Once, And For All

Fairytales are a concept that pertain to all of us, not just the ones who wish for it.

                Once Upon A Time…
                …is more accurate than we realize.

                It can happen at anytime and anywhere, leaving you unexpecting and unaware. You may find it to appear on your doorstep tomorrow, or stumble into you several years down the road.

 

                And for little Marianna, that moment never seemed to arrive. She would try desperately to create that spark that would set off the magic for the ‘happily ever-after’ fairytale. She would kiss all sorts of frogs, sing to wild animals, and even volunteer to do all the chores herself. Each failed attempt brought out a new determination for what was next; her spirits raised and smile beaming bright.
            Her family had inherited a magnificent mansion set upon the hillside. They reveled in their riches, her parents adoring their spoils by spending most of their time indoors. Her three older brothers had all grown and had gone away to prestigious schools so it left Marianna stuck with her obnoxious twin, Jonathan. He loathed her attitude towards all things, so carefree and cheerful. It made his stomach turn each time she kissed a toad and he gritted his teeth at her boisterous singing.
            In short, she enjoyed the quiet time outside by herself, frolicking through the woods or rolling down the grassy knoll, leaving Jonathan in peace to read by the fireplace. This would leave the family content with their routines, until the day the chair was placed in the lounge.

           

            Their parents explained that one of the maids had found it perched in the attic, and it seemed to have such grandeur that it was to be brought down to the lounge. Jonathan shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, returning to his book while his sister gaped at its elegance. It was an elegant seat, its scarlet cushions and rounded redwood arms and legs complemented each other, its backboard standing proud and tall and tipped with four small spires that almost seemed like they crowned the top of the chair. But radiating most of all were the beautifully studded green emeralds that ran along the thin edges, making it sparkle with finesse and luxury.

            Marianna was captivated; she rushed over and rested neatly into its form. Snuggling down into its crevasses, a gentle breeze blew past and the softest whisper slipped into her ear…

 

            Help me…

 

            Her eyes bulged and she sat up, looking around wildly as her brother glanced over to her out of the corner of his eye, “Something wrong?”

            “Did you hear something?”

            “Like what?”

            “I-I’m not sure…” she murmured as she glanced back behind the chair for anything. The only other audible sound was the fire crackling softly.

            Jonathan raised an eyebrow, but quickly returned to his book without another word. Marianna sat for a while more, listening intently for any more of the strange noise.

            Please…

 

            There it was again! It seemed to echo from all around her, muted but discernible. She looked to Jonathan for a reaction but he casually flipped to the next page without a care. Her eyes drifted around her until a small twinkle caught her view, as she turned around to look at one of the small marbled emeralds along the chair. Her eyes bulged as the twinkle ignited once more and a soft whisper floated around her, help, and evaporated into quiet.

            She gripped the arms of the chair to hold her from falling out of astonishment. A grin spread widely across her face as she nearly shrieked at the top of her longs, “This is it!”

            Jonathan jumped, losing grip of the book as it fell into his lap, “Jeez, Mary! What the heck?!”
            “Jonathan, this is it! It’s happening!” She hugged the back of the chair excitedly, bringing a rather shocked expression from her dumbfounded brother, “I knew it would happen!” She tried to compose herself as closed her eyes, leaned in and ever-so-softly pressed her lips to the crown of the chair. Jonathan’s shock dissolved into disgust as his brain tried to wrap around what was taking place, “Ugh, what….what are you doing?!” Marianna leaned back, her eyes fluttering open as she held her breath for what would occur.

            But nothing happened.

            After a few moments of silence, she let out a sigh of dismay, looking over to her brother who sat holding his book out in front of him like a shield, an expression of disdain written all over. She went to explain but he shot up out of his chair and began stomping off into the hall, “Wait, John! It was real! It-.”

            Her brother whirled around and held a hand up, silencing her, “I don’t want to know, Marianna. I don’t want to hear some ridiculous excuse for you to kiss an inanimate object. Your bizarre thoughts are insane, and this fairytale nonsense needs to stop. I’ll be in my room reading,” and he stormed away without looking back.

            She watched him go until he disappeared around the corner, than turned back to her chair as she wiped a tear away from her cheek, “He doesn’t understand. But I know I heard you.” She leaned in, nestling herself into the comfortable cushions of the seat, “I’ll help you. I will…”

 

~

 

            The next day Jonathan walked out of the dining hall after a decent meal and started towards his casual spot in the lounge for his reading. But as he drew closer he heard a voice carrying on from inside. He peered around the corner to see Marianna lying across the exquisite chair’s arms, a large book sprawled across her lap as she read aloud in a rather booming voice.
            “’…traveler! Where would be your destination?’ Oh! This is the part where Robin Hood tricks the old sheriff into allowing him in,” she giggled as she looked to the stone emeralds along the chair side.

            Jonathan glared with a nasty snarl, his hands clawing into the door frame. He grunted and turned away storming back to his room, the only safe place in the massive mansion anymore.

 

            This developed as a habit over the next few days, as Marianna would not leave the chair’s side and stayed cooped up in the lounge whilst Jonathan had no other alternative than to veer away from the maddening absurdity of it all. She would fall asleep in the chair, eat all her meals in its comfort, read to it, and even (in Jonathan’s spite) sing to it.
            His annoyance grew into anger, as he dreamed of the day she would leave his sanctuary of calm and forget this utter foolishness of fairytales. And it had just so happened on the very day he was going to storm the room and tell her off, she wasn’t anywhere to be seen. She must’ve had to mend to her silly house chores! He gawked at the vacancy of her presence in his home as he nearly skipped over to the fireplace, warming his hands by what he imagined was his long-forgotten friend. As he was relishing in his unexpected victory, he glanced over at the elegant chair that sat in the center of the room. It seemed to be staring at him from its position, and it bothered Jonathan. It was the chair’s fault for him losing his favorite spot, and his peaceful routine of reading. His anger spiked once more as he grimaced at the vibrant green stones reflecting of the fire’s light.
            He reached behind him and grasped the fire iron setting against the brick chimney wall. He wielded it forward, pointing directly at the chair threateningly. Moving forward with slow strides, Jonathan smirked menacingly, “Well, well. My sister seems to be convinced that you’re more than just a wobbly stool…” he reached the edge of the chair, raising the iron over his head, “I beg to differ!” And with a slice through the air, the fire poker cleaved through the leather fabric of the chair backing, white stuffing fluttering out and onto the carpet floor.

            A sharp gasp rang forth from the entrance and Marianna raced in, shoving Jonathan over and into the couch. Her voice cracked with distraught as she wailed at her brother, “What have you done?! Why would you do this?! What if…” her words were cut off by heavy sobs as she collapsed to the floor, laying her face against the surface of the chair as droplets of tears rolled down her cheeks and rested into the leather seating. She turned to the stuffing lying across the floor and desperately tried to pick them up and place them back within the chair, but after a while she gave up on trying to repair it. The fire iron had truly wounded the fabric, and it seemed hopeless to fix. She cried, for the hopes she held dear, to the dream of what could be, to the feelings she dared to hang on to. She tried to make them into words that could be expressed.

            “…I love you…” she wept faintly.

 

            A glow, gently growing brighter as the emerald stones emanated low shimmer. The light began to flow into the room, igniting everything in a golden haze, blinding the two children as it coalesced around the beaten up chair. The emeralds shined as the light morphed the body into a form more resembling a human than a chair. And with a final flash, the light blinked out and the room was once again lit by the fire glimmer.
            Marianna leaned her head up to look into bright green eyes, sparkling with the stars in the sky. A man, adorn in a regal red and ivory white uniform sat before her, as she leaned on his lap with a dazed look. Tears stained her face as the man moved to wipe them away, and as he did so his voice echoed into the room, just like it had when she first heard it, “Thank you, my dear. Your heart is truly a magnificent power. You have broken the spell that was placed upon me by your ancestors who took over my home.”
            There was a metallic clang as the fire iron dropped to the floor, Jonathan looking ghastly white and trembling. The man looked to him, staring him down with those vivid emerald eyes as he helped Marianna and himself up off the floor. He strolled over to where Jonathan sat, with the composure of a king in his throne room, lightly kicking the fire iron aside and making Jonathan nearly jump out of his seat. The man leaned down at him, a small smile lingering upon his face as he spoke to the boy, words that Jonathan would never forget for the rest of his life,
            “Jonathan, you will understand someday. That everyone has a fairytale to have, and story to live. But everyone’s fairytale is unique, and they must treasure it, for it is their only one, and theirs alone.

            Yours is coming, and you cannot stop it, no matter how hard you try.”

Author's Note

DEFINITELY rough draft material. The ending was slightly rushed, but the concept hopefully is understandable. I don't know, lemme know what you got out of it :P