(Completed) Seraphina [The Lost Queen Series: Book #1]

Chapter 1

The loud call of roosters woke me as it does every morning before dawn. Sitting up from my hay bed I noticed papa still sleeping peacefully as his old frail body nestled deep inside the pile. After dusting off the remaining bits of hay I walked outside to see that dawn hadn't risen above the eastern side of the castle wall yet. Still enough time for me to get started...

Walking out into the makeshift pen I checked on Sunny, our chestnut snowflake clydesdale. He fell ill a few days ago and sadly it appears that he passed away... Ruffling a hand through my matted hair I let out a sigh of frustration. Without a horse life would become worse for us with each day... Even those castle commoners have it easier than us just by being on the outskirts of the wall...

As I marked a place to bury Sunny out in the fields papa came outside of our rundown thatch hut. After digging most of the morning with my hands I managed to make a hole big enough to put him in. Now I must find a way to get him in and not get sick at the smell... Finding a rope I tied it around his neck as the smell of death filled my lungs. Quickly putting some distance I managed to slowly tug him to his shallow grave as the sun peeked over the eastern wall.

I was exhausted beyond belief as his body finally fell into my attempt at a hole. Bad news is that I still have to cover him... It didn't take long but I was covered in more dirt than the pigs... Papa was sitting by the drinking well with a full bucket of water as I approached. He handed me the bucket silently as I walked back to the grave. I poured a little on the ground before watering the newly seeded barley field. Since the king declared that it was spring, each farmer must plant something to be harvested before fall or the farmer and his family would be declared useless. Unfortunately if you are found to be useless then you get sold to be a slave for someone in the castle... Honestly farming families are just slaves but it's the straw we drew at birth.

Looking up I see many horses and knights returning from an expedition. A commotion erupted as knights began to pass through the villager... Not once have they ever done that which meant trouble was coming... Racing towards papa I noticed how one man sneered down at the small crowd surrounding him. His blonde hair was nearly blinding as his voice echoed.

"You poor peasants... You'll never get to see fortunes like this in your life!" He motioned to a wagon and the knights pulled a cloth off to reveal a massive amount of jewels, coins, and gold. Looking at the man I noticed how a large scar crossed over one of his bright green eyes. As our eyes met he seemed to stiffen for a moment before glaring at me. "Especially you!"

He jumped off his horse and marched towards me menacingly. I stayed silent as he stood nose to nose with me. "Why aren't you shying away?" He seemed surprised for a moment before anger flickered across his features. One second I was looking at him and the next I was on the ground holding my cheek. "You filthy wrench! Next time don't be so bold..." Before leaving he spit in my face to make sure I learned my place. I expected as much but I can't help but piss him off considering how arrogant he still is.

Some of the knights looked at me in pity while most laughed at my state. Papa slowly approached me and held out a hand which I took. "Snape hasn't changed one bit! Still has an ego the size of a mountain... It's a shame his manhood doesn't exist or he would be the biggest jackass to ever live!" I laughed as papa continued to rant. "Only a weak man would put his hands on my daughter! I'm surprised you didn't cut his tongue out!"

I smirked deviously as father turned bright red with anger. "Calm yourself papa... Snape will get what he deserves when the time comes and I won't hesitate to return his generous gestures..." Even though Snape and I used to be close, that was long ago... Now he has chosen his side and I will choose mine.

"Oh? Well what do you have in mind my dear?" Papa grinned wickedly as devious thoughts swirled around us.

"Well today is the day in which I was born 19 years ago. It also happens to be Snape's as well. If I'm not mistaken today he will become a knight for the king. Not only that but the spring festival is in 2 days time which means we will be forced to work all day on an empty stomach while the nobles feast..." All we ever eat is gruel and on rare occasions a piece of bread. It's not fair for us to live like slaves while we do all the hard work! "What if we all band together and refuse to feed the kingdom? We can keep all the food we make for ourselves! I mean we make all of it anyway so it's ours to start with. We make 2 bronze coins for all the wheat we grow on our land and yet all the wheat goes to the kingdom while we keep a handful to feed ourselves all year around!"

"Seraphina... You can't possibly mean..." Papa leaned in close as his lip quivered in fear. "A rising....?"

"Unless the king changes his ways then yes. If he makes a new law that punishes us then I will most likely start a war at dawn!" I turned towards the kingdom walls to see the castle peering over menacingly.

A hand gently grabbed my shoulder just as a simmering rage flowed through my veins. "We can talk about this later. I'd like for you to go wash in the river so we can have dinner. I'm making gruel and a loaf of bread!" My head snapped around at the mention of bread. It takes quite a while to make the dough and even longer to turn it into bread. It takes almost a full day to make it since we have a spit fire instead of an oven. I could feel myself drooling as if I could smell the freshly made bread already...

"Ok I'm going to go wash up. Do you want a rabbit to go in the stew?" Even a small piece of meat adds some flavour. Plus it's spring which means it's breeding season. Soon the land will be filled with more baby rabbits than anyone can count! That is until the king summons his seasonal hunting party...

"Yes! We will feast for a day!!!" Papa began to skip towards the hut but it looked more like a hobble jump. I laughed at his attempts but considering his old age I'm not surprised that it didn't work. At least he still tries to be young...

I looked in the centre of the village to see the village elders moping around as usual. They are just waiting for death and refuse to do anything but that... One of the elders is Snape's mother, Sharon, and he refused to visit her once he joined the knights as a squire. Sharon refuses to obey any law the king declares on us mainly because her son requested these laws...

"Thou shall not feast or mingle with anyone in a higher class. Thou shall not make requests for or against the king even in tyranny. Thou shall not have fun and must work everyday till death. If anyone breaks these laws then an execution awaits you, by declaration of King Quincy."

Such ridiculous laws for unnecessary reasons... The Kingdom of Theron is just a place of greed and laziness for the higher class while the rest of us suffer under their iron foot. I'd rather leave this place but I have no idea where the other kingdoms are and how far away I'd have to travel. I would know if the king hadn't banned us from reading years ago when my mother was alive...

My mother, Sophia, was a tutor for the royal family until she met my papa. She would sneak him books and food when he would deliver grain to the castle. Papa would never tell me what actually happened but my mother was charged for treason after my birth and killed at dawn. I was thrown out into the streets and papa managed to find me before a slave trader did...

It's only been us since then but papa made one thing clear. I must keep my hair dirty at all times. I tend to forget this a lot since I'm always covered in mud and dirt anyway. As I walked towards the lake, eyes seemed to watch me the entire time. Occasionally I would stop and check my surroundings but everything was quiet. Too quiet...

As I made it to the edge of the lake I noticed how dark my hair was. It was almost black with filth but my natural loose curls still seemed to move freely as if it wasn't weighed down. My ivory skin also seemed to shine as filth covered every nook and cranny. After stripping out of my tattered dress and stocking I slowly waded into the cool water. It turned a murky shade around me for a second but it quickly turned back into crystal clear water.

As I washed my skin I heard a twig snap behind me. Whipping around I called out, "Who's there?" as a shadow could be seen in the forest. "I can see you. Come out!" If it was an old man then he'd better be prepared to see his last life... However as the figure emerged caused my heart stopped...