The Cursed Prince

Mrs. Adler listened to her story with furrowed brows. She had never heard of anything like this before. Emmelyn was not a seer but it looked like she just got a vision like a seer would normally get.

The old witch tried to remember what her teacher told her about special visions and warnings. Alas, it was a long time ago. Since she had never encountered similar situations before, she never really gave it a lot of thought.

"Princess... I think your dream is an invitation," the old witch finally said haltingly. "I might be wrong but... the fact that you see Queen Elara and Myreen, together with a Leoralei, showed that they are all connected."

"It seems, the answer you are looking for is in Myreen," said Mrs. Adler. Her voice sounded more confident than before.

Emmelyn thought about what the witch said. She actually thought the same too. Something in her heart told her that she must go to Myreen immediately. As soon as possible.

She had known about her curse months ago, but she was not in a condition to travel because of her pregnancy. Now, she could.

Oh, how much time had been wasted. If only she knew about this curse before she even came to Draec, she would have saved herself so much heartache and pain.

However, there was no use crying over spilled milk. She could still go to Atlantea and made her way to look for the hidden kingdom.

Uff, if only she knew a way to find out what happened to Maxim. Emmelyn hoped the man was doing fine and not affected by her curse in any way, just because they were close in the past.

If Emmelyn could find him, she would ask his advice on how to get to Myreen.

Maxim was the only person she knew who was so knowledgeable about kingdoms in Atlantea. He might know how to get to Myreen.

Emmelyn bit her nail in distraught. This was a really bad habit that she just picked up recently. She hated it, but she couldn't help doing it.

"You are right," Emmelyn decided to believe Mrs. Adler. "I should go to Myreen as soon as possible. But not before I kill that bastard who had betrayed me."

Emmelyn had been thinking about it for days. She was waiting for Mars to return while recuperating. It's been three weeks since she left Harlow with Lily.

She didn't know how much longer she had to wait. Would Mars return today? Next week? Maybe in two more weeks?

It was so hard to live with uncertainty. She couldn't make proper plans without knowing what would happen.

If she left Draec and her husband arrived right after she departed, they would be passing each other unknowingly. However, what if she kept waiting and waiting... and her curse actually caused her husband and child more problems?

What if Mars could never return because something happened to him on the way? Look at what happened to Queen Elara and all other people that Emmelyn loved. They were all dead.

She couldn't let anything happen to Mars and Harlow.

She must go as soon as possible.

"Grandma... can you pass me the men's clothes you bought from the market?" Emmelyn sat up and then climbed down the bed. She stretched her body and realized that, physically, she had already fully recovered.

Mentally, she was still a wreck, but there was nothing she could do about it. She couldn't wait. This was no time to keep crying and hoped a miracle would happen.

She must take matters into her own hands.? She couldn't wait for her husband to arrive. She had to go.

However, she would never leave Harlow within the reach of that bastard Roshan. Once Mars returned, he would definitely take Harlow from Lily to stay with him.

And that meant, Harlow would live in his castle, where Roshan worked and saw her every day. Harlow would be vulnerable since Roshan could secretly kill Harlow if Ellena ordered him to.

Harlow was a small and fragile baby that was born two months early. If she 'died' in her sleep, people would think it was a natural death.

No fucking way. Emmelyn would not let Roshan hover around her beloved baby. She would kill him before the butler had any chance to hurt Harlow.

She decided she would disguise herself as a man and went back to the crown prince's castle. She would sneak in and find the opportunity to kill Roshan.

When Mars returned and found Roshan died, he would have no choice but to find another butler. He wouldn't let Harlow get close to new people. At least that's what Emmelyn hoped.

She trusted that her husband was not dumb to risk their daughter's safety at the hands of untrustworthy people.

Mrs. Adler went to the wooden chest in the corner of the room and took out one set of men's clothing. She gave it to Emmelyn who immediately changed into them.

"I will go to the castle and do something," said Emmelyn. "After I return we will leave for Wintermere immediately. So, please get ready."

Mrs. Adler could kind of guess what Emmelyn was planning to do. She was worried the princess would be caught. So, she insisted to go with her. However, Emmelyn didn't want to listen to the old witch.

Mrs. Adler was old and frail. It would trouble her to keep the old woman safe. It was easier if Emmelyn just went on her own. Finally, Mrs. Adler relented and let Emmelyn go alone.

They had been staying in an abandoned hut near the forest, not far from the capital. The old wagon was parked near the hut and Mrs. Adler sometimes used it to go to town to sell mushrooms and some herbs.

Now, Emmelyn used the wagon to go back to the castle. She bought a lot of firewood from the market and then went to the castle, saying that she came to bring the firewood ordered by the kitchen.

She covered half her face with an old scarf and claimed she was having measles. That was enough to make people keep their distance from her.

"Put the firewood over there, and you can go quickly," said one of the kitchen staff, wincing his forehead at Emmelyn. "Have you got your payment?"

"Not yet. Usually, the butler Roshan would be the one to pay me," said Emmelyn with a hoarse voice to disguise her own voice. "Should I just wait for him?"

"Ah... you just missed him. He went out with the crown prince to the forest, just ten minutes ago," said the kitchen staff. "You better wait somewhere else. We don't want to contract your measles. He won't be back for a few hours."

Emmelyn was so surprised to hear the kitchen staff's words. What did he just say?

Roshan went out with the crown prince?

Had Mars returned? That was really fast!

Emmelyn suddenly felt so sad, thinking how her husband must have traveled non-stop just to get here as soon as possible and came to find his mother dead, his wife gone, and his baby was born prematurely.

It must be so heartbreaking!

But... wait, when did he arrive? Why didn't Emmelyn hear any news about his return?

She thought he was still on the way and would take so long to get here.

"Which forest did they go to?" Emmelyn asked the man. Her heart was pounding so hard. "I cannot wait for too long. I will find Roshan and ask for the payment immediately."

"That way!" The staff pointed in a direction.

Emmelyn furrowed her brows and tried to guess what Mars and Roshan were doing in the forest.

Well... that's where her brother was buried.? She also made a request before she died that if anything happened to her, she would like to be buried near her brother.

Was Mars going to see her 'grave'?

"Thank you..." Emmelyn quickly turned around and left. She didn't want the staff to see her tears.

She missed her husband very much. She wanted to cry on his shoulders and complained about how hard her life had been when he was not around.

Emmelyn went to get her old wagon and dashed her horse to go to the little forest near the castle. She must meet her husband and punish Roshan as soon as possible.

Then, she would go to Atlantea and find ways to get to Myreen and get the Leoraleis to lift their curse from her.

She must not waste time.