The Cursed Prince

Harlow thought that the beautiful woman must have gotten annoyed that she invaded her privacy. So, she cleared her throat and tried again with a smile. "Um, sorry for disturbing you, but I couldn't help but—"

"Couldn't help but what?" The woman narrowed her eyes at Harlow. "I'm not interested in anything that you have to offer me. I will not help any heroes or give you anything you wish for so you can get lost."

"That's not why I'm here!" Harlow frowned.

The beautiful woman sighed aloud and rose from the stone where she sat and looked down at Harlow. 

She had silky light blue hair going down all the way to her thighs. Her big emerald eyes looked so beautiful and glittering under the sun. It was as if they were really made of precious gems. Her lips were pink and luscious. Even her prideful expression made her look dignified and elegant. 

Harlow was a princess, but even she didn't think she looked anywhere as good as this woman before her.  "Cretea is supposed to be a place for the gods and immortals but now there's a human in front of me. Why else will you be here?"

"Wait, we're in Cretea?" Harlow's eyes widened. She had heard about this place from legends and stories told to her by Bruinen. But she thought those were just… stories.

However, now she realized there were some truths in them. She had met elves, witches, wizards, demons, and finally...

Wait… was this woman a goddess?

How could Harlow end up in Cretea? She was wondering.

When she entered the magic closet, she wished to go home. So, why was she in the land of the gods? Were Julian's words another lie that Harlow made up in her mind? Everything now seemed fabricated to her and she felt bothered once again.

Perhaps the Magic Closet was just a passage to Cretea used by Raphael? 

Raphael was the God of Healing so he probably needed a fast way to get to Cretea even when he was now the Demon King. That made a lot more sense to Harlow.

It was foolish for her to think otherwise. Soon, the realization of that chipped away at the princess' heart even further. 

The beauty of Cretea vanished before Harlow's eyes. Instead, the princess was suddenly filled with grief.

Her expression suddenly dimmed and the light in her eyes wavered. Harlow couldn't trust her mind, memory, or anything at all and now she was in a place so far away from home. What was she thinking?

No Icecube, no Niam, there was no one else at her side and it made her heart pound. Anxiety suddenly gripped her heart and refused to let it go. Why did Harlow even think about leaving home?

All those years of happiness as the crown princess of Draec flickered out of her and the bow currently in her hand suddenly weighed heavily in her hand. 

***

"Wait, we're in Cretea?" the mortal human asked.

Nymia couldn't help but wonder if the person in front of her was some kind of idiot. She didn't bother repeating the answer that she gave and left the woman to understand the implications of being a human in Cretea.

Nothing happened. 

This woman should have already been groveling at this point to Nymia but she didn't do anything at all. Nymia's patience for the mortal woman's actions was rapidly thinning the further she stayed silent and looked lost. 

Some time ago, a powerful human was brought here by the Time Master. At that time, even Nymia acknowledged that woman who was a Leorelai. She was a very powerful witch, a descendant of the Earth Goddess herself. So, she was seen fitting to stay in Cretea. However, the situation back then was different from today. 

Nymia couldn't see anything special with this woman before her. Even when the goddess informed the human and made her realize that she was in Cretea, the human didn't automatically bow down to her or pay any sort of respect. 

"You're already too late for the tournament of the gods and you did not travel here to supplicate to the gods nor were accompanied by one… So, how did you get here?" The goddess asked. "Was it by chance?"

Nymia actually wondered if the destruction caused by that new god, Loriel, was the event that made it possible for humans to accidentally reach Cretea. He wreak havoc as soon as he became an immortal and killed the Time Master. Some parts of Cretea suffered big damage because of what he did.

Maybe the destruction opened up more portals that led to the human world? Nymia would talk to the council of gods about this. So they could find those portals and close them.

Nymia was convinced it was the case since the woman here before her looked lost. Jeez… if one could come, soon there would be others. 

Accident or not, trespassing and not respecting a god was still bad in her books.

***

Harlow's spiraling panic was halted by the unfriendly tone and she looked up to see the woman's mean gaze on her. The princess took a step away from the beautiful goddess and immediately said. "It's none of your concern."

"You come here in Cretea and choose to ignore me and my questions?" the goddess smiled dangerously. "You are not welcome here, mortal."

"This place does not belong to you." Harlow pointed out. "I don't see how you can act like you own the place and choose who comes in or not."

"I've tolerated you too long already." the goddess said. "I'll let the monarch and his authority deal with you."

Before Harlow knew it, a group of guards suddenly appeared out of thin air. Each one of them shimmered and glowed and held a different type of weapon in their hands.

One held on a sword.

The second one had a spear.

The third one raised two knives.

The rest also had their own unique weapon in hand and were unlike any other.. A fearsome aura was present in each one of them and their movements were coordinated.