To begin a story of adventure, there has to be a beginning.
For example; A woman in her late twenties could be seen on horseback by passing villiagers.
Of course I'm only describing the starting events of my life.. Well, my past life if I must explain fully.
See, I am known by most people as an 'Impossible Mystery' or the 'Greatest Mystery of them all' by the love of my life, Arthur Kirkland.
See, I met him a long time ago actually. When I was a young girl, I was brought up from a poor but happy family. We didn't have much but it was better than nothing as my Father always quoted. I worked hard, making sure the crops were taken care of well and working a lot, so that I could bring some coins back for my family to buy food at the local market down in the middle of the city. This was in my past life back in the 1500's.
I arrived like normal into the market square, minding my business as I usually do. I wore a bright and lifting smile upon my face as I walked amongst the pavement, the heel of my shoes clicking as they tapped a merry tune against the concreate. I skipped to the stall that I usually ventured to, to get the food that my family needed.
"Ah, Claire! How are you this very fine day?" John, one of the local stall folks, asked me.
"I'm fine, thank you. And how has your day been in this wonderful sunny weather?" I asked, still keeping a smile upon my face.
"Great, thank you. Ah, I see your wanting to buy the usual today?"
"Yes please John!" I replied giggling.
As I finished my joyful conversation with John and collected as well as bought the list of items needed, I decided to have a bit of a wonder around town since I hadn't really seen much of it. I walked around looking at other stalls and shops of such, coming across a few bits of clothings and sweets that I would have liked to of had, but I knew I had to think more so about my family's well being instead of my greediness. I giggled to myself and after a while of walking around the town, I soon realised that it was getting late out and I needed to get back home but due to my curiousity getting the best of me, I ended up getting lost, not knowing where to go.
"Oh dear, I am in a bit of a sticky situation aren't I?" I said to myself.
I continued down a what seemed to have been an old, dirty and darkened looking pathway, soon realising it had a dead end. I sighed and turned to walk back out of the old road when as soon as I got out, I was immediately pushed back and fell onto the ground.
"Ouch!" I yelped, as a shot of pain flowed through my knee and down my leg.
"HEY! BOYS! Looks, like we've got ourselves a girl instead of tha' slapped up slut in there!" Said one man with blonde hair and brown lusty and hollowed looking eyes.
My eyes grew wide, realising what street I walked down. The street my Mother and Father both told me not to ever EVER go down, no matter what my curiousity bribed my mind. I started shaking and trembling in fear. How was I supposed to get out.
"Come 'ere gurl~" One purred, raggedly strolling up to me, slurred words evident within his voice.
I did what every girl should do best. I kicked him where men where most hurt and ran for what I thought to have been my life.
"HEY! GET BACK 'ERE YA MANGEY BRAT!" The other man yelled after me as he began to chase me. I ran in all kinds of directions, hoping to avoid them and perhaps bump into John. I kept running trying to find site of the local market square, any pathway that looked similar to that market and I could scream for John's help.
I had no luck in finding that familiar market and ended up getting even more lost within this kind of labyrinth, stopping and resting against a bright white wall and trying to regain my breath back.
At first it seemed like they had gone but soon enough I heard their voices yelling again and decided to hide in the only hiding spot nearby, a rose bush.
"Where's that stupid brat gone now?!" I heard the first drunkman boom.
"Dunno, let's split up and find 'er!" I heard the other drunkman declare. I heard their footsteps fade away into the distance as they split of between two different pathways. When they had finally gone and raggedly got up and fell out of the bush, little cuts evident on my arms from the thorns in the rose bushes.
"Ouch, that hurt.." I mumbled to myself, thinking that I either needed to get back home quickly or find shelter somewhere for the night.
Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder and I rather hard grip squeeze down. I yelped, feeling pain rushing throughout my whole left arm.
"Found ya..." The first drunkman whispered. I turned round to face him and slap him across the face but his hand caught mine within a quick second and decided to swing me around and allow me to collide straight into the white wall that I had rested against earlier. I cried in pain.
"Haha, now ya know what it's like feeling pain! But I'll tell ya one thing little gurly brat! It's gonna get a whole lot worse~.." He bellowed as he started to walk up closer to me, making me feel agitated and uncomfortable, scared and worried. He started chuckling as he ripped part of my beloved dress that my Mother made for me and started undoing his belt.
"Stop in the name of King Kirkland himself!" I heard a guard say. I shut my eyes tightly, fully flinching due to pain and worry of being in trouble.
"Goddamn it, its the King and his Royal Guards!" He whispered to himself, muttering curses to himself.
"What do we have here? A girl in a ripped dress and a man that looks as if he has made the biggest mistake of his life!"
"I-Its not what ya think mate! She wanted me to do it!"
"I don't believe that for one second. Men! Arrest him against harrassment against the King's people!" The Old looking Man had pointed towards the drunkman and within seconds the Guards came over and took the man away. He yelled curses at me, saying that he would get me for this. I just froze in shock and confusion,
I didn't understand for one second what had just happened.
"Hello little girl." The Old looking man with fine clothing and a crown atop of his head had approached me and offered me his hand to take. I flinched and shifted away from him slightly. He chuckled slightly but smiled.
"Its alright, your safe now. Do not worry child, I won't hurt you." His eyes held an expression, one similar to my Father's to be exact. My Father would always hold this exact expression in his eyes when I was scared due to a nightmare or thunder and lightening. I moved slightly closer to the man and placed my hand on his.
He smiled gently.
"Now, how about we bring you in, hmm?" I could only nod.
There was some kind of awkward aura between me and him in my point of view but I was sure it was intirely different in his perspective.
"Aha, here's a spare room in which you can sleep in for the night. One of my personal Maids, Mary has bath made and ready for you to pop into when your ready. Oh!
And Mary will provide you with clothes for tonight. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to." He smiled, waving at me and starting to walk away.
Suddenly, I grew strength in my legs to run up to him and pull on his arm slightly.
"W-Wait! W-What about m-my family? T-They will be worried about me.." Was all I could say. I didn't want to bring up the fact that they would go hungry because I didn't want to sound like a beggar asking for money from such a rich nobleman. He turned to look at me and kneeled down to my height.
"I'll have you sent home by carriage tomorrow. I'll also send a letter to them and have it delivered right away, explaining the situation and leaving them at ease." He replied, smiling that honest and gentle smile once again. He ruffled my hair a little and I slightly gave a small shy smile. He got up and started walking off.
"T-Thank you mister, I-I mean s-sir..." I corrected myself for being rude in stating him that way. He chuckled and walked off.
"Come Miss! Let's get you all cleaned up." I heard a woman's voice say. I turned around to see and pretty white haired Maid with green eyes. I smiled softly and followed her.
I laid there on the bed, looking up at the ceiling, thinking about what happened tonight. I couldn't shake that horrible feeling away. Feeling horrified by the images, I sat up and shook my head a number of times to shake the event out of my mind.
"G-get out! Get out! Get out!" I whisper yelled to my mind, probably sounding insane or weird to others walking past.
"U-um, excuse me miss..?" I heard a shy voice say. I turned around and then that's where I met those perfectly green emerald forest eyes. Those unsual but normal and perfect in everyway eyebrows delicately fitted on his face and his golden blonde messy hair perfecting his whole facial features made him pretty cute and hand-
some in that moment.
"I-I was wondering if you would like anything to eat? I-I'm mean, I'm not asking you to eat with me or anything but.." He seemed to have mumbled the next bit so I couldn't hear.
"I would love to." I answered, smiling kindly. He smiled back and guided me to the kitchen where the chef had prepared what looked like a nice ice cream desert of some kind.
It looked delicious and the table that was set up for the young boy and me, looked beautiful in words that were undescribable.
"S-so what's your name?" The boy asked, I guess he found the silence very awkward and nerve-racking. I giggled slightly at his stuttering form.
"My name is Claire Smith. What is your name, if I may ask?" I asked, curiousity getting the best of me again.
"My name is Arthur Kirkland. Son of King Kirkland, Prince of England and future King of England." He stated proudly. I couldn't help but giggle at his pride and enthusiasm.
"What? What's funny if I may as so ask?"
"Just your enthusiasm and pride.. makes you seem cute~" I admitted, having no shame in stating the obvious to people. He blushed a crimson red and smiled, thanking me for my compliment.
After a while of finishing our deserts, we finally decided to take our leave for bed. He guided me back to my bedroom and I thanked him for inviting me to eat with him.
We both went to bed feeling happy.
And since then, me and my beloved friend Arthur had become great friends but during those times, wars of piracy broke out and eventually Arthur was called to take charge of matters in his Father's place since his brother's got drunk every few days or so and couldn't be trusted with the throne due to it. His Father had grown ill and didn't have the strength to carry himself out of bed nor walk to his study.
During this time, me and Arthur had eventually grown a distance between us due to our hard working efforts in helping others. Arthur most of all with the power of his Father's throne in his hands, he had a lot to take care of in his Father's absence. Being caught up with all his hard work meant that me and Arthur would hardly be able to see each other, nor hang out with one another.
And soon enough, his Father had passed away due to the illness, causing Arthur to have an increased amount of pressure and stress on his hands. He was now King of England.
He, like other Kings or great leaders of other countries, had also gotten into piracy and eventually started dressing and adventuring out on the seas like one. I thought this was all due to his average and normal teenaged behaviour. I mean he had grown more boastful and prideful than before. I would know anyway since I had grown to learn a few things about magic thanks to Arthur's suggestion of getting lessons from his teacher in a hidden place in the castle he lived in. I had also started living in the castle myself since the age of 13, when my brother and sister had died from food poisoning and some unknown disease that's still untreated, and my parents had been murdered by the man that abused me and almost tried to rape me back when I was younger. Most of my life has been sad but I try to be happy everyday and forget about the bad things in the past.
I've still got John Waters from the stall. He's practically the only person I ever talk to apart from my Maid Mary and My Magic Teacher. Arthur I hardly get to talk to at all due to his business and sorts.
I remember I had just finished serving another customer at John's stall, making sure the customer was happy. Everything seemed calm and quiet, perhaps too quiet?
Suddenly, I heard horses neighing from the distance, I ran out to a nearby window within a defensive wall. I looked out to see what looked like a french flag waving and a...
French Pirate?!
"John! There's French Pirates heading this way! We have to warn the villiagers before they attack!" I yelled as John came out with his pistol and rake, ready to kill whatever attacked the villiage.
"Claire, warn all the villiagers get them to safety up in the castle and warn King Arthur, tell him to ready his men!" John ordered as he loaded his pistol with bullets. I nodded and ran off to warn the villiagers, hurrying as best as I could.
I managed to get round to warning all of the villiagers thanks to John for barricading the main gate doors to provide some spare time in which to warn the villiagers.
I started running to get everyone into the castle, when I heard the gates bash open. There stood the French Pirates. England's worst enemy as well as King Arthur's. The Captain of the French Pirates mainly.
"Run! Everybody run!" I yelled as I rushed to get most of the villiagers into the castle gates.
I spotted an elderly woman being pushed over in all the commotion. I rushed over to her aid and helped her up rushing her as quick as we both possibly could to get to the gate.
We managed to finally get through and block the French Pirates from getting past.. so far.
"Arthur! The French Pirates, their here!-"
"I know and I'm working on it!" He growled getting furious at me for no reason. I started to tear up a bit and sniffled slightly. He turned around to see me starting to cry for the first time. His eyes grew wide eyed and he started to feel guilty.
"Look, Claire I'm-"
"You do realise your not the only one with stress and problems in their lives! I've lost both my parents and siblings and possibly one of my close friends! I've lost so much yet at least I can keep a happy and smiling face on throughout each day!" I cried, running off up to my room in the castle. I laid down, my face in the pillows, crying as hard as I have ever done.
After a while, I sat up and sniffled, wiping my tears and realising that I need to tend to the wounded Guards. I rushed off down stairs as fast as my legs could.
Once I got into the Hospital Wing of the Castle, I immediately tended to the wounded, bandaging their arms, hands, wrists, eyes, stitching cuts up and making sure the wounds are cleaned.
Suddenly, the doors were slammed open and screams from the nurses and maids could be heard. I could hear boots clicking and clacking, to and fro. I sighed and closed my eyes,
expecting something to go bang and explode the whole place.
"Ah~ So mon amour~" I heard a French voice speak, I looked up to see a face close up towards mine. I slapped the man's face, warning him to back off.
"Ah, feisty as well?~ You must come with moi~" The man, who I assumed to be the captain of the crew, grabbed my wrist gently but I shook my arm away from his touch.
"Go? With you? You must be a daft old frenchman..." I scoffed, rolling my eyes and crossing my arms, looking away from him in disgust. He shrugged and sighed.
"Oui~ You must come with moi mon'ame~" He repeated, picking me up and lifting me over his shoulders, giving me no option but to go with him as a prisoner.
As soon as we got outside, the frenchman started to mock the English life style.
"So zhis is England, non? Seems pretty messy and *breathes in* doesn't really have good taste in uh.. smell." He mocked, making me boil with anger.
"How dare you! You were the one who created this mess in the first place so why bother blaming it on us you incompetent little frog-faced toad! Put me down" I demanded but the Frenchman refused.
I called Arthur's name repeatedly but to no avail did an answer come back.
Until now that is.
"Claire! Francis you little toad headed frog! Give her back! She doesn't belong to you!" Arthur declared.
"Ohonhonhon~ Angleterre, why haven't 'ou claimed 'er yet zhen?" Francis taunted back, pissing the Brit off further more. It seemed that Arthur knew him oh too well, which seemed very odd and curious.
The Frenchman started to trodge onwards to his ship where I would be held captive. And seeming as Arthur's men had failed to protect the villiage as well as the castle, he had no choice but to let me go with Francis. I knew this all too well due to fantasy stories told to me from the books that my Mother had. The sudden thought of my mother and the situation had brought me to tears.
"Arthur! Help me!" I cried, forgetting the fact that Arthur couldn't. He couldn't help but look at me with a sad look that made my heart ache.
"You are being so silly mon amour~ He can't be bozhered to get 'ou~" The Frenchman stated, continuing to walk away from the slightly burning and broken castle.
"I will find you again soon Claire! I promise!" Arthur shouted from the distance, I smiled, feeling slightly happier that he promised me something after a while of no contact.
I was held captive by Francis for quite a long time, long enough to almost think that Arthur would never come to rescue me.
Not long after almost giving up on his promise, he came charging head on against the French Captain, succeeding in rescuing me and defeating the french crew. He swooped me off the deck of Francis's ship and onto his very own Pirate ship, to which I was impressed on the detail and look of it.
I was sat down in Arthur's quarters and told to change into non-ripped clothing and get well rested as the ship carried me back to the English shore.
Ever since then, I grown closer and closer to Arthur. He has had his occasions where he would yell at me and I'd run off to calm down but I knew he didn't really mean it. To say that I hadn't grown feelings towards him would be to tell a lie to a King or Queen.