Chapter 31 - Enough

Alexander took care of Nayla for the rest of the night. He carefully watched the clock to not miss the morning. He needed an explanation of what was going on from the girl and he felt it was necessary to stay and wait for it.

Nayla opened her eyes at 3 am in morning, she was well rested from the spell that she had cast. She sat up on the bed. "Did it work?" she asked her sisters.

"Yes, but there is a problem. Zorra got lost, she was tired during the spell and fainted and accidentally got her soul trapped in time. We have to fix this," Miyale said angrily.

"Okay. I will come and help immediately," she said getting up from the bed.

"Where are you going?"

"I have no time to explain, my sisters and I changed back the clock. No matter what you do, do not tell Olivia about Francis's identity," she told and walked out of the room.

She numbers into princess Olivia on the way out. She sighed and walked around her not interested in getting into a fight with her.

"Didn't they teach you any manners during your training? How dare you pass me without greeting me?" she scolded. Nayla stopped in her tracks, she folded her hands into a fist and turned around. She looked at the princess, in her head she thought how fun it would be to burn her alive. But she put a smile on her face and bowed her head.

"Greetings my princess," she said.

"I see, the fact the prince gets pleasure from you has given you the thought that you are on the same ground standing like me," she uttered into her. "Don't get ideas into your head, whether it is cleaning the palace or warming my husband's bed. The fact remains that you are just a servant," she said pushing Nayla to the ground.

"Just a reminder for next time, shameless servants like you should kneel in my presence," she continued wiping her hand with a napkin. She threw the napkin to her and walked into Alexander's bedroom.

"How dare a mortal disrespect me like this," Nayla questioned getting herself off the floor. She walked away burning with Anger and left the palace.

She rushed through the woods to reach her sister. She was scared of the outcome of their action, they had bent the balance of nature and consequences were in order.

"Where have you been. I have been waiting for so long," Miyale complained as she arrived.

" I ran into the princess, she ruined my mood so I ran here to burn some steam," she answered.

"Our sister is missing and you have time to worry about humans. I think that it is time we stop meddling in their affairs," she suggested. "The prince for their happiness can't be us," she added.

"We are just trying to.."

"To what Nayla, destroy ourselves for something that we are not even sure will ever happen. Despite our constant intervention, Francis and Alexander always find a way to fight and grow apart."

"But.."

"But nothing. The truth is that they were destined to kill each other and that's it. The more we try to deny the inevitable the more pain we will cause to ourselves," she explained.

"I am not going to give up on Francis. He deserves to be happy," she said remaining firm.

"I am afraid you will have to choose between Francis and us, our sister's soul is lost and I am not even sure if we can have her back and that is all thanks to your love for Francis. If you remain stubborn about what you want then what will happen next, what will become of us. Don't we have a right to be happy too?" she asked her in a pained voice.

"I...I.."

"It is easy to answer if you have one or if you have thought of the question. But how could you think of us when Francis is all that you have been able to see for centuries. We are not worthy of your attention and the rest of us are forced to help you. It's but enough we are forced to serve Francis but now you. It's enough," she let out her tears constantly flowing down her cheeks.

"We love Francis too and want him to be happy but we should have lives too and not just live in his shadow all our lives," she cried out to her.

"I have often heard that love is blind but I had the unfortunate luck of witnessing it for myself. For your love, you will drag your sisters to the depths of despair," she stated. "For once choose us too," she begged.

Nayla's heart broke and shattered from the words of her sister. But most of all she felt guilty, everything that she was saying was true. She had been caught up in seeking happiness from the one who she loved that she had completely become oblivious to her sisters.

"We should find Zorra," she said wiping her sister's tears from her eyes. "And I promise that we won't live in Francis's shadow anymore. We will live close by but on our terms and wait for him to come to us as the chosen one. Until then we will take a vacation from work," she said to comfort her and to reassure her of who's the side she was on.

She helped her sister up from the ground and together they searched through the spell books to figure out a way to bring their sister back. They searched for the answer for the rest of the night but there was nothing on how to get back the soul that is trapped in time.

"It's hopeless."

"No, it's only hopeless when we give up and that is never going to happen," Nayla said thinking about what else to do in case they find no answers in books.

*****

Olivia walked into Alexander's room fuming. She glared at the prince in danger. "How dare you bring that maid to your room," she scolded.

"I don't remember ever needing to ask your permission to allow anyone into my room," he replied casually.

"What? Since when do you speak to me like that. Alexander, it's my birthday and all I asked is for you to get rid of him but you are being mean to me. Why?" she cried out.

"I don't need a reason to do anything in my palace nor do I need to give in to all your demands."

"Alexander," Olivia called out surprised at the attitude that Alexander was giving her. She cried a little louder. "What has changed? You never used to speak or treat me in that manner. I know that it was all Francis's fault right, he is the reason for your change," she said angrily.

"Yes, go ahead and do what you do best. Blame others for your mistakes. But could you please do it elsewhere, I don't wish to see you or speak to you."

"Are you kicking me out of your room? Alexander, it's me, Olivia that you are speaking to. The special queen, how Can you ask me out of your room?" asked him.

Alexander left the room tired of arguing with Princess Olivia. She was stubborn and not ready to listen to anything he has to say not to mention her being unreasonable. She was just finding faults and not even thinking if she was the problem. He walked around the palace deep in thought.

"What is wrong with you today?" Malcolm inquired making his presence known.

"I am married. When you get married, I too will be asking you the same question," he replied.

"I see, why are you so angry with Olivia, and what is going on between you and that maidservant. You seem to be growing closer to her with each passing day and here I thought you were in love with Francis," he acknowledged.

"I am in love with Francis, I love him with all of my heart. The love I feel for Olivia is that I consider her my best friend and that which is a close friend of mine. You know I have been under the curse since I was a child and very few people come near me with sincerity in their hearts or with fear of who I am. So anyone who does creates a space for themselves in my heart. I can never hate anyone who shows me love but the type of love I give them differs so don't be confused, Francis is the only one I love in that way," he explained in detail so his friend would understand him.

"I see but as good as such quality is good, it might be dangerous for a prince. People might take advantage of you if you are like that," he said.

"I know and now I see that Olivia has been doing exactly that. It hurts that it took me this long to realize this.. And I have had enough," he said sadly and got his horse to go for a ride.