Mortance: A Miscarriage of Hope

Aurora Ⅸ

Grievous crimes, I remembered. Jacob Calder saw us. They know everything. We failed. Tears fell down my face as I stared at the ugly girl in the mirror. She was worthless. All I had to do was save Vanessa, I thought. The Wolf Witch called me the savior of Ert. I couldn't even save Vanessa.

"Jacob Calder tells me you attacked him and tried to flee," the king had told us. "He also claims you pretend love with each other. I will not tolerate such crimes in my kingdom."

Vanessa was locked up in some cell now, awaiting our judgement. It was the same for me, really, only my cell was a bedroom. "There will be a trial in three days' time," King William the Third had decided. That was three days ago. Now it was the morning of the trial, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

I glared at the ugly, useless girl in the mirror. Her hair was thick and dull and messy. Her eyes were an ugly shade of green. Her mouth hung slightly open, revealing crooked teeth and making her look like a lackwit fool. Even a lackwit fool could have made an escape from here, I thought.

"I should've done something more," I muttered angrily. "I should've saved her." There was no one around to hear the words. A tear slid down my cheek. Why does it have to end like this? I asked. There can be no Sacred One in the sky, watching over us and dictating our fates. No god would be this cruel.

I turned away from the ugly, stupid, helpless, worthless, and doomed girl in the mirror. My window was open across the room. A storm was brewing outside. I stood from the bed and walked over to it. The Castle of Kings lay before me, and beyond it, an endless ocean. It would be so easy just to jump, I thought. The fall would kill me, and all this would be over. But I couldn't just give up. I had to hold on. I had to find some way out of this. For Vanessa.

The lock that kept me prisoner clicked open behind me. I felt a cold wind blow across my bare skin as the door opened, but I didn't bother to turn. Let them see me like this, I thought. What does it matter anyway? Everyone knows everything already. Secrets are worthless.

"My princess," Amelia's voice drifted from the doorway. "I'm to prepare you for the trial."

I turned to face her. This is your fault, I wanted to yell. You're the one who did this. You're the one who's killing us. All we wanted was happiness. Amelia stood in the open doorway, her face void of emotion. Four armed guards stood behind her, watching me.

I stood naked before them. They can all see me, all of me, I knew. What does it matter? What else do I have to lose? Amelia shut the door behind her, but the threat of the guards still remained. There would be no escape for me. I stood naked and alone with the girl who took it all away.

"Aurora, I only want to help you," Amelia lied.

"Help me?" my voice sounded broken and unhinged. "You... this is your fault!"

"This is your fault," she retaliated calmly. "You're the one who chose-"

"I chose happiness!" I half-yelled. "I chose love! I chose-"

"It's not love," Amelia said. "Not in the eyes of the Sacred One. You have to understand-"

"No!" I shouted. "Just stop! Stop pretending to know things you don't! You've never been in love! You've never had happiness like this! You've never had that happiness taken from you!" Suddenly the window and its deadly drop seemed very appealing.

"As you say, your grace," Amelia said. "At least let me dress you for your ordeal."

She tried, but the girl in the mirror could not be made beautiful. I stared at my ugly reflection. This feels worse than hell, I thought. It must be even worse for Vanessa. Vanessa... she was down in some cell meant for murderers and rapists and such, probably still nursing the arrow wound in her leg. Which legs was it? I couldn't remember. She deserves far better than this. I should've done something, anything that could've saved her. She's only a prisoner because of me.