Chapter 1
Blaine was lying in his bed when he heard the creaking coming from his window. He pulled the covers up around his head and tried to block out all the scary thoughts that popped into his tiny 5 year old head. He dared himself to peek over to the window. Lowering the covers slightly he slowly opened one eye and looked at the window. His mum hadn't closed the curtains again – Blaine didn't like the dark very much so the light of the moon shining into his bedroom helped the night-time seem less scary. Everything looked okay – wait, was the window meant to be open? Blaine sat up in his bed and looked around his room. He caught sight of two blue circles staring back at him and he screamed. Within seconds his parents had appeared in his room worried at the noise coming from their young son.
"What's wrong Blaine?" his dad asked, a worried look on his face.
"There was a boy in my room daddy!" Blaine wailed, grasping his father thick neck tightly. His father looked at his mother who walked over to where her son was pointing a shaky finger.
"Blaine, honey, there's nothing here. It was just a bad dream. Snuggle in and rest." His mum closed the window tightly as his dad tucked him back into bed. Stroking his young sons rosy cheek, the man looked down fondly as sleep defeated Blaine and drew him back into his dream world.
"That's the 5th time in two weeks. I'm getting worried." He whispered to his wife.
"I'm sure its nothing, sweetheart, you know how active his imagination is." The dark haired beauty smiled gently, holding out her hand to her husband. "Come on, we've got a big day tomorrow."
"Blaine's first day at etiquette class. I still think he's too young for this, Rebecca."
"We were 5 when we started and besides, Stephen, its in the Royal Charter "princes must begin their learning of royal etiquette 3 months after their 5th birthday." He'll be fine, he's stronger than he looks!"
King Stephen looked at the young prince snoring lightly and sighed. Despite his son's small frame he was strong. Maybe, just maybe, he'd be strong enough to break the curse. His hand shook as he tried to grasp the door handle. He drew his breath sharply as Rebecca rushed to his side.
"This is too fast, Stephen! We must go and see Victoria! Please let me take you!" she pleaded, knowing the wise woman in the forest was the only one within a 4 day ride who could offer any sort of remedy to the curse that had plagued the Anderson line for generations.
It had started more than 125 years ago when Richard Anderson had fallen in love with a beautiful woman. They had met secretly as Richard was already betrothed to a princess in the neighbouring kingdom. When he had met Ariadne though, it had been love at first sight. Richard defied his father and angered his future father-in-law when he had refused to marry the princess and eloped with Ariadne. What no-one had realised is that the princess was evil and had inherited her mother's ability to create curses. Richard and Ariadne had found sanctuary in the kingdom of Robert Hudson. King Robert had given Richard shelter and allowed him to assist with the law-making duties – eventually making him Sheriff of Hudson Kingdom. When the news came that Richard's father had died, the magistrates from the Anderson Kingdom came for him with the news that he was now King – as the sole heir, there was no-one to take over other than him.
Richard & Ariadne had left the Hudson Kingdom and returned to the Anderson dynasty. Although they had been married by King Robert, the marriage was blessed by the local priests on the day of Richard's coronation. It was 2 years later when they were blessed with a son and 3 years still when Richard's hands started shaking. Only when Simon was beginning his etiquette classes and the shaking worsened did Richard remember the words uttered by his former betrothed:
Have your happiness and enjoy your heart
For soon the time will come to part
Your first born son shall age til five
Then his parents will cease to live
Throughout the bloodline this curse will prevail
The father then the mother both shall ail
Only when true love does shine
From sapphire beams to a golden shrine
With hearts as pure as the driven snow
Only then will this curse go
Richard knew what was coming. He had been making arrangement for the last year – hoping and praying that they would all be in vain. His first born and only child would be an orphan within the year.
Simon hadn't fully understood why his parents had left him. All he knew is that the horrid governess wouldn't stop crying. It was only when he turned 18 and was officially crowned King that he was made privy to the exact wording of the curse.
Each generation of Anderson had tried in vain the break this curse. Each generation of Anderson had left their first born son an orphan before his 6th birthday.
Stephen's heart was aching as he called for his page.
"It's time." He said sadly. As King Stephen and Queen Rebecca left the palace, tears rolled down their olive skinned cheeks.
The blue-eyed boy watched the man ride away in the carriage with his lady. He wondered why they looked so sad. He could feel the beating in his chest – that was the closest they'd come to finding him yet. He had to be more careful. He'd been spying on Blaine for a few days and had thought he was sleeping when he crawled in through the window. He didn't think the boy would scream so loudly. He looked down at his green trousers and rubbed at his knee. He'd bashed it when he had jumped out the bedroom window. He'd ask his grandmother for some magic paste when he got back to the village.
Looking up at the moon through the branches in the trees, Kurt could tell it was nearly be dawn. He quietly climbed down from his perch and, keeping to the shadows, he left the grounds through the small gap in the wall he'd crawled under less than an hour ago. His tiny frame fit through the small hole easily. Standing up on the other side of the high stone wall, he brushed himself off and walked quickly and quietly into the nearby forest. Stopping to pick some strawberries from a nearby bush, he allowed himself to think about the boys eyes. He loved his eyes – they were so dark and brown and golden and big. Kurt shoved a couple of strawberries into his tunic pocket giggling to himself at the thought of a grown up seeing his 6 year old self wandering around the woods at night. Yawning widely, he hoped his grandmother would let him rest today although he knew it was his turn to fetch water from the river. Kicking at some leaves on the mossy ground, Kurt smiled as he saw his grandmother's cottage come into view as the sun began to make its presence felt on the edge of the horizon. She was sitting in her rocking chair on the front porch. Waving wildly he noticed his grandmother smile and shake her head.
"Grandma, I saw him again!" Kurt babbled.
"So I can see by the big smile on your face! You need to stop sneaking into the castle my little pixie! What would happen if you got caught!" she smiled, knowing that nothing could stop her grandsons adventures.
Kurt giggled as the old woman ruffled his hair and pointed out his breakfast which was waiting for him on the kitchen table. Kurt happily ate his breakfast and added his strawberries to the top of his porridge. Swinging his feet , he wondered why the man and lady had looked so sad and thought about how bad he would feel if the boy he'd been watching looked that sad. Shaking his head at the thought he realised that boys had too much fun to be sad and that Blaine was probably already playing with his toys and having lots of fun.
