Two cloaked figures run hand in hand through the secluded, pitch-black forest on Friday night.
The branches crack beneath their feet as they rush toward the cabin. The Queen’s heart races with the King’s hand clasped tightly around hers. They have to get inside before the darkness consumes him completely.
Each year, as the celestial alignment approaches, an evil alter ego takes over the King—a manifestation of his deepest insecurities & self-doubt.
For seven days this entity transforms him into someone unrecognizable: obsessive, manipulative, narcissistic, & utterly cold.
The Queen must confess her unwavering love to the King before the clock strikes eleven on the seventh day to break the curse.
Only she possesses the loyalty & resilience to save their kingdom from eternal destruction; threatened by the sinister force that torments his mind.
Finally, the cabin comes into view. It stands alone, its dark wood walls blend in with the night.
The Queen pushes the old door open. Inside, the air is thick—heavy with tension.
The King steps in after her, his hood falls back. His eyes burn with a mix of anguish & menace. The Queen feels the familiar rush of both love & fear.
“It’s happening,” he mutters. His voice low & rough.
“I know,” she says softly. “But I’m ready.”
She begins to light white candles & arrange them in a circle on the floor. The flames flicker, casting strange shadows on the walls.
The King stands in the center, his fists clenches, his shoulders stiff. The wickedness within him has already began to take hold. She sees it in the way his chest heaves with suppressed rage. The way his eyes dart back & forth as if he searches for someone to blame. This was not him anymore.
The Queen closes her eyes for a moment & breathes in deeply. When she opens them again, she is no longer just the woman who adores him—she is the guardian & the warrior who will fight for his soul.
“You can’t save me,” he says, his tone laced with bitterness. “Not this time. The darkness is stronger now. It knows you. It will twist everything you love about me until all you see is a monster.”
She steps toward him, unafraid. “You are not a monster,” she says firmly. “You are a noble man. And I will remind you of that, no matter how long it takes.”
He laughs, a cold, hollow sound that sends chills down her spine. “You think your love is enough? That you can battle me with words & rituals? You’re a fool.”
The Queen ignores his slick words. She begins to chant ancient spells passed down through generations. Her voice calm & steady. The air in the room shifts heavy with her power.
The King groans, clutching his head. “Stop it!” he yells. “You’re only making it worse!”
But she didn’t stop. She couldn’t. For the next six days, the Queen stays by his side. He tests her at every moment. These are the games they play every year—the emotional chess match that challenges her resolve, but she knows that her love for him is her greatest weapon.
The Queen performs rituals, reads stories, makes love to him for hours in pure bliss —She even hypnotizes him at times. This method brings him to a trance-like state where his true self emerges for brief moments. It’s here, in those fragile seconds, that she reminds him of the man he genuinely is.
The Queen prepares for the final confrontation on the seventh day. The King sits in the center of the circle of candles, his body rigid; his face a mask of cold detachment. The poison within him is at its peak.
“You’ve failed,” he says, his voice devoid of emotion. “You gave everything, & yet here I am. It has won.”
She steps into the circle & kneels in front of him. Her hands rest gently on his. “I haven’t failed,” she says. Her voice sweet but firm. “You are still here. And I love you.”
The clock strikes eleven—The room fills with a blinding, powerful light. The candles burn bright as the flames stretch high. The King gasps, his body shakes as the villain inside of him fights back.
The Queen wraps her arms around him & holds him tightly. “Come back to me,” she whispers. “You are my Leader.”
The cruelty in his eyes begins to fade, replaced by pain, vulnerability, & finally—clarity. The evil force breaks like a storm dissipates at dawn. In this moment, the Queen’s love pierces the veil of darkness.
He looks up at her, his eyes & filled with tears. “You did it,” he murmurs. “You saved me.”
“I always will,” she says, brushing his hair back.
As the cabin falls silent with only the sounds of the crackling fire nearby, the Queen knew they had won—for now.
The King leads the Kingdom with pride & immense strength for the rest of the year. The Queen knew when the time came she will spar with the enemy again—as her love for him is unconditional, & their empire will remain safe from his corruption.
Together, they emerge from the cabin—hand in hand, ready to face the world once more.
“You’re my devil, you’re my angel
You’re my heaven, you’re my hell
You’re my now, you’re my forever
You’re my freedom, you’re my jail
You’re my lies, you’re my truth
You’re my war, you’re my truce
You’re my questions, you’re my proof
You’re my stress and you’re my masseuse.” -Kanye West, Lost in the World ‘10
