The wind blew, rain pelting down the hillside, as a lone figure ran past, carrying a bundle in her arms. She raised her hand, her dark green silken glove caressing the bundle, her voice a snake's purr. "Now, my dear, little one. off you go." She sighed, brushing a lock of red-brown hair from her forehead. Her eyes held no warmth that a grandmother's usually would, no soft wisdom rested there, only cold calculation. She set the bundle down in a box,wrapping her tightly in a dark woolen blanket.
"I'm not going to harm you, my dear. but you can not stay. My daughter needs no distractions, and You, Daniella, would cause a scandal." She smiled, the smile of a snake. She raised her hand, "Off you go now, and may you find happiness there" She raised her hand, and a ball of green smoke surrounded the box. In an instant, the baby was gone.
"Now. Her path is clear." Cora smiled silkily, walking away, towards the castle, to wake her sleeping daughter. The king would never know about the child who had been born only an hour earlier.