Eleven 11 "Dark Nightmare"

TRUE HEART

The King of the North Kingdom was very sick. His heir was just a baby. He had very little time so he appointed his nephew as next King. He made his nephew promise that he would marry his daughter and be the next in line. His nephew Dust agreed as long as the King's son married his daughter. The King passed the next day and Dust was crowned new King. He raised the former King's son Fable as his own. When Fable was old enough he brought him hunting. One day as they returned from hunting Fable saw a beautiful girl on the farms outside of the castle walls. The girl noticed Fable looking. As his horse passed her he could not look away until he could not see her anymore. He spends the whole day thinking about the girl. He could not hold himself so he went out of the castle at night without the guards noticing. He silently approached a window of the house he saw her from outside. A candle was on. He looked inside and saw her writing. She could feel something and looked back. She was surprised to see Fable but could not hide her smile. Fable smiles too. Suddenly the castle horn sounded and guards came out of the castle looking for Fable. The guards saw him and went to get him back. Before taking him back Fable asked her name. She answered Cicle. The guards took him to his room and told him that the King was going to talk to him in the morning. The King was having breakfast with his family but Fable had not joined them. The King asked a guard to bring him. The guards enter Fable's room but he is still asleep. They tried to wake him up but he was out cold. Fable was all night and morning thinking about Cicle until he passed out. One guard picks him up but Fable screams for him to go away. The guard told the king what was happening. The King stood up. He kicked the door and Fable stood up rapidly. King Dust tells Fable to get dressed and meet him in his private quarters as he has a surprise for him. Fable gets there rapidly. Dust tells him that he wants to make him King as soon as possible as he promised his uncle. Fable is surprised as he is still very young but is willing to accept but Dust tells him that he must marry his daughter. Fabel says that he was in love with Cicle. Dust asked him who was Cicle. Fable says she was a farmer's daughter. That he saw her getting back from hunting and at night got out of the castle to see her. Dust saw the eyes of Fable and knew he was in love. Dust tells him that if he didn't marry his daughter he would not be King. Fable says he is willing to give up being king if he could marry Cicle. Dust was furious and started breaking stuff. Fable stood there silently. Dust agreed to let Fable marry Cicle but he would be banned from the castle as he would be disobeying a direct order from the King. Fable agreed without thinking twice. Dust goes out to the farm to talk to Cicle's parents. He tells him that he is going to arrange a wedding for Fable and Cicle and that he will construct a house just outside of the castle walls. He also was going to appoint Fable as headmaster of the whole outside area of the castle but Fable was not allowed to step foot inside the walls and that also none of the farmers were allowed. He would only allow their daughter to get in and she must accept to work as one of his daughters's ladies. The parents were surprised but could see their daughter smiling. They agreed as long as Cicle was happy with Fable. Cicle nodded yes very rapidly. They got married and Fable and Cicle began living together. The King's daughter Laya treated Cicle very badly as she resented her for marrying Fable. Her father told her he would find her a worthy husband and that she would be queen someday. Laya wanted Fable to be her husband. As time passes Laya tries to seduce Fable on several occasions but Fable denies Laya. She became furious and commanded a few guards to beat up Fable. They leave him in very bad shape. Cicle wanted to stay with Fable to attend to his wounds but Fable asked her to go to her job as he wanted to please the King's wish as the King pleased his wish of letting him marry her. Cicle tells Fable how bad Laya's treatment is towards her. Fable smiles and says I will always be here waiting for you. Cicle smiles and goes to the castle. When she gets there he notices the King is very sick. The King asked the southern kingdom king to get his son to marry his daughter and he would become King of the north. Cicle tells Laya what she heard from the King. Laya goes to her father to stop him but he tells her that it is too late and that he has already arranged the marriage to happen in one week. Laya was crying. Cicle came to console her. Laya asked Cicle to join her for dinner. When Cicle got to her home she fell very sick. Fable sent a messenger to tell the King that Cicle was sick and could not go to the castle. The King tells his healer to go to Fable's house to help Cicle. The healer noticed she had the same symptoms as the King. He gives her some medicine and tells her to rest. Fable tells the healer to send the King his gratitude and gives him all his valuables as payment. The healer did not want to accept any payment but Fable was not going to let him go without them. The healer goes to the King and tells him that Cicle had the same symptoms that he had. He went to his daughter and lied to her telling her Cicle had died. Laya acted as if she was sad but as soon as her father went away she laughed with happiness. Her father could hear her from outside the door. He proceeded to ask one of her maids to search her room for anything suspicious. The maid finds a bottle with a strange liquid. The healer suspects it was the same poison that got the King and Cicle sick. The King instructed the maid to put the bottle back. The next day the King was having dinner with his family. His daughter brings him the soup. He tells her that she could have his soup that he feels bad and is not going to eat it. Laya began trembling and dropped the soup to the floor. Suddenly Fable appears and Dust asks him to eat with them. Another soup is brought to the King and Fable. Laya asked to be excused. She goes out of the castle to the farm. She sees Cicle in her home alive. She turn back to the castle and sees her father with the South's King's son. Her father gives her the choice to be prosecuted for poisoning him and Cicle or for her to go live in the southern Kingdom as the wife of the King's son. Laya gets inside the carriage without saying anything. Dust asked for Fable and Cicle to pardon his daughter. They both agreed without thinking about it. Fable got on his knees and thanked the King for sending his healer to heal Cicle. Cicle also kneels to thank the King. Dust invites him, his wife, and all their family inside the castle. He asks for the villagers to gather. He and the Fable family go out on the balcony. Dust asked Fable and Cicle to kneel. They both do. Dust takes his crown and puts it on Fable's head. Dust pronounced Fable and Cicle King and Queen of the North Kingdom.

The End