The Cheshire King's Unwanted Bride

ERINA -

"No, it's not like there was an actual gigantic mushroom dancing around a fire. I just..." Erina paused and bent over, with her hands on her knees. Her side ached, and she was trying to catch her breath.

She'd not met up with Anne in at least three weeks for their Monday morning run through the park, and her body was not having the extra work. Her calves ached and her lungs were on fire, even though it was cold enough outside that the air was like ice in her lungs.

She'd been seeing things that didn't make sense recently. When she got out of the shower earlier this week, her reflection showed her wearing a white corset, with a tall silver crown that was encrusted with blue diamonds. Her bright blue eyes looked back at her with a look she couldn't get out of her head. Almost as if they were trying to tell her something important.

Then, when she drove by the park on the way home from work, she could have sworn she saw a giant yellow mushroom, about three feet tall, dancing and bouncing around a bonfire in the middle of the park. Its white cap moved in odd ripples with each bounce, and the stumpy stalk jerked like muscle as it landed.

It had freaked her out badly enough that she hadn't wanted to go back by the park for their run and had been bailing on her. Today, Anne had shown up with water and a protein shake and demanded they go.

"Really? Cuz what I hear is you saying you're seeing shit." Anne said as she jogged in place beside her.

"I don't know if I actually saw anything. I'm just saying." Erina said as she stood back up and stretched her back. "It looked like there was a mushroom dancing around a bonfire in the park."

Still jogging with disgusting ease in front of her, Anne turned her head and looked at the park in question. "Yeah, I'm not seeing shit, Erina." Ever the foul-mouth, she almost didn't even notice it anymore when Anne cursed.

"I didn't say I see it now! I'm just saying-"

"You're saying that over the past month, you've been seeing some crazy shit, and you're not sure if you should call Nancy Drew and begin an investigation?" Anne turned and looked back at Erina with the smuggest, most non-believing, traitorous best friend sarcasm she'd ever seen.

"Nevermind. Just forget it. I already think I'm going crazy. I don't need your satire right now. I have other things on my plate at the moment."

"Oh yeaaaa! So, tell me about the dinner! It's tonight, right?" Anne finally stopped jogging in place and took a drink from her water bottle.

Finally, having caught her breath, Erina said, "It is. And it took us weeks to get it. My stomach is in knots just thinking about it."

"Are the wicked witch and her spawn going to be there?" Anne meant Regina, Erina's stepmother, and Giselle, her half-sister. Regina never liked her, and Giselle did whatever her mother told her to do, which included tormenting Erina.

"Yep! And I wouldn't have it any other way. When they hear that we're engaged, it's going to be the highlight of my life." Erina smiled as she unscrewed her water bottle and took a drink.

Then they both began to jog back down the trail that wrapped around the park. Erina's eyes scoured the field, searching for anything crazy-looking.

"I wish I could be there to see it. I hate that woman. I don't know how you put up with her." Anne said as she jogged, her voice bouncing with each stride.

"My father loves her, and there's nothing I can do to make him see that she's out for his money." Ever since Giselle was born, Erina's father had been wrapped around the woman's little finger.

"I wouldn't put it past her to come on to you once you've inherited your mom's money."

Anne said with a mischievous smile, but Erina couldn't laugh it off as easily. This weekend would mark the anniversary of her mother's disappearance nine years ago.

The memory of their last words sat heavy in her stomach. They'd argued over Erina's future.

Her mother's multi-million dollar company, Foster Receiving, was one of the top-earning companies in all of Seattle, and she wanted Erina to run the board when she retired.

It was an argument that had lasted all night.

"Yeah, well." Erina started. "They already think I'm only marrying him for the money. Whatever she wants won't matter anymore. I plan to make some big changes once the wedding is over."

Anne stopped running, and Erina turned to look at her. She wasn't even jogging in place. She was just staring at Erina. "Promise me that this isn't because of your mom's will. Tell me that you love Richard and that you're doing it because of that."

Anne had never mentioned the will to Erina. Not once. It had been like their unspoken rule.

Her mother's will had been very clear. Erina inherited her share of her mother's assets only if she married Richard Hilligan. The son of her mother's partner.

"Screw the will, Anne! You really think I'm that low?" Her feelings had been pricked, and she couldn't help it if they bled a little at her best friend's words. She thought Anne knew her better than that.

Anne moved up to Erina and grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry, Erina. I know you aren't money hungry, but I do think you want to prove something to everyone, and I'd rather you marry someone because you love them. I want my best friend to be happy. Not locked to a future that was planned by someone else." She squeezed Erina's hand in hers.

"You're breaking the rules, Anne."

Anne's shoulders dropped, and she huffed. "I'd rather say the uncomfortable and break the rules than sit back quietly and watch you follow a path you didn't choose for yourself."

Erina could understand that, but still... "It's not because of the money. I want Richard."

"Then that's all I need to hear." She smiled up at her, and Erina couldn't help but love her for dropping the topic. "Now. Tell me what's planned for tonight since I can't go."

They spent the rest of their jog going over the plans and by the time Erina and Richard arrived at the restaurant, her stomach was in her throat and the butterflies were relentless.

Her father, Regina and Giselle were all sitting around a large round table when she and Richard sat down.

They'd just gotten comfortable when the waitress walked up and asked Erina what she'd like to drink.

She looked up to tell her to bring a celebratory bottle of Moscato, but her throat closed up at what she saw.

The woman's skin had gone white as milk, and her now white hair hung long and straight over a white and pink frilly dress. Its lace sleeves hung off her shoulders in petite waves. Yet, even more bizarre, on top of her head, she had long white rabbit ears that hung at odd angles, and she was patiently waiting for Erina's response.

"Uh-" she croaked out.

"Everything okay, Erina?" Richard's deep voice asked.