ghardiel moved closer to his wife and patted her shoulders, "it's necessary that we get rid of them."

"Necessary?" Queen Elise blurted out. "Do you know what necessity is all about?" She asked him with frustration in her tone. "Those people you just wiped out this planet are a blessing to us and..."

"Blessing, you say?" King Ghardiel asked. "Those people are evil, my darling." He tried to touch her face but she moved away from him.

"I have no idea what has gotten into that head of yours. Your father wasn't..."

The King raised his hand, gesturing for her to stop talking. "Do not compare me to my father," he warned.

"Maybe I should remind you that your father respected those supernatural beings like he respected we humans. He was fair and there was equality in the kingdom but what you are doing is so wrong."

"Guards!!!" the king called as one of the guards arrived.

"At your service your majesty." the guard bowed his head with one of his knees to the ground.

"Kim, take my wife to her room and make sure she doesn't get out," he ordered.

"As you wish, your majesty." Kim was about to touch the Queen but she gestured for him not to.

"I will go myself but let me warn you King Ghardiel..." She turned to face her husband and said, "... you just invoked the wrath of the guardians into your kingdom. Prepare for the worst!"

"What are you waiting for?" he asked the guard. "Get her out of my sight!"

Kim begged for the Queen to get going and because she didn't want the king to get mad at the guard, she went to her room.

King Ghardiel gave a smile of victory. He was about to relax on his throne and count his blessings when he was interrupted by the sudden opening of the door by one of the guards.

"What insolence!" he said with anger and disgust.

"I am sorry to have barged in like that your majesty but I have an important message to deliver to you." The guard said.

"Speak." King Ghardiel permitted.

"There is no need for him to speak, I will do the talking myself." A voice spoke from outside the door and when the King looked, he was surprised.

"Priest Louis." He greeted as the priest came in and gestured for everyone to leave. "What message have you come to deliver?" the King asked sarcastically before sitting on his throne.

"The guardians are offended."

"And what do they intend to do about it?"

The priest brought out a book and showed him what happens to a king who goes against the law of the kingdom written by the guardians. The king read and laughed out loud. "Am I supposed to be scared of something written in fiction? Give me something better."

"I have delivered the message." The priest without taking another glance, left and the king ordered the guards not to let the Priest anywhere near the palace and they agreed.

The young lady was teleported into a new different world, light emitted as she touched the ground with the baby in her hand. She has been to this world countless times and she had gotten herself an apartment just to prepare for occurrences like this.

She was twenty years old when she came to this world and for five years, she was building her life around this world just in case her world crumbled which did. She knew her way around so she hid quickly before anyone could take notice of her.

She ran to the little house she got for herself. She knocked at the door and a beautiful young maiden opened the door for her and greeted her with a smile on her face. "Welcome, Miss Claudia."

"How are you, Gwen?" Claudia asked handing the baby over to her.

Gwen is the short form of Gwendolyn. She is a young girl Claudia found on the street the first time she came to this world and she decided to take her in with the thought that she'd be useful someday. Gwen is six years old but she is smart, kind, hardworking, and a faithful servant.

The young girl looked at the baby in her with shock written over her face. "Whose baby is this?" she asked. She knew her lady was kind enough to pick children from the streets but two children were already a mouthful and here is another one? The young girl thought.

"Where is Chadd?" Claudia asked ignoring the girl's question.

"The young master is having his bath." Just then, a young boy with wet blond hair and a towel wrapped around his body walked in and when his electrifying grey eyes met those of Claudia, he ran to hug her.

"Mistress." He greeted with a grin plastered on his face. Claudia couldn't stop her excitement and she carried him and threw him up. Chad was four years old but he was the same height as Gwen. She looked at the two children and the baby in Gwen's hand. What was she going to do? "You found another like me?" Chad asked.

Although Gwen was from this world, Little Chad was from her world. He was her late sister's son. She brought him to this world, three years ago when he was a year old.

"Yes, I did."

"What's her name?" He asked touching the baby's cheek.

Name. Claudia thought. She tried to recall if the child's mother gave her a name but thinking about it, she found out she only gave her the amulet and said something about her not going near a fire.

"Mistress?" Chad called.

"Her name is... Phoebe." Claudia said, looking at the baby who was trying to out Chad's finger into her mouth. Chad and Gwen couldn't stop giggling. She watched the three children with love in her eyes. "I need to take a shower. Make sure the baby is safe." she warned Gwen."

"Yes, Miss Claudia."

Claudia went into her room while Gwen placed the baby on the sofa. She turned to face Chad and warned him to be careful with the new baby. "You don't want Mistress getting mad at us, do you?"

Chad shook his head vigorously. "Mistress is bad when she's angry." He replied with a sad face.

"Exactly! and we don't want that side of her, right?"

Chad nodded. "I love her when she is happy," he said.

Gwen smiled because she knew a happy Miss Claudia meant a happy home.

They both played with the baby and the baby yawned.

"I think she's about to sleep. I am sleepy too."

"Can you watch her while I get the bed?"

Chad nodded as he watched Gwen leave.

***

Claudia was in her bathtub thinking about how she was going to live her life especially now that her world isn't a safe place for her. Should she get a job or just stay with the kids with some money she took from her world. Converting the money into dollars would be a huge amount but can she continue to rely on that money? These were questions that were raging in her mind.

She quickly shook the thought off as she started bathing. She was halfway done when the light went off. She found a way to get off the bathtub without crashing into anything when she heard a scream coming from the other room. She tried to ignore it but when the sound came again, she quickly took the towel she kept on the toilet seat, wrapped it around her body, and found her way down the stairs. When she got down, she saw Gwen on the floor with candlelight next to her.

She rushed to meet her and she found that the girl was bleeding and shaking profusely. "Gwen," She called but the girl didn't respond. Her eyes were opened but she wasn't breathing. Claudia turned to look at Chad and the young boy was hiding beside the chair. She moved closer to him and asked him what happened.

Chad with his shaking hands pointed at Phoebe whose eyes suddenly turned black. It was then the words her mother said to her before she died flashed back and immediately she remembered, she blew off the candlelight and the baby's eyes returned to normal and Gwen that was dead started breathing.

Claudia fell to the ground, holding her chest and calming her beating heart. She has never experienced anything like this. She was so scared and confused. She didn't know if she was doing the right thing so she carried the baby and just as she was about to take the baby outside, the light came back on and when she looked at the baby in her hand, she saw her smiling and giggling and she heard her say the word, "mama".

Claudia couldn't stop the tears that rolled down her cheeks. How was she supposed to ignore this baby? Her eyes were so beautiful but these were the same eyes that killed Gwen and brought her back to life.

Is she making the right choice by accepting her or should she leave her outside with the hope that someone would find her and take care of her? She thought as the baby continues to mumble baby words in joy.

Queen Elise was in her room with Prince Edward's head on her lap. The little boy could tell his mother wasn't happy but he was waiting for the right time to speak.

Staring at his mother for a few minutes, he looked away when her eyes caught his. "Is there something you want to say, Edward?" Queen Elise asked when she caught him staring at her.

Prince Edward sat up and held his mother's hands in his little hands and he said, "Is everything okay between you and father?"

Queen Elise couldn't believe her ears. How did he know something was wrong? "What do you mean, Edward?"

"You look sad, mother and there's only one person who could make you feel this way."

"And who is that?"

"Father," he answered.

Queen Elise didn't want to make her son hate his father so she tried to cover up the truth. "It's not that I am sad," she lies with a fake smile plastered on her face.

"Then it's what?"

"I am just tired from the trip. I need to rest, that's all."

"Is that so?" Prince Edward asked. Queen Elise nodded while patting his head. "Why don't you lie on my laps instead?"

Queen Elise didn't know when she started laughing. She looked at her son wondering what kind of man he would grow up to be. The Prince's eyes were golden brown and his two cheeks had two dimples that were so deep that without him talking or smiling, it could be seen. He was handsome and there was no doubt about it. His caramel skin was gotten from her and his calm attitude was gotten from her too but there was one issue with the prince. He had anger issues. A lot of people consider him a spoilt brat but that's not true. The only issue was his anger. He could pull down the kingdom when he is angry. He makes wrong decisions when he is angry and this scares the queen. She hopes he doesn't become like his father. He was kind just like he is now but when he became king, he changed. She wondered if that's the same fate her son will have.

"Edward," she called him with a serious look on her face.

"Yes, mother."

"Can you promise me something?"

The prince nodded. "Anything for you mother," he replied.

Queen Elise sighed before she said the words, "Do not be like your father."

Prince Edward looked at his mother wondering why she'd say that but instead of asking any question, he nodded and said, "If that will make you happy."

"It will make me more than happy."

"Then I will do as her majesty desires of me."

Queen Elise smiled and pulled him into a warm embrace. She didn't know if he'd keep the promise but she was glad he agreed without further questions. She noticed that her son didn't just have her husband's anger issues but he was also smart and intelligent like him. That was something she was grateful for.

The door flashed open revealing the king with an angry look on his face. "That priest likes getting on my nerves."

The Queen pretended not to see him fuming and continued discussing with her son. The King turned and when he found out she wasn't saying anything, he went to meet her. "Edward," he called.

"Yes, father." The boy answered.

"Go to your room. I have something to discuss with your mother," he said without taking his eyes off his wife.

"As you wish, father." The prince ran out of the room.

Queen Elise got up from the bed and was about to leave when the king held her by the wrist, stopping her from going further. "May I have a word?"

"May I refuse?" she answered him.

King Ghardiel smiled knowing it wasn't going to be easy to get her to forgive him but he was willing to try. He looked at her golden-brown eyes and her slender body which attracted her to him when they met ten years ago.

She was a beautiful maiden who loves to dance and sing. She was praised and adored by everyone in the kingdom. She was kind-hearted, beautiful, sweet, and sexy and he couldn't stop thinking about her. A year later, he asked her to date him and she turned him down. He kept shooting his shots until she finally gave in and here they are together. "You still look radiant like you did ten years ago."

"And you are not the same man I got married to."

"I know, my lady." he answered. "but ruling a kingdom can change you."

"No, it cannot unless you give into it." She sat on her bed thinking about how loving he was when they started as friends, to lovers. "You were a good man; kind-hearted, sweet, understanding but now..." she paused. She quickly wiped the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

"and now?" King Ghardiel asked staring into her teary eyes.

"You are a different man; heartless, thoughtless... A devil in a human form," she answered while glaring into his eyes. "If I knew you would change this much, I'd never have said yes to you." with that, she stood up and walked away from him.

"Elise..." he called but all that could be heard was the slamming of the door.

King Ghardiel sat on the bed with his palms on his face.

There was a reason why he changed but he wasn't ready to disclose that reason yet. He felt no one needed to know his reason and as a king, he felt he owes no one any explanation. He got up from his bed and went into his son's room. He figured he hasn't been with his son or spent time with him as he should but when he got there, his son was already asleep on his wife's lap.

He looked at the perfect image of his wife and son and a smile crept on his lips. "I am sorry for hurting you but I have to do what I've got to do as the king of this land. I don't care if the guardians are going to punish me or kill me. The deed must be done." He took one more look at his family and left the room.

Despite the fact her eyes were closed, she heard everything king Ghardiel said and without knowing, a tear dropped from her eyes down to the bed.

Does that mean there is no turning back? She asked herself before crying herself to sleep.