The Cursed King

Loriel did not realize how his words were enough to change the temperature of the room.

It became extremely cold, like a winter chill entering the room, but he was still drunk and consumed by his thoughts of the past.

"Yes, her." Loriel nodded and swayed a little as he stood up to his feet. The man nearly collapsed, but then held on to Elise as his face drew closer to her. "You're like that fairy."

"Fairy?" Elise frowned.

Loriel hummed and nodded. "Yes, the fairy who saved me when I was a child."

"Huh?" Elise blinked as she realized that it wasn't Emmelyn the king was talking about. Loriel only met that woman when he was already an adult and went on adventures, so it was impossible for them to be the same person.

"When I was a kid, I got kidnapped," Loriel bobbing his head up and down. "It was my evil sisters for sure, but it didn't matter… because she came."

Elise didn't remember this happening at all from when she watched him through the crystal globe in the past. But again, she only started looking at him through the crystal ball when she was old enough to understand how to use it. 

Since she was six years younger than Loriel, when the man was kidnapped as a child, Elise was too young to see the crystal ball. Maybe that's why she didn't know this fact.

"The fairy?" She asked him with a hoarse voice.

"Yes, she was the most beautiful person I've ever met," Loriel smiled drunkenly but then looked at Elise. "But somehow, you remind me a lot of her. Are you related to fairies?"

"No…" Elise frowned.

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Loriel didn't seem to notice as he swayed again and picked up the empty goblet. "I wanted to see her again. I grew stronger because she gave me powers. A shard of magic crystal that made the weak me become who I am today."

"Oh…" 

Elise wondered if this was only Loriel's imagination? Surely when one encountered too many terrible experiences during their childhood, they could make stories to fill in the blanks.

But Elise wanted to trust Loriel's words.

"What happened next?" she asked him softly.

"I've traveled across the continents, but couldn't find her," Loriel said as he tried to drink from an empty cup. "Then I married you, so now I can't find her anymore. I'll probably never see her again. I think she is my first true love."

Oh, so Loriel's first true love wasn't Emmelyn? Elise didn't know this. 

So, young Loriel liked a beautiful fairy who saved him. Was it even actually comparable? Regardless, this was what bothered Loriel now. It was not Emmelyn.

This fairy person must have been really important. This fairy was more important than Emmelyn that Elise found herself a little relieved and yet guilty at the same time. 

She was supposed to feel sad that she once again took back an opportunity for Loriel to find his love.

"Do you detest me for it?" Elise asked. "Now you can't find her because you married me?"

"No, not at all," Loriel shook his head and then finally sank back into his chair. The man rested his head against the table again. "A promise is a promise… but I would love to see her again."

Elise didn't realize that there was another woman who held Loriel's heart.

An actual fairy.

Well, Elise doubted that Loriel would simply throw her away if he did find the fairy now that they were married… but should she really probe into it more? 

Elise didn't know. The first thing that she needed to focus on though was getting Loriel to his chamber. While she could bring him back to her own chambers and residence, it was too far away.

Elise never actually visited Loriel's personal chamber too, so it also made her extremely curious. She summoned some of the servants to assist her in bringing the king to his bed and then asked for them to be left alone.

Loriel was carefully tucked into bed and now looked extremely relaxed. Elise did not know how much alcohol this man drank to actually achieve a state like this. She had seen him drink with fellow rulers before, but this was his first time acting childish.

She brushed her fingers across his hair and tangled some of his beautiful ashen locks in her fingertips. His peaceful expression was so attractive that despite the fuss he made, she found it difficult to get mad. 

"Hahh… what am I going to do with you, Loriel?" Elise muttered to herself.

Of course, Loriel could no longer answer as the man was drifting off into sleep. It was easy enough to leave Loriel like this and perhaps forget this ever happened so he could maintain face, but Elise was really curious.

All of this drinking for someone who Loriel met in the past? Even if Elise was jealous, this was a fairy who saved Loriel's life and that was the most important thing that she could ever know.

If there was a chance to thank the fairy in person or reward them for saving Elise's husband, she would do it and also make her husband happy by figuring out the identity of this fairy.

"Loriel, what are the distinguishing features this fairy had?" she asked.

"She looks a lot like you," Loriel mumbled his reply.

Did he really mean that? Elise pursed her lips and asked again. "Okay… um, any specific object? Item? Does she use a wand? A book to cast spells? Any specific type of wings? What were her powers?" 

Elise knew it was strange to ask so many questions to a drunk man, but she also wanted to know. 

Loriel batted his eyes and stared up at Elise, until he finally lumbered out of his bed and went for his bedroom's drawers. Even though Elise tried to stop him, somehow the man knew the location by heart. 

"You don't have to get up, Your Majesty!" Elise wanted him to return to his bed to rest.

"She wore this on her pinky finger when she saved me, but when she turned to leave, I think it slipped out of her finger because I tugged on her hand too hard."

He took out a beautiful silver ring and held it up for the two of them to see.

Elise's heart jumped at the sight of the object. 

She knew who actually owned that ring!