The Cursed Prince

TEN YEARS LATER

All across Draec Kingdom, its citizens and especially the people in the capital were busy preparing for festivities. It was their beloved princess' twelfth birthday and the king and queen were going to throw a celebration that was even better than the last ones.

Princess Harlow Strongmoor found herself celebrating a birthday that would outshine the birthday from last year because of how much her parents pampered and spoiled her as their one and only daughter.

However, despite the great amount of wealth, splendor, and sights that made each of her birthdays extremely wonderful and unique, the parties thrown by the monarchy weren't the only highlight of the day for the people.

There was something else that made the day special and filled it with mystery and intrigue.

"What do you think you'll get as a present this year?" Louis asked Princess Harlow while they were all enjoying a wonderful breakfast in the grand hall. "I'm really hoping that it's something as nice as another pet for you so we could take care of it."

Surrounded by a feast that could feed an entire village, the children were all happily talking with one another and discussing with excitement and thrill. It had already been several years since the mysterious gift sender sent precious items as presents.

"Well, as long as it's nothing like crystal shoes or something silly like a precious silk ribbon," Jorei added and glanced up at the person seated in the middle of the banquet hall. There was a mouthful of food in his mouth as he swallowed. "I mean the girly stuff is too much, even if you are a girl."

A girl much younger than Harlow pouted and argued with the much older boy.

"There's nothing wrong with those gifts!" Ava Chaucer glanced eagerly at her older friend and said. "I hope Harlow gets a small fairy next or a magic wand!"

Princess Harlow batted her eyelashes at her older cousins, then at her younger friend. It was a regular thing for them to squabble and tease one another even though her cousins were much closer to adults than her.

Louis Greenan was now a 17-year-old lad, Loran was 15, and Jorei was 13. They were always invited to the palace for Harlow's birthday celebration. Ava Chaucer, the only daughter of Edgar and Clara was now 9 years old. She was the one most excited about Harlow's gifts every year.

While Harlow's twin brothers, Dimitri and Damien only focused their attention on the cakes before them. The boys ate a lot even though they stayed skinny that Harlow often teased them for having a dragon in each of their belly that consumed all the food. The boys looked a lot like Emmelyn with brown hair and blue eyes.

Kira and Gewen had three children, aged seven, five, and three respectively. Two girls and one son. They just sat sweetly in their seats, looking at the older children around them with their big round eyes. All three children looked a lot like their father, much to Gewen's delight.

Ava who was most feminine among them treated the three like her own children and she took initiative to cut some more cakes for Lilith, Bianca, and Henry. The three Athibaud children adored Ava.

Meanwhile, Harlow ate and dabbed her mouth with a napkin. A challenging smile formed on her face as she looked at the older boys with a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Well, would you guys like to make a bet with me?"

"A bet?" Louis quirked a brow and found it odd that their younger cousin was familiar already with the concepts of gambling. "Where did you even learn that term from?"

"I'm betting with my favorite sword!" Jorei exclaimed. "I think it's going to be something big since it's your twelfth birthday. You got your first animal on your second birthday and it's been ten years since then. A tiger sounds great! Give it to me if I win!"

"What are you even going to do with a tiger?"

Princess Harlow smiled innocently. "Uncle Gewen and Aunt Kira told me all about it. I'll bet with my favorite tiara that it's going to be something really unique this time, not just a pearl necklace that comes from under the most treacherous sea… but really mythical!"

Louis chuckled. "You got a cute but really ordinary kitten last year, you know? The year before that, you received a beautiful jade bracelet. I think we'll get something like maybe another crown? Or maybe new shoes since your feet did get bigger."

"And how would the mysterious gift sender even know her shoe size anyway?"

"Magic?"

"Seems kinda spooky!"

"Quit being scaredy cats," Princess Harlow chuckled and she quickly picked up the sunflower seeds that lay neatly on her plate and then tossed them into the air. With one quick whistle, a bird came flying in through the window.

All of the children immediately looked up with excitement in their chests because of how rare the creature was and how precious it could potentially be across the kingdom of Draec and even across the whole continent of Terra.

A small and agile bird flew and caught the seeds in its mouth and squawked happily.

"The person who gifts me doesn't seem like a bad person because all of their gifts are really nice! I love my phoenix!" Princess Harlow grinned and watched the bird perform somersaults in the air before flying back out of the window and then winking out of existence.

Its wings were a deep red and each of its plumes was decorated with an assortment of dancing colors which turned out to be actual fire.

Unlike her mother and father, Princess Harlow was a young child who didn't at all seem bothered by the idea that some stranger was sending her gifts. They were all amazing in her eyes and she was looking forward to this time of the year again.

However, while all of the children and teens were all talking with one another, a sudden deafening roar filled the skies and quickly caught the attention of not only them but especially the guards stationed at the castle.

A dragon was quickly approaching them from the skies.

All of their eyes bulged because nobody had ever seen such a creature before and then all of them quickly exclaimed and pointed out the window. A commotion was occurring between the adults who saw the dragon as a threat while excitement filled the children and youth.

"I'm betting that's the gift!"

"No! I bet with that creature first!"

"Oh! It's going to land in the royal gardens, let's go!"

"Last one who gets there is going to clean the dishes!"

Their breakfast was forgotten because all of the children, especially Princess Harlow, got up to their feet and then rushed out of the hallway to come to see the majestic creature up close. When they arrived at the royal garden, the dragon was already surrounded by a dozen knights and trained archers.

At the center of the circle was no one other than King Mars Strongmoor himself.

"Father!" Harlow called out.

King Mars Strongmoor was a strong, adept, and skilled warrior, and no man would have ever considered lifting a hand and especially a blade against him. The man was even more of a killer for women in the past... if one took into account his curse.

However, with a great amount of wariness and carefulness of both a father and husband, King Mars looked at the dragon that landed on the courtyard of his castle with his weapon, only waiting for it to make a move.

There didn't seem to be any immediate threat though. The king watched the proud creature look at all of the soldiers and archers trained on it like it was nothing. As if the dragon was not even troubled by the humans because there was someone greater than them.

If there was any sign that something else was amok, this was the clearest sign that both Mars and Emmelyn needed to start looking into the mysterious gift sender with even more concern.

This dragon caused a commotion unlike any other. Even though it was still quite small, only the size of a big horse, it was still a dragon with fire for breath.

In particular, only Edgar and Gewen had ever ridden a dragon when both men traveled from and to Summeria eleven years ago. So the sight of such a creature caused an uproar. Everyone was frightened and that was except for the children.

Children?

Mars Strongmoor's eyes bulged for a moment when he heard Harlow call out to him.

.

.

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From Missrealitybites:

Welcome to the last volume of "The Cursed Prince". We will now start with Harlow's story. I know many have been waiting for this day... hehehe. I hope you're happy.

Btw, if you are looking for something to read during the holiday, I think it will be a great time to re-read "The Cursed Prince" from the beginning. Right?

No more waiting and you can actually enjoy every little detail with new appreciation. Also, this Christmas, Web is organizing a Christmas event with select books throwing in mass releases.

"The Cursed Prince" is chosen to join the event and if you read this book 30 minutes per day during the event (until January 3), you will get free crackers which later on can be exchanged for a Christmas badge.

I will also throw in 10 chapters mass release on Dec 13. Are you excited??

PS: You can still send an email to: [email protected] to get Christmas gifts from Mars.