The Curse of Love

PleaseNoteWithTheWordLimitThisStoryIsGoingToFeelRushedAndUnfinished

Looking down I see the tip of a sword covered in blood. My blood, this sword is peeking through my stomach. I don’t feel anything, that's the magic of the bracelet, the real pain is knowing my sweet Daphne just woke up with a quite literal gut-wrenching pain. A tear slips through my lashes as I collapse on the ground, the dirt soaked in blood, bodies strewn across the fields. I can feel my conscience slipping but I don't fear death, I feel bad for whoever is closest to me when I meet the reaper. The sweet thing is that you know he’s going to come but you don’t realize he came until it's over. I cough, spitting up blood. I picture my darling Daphne as I slip into oblivion. 

* * *

Someone stabbed King George. Everyone stops and stares at the man who just stuck his sword in the king's gut. The sounds of battle stop but the tang of blood still stains the air. King George collapses to the dirt. He's going to die, out in the middle of the battle with the healers miles away. I’m not the only one to realize this and people start running, tripping over bodies to get away from the dying man. Thomas is running towards me shouting something, but I can't hear him over the ringing in my ears. Grabbing my arm he starts to tug, pulling me away from our king.

“Stop! What are you doing we have to help him,” I say pulling against him 

“You know as well as anyone he is beyond saving” 

“We can’t let him die alone” 

“Listen to me Noah, we have to run, the king is cursed, and whoever is closest to him when he dies receives his curse, everyone knows it, that’s why everyone is running, have you ever noticed the bracelet he wears, it’s cursed, only a fool would stick around.” 

‘it's probably just an heirloom that some maid started a rumor about” 

“Fine,” he says dropping my arm “You can stick around to find out,” Thomas takes off running, and I rush to the king. I gently shake him trying to get him to open his eyes, I reach for his wrist, pulling up his sleeve to check for a pulse. I notice the intricate gold armband wrapped around his forearm. The delicate twists of metal resemble the branches of an Angel Oak tree, it's about 6 inches long and perfectly fitted to his arm, curving over every muscle. 

The king lets out a long breath, then goes deathly still. The air begins to feel heavy, closing in around my body in a suffocating hug, the sky darkens, but it's not the sky. It’s my eyes closing. the ringing in my ears subsides. Icy fingers run up my spine leaving shivers in their wake. I hear a raspy voice inside my head, the kind that only lives in nightmares. 

Forged in fire, cursed by six

For every pain, there is a fix 

But without balance greed will rise 

til this world meets its demise 

I must take something in turn 

For mankind will never learn

 I don't want something from you 

But the one you love and loves you too 

I can free you from the sins of man 

But somewhere your sins must land 

On the person for whom you most care

For true love is not that rare 

But with such a risk and so much fear 

Not even the bravest would dare to near

So upon the wrist of King George, I sit 

Til darling death sees him fit 

Then I shall curse the closest man 

Friend or foe, the nearest hand 

With my power, you will feel no pain 

As well as play the Fires game 

But careful as fire will burn

Not you but the one for whom you yearn 

You’re one true love will take the pain

From every day and the Fires game 

The Icy fingers disappear and are replaced by a burning sensation around my forearm. Prying my eyes open I see the king's bracelet now fitted perfectly around my wrist. Once the burning subsides I run my fingers over the cold metal. It's lightweight, barely even there and surprisingly comfortable. But it's the king's bracelet. If I were to be seen wearing this I would be executed for thievery. Gripping the bracelet I tug. And tug. And tug. But the stupid bracelet won't come off. Sighing I pull my sleeve down over the bracelet, and begin the long walk back to camp. Hopefully, it will be a long enough walk to compose a story as to why I have the king's bracelet. 

* * *    

Turns out it doesn’t matter if I concocted a good story. Thomas comes running up to me as soon as I enter camp 

“What happened? Did you get cursed? Is the king dead? Did you get the bracelet?” he bombards me with questions but doesn’t give me a chance to answer. He grabs my wrist pushing back my sleeve. Letting out a gasp he flips my wrist every which way examining the angel oak branches. “What’s the curse?”

“There isn’t one” Technically I'm lying but I’m not sure I believe there is a curse “I just can’t take it off”  

Thomas looks at me skeptically “So… it didn’t speak to you or something”

“Nope, just a royal family heirloom I can’t take off and will probably be executed for if I'm caught with it”

“Oh,” he says sounding disappointed in the threat to my life. 

I open my mouth to say something but get cut off by a booming voice 

“Pay attention puff guts. Y’all got off easy when that Asorean lobcock killed King George but you don’t get to lay around on your asses all day, we have to attack before they do.” it’s Captain Rowe

“Or get everyone killed in this meaningless war before a new king with some sense is crowned and surrenders” someone mutters behind me. 

Captain Rowe continues not having heard the treasonous words “We march at dawn, and I won’t tolerate any of your annoying voices screeching in my ear” he turns and walks back to his tent. The soldiers disperse making their way to their tents to get a few hours of sleep. 

* * *  

The blare of a trumpet wakes us the next morning at the crack of dawn. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes I strap on my armor and sword exiting the tent I share with 11 others. 

“Good morning shag-bags” Captain Rowe crows, way too loud for this early in the morning “We have reason to believe the enemy camp has not made any moves to attack after they killed King George. That means you fussocks have surprise on your side.” 

“Yeah until that rabid Asorean princess wakes up” someone mutters 

“I don’t know man their king has been keeping her locked up recently, she's old enough to be married, and rumor has it she started bleeding” someone else replies 

“10 coppers says even if she is looked up she’ll find a way to the front line” a third man chimes in.

“20 says she won’t,” I say 

“30 says she does and comes after Noah for betting against her” Thomas chuckles, slapping me in the back.

“If you jackanapes stop babbling and get marching she won't have time to attack whether she’s locked up or not” Captain Rowe cuts it. The trumpet blares again and we fall into line, beginning the long march to the enemy camp. 

* * *    

Hiding in the trees surrounding the Asora army camp we wait for the order to charge. The camp is quiet, everyone still sleeping. A breeze whistles through the trees, Thomas, crouching next to me behind a bush, shivers, but I don’t feel the slightest bit cold. 

“Ready” Captain Rowe whispers just loud enough for us all to hear “Charge!” 

We take off slashing holes in tents and killing the Asorean soldiers before they have a chance to open their eyes. We get through the first two rows of tents before we meet resistance. We mow through the first Asoreans but It doesn’t take long before their entire army is awake and we are in a full-on battle. I cut through the first two soldiers that attack me but the third one is putting up a good fight. Trading blow for blow we dance with death. I’m so consumed with not getting stabbed that I didn’t notice the long golden hair spilling from the back of the soldier's helmet until after I knocked it off. The Asorean Princess. She’s even more beautiful than I imagined. There have been plenty of stories of her fighting on her father's front lines as young as 10 years old. I was unaware we both stopped fighting until she scowls and lunges at me landing a blow on my arm. I Swerve missing the worst of it but she still cut me deep. Blood is running down my arm but I don’t feel any pain from the wound. I hear a shriek and look up. The princess is clutching her arm in the exact place she just cut me. 

“What the hell” she yells  

She pulls her hand away from her arm but there is no blood, at least not any of hers. I can see the gears turning in her head trying to figure out why her arm hurts but I’m the one bleeding. I glance down at the king's armband and she tracks my gaze.

“You-you're the one that took the king's curse”

“I’m not cursed” 

“yes you are,” she says gesturing to both our arms

“No I’m not, you just-” I search for a reasonable answer “pulled a muscle”

She straightens, clearly offended “Trust me not only have I pulled enough muscles to know they don’t feel like a stab wound, but I also know that I’m trained well enough to not injure myself in such a careless way.” 

I gape at her not knowing what to say and she pounces, taking me off guard and pinning me to the ground. It's then that I remember the battle we were fighting. The front lines were pushed so far back, away from the Asorean camp that I can hardly hear the clanging of blades. I struggle, trying to push her off me when I hear pounding footsteps. The king appears over her shoulder shouting. 

“Adelaide! What do you think you’re doing! I told you not to leave the tent! You’re lucky I even let you come out here and now you blatantly disobey me!” 

Adelaide sighs looking over her shoulder “Father you can’t expect me to stand by while our men get slaughtered by these featherheads”

“I expect you to help behind the lines not fighting on them.”

She glances back at me rolling her eyes “Fine but can you at least help me deal with this muttonhead, he seems to have taken on King George’s curse” 

The king eyes me, grabs my arm, inspects the bracelet, then helps the princess pull me out of the dirt and tie my hands behind my back. 

They lead me to the middle of their camp and into a large white tent. Adelaide pushes me to the floor. Hard. I hit the dirt but she yelps instead, rubbing her backside. The king looks at me puzzled. 

“Explain exactly what this curse entails” 

“I’m not cursed” I argue 

“Yes you are,” Adelaide says emphasizing each word “When you put on the bracelet did it speak to you or something” I hesitate and that’s answer enough. She crouches getting right in my face “Start talking. Now.” 

I tell them everything from watching the king getting stabbed to realizing I was fighting the princess making sure they realize I didn’t steal the bracelet. 

“You are so cursed, stop denying it, magic bracelets talking to you is not a normal occurrence.”

For the first time all day, I stop and think about everything that’s happened. When it finally dawns on me

“But the one you love and loves you too” I repeat the words again quietly, “I think the curse thinks I’m in love with you” 

The king turns toward the princess “he really is a muttonhead”

“Yeah but a cute one”

“Hey!- wait” I pause replaying the line again and loves you too “You love me too!” the feeling of joy takes over, pushing out the embarrassment from the sudden realization. 

“Took you long enough”

“so … what happens next?” I ask directing my question at the king “You untie me and let me run off with your daughter and we live happily ever after” 

“Not a chance. You will be taken back to Asora and kept out of harm so as to not injure my daughter. Being as anything that happens to you happens to her you will not be allowed to do anything that may hurt her.”

“No way, I’m not letting you lock me up for the rest of my life.” 

“You don’t have a say in the matter. You made a foolish mistake being close to king george when he died and taking his curse but you doomed yourself when you fell in love with my heir.”

“Father.” 

“I don’t want to hear it. It doesn’t even make sense. You saw each other once and all of a sudden you’re both cursed”

“Father”

“No Adelaide–”

“He could be a valuable resource”

“He could hurt you”

“I will be fine. Train him as you trained me and keep him from using fire and we could be a weapon” 

“What if he runs? What if he tries to hurt you?”

“That's the thing, the curse was smart. It chose to transfer the pain to someone the cursed wouldn’t want to hurt. I know it doesn’t make sense. Frankly, I don’t quite get it either. But we are in love. He wouldn’t do anything that would hurt me”

“She’s right” I cut in 

“Oh hush” Adelaide shushes me “The adults are speaking.” I snap my mouth shut 

“Fine. but you have to train him and be responsible for him and if he hurts you, you’re done.

“Deal,” she says and strides out of the tent 

“What about me!” I call after her still tied to the chair

“We’ll start tomorrow,” she says over her shoulder, smirking “Sleep tight”

* * * 

The next morning I wake up to hot breath on my face 

“Good morning” Adelaide greets me 

“Why do we have to start so early”

“Because you need a lot of work”

“I’ll have you know I am one of the best soldiers in my regiment”

“Were” she corrects “you were one of the best. Daris is not your country, and you are not part of that regiment anymore.”

“Who says I won’t desert and run back to Daris”

“Once you hear who they crowned king you won’t want to”

“Did they not crown Oscar”

“The prince abdicated, they crowned his cousin Magnus”

“Shit why would they do that. Magnus will run Daris into the ground”

“Yep. and I bet 30 silvers he would destroy the country by the next full moon,” she says with a smile “Now, get up we have work to do”

By lunch, I was sweating like a pig and Adelaide was hunched over with both hers and my pain. We ate with the king and queen and while Adelaide’s mother asked relentless questions the king refused to speak to either of us. 

After we finished we returned to training. Slowing the pace slightly as to not harm Adelaide. She was in the middle of teaching me their line formations when someone bursts into the tent out of breath. 

“Princess…there’s been…an attack…lots dead…need help.”

“Where.” she says 

“Southeast”

Adelaide grabs two swords from the side of the tent and tosses one to me before running out of the tent. 

* * *

We get to the edge of the camp and it's an absolute blood bath. The princess spares me a glance over her soldier 

“Don’t get killed” she says before charging into the battle. 

I adjust my grip on the sword and run after her cutting down soldiers as I go. We fight back to back until sweat is pouring off both of us. Someone lands a blow on my leg and Adelaide grunts

“I’ll amend my earlier statement, try not the get stabbed”

We fight for what feels like forever. I manage to avoid any major injuries but my movements are slowing, even without pain my body is fatigued. Soldiers keep spilling from the woods in a never-ending stream. I’m covered in blood and grime there are bodies everywhere, mostly out soldiers. There can’t be more than 200 of us left. 

 I hear a scream to my left and see Adelaide clutching her stomach. But there’s no blood. I look down at my own stomach and see the tip of a blade peeking through, and blood so much blood. I fall to my knees. 

“Run Adelaide” I sputter, spitting up blood. I see the hesitation in her eyes but I can’t tell if its because she doesn’t want to leave me or her soldiers “Get them out of here”

She takes a step toward me and doesn’t see the soldier behind her swinging his blade, aiming for her head. I leap at her grabbing her hand, pulling her out of the way 

“You have to go, get everyone out. Let the curse pass to a different country” 

“What about you”

“Forget me, you hardly even know me, remember”

“But” 

“No buts,” I say pushing her away “Go”

She takes off, yelling at her men to retreat. I watch until she gets far enough away then pull the sword out of my gut and fall to the ground. Closing my eyes I greet death with open arms. Gladly passing this curse to the next person if only to lessen Adelaide’s pain.