The Curse of King James

She had her arrow aimed at the man's back, a perfect shot despite the crowded ballroom. She took a deep, steadying breath and pulled the bow taut, and prepared to let the arrow fly. But then her target turned and looked directly at her, finding her in the eaves as if he'd known she was there all along. He winked. Startled, she made her way to the door, deciding that tonight he would get away. Instead, however, he met her outside in the courtyard.

"What brings you here?" he asked.

"A continuum of terrible choices." she replied.

Then, as he let out a chuckle, he replied, "You'd be surprised how often people say that."

He leads his way closer to her slipping her arm in his.

"Shall we?" he asked with a grin.

"Do I have a choice?" she questioned.

"I guess not," he replied in a stern voice while brushing her golden blond hair from her stunning brown eyes.

"Shall we?" he questioned as he leads her back into the party. "Still your beating heart, hun. No one will recognize you under your disguise. After all this is the biggest mascarade ball of the century."

"I hardly find this to be apporpriate James. After all you wouldn't want your wife to wonder who you are dancing with. I hardly believe you can handle another scandal on your hands." she whispers into his ear.

"What kind of host doesn't dance with his guests and mingle?" he whispers back.

Annabelle grows uneasy as he continues to spin her round and round. "Why the bow and arrow Annabelle? I thought we were past this." he says with a devious grin.

"PAST THIS?!?! Are you kidding me?" she yells out as everyone turns to look at them.

"You blew our cover darling I suggest you leave." James whispers as he bows. "Please everyone go back to the party I will escourt her out." he says to the crowd as he and his guards walk Annabelle to the door. "Until next time?" James questions as one of his guards raise an eyebrow while eyeing the two.

"James, there will be no next time. I will be successful." Annabelle says as she bows to James and walks out. As Annabelle walks away into the night, James turns to Fredrick.

"Follow her. I want to know where she goes and who she talks to. Leave no stone unturned. Your orders are to be in the Queen's name." James says with haste. Fredrick looks puzzled.

"In- in the Queen's name? Sir are you sure this is what you want?" Fredrick asks with hesitation.

"Yes. In the Queen's name. No one must know I have ties to her outside of aquantences through the Queen." James replies, slightly ashamed.

"Sir. She will have your head for this." Fredrick replies.

"Fredrick. Am I your King?" James questioned.

"Yes Sir." Fredrick replies.

"Then don't question me. Follow her and find out who she works for, who she keeps company with and why she has been ordered to kill me." James orders.

"Kill?!?! Sir! Why did you not detain her?" Fredrick asked.

"That is my business. Do as you are told!" James snaps.

"Yes sir." Fredrick replies as he puts on his coat. By the time James and Fredrick finish, Annabelle is nowhere to be found. Fredrick heads into town and starts speaking to the local townsmen. However, no one knows who Annabelle is nor where she might be. Fredrick leaves for the mountains on foot. It's the only place that he hasn't checked for Annabelle. No one goes in there because it is believed to be guarded by a powerful witch. Fredrick has concluded that the witch will help him in the name of the Queen.

However, when Fredrick approaches the small cottage, he sees Annabelle standing there staring at him, grinning.

"I knew you were looking for me Fredrick. Aren't you curious why your King has sent you on a secret mission in the name of his wife?" she asks, gauging his reaction.

"Annabelle you must tell me why you are targetting the King." Fredrick mutters as his voice begins to crack in fear.

"You shall not fear me. I may be the witch you all have made out to be the villian in the mountains however your King sits on his throne of lies." Annabelle replies.

"Wh- What do you mean?" Fredrick inquires.

"I mean your King is lieing to you all but worst of all he is lying to his wife. Your Queen." she replies. "Please. Come in. You will want to sit down for this one." she motions to her cottage.

"How do I know you wont curse me?" he questions.

"And how do I know you aren't here to kill me?" she demands as she looks his face up and down.

"Shall we enter a truth bond? I know you enjoy those." he chuckles.

"A truth bond will tell you more about your beloved King than you can handle." she says in shock, "I am not sure you're ready."

Fredrick shifts his weight to his other foot. "I suppose I have to as we wont trust each other any other way." he says, uneasy.

"Okay. But remember you asked for this. Shall we?" she asks as she opens the door to the cottage. Fredrick steps in reluctantly, and to his surprise, the inside is as big as the palace.

"How?" he asks.

"Is that really the question you want to ask?" she looks puzzled.

"No. I would like to know why you are trying to kill our King." he demands. ""YOUR" King Fredrick. For now." she says as she pours two cups of tea. "To enter this trust bond you must drink my magic tea." she assures him.

"Okay. You first." he motions.

"So be it," she says as she drinks the glass of tea. Fredrick sips the glass as he watches Annabelle. He watches in disbelief as she turns from an old hag into a young maiden with long beautiful flowing hair and honey brown eyes that could make even a bumblebee jealous.

"You...he....why?!" Fredrick asks with deep regret.

"I assured you that you would learn things that the King does not want you to know. When you found me, he didn't think you would approach me. He believed you wouldn't trust me to drink the tea of truth." she replies in agony.

"Wait...are you....pregnant?" Fredrick asks as he falls to his knees.

"Yes...for 400 years, James has cursed this whole kingdom to stay as they were the day he cast the curse." she says with a tear flowing down her cheek.

"May I?" Fredrick asks hesitantly while motioning to touch her stomach. "Yes," she whispers, fighting back her tears. Fredrick moves close to her stomach and lays his head upon her naval while holding her stomach, sobbing.

"Anna..." he whispers, looking up to her.

"Yes?" she says, trying to compose herself.

"Why did he curse us?" Fredrick asks in disbelief.

"Because when I turned your brother down, he read my mind to find out why I would turn away royalty. He found out I was ready to tell you I was pregnant and wanted to move to the cottage. Angered he told me I would regret it and should I approach you first our daughter and son would die and the curse would become permant." she states, crying more than before.

"I need to confront him. He cant get away with this!" he shouts as he slams the door open and disappears before she can stop him.

Annabelle begins to cast a spell to stop him until she feels an icy cold hand cover her mouth from the shadows. Finally, Annabelle becomes lifeless, and Jame lays her on the bed beside them.

"Did you think you could tell him that, and he would successfully remember in time to get back to me?" James chortles. Annabelle lays there looking at James, unable to move as a tear streams down her face.

"Don't worry, darling. This time he will forget you, and so will the Queen. This time you will be mine and be cursed to raise those babies as my children as you watch Fredrick toil. This time should you find a loophole to tell him he will die, and so will your children. I knew your love was too great, and he would find you right where I originally left you." James grins as he begins his new curse.

Once it is finalized, Annabelle takes the form of the Queen, and her cottage becomes the palace it once was. Unable to fight him, she goes along with his plan, being forced to watch every day as Fredrick is tortured in the dungeon for a reminder that not every story has a happy ending. Nevertheless, she must do whatever it takes to keep her family alive.