Oriana: Thank you for asking me to be here. For agreeing to speak to me.
Quartz: : Shut up. (He crosses his arms, sitting in his chair in the front of the red curtain which appears during his monthly interviews, refusing to look at Oriana.) By all the molten hells lurking within the rocks, the last thing I want to do is speak to you.
Oriana: (She looks down at her folded hands) I know.
Quartz: Every time I look at you, I see her. Lying in the crystal coffin I made to heal her, to somehow safe her from her curse. Lifeless. Or she might as well be.
Oriana: I know.
Quartz: Do you? Do you really? Because I don’t. I don’t understand how you could have done that to her.
Oriana: I’ve often asked myself the same thing. (She draws a shuddering breath.) Every time I saw her lying there. Every time I kissed her, begging her to come back.
Quartz: Don’t act innocent. You said you loved her, yet you cursed her.
Oriana: Yes. Quartz, whatever you may think of me, I honestly believed I loved her.
Quartz: Bah. You were too jealous, too petty to love her. To put her happiness before your needs. (He lets out a sharp, bitter laugh.) You couldn’t bear to see her being happy with anyone else, to know she was living a life without you.
Oriana: I don’t deny it. (She exhales) Quartz, I realize I can never apologize enough-
Quartz: That’s right. You can’t. Now I’m the one lying in that coffin.
Oriana: That’s not my fault.
Quartz: Isn’t it? I built that coffin to heal her, hoping the crystals’ energies would drain the curse you put on her.
Oriana: All right. You’re right. I was wrong again. It was my fault. Is that what you need to hear?
Quartz: (He turns to glare at her.) It’s not about what I need!
Oriana: Isn’t it? Why did you ask me here, Quartz?
Quartz: Someone suggested that I talk to you. That I might be stronger if I finally faced you.
Oriana: That someone may have been right. Quartz, what can I do to earn your forgiveness? (She swallows.) Briar has already forgiven me.
Quartz: She’s got a new name, a new life. It’s part of starting over, forgiving you, no matter how hard, but she’s a gentle, forgiving soul. No matter what else she might be.
Oriana: I agree.
Quartz: I, however, won’t forgive you. I can’t. Not ever.
Oriana: I don’t expect you to.
Quartz: You’re a petty, selfish, and thoughtless witch. You were a sorry excuse for a queen.
Oriana: I don’t deny any of that. I’m trying to be someone better.
Quartz: By raising a princess who can be all the lovely things you’re not? That doesn’t make up for what you’ve done.
Oriana: I agree. I’ll spend the rest of my life trying, though.
Quartz: You don’t deserve to be forgiven. You have no right to be happy.
Oriana: No, I don’t.
Quartz: It was a good thing you did in Fairest, though. (He looks away, muttering.) Helping her get together with someone who truly loved her. Not that I know much about this. Just what I’ve glimpsed in dreams.
Oriana: The enchanted sleep reveals many thing to you unseen to those whom are awake.
Quartz: Don’t try to sound all wise and all knowing. You’re not.
Oriana: No, I’m not.
Quartz: Stop agreeing with me. It’s irritating.
Oriana: I mean every word I’m saying.
Quartz: You’re an evil witch. I hate you.
Oriana: I’m trying to be something better than that. I give you my word I’ll keep trying.
Quartz: Your word means nothing.
Oriana: It does. It will, even if you don’t believe in my word right now.
Quartz: Right. (He looks at the floor.)
Oriana: (She gazes at him with earnest blue eyes.) I mean it.
Quartz: (He turns to glare at her with sudden violence.) Did you look at her like that? Right before you convinced her to take a bite of that poisonous apple? Fix her with those lovely, blue eyes of yours, persuading her you meant every word?
Oriana: …(She doesn’t answer. It’s her turn to study the floor.)
Quartz: Right. I don’t trust you. I can’t.
Oriana: I don’t blame you. I’m going to keep trying to be someone you can trust. Someday.
Quartz: Got a few centuries?
Oriana: Maybe. We both have time, Quartz. Time for you to be convinced.
Quartz: (He snorts and looks away.)
Oriana: I mean it.
Quartz: You keep saying that. Do you think if you repeat yourself enough I’ve believe you?
Oriana: No. I’ll need to do something to convince you.
Quartz: Hah!
Oriana: I could start by freeing you from that coffin.
Quartz: Could you now? I thought that wasn’t your fault.
Oriana: Whether it’s my fault or not doesn’t mean I can’t help.
Quartz: You’ve helped yourself quite enough already.
Oriana: Doing this wouldn’t be helping me. It would be helping you.
Quartz: If you’re sincere, this means you’ll be showing up in my story. I’m not sure I want you in it.
Oriana: Nine Star Press is the current publisher of Fairest. They’re only accepting holiday stories right now. If you’re going to get your story, it’ll have to be a holiday story.
Quartz: What does that have to do with anything?
Oriana: Holidays are a time of forgiveness, are they not? What if I did something that convinced you to forgive me?
Quartz: Shut up. This is my story the scribbler is writing, not yours. It has nothing to do with your mistakes.
Oriana: It might have something to do with my mistakes if Briar plays a part in this story. Or Blanche as she was once known.
Quartz: Gah! I don’t want you mixed up any more in my life! You’ve ruined it enough already!
Oriana: As you say, I’ve already ruined it. Give me a chance to improve it.
Quartz: Why do I have to give you a chance to improve anything?
Oriana: Because deep down, you’re tired of hating me. You want to move on, just as Briar has.
Quartz: I’m not giving you anything.
Oriana: I don’t expect you to. I’m just saying I may surprise you. Someday.
Quartz: (He looks away.) I suppose that is up to you.
Oriana: Yes, it is. (She gazes at him with solemn eyes.)
Quartz: Don’t look at me like that.
Oriana: I’m sorry. (She looks away.)
Quartz: You certainly are. (He still won’t look at her.) Whether you become something, anything better is up to you.
Oriana: Thank you.
Quartz: Don’t thank me. I haven’t forgiven you. Yet.
Oriana: I know.
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