As much as Princess Kandice tried to make herself comfortable, the dust from the sacks clung to her, making it difficult to breathe. Yet, as time passed, her eyelids grew heavy, and she soon drifted into a restless sleep, only to find herself ensnared in nightmares.
When she opened her eyes, she was back in the palace, standing in one of the darkened corridors. Confusion washed over her as she looked around, bewildered. One moment she had been in the cart, and the next, she was back in the castle.
What is happening? she wondered, fear tightening in her chest. The only explanation that seemed plausible was that the witch had discovered her escape and used her dark magic to bring her back.
No! Panic surged through her as she surveyed her surroundings. She needed to escape from this place, and quickly. She turned on her heel, sprinting through the long, shadowy corridors, when a piercing scream echoed from the other end of the hall.
The scream was filled with such terror and pain that it almost compelled her to look back, but she knew better than to linger—she had to keep running before the witch caught up with her.
Yet, as she attempted to flee in the opposite direction, her feet refused to budge. A wave of panic washed over her; she understood it was the witch's doing.
She fought against the invisible hold, struggling to move, but it was futile. However, when she tried to run toward the source of the scream, her feet suddenly obeyed, moving as if they had a mind of their own.
It was as if she lost control of her limbs, which carried her forward until she stopped in front of a small girl. The child had her back turned to Kandice, squatting on the floor, her form shrouded in the dim light of the corridor.
"Help!" the little girl suddenly screamed, causing Princess Kandice to take a step back. Her heart raced as she scanned the familiar yet terrifying surroundings of the palace.
As she took in the scene, her gaze fell upon Theodore, the witch. Kandice's face paled, and she instinctively retreated, her heart pounding fiercely in her chest.
Theodore's eyes locked onto hers, filled with a malicious intensity as she laughed, but to Kandice's confusion, no sound escaped the witch's lips.
"My princess! What have you done?" A maid rushed forward, drawing Kandice's attention away from Theodore to where the little girl sat on the ground.
Kandice furrowed her brow, her confusion deepening as she watched the maid approach the child. Then shock replaced her frown.
"Wha… what is going on?" Kandice whispered, her hand instinctively covering her mouth as more maids gathered around.
"Oh my goodness! He is dead!" another maid exclaimed, her voice muffled in horror. A wave of déjà vu washed over Kandice as she witnessed the scene unfold before her eyes.
It had to be a dream! The thought raced through her mind. It was the only explanation for why she was reliving this moment from years ago.
The day Edgar died.
As the memory washed over her, Princess Kandice stepped around the little girl on the ground, her heart heavy with recognition. She had seen this before, but now it felt achingly real, each detail as vivid as the pain it brought.
On the ground, the little Kandice, with tear-streaked cheeks, gazed at Edgar's lifeless form, her heart heavy with confusion and dread. Why couldn't she just run from this truth?
She looked up at the witch, who watched with an evil smile, relishing the young princess's fear and inability to defend herself. Edgar lay there with wide eyes, green veins visibly throbbing on his face, a ghastly sight that only she could see.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the entrance, drawing Kandice's gaze. She saw Edgar's father rush in, his expression twisted with anguish.
"My son!" he cried, collapsing beside Edgar's body.
Kandice's attention remained fixated on the witch, desperately searching for any sign of sympathy, but only malice stared back.
"What happened? How did this happen?" Lord Edward questioned, his eyes darting from the maids to his son's still form.
"He fell down, my lord," replied one of the maids, her voice trembling. "It was the little princess who pushed him by mistake."
The accusation hung heavy in the air, and little Kandice's eyes widened in horror.
"No, no! I did not push him! I didn't mean it!" she cried, but her frantic denial only resulted in a sharp slap meant for an adult.
Lord Edward, consumed by grief and rage, rose to his feet, drawing his sword. Gasps echoed through the room as he advanced toward little Kandice, fury radiating from him.
Just as he raised the sword to strike, it suddenly crumbled into ash, scattering around him like dust in the wind.
"Now, I won't condone any disrespect toward the princess," Theodore declared, her voice dripping with authority.
The witch's presence loomed large as she glared at Lord Edward, who now stood empty-handed and bewildered.
"Who gave you the right to raise your hand against the princess?" she demanded, casting a spell that brought the man to his knees, writhing in pain.
In that moment, little Kandice felt a surge of misplaced safety and ran to hide behind the witch's gown, thinking of her as a shield.
"But my Queen, she killed my son!" Lord Edward cried, despair threading his voice.
Kandice felt a sharp pang of confusion—how could she have killed him when it was clearly an accident? Edgar had fallen on his own!
"So what? He isn't the first to die, and you, Edward, have your fair share of murders," Theodore replied coldly, as if discussing the weather.
The truth struck hard: Edgar's life held no weight in this twisted conversation.
"He is still my son!" Lord Edward's voice quivered, his heart shattered.
He had just lost his beloved child. What man wouldn't grieve?
"Consider it a removal of weakness in your life. As the king's right-hand man, you must not harbor any frailties. If you wish to be part of this great kingdom, bury your humanity deep," she continued, her tone devoid of empathy.
"How can you say that?" Princess Kandice, observing from her detached perspective, finally exclaimed, confronting the witch.
"He is also human! How can you be so cruel?" Yet Theodore remained unperturbed, her gaze fixed on the maids, issuing her commands as if Kandice were invisible.
"Take the body away, and do not let me find you laying a hand on my granddaughter again, unless you want to join as one of my accessories," the witch threatened, her voice laced with malice. She turned to carry the frightened little princess, a conniving smile playing on her lips.
"Do not cry, for I am with you. Everything will be alright," she soothed, patting the little Kandice's back as they walked away.
"No! You don't love me! You never loved me! Put me down! Let go of me!" Princess Kandice yelled, desperately trying to escape the witch's grasp. The witch paused and glanced back, her eyes lingering on Edgar's lifeless body.
The sight sent chills down Kandice's spine. The look in the witch's eyes was cold, calculating, as if she took pleasure in the pain surrounding them.
"Wake up!" the witch hissed, and Kandice frowned, unsure if she could be seen.
"Wake up!" The voice came again, but this time it was different—more insistent.
"Come on, wake up now!" The sound broke through the darkness as she felt someone shaking her. Her vision swam and began to clarify, revealing Lisa's worried face looming over her.
"Why did you scream?" Lisa whispered urgently.
"Huh?" Princess Kandice blinked, disoriented. But before she could gather her thoughts, a shadow loomed above Lisa, and a strange man came into view, causing both girls' eyes to widen in fright.
"What the hell!" he exclaimed, fury evident in his bloodshot eyes.