The Deck of Destiny - A Caraval Oneshot Collection

Tragedy

Setting: I think if I said the setting it would spoil the Oneshot so I'll leave it up for interpretation. I have a vague idea of when it takes place but feel free to make your own guesses.
Hint: it's an alternate ending
Inspiration: Love Story (cover) by Sarah Cothran | I Don't Need Your Love by the cast of the musical SIX

     "It's bedtime, my loves. Settle down and I'll tell you both a story." Scarlett had attempted to stop her young children from chasing each other around the living room, and had forgotten the key to putting them to bed.

     Her son and daughter perked up and carried their game of chase through the hallways and into their shared room. Scarlett let out a breathy laugh before following them, gently sitting on the corner of her daughter's bed.

     "What kind of story are you going to be telling us tonight, Mama?" She asked, brown curls floating wildly around her head that reminded Scarlett all too much of her own sister.

     "A love story," Scarlett murmured, her hand automatically moving to smooth over her daughter's hair.

     Her son stuck his tongue out, having more of a taste for action stories.

     "Oh, my little firecracker. I promise there will be action in this story as well as romance."

     A devilish smile spread across his face as he adjusted his blankets around him. "There better be. Too bad Daddy isn't home yet to hear it. He always likes hearing your stories."

     Scarlett hummed distantly in response before beginning her story, in which it began with once upon a time...

     Scarlett told the story of a princess who was going to be married off to a prince before she was saved by a knight in shining armour. This knight helped her escape her city, taking her to travel the world and see the grandest of sights, giving her a life worth living away from the horrific castle. They even visited a magical forest and got caught up in the beauty of it, dazzled and bewitched by the enchantment of it.

     When they found their way out of the forest with absurd occupants such as talking trees, singing fountains and never ending carousels, the knight asked the princess to marry him. She accepted, and she was no longer a princess and he was no longer a knight. They were each other's, and that was all that mattered.

     When Scarlett had finished the story, her children were propped up against their headboards, wanting to hear more about the magic forest — and more about the princess and knight.

     "How did the forest come to life?" Her son asked.

     "Where did they live their happy ever after?" Her daughter piped in.

     "Magic is a strange thing, Lee. It can also be a little scary, and is definitely something to be weary of. But when you get a taste of it, it is hard to stop drinking from the cup.

     "And Donna, they lived wherever they pleased. They mostly cruised on the sailboat the knight owned, and ventured off to places that had never been explored."

     "One more question–"

     Scarlett gave her daughter a small smile. "Tomorrow, my love, we can continue the story."

     She might have gave into her daughter's wishes if she didn't have such a bittersweet pang in her chest, right where her broken heart was.

     Donna nodded, her smile deflating as she laid her head to rest, right before she giggled. "I hope I'll get a knight in shining armour some day."