They had failed her.

Rage filled Sofia, like a dark storm brewing upon a village. Nothing seemed to be going her way, and she didn't like it at all. Abel knelt at her feet and she could see he was shaking, dreading her wrath. Letitia had retreated behind the velvet couch she had been sitting on, undoubtly fearing if she were to face the same consequences (Sofia had a habit of inflicting the same punishments, her version of fairness). 

Pathetic, she scowled, and useless.

"All they had to do was kill him, and yet the people you selected couldn't do the bare minimum. In fact, the foolish boy managed to escape!" in a burst of anger, she kicked her servant hardly, sending him stumbling and grimacing at the bruise on his chin - he flashed his teeth, now stained with blood from the force. It still didn't satisfy her. 

"I-They didn't know how he got away, Miss," he stammered. "T-they said they saw him fall into the water, f-for some reason-"

Sofia was more than annoyed, "Enough with your excuses, you useless runt-"

"-then t-this girl saw them and started screaming, when they were glamoured," he finished the sentence.

Sofia raised an eyebrow, "A girl?" Perhaps there was more to this than just sheer incompetence. "Now why would a naive young girl interfere if she knew nothing at all?" she wondered, more to herself. What other things were in the way of her plans? 

Killing that boy was not her only priority, merely a pesk she had to ignore for now. 

"P-perhaps an accomplice of the boy, miss?" Letitia squeaked at the corner. 

"I didn't think he would be smart enough to do that," and her smirked, she grabbed Abel's hair and he winced in pain. "To repent for your incompetence, I want you to find this...girl you told me about. That, and the other thing gone with the wind. Find it and bring it to me, make haste before I need the boy to wake,"

Abel gulped and nodded eagerly, before earning a slap across the face from his mistress. "Remember that without me, you would be rotting away in your grave, fearing death with worms eating away at your flesh. Finish your task, lest you wish to return to that state."

Sofia didn't like to admit it, but she found the silent company of the sleeping boy somewhat pleasant.

There he lay on his crystal island, eyes closed and hands resting atop his chest, rising and falling steadily as his breaths. A sleep like death, an illusion soon to be broken - all while Sofia screamed in frustration. He was unresponsive to her loathing, as she marched around the empty lapis space in an angry trance, unleashing all that anger she had been keeping at bay. 

"Why? You foolish, insufferable, betraying wench!" she yelled in fury. She couldn't contain it, she had lived long enough to keep little friends, acquaintances that she could rely on - and yet she had been double-crossed yet again. What would you have gained?

She remembered it all, the trust she had put for Jocelyn to guard the treasure until it was to be returned to her. The spell had required a binding, and she had been the only trustworthy option. What you do, you do out of pain and loss - I understand that, and I understand you. 

"Where was your understanding now?!" Sofia screamed into the air. Eight years she left her alone, as part of her deal - until come the day Sofia would return to retrieve what was hers, one of the two keys to unlocking the spell. As planned she had visited Jocelyn that morning eight years later, only to be shut out. Sofia remembered the panic on her face, panic and some other expression she did not recognise. 

"Give me back what I need," she had said calmly, passing through the damage she had done to the house. It was only ever Jocelyn who could trigger her powers like that, always her. Jocelyn had refused, backing into the furthest room. "I don't want to hurt you, Jocelyn."

"And yet you hurt so many other people for your own gain? Tricking me into helping you!" Jocelyn had spat back, with so much hurt and anger that had made Sofia sick. "An innocent family was ruined because of you-"

"It's all just business, what did we tell ourselves? In a cruel world, you need not be soft!" You have become soft. "I've lost the first item, I can't lose this. Now give it back."

Once again Jocelyn had shook her head, "Greed has changed you, Fia. I won't let you get what you want." And she had swallowed a vial of liquid, her eyes already closed. 

"No, no!" Sofia's screams had ripped through the house, even more so when she noticed the locket around Jocelyn's neck was opened. 

Gone with the wind.

But there was nothing that could be done, the second item was lost - and Jocelyn had died. Sofia remembered taking her by the arms, wailing with such sorrow she didn't think her body could bear the pain. But it was brief, intense yet brief and the storm had subdued within minutes. Her heart had hardened again, and this time there was nothing to reverse that. 

Now Sofia stared icily at Jeong Yunho, after she was done venting all the pain in herself. She was alone in the room, if not more alone than she had ever been and that kept her drive. Only a fool like her would pity a boy she never knew, she thought as she knew Jocelyn always had a soft spot for children. She was aware the news that what they did had affected a child, changed Jocelyn's opinion completely, albeit a complete stranger.

"When the time comes, my sleeping beauty," she crooned. "You shall wake and do as I please, and I shall let you continue the peaceful rest you need," once again, her finger Yunho's pale skin, like pure white silk powdered by rosy blush across his cheeks ever so lightly. Jocelyn would have loved to meet you, she thought with a mix of sorrow and disdain. 

After all, faeries loved beautiful things.