****
The days turned into weeks and weeks soon into months, until finally the Prince was to arrive. Mariana’s figure was now swollen.
That morning was filled with screams and jeers from the Queen. The birth of her first child was not to be easy it seemed.
“Fin, Fin get this child out now!” shouted Mariana.
Lumus and two other elder sorcerers attended the Queen. Along with being Lord Chancellor, Lord Fin was also quite accomplished in the practice of medicinal magic.
After hours of care and charms to calm the Queen's spirit the babe was delivered.
She held him tightly in her arms, “Oh dear child, finally!” she whispered.
The two attendants bowed and left the room, having been dismissed by Her Majesty.
When they left Lumus remarked, “Ah yes, now I shall have to spread the wonderful news, the witch has had the child!” His face glowed with his sly smirk and twinkling eyes.
The Queen laughed and kissed her new born son. This was too joyous an occasion for her to allow Lumus' remark to annoy her.
King William entered, soon after, to be with his wife and child.
The baby took the first few weeks to fully acquaint himself with his surrounding and to bond with his mother. He never left the room; everything was brought to him by the servants.
In the month after his birth a date was set for him to formally meet his family and some of the other nobility.
They all gathered in the nursery. A room covered in soft carpets with windows on every wall. The drapes in the nursery changed colours depending on the prince's mood; today they were a beautiful shade of blue.
The servants were filed in at the back of the room. Cruelo was the first brother to arrive; he came straight up the hall and went before the babe. The baby smiled at his presence and the drapes became an even lighter shade of blue. He began to wriggle in the arms of his mother.
Mafio and Ludric, two other princes, entered the room. They began their approach. Both men were tall with very oily black hair and dark eyes; they wore full black, long sleeved laced shirts and golden bands upon their heads which identified them as Princes of the realm. A shadow appeared at one of the windows; this caught their attention and slowed their pace. Mafio and Ludric gazed more intently at the apparition, which then disappeared in a blood red smoke S, seemingly at the realization of being noticed. They both looked at each other and in a whisper said “Seducçion”.
They advanced as quickly as they had before, stopping to bow before the monarchs and the child and then moving to take a place at the side of room.
The King surveyed the room and then asked, “Where is your sister?”
“She’s right here,” interrupted a gorgeous young woman, with dark brown flowing hair, dressed in a long green gown with black nails and a black cat upon her heels.
It was the Princess.
Mariana shot her a glare; they both detested each other.
“Seducçion, good, you’re here. Just in time for the ceremony” began the King.
A scribe came forward to note the words of the King.
“We have decided that the baby’s name shall be Zechaire Oren Bourbon,” the King said.
Seducçion’s eyes widened as if she knew what was to come next.
“ He is the heir to the throne and this shall be our gift to him,” ended the King, as he moved a veil with a mere gesture, revealing a young unicorn. Seducçion's look changed from shock and anticipation to outrage.
“No, it can not be,” she said silently under her breath.
“Pardon me?” responded Mariana.
Seducçion did not reply but gave a general shout, “A unicorn, a unicorn!”
“Yes, Seducçion even by your standards you can obviously see that it’s a unicorn,” said Mariana, the vitriol in her voice.
Seducçion ignored her and continued, “Father, you gave me a cat!” she shouted, utterly disgusted.
“You should be grateful!” said Mariana curtly. “You should consider yourself lucky.”
Seducçion had had enough. She turned sharply and while clenching her teeth said, “Listen you troll, I can go so far as to ignore you but you are so persistent and insufferable, do you not have anything else to do, I mean other than being a retched bitch!”
Mariana quickly covered Zechaire’s ears, her cheeks flared at the scandalous remark. The King could only watch, he had learned from past experiences never to interfere too much in these twos arguments.
“ You little brat how dare you speak to me in such a manner, you will get what’s coming to you!” she raised her hand and pointed a finger at Seducçion. But before she could curse her she had disappeared in a huge cloud of red smoke.
Seducçion’s feline was now rocketing towards Mariana, but before it reached her, the King intervened.
“ Enough!” he said, and the feline vanished.
“Are you okay my dear?”
“I am okay, but she will be dealt with,” replied Mariana angrily.
All those present stood shocked at what had just transpired. Seducçion had gone too far.
The servants dared not break into chatter in the royals' presence and stood silent, waiting to be dismissed.
Mariana quickly gave Zechaire to Lumus and stormed from the room in a white mist.
Seducçion had reached her chambers and was now closing the door. Mariana in a rage blew the door in. It flew from its hinges, scraping the floor as it hurled towards one of the walls. Seducçion was luckily able to move from the path of the door.
“How dare you!” she screamed.
Mariana approached in a rage, and flew towards her.
Seducçion simply smiled.
A barrier seemed to come between the two, Mariana was blown back through the doorway.
The King entered upon the scene and it seemed that time itself stood still.
The Queen remained motionless in the air and Seducçion stood frozen.
“This will not do. Seducçion you can not speak to the Queen is such a manner and my beloved, you know our laws, royals can not fight amongst themselves, why then did you attack her?”
He released them both from their motionless state.
Mariana came to land on her feet.
“Look,” she said.
It seems that the Queen had used her attack as a distraction and had cursed the Princess who did not put up a defense.
Seducçion's room was now enveloped in a thick heavy fog – as she emerged into the hall it became apparent that she was covered in large puss filled boils.
“You didn't even see it coming,” laughed Mariana. “Now who is the troll? You little wench!”
She turned curtly and disappeared in her cloud of white mist.
Seducçion was furious and turned to leave but William stopped her.
“ Seducçion, I love you,” he said, “No matter, what you may think. I just want you and Mariana to get along. Can you do that for me?”
He touched her face and quickly cleared up all her boils. He summoned a servant to clear and fix her room.
“ Father, that will never happen,” she said.
Seducçion turned and left her father in the corridor.
She would not forget nor would she forgive. This was not over.
When Mariana returned to the nursery, the guests had all gone only Cruelo remained with Zechaire. She took the babe and put him to bed.
The King was not far behind.
“Why my dear do you torment her so?” he asked.
“Because she deserves it,” replied Mariana.
William and Lumus exchanged a brief glance.
“I saw that,” said Mariana. “I know at times I do torment her but she does, really deserve it, does she not?” she asked.
“Does she deserve to be embarrassed before the entire palace? I say no. But she does deserve a friend,” William replied.
“Well she can find one – really now darling she dislike
d me from the beginning,” said Mariana.
“Is this why you dislike her,” he asked.
“I am only returning the courtesy. I am sure she would have it no other way.”
The King sighed and left the room.
“If she is not soon reached it shall mean a grim future,” he said silently.
He went up the corridor and to his chambers.
That night Seducçion visited the Great Library. She sat in her dark robes, under the candlelight reading books on re-incarnation and transfiguration. She kept her position for many hours, reading and making notes, with cruel intent. They would pay.
A spirit circled the window and watched her as she read, all the while going undetected.
'Our hearts, which you know, are filled with light...'
Envy: The Flight of the King (PROMO) Page 2