The Hands of Fate

Chapter 1

It all began one stormy night.

The winds raged as they threatened to tear the royal palace to shreds, the harsh gusts striking the kingdom of Allenia mercilessly. Most lost their homes that night, others were put in terrible danger. As lighting struck the plains, a thunderous boom shook the land.

Safe in the shelters of the palace, the King and Queen sat by the warm firelight, listening to the raging storm that was hurting their people--the people of Allenia. Alongside them sat a young toddler, Prince Caspian. The little boy resembled both his father and mother even at his early age. His eyes gleamed a worried hazel shade as he heard the thunder. The young Prince sat in a chair next to his mother, displaying his already strong stature, one that even at his young age, people could recognize as royalty. His skin was that of a light shade, and the Prince bore short, sweeping dirty blonde hair. He had his father's character and charisma, yet his mother's kindness and beauty. He was everything a kingdom could ask for.

The maids rushed around the rooms, shutting windows hurriedly and making sure the palace was kept safe. Some hurried past the royals, most bowing as they did so, though others were too busy and rushed that they thought nothing of it. Among them was a woman named Adeline. She was the royal family's most trusted maid. The royals almost thought of the woman as family, and she knew that, but Adeline would never dare boast about it.

As the winds whistled forcefully, a window opened abruptly and rain came pouring in. Groups of maids ran over to the window in an effort to cover it. Others ran towards other nearby windows to make sure that they wouldn't open either.

This storm was, by far, the worst the kingdom had ever faced. Adeline worriedly hurried towards the entrance to make sure that the harsh conditions wouldn't burst open the large wooden doors of the palace. As she began to lock the doors with a wooden plank, the woman heard a cry, one of which sounded like a babys. Adeline paused, could it be? Could there be a baby out there?

...

Little did the woman know that about a minute before she heard the baby's cry, a figure in a sweeping black cloak ran towards the palace. In her arms she held a baby which screamed against the winds howling screams.

As thunder rumbled across the ground, tears poured out of the babies brownish green eyes. The infant struggled to get out of the tightly wrapped clothing it was trapped in, but the figure didn't seem to want the child to be let go.

As the figure approached the palace, she kissed the forehead of the baby before she lay it on the wet doorstep of the palace.

"This is all for the best, my love," the figure spoke softly, the voice feminine and kind, "there is one here who can take better care of you than I. Stay safe, my little one."

The baby screamed louder as its back touched the cold, wet stone; losing the grasp of the person carrying it before. The figure who once carried the baby turned and looked back once more before running off, leaving the infant crying on the doorstep of the palace in the midst of a raging storm.

The baby was left there for thirty minutes, screaming and crying, as if challenging the wind and the rain to see who could be louder. Soon enough, however, the wooden doors opened and out came Adeline. She pushed a piece of curly black hair out of her dark face, fixing her eyes on the child. She instantly felt pity for the baby, for it seemed to be alone. After a moment of scanning the area to see if an adult was around to claim the infant, she bent over, scooping up the crying baby in her arms. Instantly, the child quieted, and Adeline looked down, almost in shock.

"You are very different, aren't you, my dear?" She asked the child, knowing it wouldn't respond.

Adeline did not wait a moment more. She proceeded to take the baby inside, walking past maids who seemed to be in a rush, all of them bearing darker complexions. Adeline began to climb the steps towards the maids chamber, her bare feet getting soaked with water on the velvet rugs as more rain came pouring in.