Introduction

A lot time ago, there was a king, who was said to be the best monarch of his time. His people loved him and his enemies feared him and when he died he left his kingdom in a more prosperous and powerful condition than any king had done before him.

He had two sons Killian and Patrick who loved each other tenderly. Killian was the oldest son and cut off the kingdom and made his brother king.

Now the king Patrick Jane had a wife whom he loved more than everything in the world named Angela and he gave her the greatest of dresses and jewels.

But his heart filled with sorrow and shame when he accidentally discovered after several years that she had deceived him and he was obligated to carry out the law and ordered to put her to death.

His blow was so heavy and in his mind thought every woman was as wicked as his wife. So every evening he married a fresh wife and he had her strangled the next morning by his counselor.

The poor man fulfilled his task with a stone heart but there was no escape .

The king's behavior cause horror and fear in his town. In almost every house was a father weeping for the loss of his daughter and at the rest feared about their children. A few years ago , it was a blessing to have their daughters to marry the king but now it was a curse.

The counselor had two daughters himself of whom the eldest was called Teresa and the youngest Anna. Anna had no particular gifts to distinguish her from the other girls but her sister Teresa was clever and courageous and her beauty excelled that any girl in the kingdom. Her father gave her the best masters in philosophy, medicine, history and the fine arts.

One night, the counselor was talking to his eldest daughter who was the pride and the light of his life and Teresa said to him:

"Father, I have a favor to ask of you. Will you grant it?"

"You know I can't refuse you anything." he replied with a soft smile.

"Then listen me please. I'm determined to stop this barbarous act of the king once and for all."

"That would be an amazing thing to do but how do you propose to accomplish it?" he asked curious.

"My father..." Teresa said and took his hand " it is you who have to provide the king with a new wife every day. And I implore you to allow the honour to fall fall upon me."

"Are you out of your mind?" the counselor cried loudly. "You know what it means to be the king's wife!"

"I know it well and I'm not afraid. If I fail my death will be a glorious one. If I succeed I will have done a great service in my country."

The counselor was obligated to give away and went sadly to the palace to tell the king that the following evening he would bring him Teresa.

The king received the news with the greatest astonishment.

"Are you sure you want to sacrifice your daughter to me?" the king Patrick asked.

"Sir, it was her own wish." the counselor answered sad.

"Let there be no mistakes. Remember you will have to take her life. And you know what it will happen if you refuse." King Patrick said icily.

"Sir, whatever the cost, I will obey you." the counselor replied and king Patrick agreed to bring his daughter.

Teresa took the news as if it had been the most pleasant thing in the world. She thanked her father and told him to have faith in her and went to prepared herself for the wedding and asked to speak with her sister.

When they were alone Teresa said to her:

"My dear sister, I need your help in a very important task. Our father is going to take me to palace to celebrate my wedding with the king. When his highness receives me, I will beg him, as a last favor, to let you sleep in our chapter , so I can have your company during my last night. I am alive. If he granted my wish as I hope, be sure to wake me up an hour before the dawn and tell me this 'My sister, if you are not asleep, I beg you, before the sun rises, to tell me one of your charming stories'. Then I will begin and I hope by this mean to bring an end to the terror that reign over the people."

Anna agreed to do what her sister asked her with pleasure.

The next evening, the counselor arrived to the palace with Teresa and left her alone with the king Patrick. The king raised her veil and he was amazed from her beauty. But when he looked at her eyes full of fears he stopped and asked her the reason.

"Sir, I have a sister who loves me as tenderly as I love her. Grant me the favour of allowing her to sleep this night here, as it is the last night we will spent together." Teresa said and the king granted and Anna was sent for.

One hour before the sun rises Anna woke up and did as she had promised. She went to her sister and said:

"My sister, if you are not asleep, I beg you, before the sun rises, to tell me one of your charming stories. It is the last time to have the pleasure of hearing you."

Teresa turned to the king and asked: "Will your highness permit me to do as my sister asks?"

"Willingly. "King Patrick answered and Teresa began...

I love the story from the moment I read the first chapter of the book. Of course I will write only the important parts and not the whole story. It may have one or two chapters more. I don't know yet. What do you think? Please share freely your opinion.