The Emery Chronicles: The White King's Woman (FIRST BOOK)

Chapter 2

Chapter Two- Six Years Later

Arwen Whitewing, a little girl of now six years, wiped her sweaty, muddy hands on her skirts and sighed irritably.

"Come here, you stupid chickens!" She yelled exasperated, and began chasing the chickens again, trying to round them up and put them back in their henhouse. Arwen absolutely hated chores, especially ones involving chickens. They were such cowardly, stupid birds. And besides, today was her birthday! She shouldn't have to do any chores today! But her mother liked them roasted and on the supper table, and she liked their eggs for breakfast, so Arwen had to do as she was told.

Just as she was finally getting the chickens back into their henhouse, she heard her mother call her.

"Arwen! Come here!" Her mother's voice was soft and lilting, an enchanting soprano. Arwen finished putting the hens away, then quickly ran to her mother, who did not like to call for Arwen more than once. "Oh, darling, you're filthy." Her mother said, indicating Arwen's skirts, face, and hands which were all splattered with mud. Her mother not only had a beautiful voice, but a beautiful face as well. She had a heart-shaped face, with thick, pink lips, round and shining blue eyes and permanent look of her that made you think she was both angel and demon. Her face was angelic and pure in beauty, but there was a gleam in her eyes that suggested sinful thoughts. Even as she got older, her beauty did not wither. In fact, the older she became, the more beautiful she was.

"I'm sorry, mother. It was those damned chickens again!"

"Arwen! Watch your tongue! Speak like a lady," her mother said, bringing her into their warm, simple manor and leading her to her privy chamber. Arwen was confused; they should be going to the dining hall, not her mother's private chambers.

"Is something the matter, mother?"

"No, my sweet." Arwen knew her mother would say no more until she was ready. They entered the empty privy chamber and her mother closed and bolted the door behind them. Her mother closed the curtains over the windows in the room, and began lighting candles all around the darkened privy chamber. Arwen took a seat by the roaring fireplace and awaited her mother's words. Finally, the room was lit all around with burning candles and Arwen's mother took a seat across from her.

"Is something the matter?" Arwen asked again quietly so any eavesdropping servants outside the privy chamber doors wouldn't hear. There was a mysterious, almost dark mood hanging in the room, as mother and daughter sat facing each other in front of a burning fireplace, surrounded by candles dripping wax. Like they were in their own, fiery little world.

"No, nothing the matter. In fact, it is good news I bear." Arwen's mother smiled warmly to her only child, clasping Arwen's hands in hers. "My daughter, now that you are a young lady of six years, you will begin experiencing the Sight and the Magic." Arwen stared at her mother in shock, never expecting this news.

"We are witches? I thought we were merely human." Arwen knew of some witches in the White kingdom of Brigantia, and there were some legends of great witches in the other realms of Emery as well. But she never knew that she was one.

"You are a witch descended from the most powerful witch family in history: the Darkwhites." Her mother whispered. Arwen gasped loudly, the sound emphasized in the otherwise quiet room.

"You are Bianca Darkwhite?" Arwen knew her mother as Lady Bianca Whitewing, Lord Whitewing's widow. Arwen had heard the legends of the Darkwhite family, and their demise. There were rumors that the eldest Darkwhite daughter, Bianca, had escaped the death that met her other family members. Bianca is a common name in White Brigantia, so Arwen could never have guessed.

"Shhhh. No one knows. We cannot even trust the servants in our own home. It would mean immediate death for us both if anyone knew." Bianca told her daughter, smiling at her eager excitement.