Just another frary tale...

The seer girl

"Send prince James to bed immediately nanny thank you."
Francis quickly handed a reluctant little boy over to the nanny and began to turn on his heel, trying not to soften to the cries of his son begging for his father to stay with him.

"Pray, your majesty, where is the princess?"
The nanny called after him, trying to restrain the young prince without being violent or too out of place.
Francis stopped walking, stood stock still with his back still facing the nanny.
His heart slowed and he had to tear the panic out of his voice as he lied to her and said,
"The princess will come up shortly."
And without an explanation, Francis strode on towards Nostradamus's rooms in the very basement of the castle. A single tear fell on his cheek.

"She is breathing regularly." Nostradamus confirmed, it felt like the whole room breathed a sigh of relief. Kenna, Bash and Mary were in there with Anne, who lay unconscious on the small bed before Nostradamus.

Her little lifeless figure looked so fragile, as if she were just sleeping.
But if you inspected her closer, you'd see the white tone to her face, her dry and cracked lips, her blood drained complexion.
But she was breathing.
To breathe is to be alive.

Mary knelt by Anne, trying not to cry and trying To be strong. She held Anne's tiny hand in hers, her small icy fingers in Mary's palm.
Francis had taken Prince James up to the nanny and he should be here soon.
Mary hadn't spoken at all since everything had taken place earlier that evening. It was now beginning to get increasingly dark outside, the hour where shadows are no longer detectable and noises mean danger.

Mary was constantly on edge, all these remedies and strange potions around her, the table to the left dotted with tiny cork glass bottles were bound to be Catherine's poisons. This is why Anne was never allowed in here, nor was the prince.

"She babbled in a strange tongue, like the one Bash uses in the blood wood." Kenna explained shakily to Nostradamus who was thankfully calm. He listened intently and took mental notes. It was strange.. All these things Kenna was describing were extremely familiar to him.
The symptoms she had displayed had only happened to one person in the whole of the castle.
They were rare and near impossible for someone born of normal, royal blood.
But one must never forget that both of the children Francis and Mary had had were broken prophecies. These two children had defied fate and stood against destiny. Everything that had been predicted to happen had not come to pass and therefore ever since these two 'miracles' had popped into this realm, Nostradamus had kept close watch. They were guarded at all times and never allowed out of sight, Anne did however often disappear down the corridors but she would always turn up within the castle walls.

Francis burst through the door, breaking through Kenna's quiet mumble with Nostradamus in the corner.
Bash hovered around where Anne lay, not wanting to interrupt Mary or Kenna.
Francis came up behind Mary and sat down beside her, looking at their daughter in front of them.

"She is the future queen of France." Mary finally muttered to Francis quietly, Kenna mumbling away in the distance and Bash looking through books to see if there were any illnesses that matched the symptoms.

"She is my daughter."
Mary added, kissing Anne's hand and then holding onto Francis's.
"She must be protected always, never let out of sight. How could anything have happened to her? She has been closely monitored, poison isn't a possibility.." Mary mumbled to herself frantically, sounding like she blamed herself for what state Anne was in currently.
"Mary, it's not our fault."
Francis said, pulling Mary closer and hugging her.
He kissed her head and then stood up to talk to Nostradamus.

"Have you seen this type of.. Behaviour before?"
Francis asked, glancing back at his wife and daughter behind them and speaking in a hushed tone.
Kenna stood up and went over to Bash, who kissed her forehead and hugged her close.

"I have your majesty."
Nostradamus confirmed, looking hesitantly over to the young miracle on the bed.
Her pale face, dark hair, thin figure.
"You have an explanation?"
Francis asked, sounding so hopeful and yet so terrified.

"One person in this castle has done what Anne has done, acted like she did. When this first happened to him, as a young boy, he too appeared lifeless and Ill. He could not have been poisoned, as he was closely monitored by his parents. A familiar story, I'm sure you'll agree your majesty.
But this boy grew and adapted to this strange occurrence.. He had dreams which never ceased, not even to this day.
Never did he question his ability, where it came from or why it happened. He only used it.
The first time was abnormal and now it is like his 6th sense and 2nd reality. That little boy grew into the Queen Mother's seer."
Nostradamus paused and looked over to Anne briefly.

"However It appears I am not the only one with such abilities in this castle any more."
He nodded to Anne and felt a stunned silence blanket the room.