Prologue

A Chapter by kafrinee

A queen is pregnant with an evil kings children. She gives birth and hides away the babies, but is caught while running away from the guards.

She walked into the dim throne room and walked across the dark marble floor towards the stairs that led up to the throne. Candles burned,on top of a tall golden ornate candelabrum holding up to eight candles at once. The fire from the candles lit up the surrounding darkness, the wax from the candles slowly dripping down the candles. As she approached she lifted her heavy white and gold dress that drug the floor around her and stepped on the first step, her heel clicking on the marble. She looked up at her husband, a large and evil man. His hair was black and had gray streaks as he was aging. He wore dark royal clothing with a large golden crown sitting atop his head. His sword lay resting against his large elaborate glowing blue throne. Her throne sat next to his, smaller with a gold trim and red cushion. She wore a small silver crown that fit perfectly atop her blue hair.

His red eyes pierced through her as he watched her approach her throne and sit down. “Where is the priestess? She is late.” His deep voice echoed throughout the room, a guard began approaching them.

“Your Majesty…” He knelt and bowed his head. She noticed his entire body shaking with fear. She knew this would not be good news. “It seems that the priestess has… disappeared.”

“What?!” He stood up immediately, his throne being knocked backward and falling over, his sword landing at his feet. “Find her!!” The Queen looked up at her husband, her heart racing from the loud clash of both the throne and the sword suddenly falling. She looked up at her husband whose eyes were dancing with madness. He glanced at her at first and then finally looked her in the eyes. Bending down in front of her, he placed his hand on her chin. “Do not be afraid of me, my love. You have nothing to fear from me.” He placed a kiss on her lips before straightening his back and setting his throne back up.

The guard rose, finally racing out of the throne room. They could hear the commotion outside, yelling, feet stomping, running, swords being sheathed, armor being put on. They were preparing to go on a mission. The Queen looked at her husband, who stared forward at nothing but the wall, and wondered just who the priestess was. Why was she so important? The Queen sighed and stood, “My King, I am going to rest.”

The King looked up at her. “Yes, go rest. You have been ill as of late.” He took her hand, her small hand looking frail in his large callused hands. He kissed the back of it before releasing her. “I will be in later.” The Queen left the room, the outside commotion immediately freezing as she passed them. They all bowed before her as she passed. As soon as she entered her bedroom the commotion continued. She smiled as she thought of it. She could not get used to being so important.

She reopened the door, seeing a guard to the side of her doorway faithfully guarding her. “Please fetch Ms. Rose for me.” Her face contorted in pain as she felt a sharp stab in her stomach.

“Your Majesty, Queen, are you all right?” The guard, looking panicked, turned to face her as she held her stomach as the pain deepened.

“Yes, I’m all right. I am just sore from all the walking I have done today. Please go and fetch Ms. Rose.” She shut the door firmly behind her after the guard acknowledged her words. Not long after a dark-skinned woman entered the room. The maid bowed before approaching the pained queen.

“Your Highness, are you okay?” The queen shook her head as she held onto her stomach, the sharp pain getting worse by the second.

The queen looked up at the maid. “You, Ms. Rose, are the only person in this castle whom I have trusted.” The queen looked down at her stomach.

“It was risky for you to stay here. You were lucky to find a sorcerer to cast the spell to hide your stomach. The King would have surely killed you on the spot for keeping such a secret.”

The queen shook her head, wincing in pain and trying to keep from making any sort of strange noise �" or worse, a scream. “He cannot know of the child.” She laid on the bed as the pain began to subside for a moment. “He will kill my baby and…I cannot let that happen…” She looked up at Ms. Rose, “You must take him far away. There is a human woman waiting for me. She will care for the child.” Rose nodded to the queen.

“The child will surely be abused by those in the city.”

The queen smiled as the pain began to set in again. “He will be a strong child.” She placed her hand on her stomach and began to rub it lovingly. “And I will watch over him from another life.”

“My queen!! You mustn’t say that!!”

“Now, now, Ms. Rose that’s enough.” She winced as the pain began to get stronger by the minute. “Please, prepare for the birth. I feel him coming.”

Later, the queen laid there worn out from the trial she had just experienced. In her arms lay a small crying baby, and in Rose’s hand lay another sleeping baby �" twin brothers. “Ms. Rose, please take him. Take good care of him. Raise him as if he were your own.” The queen stood up, wobbling as she tried to stand on her weak legs. “I must take this one to his new mother.” She looked down at the small, frail, sleeping baby.

She changed into something more comfortable, a commoner’s dress and a cloak to hide her face. She held the baby inside the cloak, only his head poking out from beneath. “My Queen-,” the captain of the guard opened the door and looked at the two women standing there, “What’s going on here?” He stared at the two baby’s and his face contorted into anger and betrayal. He slammed the door behind him, they could both hear. “My King!! You have been betrayed!!” The queen stared in horror at Rose.

“Go, Rose!! You must hurry and make claim of the baby!!” The queen rushed Rose out of the room before running down the hallway with her little one bundled in her arms. She could hear guards running after her as she raced down the stairs towards the servant’s entrance. The clanking of armor behind her, yelling, swords being drawn, she wished she could have disappeared.

She ran through the forest beside the city, the only light being from the moon. She ran towards the human city, Aldermoor. Her legs felt like jelly, her head spinning from blood loss, she was tired. She only wanted to sleep, to rest. Adrenaline was the only thing that was keeping her going. The thought of her child being safe kept hope alive inside of her. She couldn't imagine him being killed because of her.

She was determined not to stop, never to fall, only to protect the fragile child that was soundly cradled in her arms. She had a woman meeting her outside of a city that night to adopt the small child and care for him the rest of her life. She hoped the woman would take good care of him because she felt that this night would be her last. She slowed as she saw a figure in the distance. It was the woman and she noticed, as she approached her, that she looked afraid. She was slender and pale, human, blonde, and held her hands together so tightly that her knuckles were turning white, and she was looking out into the distance towards the guards that continued to chase her.

“Take the child, quickly.” She placed the baby in the woman’s arms. Looking at the baby one last time, she placed a few fingers on the child’s cheeks. The queen bent slightly, placing a tender kiss on the baby's forehead. She felt a love for her child like no other that she had felt before. A love that also created a need to protect him, no matter what it took. No matter if it cost her the only life she had. “Take care of him for me. Treat him well.” The woman nodded as she looked down lovingly at the baby. “Go, now. Don’t let them see you.” The woman ran off in a different direction as the King’s appeared in the distance.

“There! Capture her! The king wants her alive!!” She ran as much as she could, but it wasn’t enough. The adrenaline was fading, and she felt unbearably tired and weak. Her vision blurred, and her world began spinning. Her legs began shaking and numbing as she fell on the ground. She had reached her limit. It was a miracle that she made it this far especially only a few hours after she had given birth. She fell on the ground, her vision finally fading. A tear fell from her eyes as she closed them.

As she awoke, she recognized the ceiling was that of her husband’s bedroom. She moved her head downwards so that she was looking straight ahead and noticed he was sitting in a chair across from her in his daytime apparel; his sword leaned against the wall behind him. His long black hair draped around his shoulders as he glared angrily at her. She could tell he had just woken up from his sleep. His dark red eyes, eyes that her child had inherited, pierced through her. He was leaning forward, his hands relaxed in front of his legs, his arms resting on his knees. She tugged at the ropes that were tied around her wrists and chest with no avail. She looked up at her husband, glaring and determined not to tell him anything.

“Where is the child?” He closed his eyes as he spoke, struggling to stay calm. One small thing could instantly set him off.

“Gone. You’ll never find him.” She struggled more, even though it was useless.

“That is my CHILD!” She flinched away from him as he stood up suddenly, picking up his chair, turning around, and throwing it at the wall. It shattered to pieces on contact.

“I know you. As soon as you get a hold of your children you will kill them. They threaten your power.” He froze at what she said, then turned to face her with a look of pure rage in his eyes.

He approached her quickly, bending over and putting his hand around her neck. He squeezed tightly as he spoke, “children?!” A look of panic flashed through her eyes as she struggled against his grip.

“It was�" a slip of the tongue. There’s only�"one child.” She coughed and struggled to breathe as she spoke, trying to lie her way out of the situation.

“Don’t lie to me, woman. I know your tics.” He threw her to the ground, the chair landing sideways. “You have betrayed me. My own wife. I loved you.” His face twisted into a look of pain and betrayal that was quickly replaced by resolve and anger. “You will pay for your betrayal.” He walked quickly towards the wall behind him, grabbing his sword. She looked at him with fear in her eyes, she begged him to forgive her. He only ignored her as he raised his sword. She closed her eyes as he thrust the sword into her chest right into her heart. He yanked the sword out and she slumped over, dead. Blood oozed from her chest, soaking her dress and puddling onto the floor. “Get her out. The blood is ruining the carpet.” He used his foot to turn her head, scowling at the look on her face. Finally, he turned away from her. “Burn the body. Also, search the area where she ran. The children have to be out there somewhere.”