An all consuming, magical love story between a Prince who is hundreds of years old and the abandoned Count's daughter.
When Ava was 7 her Dad, the Count and leader of their magical Kingdom, disappeared without a trace. Not long after she met the Pr...
It had been hundreds of years since I had been to the castle war room but I remembered the way as though it had been yesterday. As I descended spiral staircases and went lower into the below ground levels of the castle, vivid memories of the first day I had technically become King flashed before my eyes.
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My father had been killed in a battle with another Kingdom and at only twenty I was expected to ascend to the throne. I understood that it was my responsibility to step into the role of King but I refused to be called it. The King was my father and always would be.
I don't say this out of respect for my father, actually the exact opposite. My father had been a cold and cruel man and I wanted no association with the title he liked to lord over people.
As I came to the old, wooden door I remembered my first meeting in this room. I had felt sick to my stomach sitting in my father's chair, being treated like him. I worked hard during my time as 'King' to convince people to treat me differently, like a colleague and not a mad tyrant.
I stood in front of the door for a moment deciding whether to knock or not. On one hand I outranked them by a mile and just walking in might assert authority, on the other I had been gone for several normal people's life times (I was only hundreds of years old due to a form of magic I had learnt on my travels) and it was definitely rude.
If I was going to get to the bottom of this I was going to need authority so after a deep breath I shoved the door aside and strode in purposefully.
The men sat around the table all looked upon me nervously but not one rose to greet me. Having now hid his grimace, a man rose from what had been my father's chair, and I suppose mine.
"Good morning, your highness." the man said as he approached me. "I'm Lord Beckett, the current leader of the advisors. How is it we can assist you?"
Men around the room attempted to stealthily put away maps and plans that had been laid out on the table and something about the way that this Lord Beckett had stood directly in front of them piqued my curiosity.
"What are you planning?" I asked with one of my supposedly award winning smiles.
"Oh, this? Nothing, nothing."
I raised my eyebrow. "Nothing?" I attempted sincerity.
"Well... just me and Lord Ainsworth here," he swung his arm back to reveal a sickly looking man who eyed me apprehensively. "...are going to visit an allied Kingdom, just to maintain relations, if you know what I mean?" he continued.
"Oh, I see. Which Kingdom?"
"Oh, nowhere special. I shouldn't trouble you with it."
His reluctance to tell me was certainly suspicious but badgering him would only lead him to lie. No, it was a much better idea to follow him.
"I've come to speak to you about something." I changed the subject. "Ava has made me aware that you have banned magic in the castle. I was wondering why that was?"
"Well, that's what the Count would have wanted." Lord Beckett answered without a seconds thought, as though rehearsed.
"I'm not sure I understand, why would he want that?"
"Well someone must have used magic to kidnap him, he'd want it banned until he was found."
"I'm sure that Ava told me that he left deliberately."
"Well... yes... it looked that way. However, we are sure the Count would never leave the Kingdom like that."
"If you think that he's been kidnapped, what are you doing to rescue him?"
"Oh, we have lots of plans, I shouldn't bore you with the finer details. Now if you do excuse me, Lord Ainsworth and myself must be going if we are to be there by noon."
"You're going now?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you say so, I should let you get going."
Well this was a problem. If he was leaving now then I wouldn't have time to tell Ava where I was going. I would have to send a letter once I was there.
"I'll see you later then. Good luck with the trip." I bid them farewell and made my way out of the room.
I stood to the side and cast a spell over myself - invisibility. When Lords Beckett and Ainsworth left I would follow them
