Once Upon A Tale (Published Amazon)

Chapter Ten

...The Royal Chambers...

Scottish Highlands – 1872

The Queen stormed into the room furious followed by Prince Patrick and Princess Rosalind and a battalion of guards. She turned quickly, he gown swinging out around her.

"What just happened? Someone please explain it to me?" She said furiously. Everyone just looked at each other shaking their heads. The Queen looked at each face until she came across one whose expression seemed more knowledgeable than the other confused faces.

"You!" She pointed at the guard. "You look like you might know something worth telling." Everyone had heard that the Queen had intuitive power, but no one had ever seen her use it firsthand. The guard stepped forward and cleared his throat.

"My lady, from what I just witnessed, along with everyone else." He paused, unsure of how to continue. He took a deep breath. "I believe we just witnessed witchcraft." The Queen frowned at him.

"Witchcraft?" She asked him sceptically.

"My Uncle use to be part of an organisation called 'Val Camonica'. It was a secret brotherhood of witch hunters that originated in Italy in 1637. The Enchantress bloodline was lost in 1867 when one of the Enchantress' murdered everyone in the Val Camonica brotherhood and fled. The timeline fits, I believe that girl to be the daughter of the witch who murdered my uncle and cousins."

"That's a very interesting story, but witches? What nonsense." The Queen spat.

"My lady, how do you explain how she took the Royal jewels from Princess Rosalind's neck?" He asked her. The Queen turned in silence and began to pace. Patrick looked up at the guard with interest.

"My lady, if what I am saying is true, she has cursed the Matriacal bloodline." The queen turned and looked at the guard frowning.

"What do you know of these Enchantress'?" She asked him.

"Only what I was told by my cousin. It began in Italy in the 1600's. Only females are born in the Enchantress bloodline and their curse is only triggered when they suffer true heartbreak. Then they become powerful."

"Find this peasant girl and the Royal jewels." Patrick who had been standing quietly the whole time in shock heard what his mother was really saying.

"She is not a peasant girl. She is." He took a breath. "Was my love." Everyone around the Prince gasped including his new Princess and mother.

"A fling is all she is." The queen told him.

"No. You will leave her alone. The Royal jewels are rightfully hers." Patrick's father began to splutter.

"What are you talking about boy?" He growled.

"I'm saying that if she is an Enchantress like this guard has proclaimed, then her curse she put on this family stands. Meaning, the only Royal heir that will be born, will be the child she carries. My child. A Matriacal."

Scottish Highlands – 1873

It had been six months since Patrick had seen Clara. He had gone out with men who were loyal to him and searching for her under the illusion that he was searching for the Royal jewels. Nevertheless, he did not care about some necklace, he cared about Clara. They had found her house but it was long empty. Brambles grew over the windows and doors and cobwebs covered the interior. He vowed to return on his own away from the prying eyes of his men.

One evening he gathered his men for a secret meeting. He led them to the secret entrance in the woods, where he used to come through to meet up with Clara. The men all knew about the apparent secret tunnels and passageways around the under the castle, but no one had ever seen them before. He led them to a chamber with a huge stone table similar to King Arthur's round table.