Viata

Prologue

Storms cracked at the window panes. It was a rare treasure for there to be a building with glass in the windows on the Island of Viata but this room was specially built by the king in order for his Renee to feel more at home. Her beautiful, brown curls clung to her forehead in a sweaty moisture as she struggled to maintain her breath while her efforts to bring new life into the world were seemingly worthless. The babe was hard of head and the night was long and full of struggles. Renee screamed out once again as her midwife begged her just one more push.

Renee's head fell back on her shoulders as she struggled to catch her breath. Her mind was growing foggy as she allowed herself to fall back into the beautiful summer days she had long spent with her Gilbert. Him brushing her curled brown hair behind her ears and whispering to her of her incredible beauty and perfect smile. The sun beating down on her back as she laughed loudly, the flowers tickling her toes and the world crawling on its knees to beg for a piece of the immaculate happiness she withheld with her beloved. All was perfect, all was well.

The scream of a bearn attempted to interrupt her memories but she was too far gone. Somewhere in her consciousness she witnessed the midwife swaddle an infant in a blanket and pass it to her lady Kassandre. Renee was too far gone into her delirium to witness Kassandre take her small finger and wipe the eyes of the child. Her long lashes swept so gently under the nail of the woman who had decided at this moment that the infant was hers. A child born to her husband from his first love, lept from the mind of a woman so lost in her own mind she might have not even been there at all. An innocent, beautiful princess born to a mighty king and kept by his beautiful wife to raise as an heir to the throne.

"What shall we do with her, your majesty?"

"Bathe her. Send word to my husband that the child is healthy and alive. Prepare the nursery for the new child."

The girl was loyal to Lady Renee but nodded mousily when instructed by her queen. She looked back to her lady in fear but Kassandre waved her off.

"I cannot risk any further heirs being born to the throne of Viata. Once she has recovered I will do away with her. Her daughter, however, will be fine. She will be queen one day."

"And what do we tell the people?"

"Tell them their princess has been born. Long live princess Athene of Viata."