Battle for Supremacy

Chapter 2: Past and Present

As she opened her eyes for the first time in this world, Helena was unaware of what was going on around her. All she could feel was the arms of a woman wrapped around her and the soft cooing noises that she made.

She had broken into a huge cry after being slapped softly on her cheek. Her first cry had been an assurance that she was alright.  

Soon she had been moved to the arms of another woman whose body seemed colder than the previous one and her arms bony and rough. The woman cried on seeing her face. Her little mind couldn't comprehend whatever was happening around her. She fell asleep soon after in the arms of her mother.

Though she would never recall these moments but this scene of birth was never to be forgotten by Queen Victoria and her nurse Serena. 

A new life had been born among the graveyard of hundreds of dead villagers.

That was almost six years ago. Now as a little girl all Princess Helena cared about was finding ways to entertain herself. 

She had no clue who she really was or who her father had been. Growing up in the farm of her grumpy uncle Grifith and with his son Mark, she was always upto some mischief. 

Her mother had not been able to live for long after her birth and passed away when she was around one year old. The nurse Serena had been sworn to protect her and had managed to smuggle Helena across to the neighbouring state of Baragh to her brother's farm.

The condition of the kingdom had deterioted beyond anyone's worst imagination.

King Henry was the worst ruler as he was perpetually drunk or drugged. He made laws and rule as per his whims and fancies. He kept a hord of mistresses whom he showered with jewellery and riches. He imposed huge taxes on the farmers and restricted the trade to only few approved merchants who he trusted.

Few parts of the kingdom were facing draught and famine. Farmers and their animals were dying daily but he didn't have a care in the world. His life had all the luxuries he dreamed of.

Duping his foolish cousin Richard had been the best thing he had done in his life. His parents had been horrified when they had learned of his deed. But instead of feeling any remorse he had them locked up in the dungeons of the prison. His only supporter was his sister Henieretta. She had shared his passion for supremacy and power.

His own ignorant wife Margeret was his slave. She had never interested him and he had only married her because her father was willing to pay a large dowry to fund his gambling addiction.

Now finally he was happy to achieve the throne he had admired from far.

He had even tried to murder the wife of his cousin Richard but that minx had been clever. She had pre planned to flee the palace in the dead of the night. He had heard that she was pregnant again but that had not bothered him. She had already lost three children before birth. So there was very little chance of her surviving another child birth.

But he didn't want to have a chance so he searched for her everywhere. She had dodged his soldiers with expertise for almost eight months. If she was still alive it indicated that her current pregnancy was still going on. She had to be found before she delivered.

The reward for her finding had been tripled and few greedy people were ready to swap information for thousand gold coins.

Finally a lead was found in the form of a stray traveller who having seen her sketches on WANTED posters had caught a glimpse of a frail lady resembling the dethroned queen in a huge house belonging to the head of the small village.

He had immediately written to the new King and expected to be handsomly rewarded.

Henry had been overjoyed to hear the news and had instantly send the best of his soldiers to deliver his justice. He had declared the queen to be absonding and accused her of fraud and murdering her husband.  Though almost the whole kingdom knew the truth but no one could openly contradict the new King. The continued absence of queen further gave the mis led people to believe otherwise.

 His soldiers had returned with the news of slaying an entire village in vain but the intended victim had not been found. He was enraged and ordered the informer to be hanged. Henry hoped that this killing would set enough fear in her heart to never cross paths with him, if by some miracle she was alive.

Soon the missing threat was forgotten and Henry indulged in the luxury that the arms of his various mistresses provided. He occasionally visited his wife to fulfil his husband duties but that was more to remind her that he was her husband and held power towards her.

Margeret soon bore him a son and possible heir. But she died during the process and left the child to Henry's care.

Henry did not feel any sense of loss at her death and only cared enough to stay during the birth to look at the child's gender. Having a male heir made him happy. He decided to name him William and left her in the care of a nurse.

William was cared for by the various servants but hardly ever saw his father. He had a keen heart to learn new things and was compassionate towards the servants of the palace. 

Being almost orphaned at birth he was mature beyond his years. He wanted to win his father's attentions and prove worthy of his time. Early on he was showing signs of being interested in a warrier in the Kingdom's army. He would watch the soldiers train with unmistakable awe.

The two cousins Helena and William were growing up in two totally contrasting environments separated by boundaries made by mankind.  Each was unaware of their past and what destiny had in future for them. Would their characters stand the test of time?