The king's folly

IX

Evening dawned on Charlotte and the cold breeze blew across the castle and its inhabitants.

James has spent the day avoiding the new guests and trying to get more knowledge on who they are.
But it was dinner time and he could not avoid that.

Dinner was light with wild boar as meat and some hot bread and spicy stew with some apple wine.

James was silent, he had a lot on his mind,
The coronation was still there and so was the looming threat of the assassin that killed his father.
"My prince?"
The feminine voice forced into his mind and scattered his thoughts.
He hesitated before looking at her.
"Yes, lady hanna?"
Before dinner started, he decided to sit as far away from her as possible. Sadly, his plan failed woefully as she sat directly opposite him.

Her eyes stared deeply into him as if yearning for something or wanting to quench a thirst.

Throughout the afternoon, he had been approached numerous times by her, saying she wants to go on a walk or trying desperately to get an alone time with him.
"I would love to ask you a question." She said her voice sounding so sweet yet so annoying to him.
"Yes my lady?"
"Do you have a lady?" She said, her eyes twinkled in pleasure and delight at that question.
James was mortified. But his face turned bright red in embarrassment.
"Why would you think that?"
"You have been avoiding me all day." She drawled. Her hands moved in a swift motion and snatched his hand.
He jolted back and tried to wrench free but she tightened her grip.
Then she looked into his eyes.
Pain shot up his arm as he tried to shift it.
Then he started to hear a voice in his head.
I'm not pretty enough right.
WHO IS SHE?
Sweat appeared on his forehead and ran down his cheek.
I can't move.
"My lady"
A distant male voice declared.
It was the count.
She eased her hands off his while staring at him.
The count appeared and spoke to her in hush tones.
She stood up, bowed before him and turned stylishly away from the table.
What the hell is going on?
The queen looked towards her son from the head of the table and saw the strange event happen.
*******
"I think we have a problem, my lady" Bellum said shutting the door behind them.
"YES!That brat loves someone else!"
"We also have another."
"Hanna" paused.
"Apparently that young girl escaped"
"What? HOW DID SHE ESCAPE———-"
Hanna grabbed her hair and pulled at her radiant blonde hair in fury.
"We need to wrap this up before the queen finds out"
************
"Did you do as I ask?"
The queen, her hands clasped behind her back, in deep thought.
"Yes,my queen" the scribe said, his voice shaky.
He pulled out a letter and handed it to the queen.
"So the castle is in utter chaos and the count and his daughter are dead?"
"Yes,my queen. I wrote the legend immediately, it happened a week ago"
So who is in my castle?
"You May leave" the queen said.
"My queen, there is one more thing"
"What is it, scribe?"
There was a long pause.
"The captain of the guard claims the lost dame was seen at the castle today."
The queen turned back In surprise.
"Track her down. Her life is in grave danger."
The scribe zoomed out of the study.
The queen shut the door immediately.
It has to be her. Those eyes. I must confront her.
***************
Hanna stumbled out of the room as she made for
The courtyard outside the palace.
It was day one and she had to send information.
Suddenly she felt a sense of power.
Magic. One of her eyes began to shone.
Ahhhrrg. What is that magic?

She held a hand over her blue eye and trotted across the room.
Then she saw it.
The queen stared her in the eye as she brandished a glowing orb in her hand.
It was a red orb, surrounded by a silver cradle. It shone in the moonlight.
"Good to see you, soraya"
Hanna now Soraya, winced at the sound of the name.
"You know this family has a debt to pay, jazlyn."
The orb shone brighter like a burning flame. Soraya clutched her face in pain.
"Leave my family. Soraya"
"I have a duty as a witch and you have one too."
The orb's light dimmed by the sound of the words " witch".
"Don't you ever call me that" jazlyn said. Her eyes flashed with anger, veins popped up in her forehead.
Soraya knew the queen's position.
She smiled.
"If you try to stop me, I'll make sure they burn you for heresy"
The orb's light was gone. The queen's eyes shone red. Like blood reflecting light. She muttered a small chant.
Suddenly vines from nowhere sprung from thin air and snakes across her mate.
Soraya has no time to act as she was caught in Jazlyn's trap.
"You still haven't changed. Your anger is always the death of you."
Soraya chanted as a large glowing circle engulfed her. Sucking her into nothingness.
She was gone.
The queen was breathing heavily. Her eyes were wet with tears as she understood the problem before her.
Meanwhile, In the garden, someone saw all that transpired from a window.
**********************
Heyo!
Who is lurking in the shadows?
Is the queen in trouble?
Hey guys. How's your summer going?
Finally I am free from classes and now have enough time to update. Might spam a lot of chapters so look forward to it.
Don't forget to vote or comment.🤩🤩🤩