19 Play for a fool.

The next morning

Two maids stepped into the princess chamber without knocking, they assumed Ellen would still be asleep, so they walked into the bathroom to prepare her bath.

When they were done one of the maid stepped out to wake the princess up, that was when she realized the bed was empty. The princess was not an early rising person, and she was usually woken up by her.

She stood still waiting for the princess to return. While she waited the maid in the bathroom got tired of waiting, so she stepped out to see what was taking the princess so long.

She was surprised to meet the maid alone starring at the empty bed.

"Where is the princess? " the maid who just stepped in ask.

"I don't know, when I got here to wake her up, her bed was empty," the other replied.

The maid who came out nodded her head in understanding, so they both stood facing the door waiting for the princess to return. After a few minutes there was a knock on the door and another woman step in.

She was holding a dress in her hand. Normally a maid help the princess get dressed every day but since today was a special occasion, the royal stylist was needed to dress her, assisted by the maid. "The Princess is still having her bath?" the woman who just stepped in asked.

"No, the princess is not here" one of the maid replied.

"What do you mean not here?" The stylist asked walking further into the room and dropping the dress in her hands gently on the bed.

"When we came here to prepare the princess bath we noticed she was not in. She must have woken up early," one of the maid replied.

The stylist felt her head hurt, she somehow felt something was not right. "How long have you been waiting?" she asked.

"Not to long," the maid answered.

"Have you informed the guards?" The stylist inquired.

The two maid shakes their heads, wondering why they would have to inform the guards about it. It not as if the princess can get kidnapped.

'Unless she ran away because she did not want to get married to the cursed prince' the three women had the same thought at the same time.

As if a blind fold got removed from their eyes, the three women dash out of the room to look for the princess and also informed the guards on sight.

And just like that, Bozao royal Palace was in an uproar, the first princess was missing on her wedding day. And like wild fire the news spread to every corner of the Palace that princess Ellen was missing. To be more accurate everyone believed she ran away.

The most frustrated person about this news was Queen Regina, she kept cursing and pacing in her chamber. If it was any other day having Ellen missing would have been news to celebrate. In fact, she would have sought for a way to make sure she never returns. But thing were different right now.

If princess Ellen was not found soon, her daughter Ema, would have to marry the cursed prince and there was nothing she could do about it.

Of course, she could help her daughter escape but Bozao will be doom, so her hands were tight. 'I should have had guards watch her, to ensure she did not do something like this' Queen Regina thought.

*knock *knock

Queen Regina heard a knock on her door, and she turned her attention to it. Ema pushes the door open and ran into the arms of her mother.

"Mother, she is gone, does that mean I will have to marry the curse prince?" Ema asked as she sobbed.

The queen gently patted her back, she wanted to comfort her daughter, but she was at loss of what to say. If Ellen was not found soon Ema would indeed become the bride.

She hated the fact that she was helpless and there was nothing she could do to change the situation. Her head was calculating fast on how she could save her daughter but it was all pointless. The only solution was to find Ellen.

"Where the hell is that witch," Queen Regina yelled out.

Ema was surprised, she has never since her mother lost her grace, and this made her more scared if her mother was helpless, "does this mean my fate is sealed," she asked herself.

Queen Regina on the other hand was boiling with angrr, frustration and most of all she felt helpless. This was the second time in her life she felt this helpless, not knowing what to do. The first time was when Agatha successful married the crown prince.

"The pair of mother and daughter are a torn in my flesh, those two witches, if I knew, I should have ended her life. AHH, keeping her alive is indeed bad news. She managed to play me, just like the whore of her mother played me and took away the only man I have ever love," Queen Regina yelled. She was feeling so upset that she did not realize she was voicing out her thoughts.

Ema's body stiff when she heard her mother. Sure, she knew her mother has always been mean to Ellen but no she never thought her mother could think of killing anyone. In her, heart her mother was pure. She never saw anything wrong with the bias treatment her mother gave her and Ellen after all it benefits her.

But murder that was on a whole new level. Ema could not believe her mother. She looked at the woman, with disbelief in her eyes.

She had thought Ellen was overreacting when she said her life was not safe in the Palace, but it turned out she was right. Emma opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She was too confused to speak in fact she felt like her brain stopped working.

" That good for nothing child, how dare she play me for a fool, I will make sure she breathes her last if she doesn't get married today. I should have known she was up to no good when she acted obediently," Regina yelled again still totally unaware she said that out loud.

"Regina" she heard her name and snapped out of her stupor, only to see the emotionless face of the king. Ema also snapped out of her daze looking at her father with shock. Neither of the women noticed when the king stepped in.