Charmed

Chapter One

The fields surrounding the pitiful kingdom of Glydale bounded past as I forced the horse onwards, running out of time. Somehow, I managed to keep hold of the bundle in my arms as well as ride the horse through the long grass. Slowly, the fields turned into long, winding country roads, and I had no choice but to slow down.

I was not used to this part of the kingdom, yet in some strange way I was. The road was familiar and I knew exactly where I was going. The horse knew, too, as it came to a stop outside of a large manor house. The lights were on in the windows, lighting the courtyard with a soft orange glow.

The bell tolled as I pulled the rope, alerting someone on the inside that I was here. Nerves fluttered around my stomach like a million butterflies as I waited patiently, rearranging the bundle so that its face was covered. I rang the bell again. A woman opened the door a few seconds later.

Her blonde hair was curled short upon her head, and she was dressed in a dainty evening gown. I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes at how the wealthier part of the kingdom dressed, instead putting a soft smile on my face. The woman clutched a damp handkerchief, and her eyes were puffy from crying.

"Yes?" she asked. Her voice was dainty and croaky, and I felt a large pang of guilt.

"I saw your ad in the newspaper, miss," I replied, sounding different to her elegant voice. "I believe I have something that belongs to you."

I was immediately ushered inside by one of the servants, who directed me into a glamourous living room. There were four sofas, all of which were circled around a humungous fireplace. A man was standing in front of it, the orange glow from the embers exaggerating the lines and creases on his face. He turned as I walked in with a look of utmost confusion.

"This is my husband, Charles," the woman explained, following behind me. I smiled politely at the man, who managed a courteous nod in return. "Please, have a seat, child."

Child? I thought. I am not a child.

I kept my thoughts to myself and plopped down on the cushy mint-green sofa as instructed. "I hope I'm not intruding."

The woman waved her hand to quieten me. She told her husband to sit on the sofa opposite me. "Nonsense. Do you have him?"

I nodded and unravelled the bundle in my arms. There, amongst the blankets, was a sleeping baby boy. I estimated him not to be any older than three months when I'd found him a week ago. "I'm sorry I didn't bring him sooner."

"Benny!" the woman cried, lunging forwards and snatching the child from me. The baby stirred and gazed up at his mother without crying. I smiled at the reunited family.

"Why didn't you come sooner?" Charles asked, sending me a questioning glare.

"I hadn't heard of any missing babies in the papers." I repeated the lie that I'd told so many times as if it was as easy as saying my name. "I didn't want to give him back to a family that claimed to be his but weren't. So I waited to see if an ad was posted. I checked every day."

"Thank you." The woman's voice was muffled by the child's head as she pressed it to her face, inhaling the sweet baby scent that had been intoxicating me for the past week.

Charles cradled his son's head in his hand as the woman rested him on her shoulder. "How did you find him?"

"The fields behind my farmhouse are occasional dropping points. Sometimes a baby is too loud for the kidnapers to keep. They'd be discovered. Sometimes the baby is deposited and is left by its own family, forcing me to take it to the orphanage."