The Cursed Prince

"No, you shouldn't talk to them alone," Maxim insisted. "It's dangerous."

"Exactly because it's dangerous, I don't want you to continue doing this with me," Emmelyn pulled herself together and looked at Maxim sternly. "Let me get off. I will go to Myreen alone."

"What are you talking about?" Maxim asked Emmelyn. "We're in this together. I will go with you until the end."

"No, Max. This is my problem," Emmelyn insisted. "Remember your mother told me I was invited to come to Myreen...? That means maybe we cannot enter because I brought you and Renwyck with me. Maybe I should have gone alone."

Maxim bit his lip. He really wanted to tell Emmelyn that he was serious when he said they were in this together.

He was actually already involved more than Emmelyn knew. However, he couldn't bring himself to be honest with her. 

If Emmelyn found out the truth that she was actually cursed because of him... Emmelyn must hate him. Maxim couldn't imagine being hated by the woman he loved.

No... he couldn't do it. He wouldn't let Emmelyn know that Maxim was the reason she went through so much suffering and bad luck. He insisted to come with her, so he could make sure the Leoraleis wouldn't tell Emmelyn the truth.

He would want to talk to them first, make a deal or whatever... or even use force if necessary.

"Listen, Em. I have come so far, and I have promised to help you. I will not back down or break my promise just because it gets dangerous." Maxim said stubbornly. "You cannot get rid of me this time."

Emmelyn became frustrated. She was scared that they would be involved in worse altercations. However, Maxim was more stubborn than she thought.

"No more deaths," the man quickly added. "I will just talk to them."

Maxim patted Aslain's back and ordered him to land. He also waved his hand at Renwyck and motioned him to follow them. The wizard understood the order and also landed his dragon beside Aslain.

The only man from Myreen who was still alive watched them intensely. His expression was stern and filled with animosity. However, since he lost in number and the enemy didn't seem to want to continue the fight, he decided to wait and see.

It was still snowing but not as hard as before. When Emmelyn and Maxim landed, around them was now completely white. It felt eerie. Just half an hour ago this place was a wilderness on fire, but now it was covered in snow, for as far as the eye could see.

"This place has changed..." Only after he watched around him more carefully, did Maxim realize they were no longer in the same place. He remembered there was a big rock to his west, but now the rock was no longer there.

Emmelyn furrowed her brows. She didn't understand what Maxim meant by his words. How could the place change?

She cast her glance around them and finally realized that Maxim was right.

They somehow had been transported to a different place. Emmelyn remembered seeing the same rock that was no longer there. It had a distinct shape that reminded her of an elephant. Now, in its place, there was a giant tree.

"Is this... Myreen?" she whispered to Maxim. "Do you think we have entered Myreen?"

Maxim nodded. "Yes."

He was glad that his strategy worked. After being stranded without any certainty for two weeks, finally, they could enter the hidden kingdom.

He didn't know if the wilderness was still burning, or if the fire was extinguished by the same snow. He hoped it was the latter.

Maxim didn't actually wish to see the wilderness burned to the ground because there were a lot of animals and plants there that deserved to live. He only set the area on fire out of desperation, for Emmelyn's sake.

Renwyck get down from Eris and walked toward Emmelyn and Maxim. "Your Majesty. I believe we have entered Myreen."

Maxim nodded. "I will talk to him."

The young king waved at the man who was watching them from the air. His eyes narrowed dangerously. He seemed to be making a decision between coming down to talk to these intruders, or fled and bring reinforcement.

When he got a better look at the three people and saw there was a woman among them, the man finally chose the first option. His white dragon floated closer to Maxim's group and finally landed twenty meters away from them.

"You are trespassing!" The man shouted at them.

"We apologize for that. We really had no choice," Maxim replied. His voice was calm and collected. He knew they were at fault. So, he spoke as politely as possible. "We have been waiting outside for more than two weeks. We have an urgent thing to do in Myreen."

"You have killed two of my friends," the man replied. His face was filled with contempt. "People like you are the reason why Myreen chose to be hidden."

Emmelyn remembered the story she heard in the past about how the royal family of Myreen disliked their neighboring kingdoms because of their love for conflicts and war.

The Leoraleis chose to hide Myreen from the naked eye, so their people could live in peace. Now, this guard said Maxim and Emmelyn were exactly the types of people that the Leoraleis hated. This made Emmelyn feel guilty for the fire they caused earlier.

"You attacked us first," Maxim retorted. "If you guys didn't do it, I wouldn't have to attack you back. It's only fair. We came here in peace. I don't have any bad intentions because my mother used to live here. I've also been here when I was little and my friend here was actually invited by someone from the Leoraleis."

The man was surprised to hear Maxim's explanation. He took a good look at Emmelyn, Maxim, and Renwyck. Since they didn't try to attack him, he started to feel less intense.

"Who are you and what do you want by trying to visit Myreen?" the man asked again. 

This time, it was Emmelyn who replied to his question. "My name is Emmelyn Rosehill. I came from Wintermere in Terra Continent. I came here to see the Leoraleis. I need their help."

"Help?" the man looked at Emmelyn sternly.

"Yes..." Maxim replied on Emmelyns' behalf. "I need to see King Alexander Leoralei."

"For what? Our king is currently very sick after our princess disappeared," the man said.. "I don't think he can see you."