Ideas for future stories

A series of peculiar events

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far far away, there ruled a king and his beautiful queen. The royal couple were wise and fair rulers, the kingdom prospered under their rule and everyone adored them but the couple were not happy for they had long, longed for a child.

One day, the queen was wondering through the marketplace, her guards not far behind, when she noticed a woman on the side of the road selling what seemed to be potions and charms. Curious, the queen approached the woman and asked in wonder about all the different bottled liquids and delicate charms; the woman happily told her about each one, smiling at how childlike the queen looked when in awe over such things a white witch came across almost everyday!

"What about this one?" The queen questioned pointing to a beautiful frosted glass bottle with a heart shaped stopper.

"Ah, this one helps couples who wish for a child. If the love between the two is strong and true then a baby is sure to be born to them." Amazed at her luck the queen enquired how much the bottle was for sale; the white witch smiled kindly. "How about a deal? I'll give you the potion, free of charge BUT if you become with child, once born, I take custody over the babe and raise it until it's sixteenth birthday. I will teach them the ways of white magic, kindness and purity. This way they will grow up fair and strong and become a great ruler for the future."

The queen was hesitant but agreed, after all, the king and herself had wanted a child for some time and if the potion didn't work then nothing had to be given up anyway, the only bad side was she would miss out on the first sixteen years of her child's life if it did work. But who better to raise and protect her child than a powerful white witch?.. That night the queen took the potion the way the witch had told her to and went to bed. A few weeks later, in the middle of March it was announced to the kingdom that the queen was pregnant. The whole kingdom rejoiced and the celebrations went on for a whole week in honour of the new unborn heir to the throne.

A few months passed, and the king was out chasing a stag through the forest with his huntsmen when his horse spooked and bolted with him. His huntsmen called after him but he assured them he would be fine and for them to continue with the hunt. After a while the king's horse calmed down and the king took in his surroundings. The forest had grown dark and the emerald trees that had previously surrounded him had been swapped for diseased looking plants; the fresh spring grass was exchanged for mud and swamp. Creatures of the darkness watched him from safe hiding places, owls from up in their tree top houses, snakes from their holes and the wild animals such as wolves and foxes watched from the shadows with hungry expressions. Too busy gazing at his new surroundings, the king did not notice these stares nor did he hear the footsteps behind him.

"Who dares enter my swamp?" A raspy voice demanded. Startled the king jumped in his saddle and turned to the direction of the voice. He was met with a woman. She looked wild with unbrushed, unwashed mud brown hair; yellow, uncared for teeth; old, torn and dirty clothes and a mad look in her moss green eyes.

"Madam, I beg your pardon. I was hunting when my horse bolted and led me here, if you could be so kind as to show me the way to the village, I will leave you and your swamp immediately."

"So the king is lost is he? Trespassing's a crime, your Majesty, punishable by death in some kingdoms...Shall I take your life as payment for your crime and your ignorance?" The king was surprised and scared at her words, how could she possibly know who he was? How could this wild woman know the appearance of a royal family member? Who was she to threaten his life? The woman grinned an evil, yellow smile. "My name is Salena, your Majesty, perhaps you have heard of me?" Salena? He had heard that name before, twas the name of the witch who practiced dark magic in the swamps in surrounding lands. Recognition came upon his face and the witch before him smirked.

"What will you give me in exchange for your life?"

"I can pay you in gold or livestock-" The witch waved a hand, shutting the king up instantly and started pacing in front of his horse muttering to herself but loud enough for him to hear her thoughts.

"No, no, no. None of those things mean anything to a witch or to a king. No, I want something that you care about, something you would do anything to protect..." Pausing for a second, another wicked grin spread across her dirty face at her perfect thought. "Your child."

"What?"

"I want your first born child. The first sixteen years of the child's life in exchange for the rest of yours."

"Never. I'd rather die than let some dark witch raise my child."

"And let your wife become a widow? Become grief stricken? Your child go it's whole life never knowing it's father?" At these persuasive points the king was torn; he didn't want to give up his child but he would never want to miss out on knowing his own flesh and blood or them growing up without a father the way he had done. Reluctantly the king shook the witch's outstretched hand, the deal confirmed. Keeping to her word the witch showed the king the way to go and the king went on his way, already regretting his actions and dreading telling his poor wife.