Page 5 of Cursed By Gold

"I'm sorry," I stammer, looking into his eyes. "This was a mistake."

He only stares at me impassively, as if he hasn't heard my apology.

Taking one long last look at it lying there on the floor, I grab his foot and pull as hard as I can, knocking the large man to the ground. My heart sinks as I realize that I have failed—I won't be able to get the Bodian crown tonight. Hopefully, the client will be understanding and give me another chance.

Fear races through my body like an electric shock as I scrabble towards the open door and sprint away from the bed chamber, my heart pounding with each frantic step. The opulent halls blur past in a dizzying kaleidoscope of marble and gold as I flee blindly, desperate to put as much distance as possible between myself and that cursed king.

The telltale clanks of armored boots echo from a crossing corridor ahead, signaling the approach of palace guards. Panic claws at my throat as I veer sharply down a shadowed alcove, pressing my back against the cold stone as they march heedlessly past my hiding spot. I hold my breath, every muscle taut with dread until the sounds finally fade into silence once more.

Only then do I allow myself to suck in a ragged gasp, my trembling fingers finding purchase against the rough edges of the wall. That was too close - I cannot afford another nearmiss like that if I hope to make it out of this unholy fortress unscathed. With renewed determination, I force my wildly thrumming heart to settle, and begin meticulously mapping an escape route through the maze of hallways and ante-chambers.

The journey seems to stretch into an eternity of breathless suspense, skirting the edges of a now awakened palace as I slink from shadowed nook to shadowed nook. More than once, I have to flatten myself against an alcove as a squad of guards or group of nobles pass within mere paces of my hidden form. But finally I find myself crouched beneath a deserted portico that opens onto the palace courtyard and the tantalizing promise of escape beyond its walls.

With a last glance over my shoulder, I dart across the moonlit expanse like a wraith and throw myself at the servants' entrance gate tucked into the rear corner. The latch opens with a metallic groan of protest, but I'm already squeezing through the narrow gap and spilling out onto the dark, winding backstreets of the outer city ring, before any alarm can be raised. Only then do I finally allow the full brunt of my harrowing flight to wash over me in shuddering waves as I gulp in greedy lungfuls of the cool night air.

A lingering sense of dread follows me through my journey back to report my failure to Fairy Godmother. She is going to kill me.

She’s Not Gold!

Remme

What the hell just happened? She didn't turn into gold. She didn't turn into gold! She did just try to steal the only item I actually care about in my entire castle, but still, she didn't turn into gold! What did this mean?

I rise unsteadily from the cold golden floor, memories of my fateful coronation flooding back. Privately, I had been granted two wishes, the first being endless wealth so I'd never worry about money again. A childish desire that became my curse.

The moment the magic took hold, my clothing stiffened and transformed to gold, as did my throne and everything else I touched. I cannot even eat or drink, only watch helplessly as my world turns to unfeeling metal around me.

For my second wish, I begged for a way to survive the golden plague I had brought upon myself. But when I pled to undo the spell entirely, I was refused. Instead, I was given gifts - my body, sustained without food or water, and the Bodian crown. I wastold if I gave the crown to one who truly loved me, their touch would break the curse.

But who could ever love a king who turns all to cold, lifeless gold with a mere brush of his hand? I have lived mostly in isolation for years, turning away any who drew close, for fear of harming them too. Consumed by grief, I became the very monster I wished so desperately to escape. Not the king I wanted to be.

I storm into the hall, ignoring that I always sleep in the nude. My personal guards already know this about me even if they don’t know why. It’s not like anything truly becomes comfortable once it’s turned to gold. Definitely not comfortable enough to sleep in for clothing. So layers of thin gold blankets over me are the most I can hope for at the moment to keep me warm at night.

"Guards!"

Moments later, a guard scrambles over, face drained of color. "Y-your Highness, we did not see—"

"Silence!" I snap, cutting him off. "Your incompetence has allowed a thief into my private chambers. A woman with blonde hair, dressed in leathers. She was after the Bodian crown!"

The guard pales further. "I will raise the alarm immediately, Your Highness! We will search every corner of the castle and beyond to find her."

I point angrily back into my room. "First, return the crown to its box, fool. Then mobilize all your forces. I want her found!"

Nodding nervously, the guard rushes to retrieve the crown with shaking hands. I tap my foot impatiently as he gingerly lifts it and places it back in the box.

"Now go!" I bark. "Turn the entire kingdom over if you must, but bring the thief to me unharmed. I want answers from her."

The guard bows and scrambles away, shouting for the castle guards. I seethe quietly, fists clenched. Incompetent fools! Ishould turn the lot of them to gold, for this failure. But I restrain my temper. For the first time in a decade, I can touch something without it turning to gold. Has more than just her changed?

I make my way over to the window, watching the moonlight filter through the trees in the courtyard below. Soldiers scurry below as the castle wakes.

I've spent so long living in isolation, surrounded by my golden possessions, afraid of losing another person who has worked their way into my heart, that I've forgotten what it feels like to be loved. I've chased away anyone who's ever become close to me, consumed by my own greed, grief, and power. But something about the thief...something about how she looked at me, with those piercing green eyes...makes me believe that maybe, just maybe, this curse may be over soon.

I shake my head, trying to clear my mind of such thoughts. How can I expect someone to love me when I've become a monster? Perhaps they were wearing gloves and I missed it.

Lost in my thoughts, I hear a soft knock at the door as I pace the room. I hesitate for a moment before calling out, "Come in."

The guard from before steps hesitantly into the room, his expression unsure. "Your Highness, they've escaped. The grounds are clear."

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