Cinderella Phenomenon Contest Entry edit
I’m gonna change it. The essence is still there, but the curse is different.
Once upon a time, there lived a young lady named Quisfaire Belladonna Lascaris. She was born from a noble family in Brugantia, her father being a duke, and she was the only daughter. Her mother lost her life after giving birth to Quisfaire, and this fact made her feel like she owed her life.
As a child, Quisfaire didn’t spend much time with her father since he was always away from home. Whenever he does go home, he rarely speaks with her. This made Quisfaire think that her father disliked her, so she spoke with her personal maid about this.
“Stop your crying, dear. No parent truly hates their own child.”
“But why does Father not speak with me? He always brushes me off, telling me to leave. Does he not want to see my face? Am I a bad child, Marisol?”
Marisol felt pity for the child, so she led Quisfaire to the hill near their home, where she finally found her father. Her father, always stone-faced and stern with his subjects, silently lamenting beside the tree where her mother was buried beneath.
“He is a widower. He is hurting whenever he sees what he lost in you.” Marisol said, softly and tenderly. “Duke Lukas does not hate you. It’s not you, child.”
But seeing the pain in his father’s eyes from afar, it felt like it was all her fault. If only she wasn’t born, her mother would still be alive and her father would never have worn that sad look on his eyes. So ever since, the young Quisfaire felt obligated not to disappoint her father, as if she owed him her mother’s life. She became eager towards her studies, hoping that the results would please her father.
Quisfaire always strived to do the best of everything, even if her father had not demanded so. She took lessons by day, and studied by herself at night. She pushed herself to perfect her waltz steps and poise, her grace and elegance. If Marisol hadn’t convinced her to take a breather, she probably wouldn’t have thought to do so. Luckily she was able to take the young lady outside.
Once Quisfaire was outside, she watched as the townsfolk looked happy despite their heavy workloads. She then wondered why she was unhappy despite all her efforts. What was different? she thought. She was about to leave when she noticed some children looking so sad, which reluctantly made her stay. Not knowing how to comfort children, she decided to sing for them, which effectively calmed them down.
“Big sister, your voice is so lovely!”
“Sing for us again tomorrow!”
Quisfaire grew fond of those children, so she often left home early in the morning to sing for them, just before she is needed for her lessons. A man named Enzo was attracted by her voice, until such time where they came to know each other. Alas, the young, darling Quisfaire began to learn about the feeling of love.
She couldn’t explain how, but she knew somewhere in her heart that she fell in love in the span of a few moments, like in the fairytales. Enzo wasn’t different; the youth was delighted to have her as a lover. They complimented each other, made each other happy. If only life was that perfect, everything would have turned out wonderful… but Quisfaire never told him about her father.
One day, Quisfaire’s efforts to become the perfect lady were acknowledged, although barely. Duke Lukas instead told her of his plan to join houses with the royal family.
“I was told that you are slowly becoming a fine lady, so I thought of arranging for your presence in the royal ball held in a week’s time. The king wishes to meet you, perhaps to look for a princess consort. Will you be able to attend?”
“If it’s what you wish, Father, then I’ll be happy to oblige.”
No arguments, no questions asked. As long as Duke Lukas wears that stern gaze along with his commanding voice, Quisfaire doesn’t dare fight for her own destiny. Not as long as she is the reason of her father’s sorrows, she cannot speak of complaints or denial. She will not do anything that would displease him.
But what will be of Enzo?
Quisfaire was distraught. She truly loved the youth, but she cannot disobey her father. She was forced to meet him one night, just before the royal ball was held, and confided everything about the circumstances regarding herself, her father, and the ball.
“I love you, Enzo, I truly do, but… we must part ways. We cannot continue like this, not when I will only hurt you. I’m sorry.”
Enzo tried to understand, he truly did. He only wanted what’s best for Quisfaire, because that’s what love supposed to mean. But the pain clawed on his heart and clouded his visions, slowly erasing the good that’s once there.
Quisfaire isn’t the only one who revealed secrets that night. Enzo was actually a witch, who didn’t mean to use his magic on his beloved… but he was corrupted by the pain caused by his love.
And thus, Quisfaire received a Fairytale Curse; a curse based on Tatterhood.
“If you were only able to fight for yourself…”
One day, she woke up being reduced to having an unruly appearance, very unlikely for a lady. Her appearance doesn’t change no matter how much she tried. She knew that her father would be very unhappy about this so she fled from her home, taking a bag of coins that could purchase food for a year at most, and a cloak once used by her mother. She obscured her face with its tattered hood and left.
She wanted to visit the children, but she was afraid they wouldn’t recognize her. She even tried to find Enzo for days, weeks, even months but her efforts bore no fruit. She stayed at inns, moved from place to place. Marisol was able to find her after a few months, saying that Duke Lukas has been looking all over for her. However, Quisfaire refused to go back in such a state, thinking that she cannot oblige to her father’s wishes if she has an unruly appearance. Once she said that she was cursed, Marisol eventually advised her to travel to the kingdom of Angielle, where there may be people who can help her.
“Come back safely, child.”
Receiving a few more coins and a small bag of food to last the travel, Quisfaire managed to arrive to Angielle. She tried to ask for directions, but many people avoided her, thinking she was a beggar due to her tattered cloak. She spent a few days trying to look for answers, until she saw something she didn’t expect.
It’s been almost a year since then. Quisfaire looked for him all over Brugantia. She almost swore that she’d do anything to have Enzo remove the curse, but when she finally saw him, she froze on her spot.
For once, she felt bitterness as Enzo was with another woman.
She couldn’t help but notice how he looked happier, far happier than the night they last saw each other. His smiles towards the woman got Quisfaire to dawn into realization that she had caused him far greater pain than what she’s currently having. She couldn’t take a step forward because she felt afraid he’d be broken all over again.
She remembered the hurt in his eyes as he cursed her. As if it was reflecting the same kind of eyes that her father wore while standing in front of her mother’s grave.
“Who am I to go there and hurt him all over again?”
She walked away from them and hid in the alleyway, silently grieving over her mistakes. All she ever done to people was to cause them pain, and that thought was what made Quisfaire resign to her fate. She gave up going back to being a noble, being the duke’s daughter, being a princess consort, and being back to Brugantia.
“…for it is all my fault.”
Who knew that Prince Klaude himself, although dressed as a beautiful lady and cursed as well, was able to recognize her and take her to the Marchen Tavern, where she could have a chance at breaking her curse?
However, Quisfaire had already gave up on breaking her curse, because the only way to break it is to have the victim do something for the sake of protecting something she truly cared about. But she feared greatly about doing so because if she were to go back to where she started, she would only cause pain to people she loved.
How can a curse be broken if the victim herself doesn’t want to break it?
annaxmalina
germansingergirl
titsay
romaincrisis
2087
stormborns
dailybridgerton
kaledo-art
discoholicmusic
