The Daughter of Moonlight

Authors Disclaimer: I do not own this story. Thank you Abbie Phillips Walker.

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Her name was Leonora and she was the queen of Lucidell.

She was the unhappy queen of Lucidell.

This was because she was unable to become pregnant.

Chapter 1

A tall man walked down a hallway. He was a handsome man, with dark skin, black hair, and a strong jaw. His strides were long and brisk; with a certain important air about them. The halls that he walked were almost as dark as the man; they were made of a grey stone and were poorly illuminated. The floor was a mosaic of dark and slightly darker stones. As the man walked he passed many doors and openings to other hallways and stairways. One of the doors was open a jar and a group of servants were congregating within. As the man neared the door he began to slow down. He had heard the hushed voices behind the slightly opened door and something said must have caught his attention. He stopped a few feet before reaching the door.

Inside 5 women sat on small stools and mended torn clothing.

An old women spoke, "Yes that's right, her highness is in her chambers crying' her heart out."

Everyone looked up. This was obviously a hot topic of discussion and gossip.

"Still not pregnant?"

"She is 7 and 20 years of age! By now she should have had plenty of children… I wonder why she is not able to have any children"

This statement brought many replies from the women.

"Maybe she has committed some terrible crime that has offended the gods!"

"Is she unworthy?"

"She must be diseased."

The older woman spoke up. "Why is it that we blame the Queen for her problem and not the King? He provides the seed, if anything it is his problem. Maybe he can not perform the act of love and child making." At this the women went silent, thinking perhaps, of Kings Seed.

The man in the hallway looked down, he was obviously embarrassed. He walked away from the door and the gossiping servants. A woman's voice echoed through the hallway, "Your highness!" The man turned to face the voice and instead faced a lady in waiting. "I have an urgent message for you." The women looked around nervously. "It is directly from your wife, the queen. She would not let me stray from her exact words."

"Yes?" The man was worried.

"Douglas, come to my chamber immediately or I shall leap from my window." The lady in waiting paused and then told the man that that was the Queens exact words.

The man sighed and headed towards his wife's chamber.

When he reached the chamber, the man rapped on the locked door and announced himself. "Leonora, it is your husband, open the door." When there was no immediate answer he knocked louder and shouted, "The King demands this door to be opened at once."

Another lady in waiting opened the door and let him in. Once inside, the man heard sobbing.

"Douglas!" It was Leonora and she was almost screaming. "Why must I be so cursed?"