THIS STORY WAS ADOPTED BY ME FROM LilWinx THANX!
~A.L. Mitchell
All Rights Reserved
Prologue
Janine POV
In the midst of the night, a loud roar of fire rips through the neighboring house. As I watched in horror, I yank my daughter out of her cot. I race out of the door and snatch the reins of my horse and ride off towards the Moroian borders, away from the hell stricken city, that was once my home.
*FLASHBACK*
"You desire to see me King Dashkov?" asks King Badica, as he steps forward from the shadows.
"Yes, I have some utterly important news to share," Victor replies, heavy toned.
"Alright and what information shall you share?" Anthony questions.
"My information decrees the information you have withheld from your country in the past year"
The eyes of the Badica king widen in shock, knowing the information would lead to the end of his reign, he had deceived the people of his country.
"Now would you like to reveal the secret? Or would you like me to do it for you?" Victor demands. His voice loud enough to shake the throne room.
"Please dear sir, did she keep the child?" Anthony cries, tears starting to fall down his cheeks, reaching the tips of his chin.
"Yes, she did and now, this boy is the heir to your throne!" Victor gestures his wife, to enter the room. I tail the Strigoi Queen, who carries a young baby, no more than 3 months of age into the room, anger and fear tinges the room.
I grasp my abdomen, wondering if one day my child will never come in harms way as this child held before me would. This child was a bastard, an illegitimate of our king, A king that betrayed our trust and made love to the queen of our worst enemy, Strigoi.
"This is your child, and he WILL be king!" yells the Dashkov King.
I stare in disgust at the King who remained quiet, not moving an inch, staring at the baby lashing about in the arms of his mother. The Dhampir King opens his mouth and slowly shuts it again. Victor growls in anger and slaps Anthony. Instinct kicks in; I step forward to protect my hierarchy only to be stopped by his hand.
"No, this man has every right to have done what he has just done," he says sympathetically. "I know this isn't easy Janine but please keep this quiet until the issue has been resolved. You are dismissed."
'I…" I reply, shifting in my position, not intending to leave. He cuts me off.
"Please, return to your home, you are with child please take it easy,"
"Yes, your majesty" I nod and reluctantly exit the room. As I close the door on my way out, the shouting resumes.
Our king had committed adultery to our people, and yet I feel compassionate to our leader, our queen had died only 2 years ago from child birth, the heir to his throne. Grief was not the term to describe what Anthony had endured. His honour was destroyed, when his wife died that fateful night. Our Moroian neighbours had warned us of such dangers when our king married the young daughter of our highest ranked nobleman. She cannot withstand the pressures of childbirth, but he was stubborn and married her out of love.
I saddle my horse, and walk on the trails into the safe haven of my hometown.
[6 months later]
I slam the doors open to the throne room, causing King Badica to jump out of his throne.
"My Noble Janine, here." He passes me a scroll, coated in the silver wax that represented our country.
"I know what this is and I cannot receive such burden," I reply
"My dear, how is this burden? I am merely giving you the chance to begin your life again, raise you child with its father in Moroia." He answers, sincerely.
"It is a burden to leave his majesty to hands of our enemies."
"Not if I truly want you to leave and take refuge in Moroia, for the sake of your child, this may not be an easy task but please, take the parchment and leave as soon as you can."
'Never, I will be with you till the end."
"Ah… Janine, such courage."
"Not courage, responsibility…" I state, "It was my duty to protect you when I agreed to be your head knight."
"Janine, it is also your duty to obey my orders and you have given me no choice but to command you to leave Dhampany as soon as possible."
"Your majesty…"
"Take the time you have left here, and preserve it well. The war is about to begin."
My second in command, Stan, escorts me out of the room, I look back and was greeted with a smile. A smile that hid darker secrets from within, a smile that would change everything, a smile that destroyed my child's future.
A packed the saddle bag with essentials, leaving the scroll on the desk. Finally, the house was bare and there on the table sat the silver scroll. I sat in the chair and stared, I must've sat there for hours on end, dreaming what my life could have ended up to be, if none of this had occurred, what my child's life could have been. But what was I to think about this, what future could I have? One as a refugee, seeking sanctuary in a country I was not bound to protect.
Jeremiah was his name, the name was a heavy weight on our country, everyone disliked it, some spat in disgust at the name. These pieces of information went around like a plague, almost every person in Dhampany had found out through rumours. As I walk through the market, people staring in my direction, to my guess they were wondering why I would be roaming the markets at this time of dire need towards the king. Until a sickening pain rips through my abdomen. A warm liquid drips down my legs, I drop to my knees and scream in pain. Patches of darkness consume my eyesight.
I awaken to the smell of sage and mints. I moan at the sight of a cot with a baby sleeping gently, full of innocence, born into a world of war.
"Janine…" growls a deep voice from behind. I turn to see King Badica, staring with concern on his face
"Your majesty!" I exclaim in surprise.
"I told you to leave…"
"My liege, I cannot, not yet…"
"If I were not for Stan, You nor the child will be here."
"I must thank him."
"Please do not stay in Dhampany, the Strigoi army are most definitely on their way."
"Rose…"
"Sorry?"
"Her name is Rose… Rosemarie Hathaway…"
"Aren't you getting a little off topic here?"
"I will leave when I feel the time is right…."
I slip into my shoes and lift Rose out of the cot. I turn and is welcomed by an intense stare from Anthony.
A loud crash echoes through the hallway, a stone lit on fire had smashed its way through the walls.
"No, please no not today…" I cry, Rose was born on the day the war began.
*End FLASHBACK*