Midnight Cove

The week came and went and still they couldn’t find the faery doctor. The witch apparently didn’t want to be found. Phoenix’s temper would flare at any mention of her and I tried my best to calm him.

On the lighter side of things, Cove had taken his leave which unburdened both Phoenix and I, leaving us to our blissful little bubble. I felt a pang of depression and loneliness after Cove left, but decided it was for the best and pushed my feelings deep down burying them in my heart. When I wasn’t crying into Phoenix's arms in the morning and he wasn’t called away on other affairs that demanded his attention, we lived in our own private universe.

We could talk of nothing but the fast approaching wedding. Adele came to visit me each day taking my measurements. In an effort to both embrace my becoming a royal member of the Dark Faeries, and to avoid any similarity between my real wedding and that of my nightmare version, I had decide on a black wedding dress. Adele refused to let me see it though, she had wanted it to be a surprise for me on my wedding day. Everything was perfect and although we didn’t know if Cove would show up, Phoenix was a good sport and sent him an invitation anyway.

The day of the wedding came and I awoke for the first time in a month, alone. My room was littered with fresh roses and tulips. And although I had woken up screaming, the enchanting sight of the vast amount of flowers quickly melted any fears. The note on my bedside table was from Phoenix.

For my bride,

Your bloom far out shines that of any other blossom. I wish I could have been there to hold you this morning my darling, but I would be a fool to risk bad luck on a day as pivotal as this. I shall see you at the altar.

Your adoring groom,

Phoenix

I set the card down and blushed heavily. I felt as light as a feather and bubbling with excitement. Adele knocked on my bedroom door not a minute later. I was bouncing on the bed with delight. “Come in,” I practically sang the words.

Adele strode confidently in the room, a smile plastered on her heart shaped face. “I’m glad to see you're up, my Lady,” she said.

“Adele, I’m not royalty yet,” I chided her gently, slightly rolling my eyes. I didn't think that I was ever going to get used to Palace life.

“Yet,” she repeated my words, reminding me that within the span of just a few hours I was going to be one, along with being a married woman. I couldn’t help but beam a huge satisfied grin her way.

“Good,” she remarked, approving of my ecstatic mood. “A bride is at her best when she is in high spirits.” I was too. I couldn’t have been in higher spirits unless I had wings.

“Let’s get started.” And with that, Adele pulled me from my bed and shoved me into the shower with a handful of expensive vanilla scented bath products.

She knew I loved the scent and had even included some vanilla orchids in the arrangements for the wedding ceremony. After I was out of the shower, which didn’t excuse me from a reprimand from her for the time restrictions we were on, she sat me down in front of my vanity table and proceeded to apply a generous amount of make up. I didn’t complain like usual because I wanted desperately to look nothing short of stunning today.

It took what felt like forever, until she stood back, placing her hands on her hips, gazing at her work admiringly and said, “Done.”

I sighed, relieved I could finally fidget and move a bit. I had lost the feeling in my arms and legs after posing like a statue for so long. Adele glanced down at her watch, “I have to go downstairs to greet the guests before they arrive.” She paused for a second before adding, “And to check on the bridegroom.” I felt my face flush and she laughed a quick chuckle. “Perfect. You’re ready,” she smiled.

As she made her way to the door she reminded me that my dress was being sent up with a few of the servants to help me put it on. “If you have any trouble send for me immediately.”

“I will,” I said, trying not to tremble as I realized how close to the hour I was.

The moment my dress arrived and they took it out of it’s box and the bag encasing it, I screeched with delight like a lovesick teenager. Adele had far exceeded my expectations. It was a beautiful black ball gown with a tight fitting bodice and a sweetheart neckline.

The servants helped me and once it was on I looked down admiring the swishing sounds the fabric made as I moved about my room. The back of the dress rested just below my shoulder blades lacing down to my tailbone. I bade the servants to leave me so that I could get the first glance of myself in peace.

Slowly and carefully, I gathered the folds of my dress in my hands and stepped in front of my full length mirror. The moment I saw myself my face turned to ash. All the color drained from my face, gone was the rosy blush of my cheeks I had but a moment ago. I was undeniably gorgeous, a pearl set in black satin, but that wasn’t why the color drained from my face. As soon as I saw my reflection my mind was thrust backward in time.

I would have thought that I was having another nightmare if I hadn’t been wide awake. Standing there staring, I remembered another version of myself, a version of me from a time long forgotten.

I remembered wearing an elegant black dress very similar to the one I now had on, but that day had been a depressing one. I saw both in my mind's eye and in the mirror’s reflection in front of me, my face ruined from tears. I couldn't stop them as they flowed freely, leaving little streams of foundation dripping down my cheeks and splattering across my chest.

I stood there remembering how I walked away from the Queen's funeral that day, the palace was dreary and silent as we all mourned the late queen. Through the empty passageways that led to my suite of rooms, I walked. My rooms were in a different part of the palace than where I now resided. There, in the abandoned hall was Cove’s father, Phoenix’s father, the King, ruler of the Dark Realm.

I remember he had a wicked smiled that played on his face as he blocked my way. I stepped to the side trying to maneuver around him, but he mimicked my movements, his evil smile growing ever more sinister.

I turned, realizing what he meant to do. How can he!? We just laid the Queen to rest! Does he have no soul? I ran, but he was much faster than I. He caught up to me in an instant, and yanked my hair, pulling me to the hard, cold obsidian floor by my hair. I heard the thunk reverberate through my skull. My brain screamed in silent protest of the searing pain. I wanted to scream out in terror, but he clamped his hand over my mouth. Sliding his gross wet tongue up my neck, finding my ear he whispered.

“Don’t think I won’t punish you for blabbing our little secret.” And he squeezed my arms pressing them hard against the frigid stones beneath me, all but crushing my bones as he wriggled himself between my thighs. My skin burned under his rough grasp and I could already feel the blood pooling under it, forming blisters all along my arms. I tried desperately to kick him away, but I couldn’t. He let go of my arms placing all of his weight on his left hand that held my chest down as he forcefully ripped my legs apart with his right.

I vividly remembered the revolting feel of his erect manhood tearing into my flesh. A wailed of pain threatened to spill before his stony old hand came roughly down over my mouth once again. When he finished satiating himself he rose. Standing there like a hunter looming over his kill he smiled.

“Remember, I am King. No whore could ever satisfy me. Everything in this kingdom belongs to me. I will fuck your little slit anytime I please. Never forget that. I own you. You belong to me, Bonnie.” Then he gave me a swift kick in the gut before bending down once more grabbing a fistful of hair. I yelped in agony as I felt my hair being torn from my scalp. King Lucius bent lower and I could feel my body shake with disgust as I anticipated his grotesque lips against my own once again. Nothing came. I felt the strong gust of wind and knew immediately Cove was there.

Burning inside with shame and guilt and fear, I scrambled to my feet as I heard the two ferocious ruling men battle against each other down the hall. I ran as far and as fast as I could towards my rooms. Get me out of here!

I could barely breathe. I frantically sucked in air trying to gasp for breath, my lungs ached and I felt as though sharp knife were stabbing me in my side, but I couldn't stop, I didn't dare slow down or turn back. I turned the corner, I had to rest. I grabbed my side with one hand and leaned against the wall while I choked and hacked, spitting out blood. I thought maybe I could crawl on my hands and knees the distance from where stood to my private rooms, but I heard about crack that sounded like thunder and bones and I picked up the folds of my torn dress and again started to flee. Not looking where I was going, I ran head first into Phoenix. The memory of me huddled in his arms in a ball of blood and black satin faded away. I stood staring at myself as I sobbed in front of the mirror in my black satin wedding dress.

I looked down at my hand, my engagement ring from Phoenix shined brightly from it’s place on my finger. I can’t do this. I couldn’t go through with the wedding. And looking up from my hand to face my reflection in the mirror I spoke the reason aloud.

“I’m already Cove’s wife.” My makeup ran, black tears streaking down my ashen cheeks. That was why Cove wanted to talk about it. That was why he wasn't remorseful for cheating on his wife. He wasn't cheating. He found her. He found me. I am his wife.

That was when I noticed them, my black feathery wings perched behind my back. My heart started racing, and I knew that someone was going to check on me soon. The wedding was going to begin. I couldn’t be apart of it anymore though.

Glancing at my wings I realized that I, too had magick. I could return to the mortal world alone once again. Without Phoenix, without Cove. Could I find him? Could I find Cove? I needed to talk to him. I needed to get away.

I closed my weeping eyes and concentrated on my studio apartment; on my beautiful backyard garden and the quirky little beach city I had grown to love. I could feel nothing at first, but I refused to give up. I was desperate, this had to work. There was no other way out of here without someone seeing me. My heart began pumping and I squeezed my eyes tighter, focusing all my energy on that one room apartment. On the spot where Cove had found me the first night we met, when I was just a mortal teenage girl, or so I had thought. Then it began, the delicate feel of a snowfall shimmering around me.

I opened my eyes and I found myself standing by the stone bench in the garden, surrounded by the drooping blossoms of the angel trumpets. Where I had made a wish on a falling star and out of the heavens, out of the night, out of nowhere, Cove had appeared to first meet me for the second time. Finally finding his long lost beloved wife. Posing as a human, and unaware of her true identity, my true identity. Long forgotten was the scarred backstory and tarnished history we shared.

I had fallen in love with Cove the second time. How tragically romantic. How sad for us both. I almost wished he never found me, but then I would never trade a moment I shared with Cove, or Phoenix for anything. Even the wretched memories. Those two had resurrected my soul, and unknowingly destroyed my heart and my life.

I had escaped the Underground again. This time unwillingly. I hadn’t wanted to leave Phoenix. I loved him, still. But I couldn’t become his wife when I knew that I was already someone else’s. Especially, Cove. It was true, I still loved Cove and these revelations only proved to confuse the matter. I wanted to run away; from the memories, from the realizations, from the truth of it all. I stripped off my dress and uncaring, ran naked up the stairs and into my studio, back into my old life. My last attempt to hide from what I could no longer deny, I knew who I was, I was the Dark Princess.