Happily Ever After?

Chapter 9

"Once upon a time, in a distant land. A king and queen were blessed with a beautiful, strong, healthy prince. The king and queen were thrilled to have a prince, an heir to their throne! They were happy, life was finally going well. But like all fairytales, happiness doesn't always last forever. When all was quiet in the kingdom, the king and queen were visited by a far away traveler. The traveler demanded that they hand over their new born to her, the king and queen didn't obey. This was their child! Their only child, the traveler didn't seem to like that. She bared her teeth at the king and queen, she then yelled that since they didn't hand over their son to her. She would then put a curse on the prince. By his fifth birthday the prince will mysteriously die. The king and queen then banished the traveler from their castle, and if seen in their land again. She shall be destroyed" "what happened then?" A tiny Fiona asked from her blanket. The queen looked to the window and bit her lip with a muffled sigh and continued her story. "The prince's fifth birthday came, the king and queen went to their sons room to wake him, and the traveler was right...when they went to wake him, he was dead.." tiny Fiona pulled her blanket to her mouth and gave a shocked gasp. Lillian looked to Fiona and laid her down so that she was more comfortable in bed. "No more stories for tonight my sweet, it's time for bed now.." Fiona pouted but understood. "Ok mummy." Lillian kissed Fiona softly and walked out of the room, heart breaking she walked into the throne room. Where Harold was playing checkers with Reggie and a chicken, from the looks of it, the chicken was winning. "I swear this chicken is cheating!" He said to Reggie. Reggie looked at the chicken who was clucking and tilting its head, "it's a chicken your highness? I don't think chickens can cheat?" Harold death stared the chicken "I don't know, I mean look at those beady eyes!" Reggie shook his head and then stood up and bowed. "Your highness" Lillian gave a small nod to Reggie then looked to Harold. Harold raised an eye brown and then told Reggie to put everything away before following his wife to the library room. Harold looked at Lillian, his happiness died down when he saw the expression on her face. "Lil?" Lillian sighed, but before she could say anything, the traveler returned. Harold stood protectively in front of Lillian "didn't we banish you from our land you fat hog!?" The traveler looked at him and sneered "like you're the one to talk!" Lillian looked at Harold nervously. "What do you want now?!" The traveler started to circle them "I think you know exactly what I want" Harold and Lillian looked at each other "I'm afraid we don't!" The traveler stopped in front of them "I'm pretty sure you do, I want Fiona!" Harold stood his ground "you've already taken one child from us you bloody hell aren't taking another!" The traveler laughed "you know I can! I'll be back when Fiona turns thirteen. That way, you can't stop her!" Without another word the traveler disappeared in a black puff of smoke. Lillian looked at Harold and started to panic "we can't loose another child Harold!" Harold looked at the last of the black smoke and sighed "I'm afraid we don't have a choice.." Lillian's fear began to rise "we have to do something! Take her somewhere where she'll never find her!" Harold turned to face her "but where!? No where in our kingdom would be well enough to hide our daughter from her!" Lillian's fear turned into anger "so you'd rather her be taken away by that, that hag!? I can't believe you Harold!" Harold rolled his eyes "there's nothing we can do! Don't you see that!?" Lillian turned her gaze away. "All I see is a stubborn king who is willing to give up on another child.." Lillian felt her heart began to crack. "If you won't help me Harold" she turned her gaze back to his without flinching "I'll do it myself!" Without waiting for his reply she stalked out of the room and headed for Fiona's room. Opening the door she peaked in and looked at Fiona sleeping, "I won't let her take you from us my dear..I promise I'll do everything I can to keep you safe" she sighed "even if it means locking you away.."

The next morning Lillian felt her heart break in two as Reggie help Fiona into the carriage, butters, Fiona horse was snuffling behind Fiona wondering what was going on "I'll be back soon butters! Then we can chase all the butterflies we want!" Lillian felt a sob work it's way up to her throat. She'll never see butters again.. Reggie looked at Lillian, Lillian didn't say anything but walk down to the carriage and kissed Fiona's head softly. "I love you so much my dear.." Fiona looked up at her mother, unaware of what was happening "I love you too mummy! I'll see you when I get back!" She won't be coming back! The voice screamed in her head. "Here" Lillian pulled out a tiny brown book from her pocket. "All the songs daddy and mummy wrote for you.." Fiona smiled with glee "thank you!" Reggie looked at Lillian again "your highness, are you sure you want to go thro-" Lillian cut him off "I'm sure Reggie, anything to keep her safe..even..even if it means breaking my heart again..I can't loose her like I did with my son, I want her to grow up in peace" Reggie hung his head in sorrow and got onto the carriage. Without another word the carriage began to fade away, Lillian felt a hand on her shoulder, turning around she shoved her face into Harolds chest and cried. "I can't believe she's gone, my baby!" Harold hugged her and sighed. "It was the right thing to do, I didn't agree with you before. But now, I believe it was the best thing to keep her hidden in peace and freedom.."

A few years had passed and the king and queen had grown quite old, grey hairs began to appear in their hair and bones began to ache. Even as they got older they refused to show any weaknesses, that night everything was quiet. No breeze, no wind, no sound, no noise. Lillian felt her stomach began to churn, in front of her that puff of black smoke appeared again. The traveler had returned as she stated all those years ago. "I'm here for what I deserve." Lillian looked away "I'm afraid I don't understa-" "don't give me that rubbish again!" The traveler demanded "you know why I'm here now give me Fiona!" Harold walked into the room. "No." He spoke boldly. "No? No? You know better then to disagree with me! I can easily take both of your lives away just as easily as your sons!" Lillian stood beside Harold. "You can try!" Before the traveler could reply, Reggie and the guards of the palace came slowly walking into the room. The traveler had no choice but to flee In terror. "You May have disobeyed me! But I'll be back! Mark my words! You can't keep Fiona from me forever!" Again, in a black puff of smoke the traveler disappeared once again. "No matter what happens, that vial creature will never lay a finger on my daughter." Harold vowed "not as long as I'm alive."