Prologue
Once upon a time, far far away from any places we might know, there was a huge and utterly beautiful island, surrounded by the deep blue sea. An island, split into four kingdoms, where numerous forms of life had found a home.
There was the Northern Kingdom, where the most special and extravagant animals lived in woods and caves and sometimes even came out for people to see and admire. Both children and adults would stare at them with huge glassy eyes, not believing that these creatures could actually be a part of their world.
The Eastern Kingdom was famous for its fertile grounds and great crops. Nobody ever had to endure hunger or experience lack of food in case harder times came along. Children could grow up in happiness and wealth while their families needn't worry about the future.
Only the wisest lived in the Southern Kingdom. It was a place of science and wisdom, where only the best could survive and live a life in luxury and glory. Wizardry and witchcraft was practiced and taught by the eldest and most experienced warlocks and sorcerers. It was a place full of magic and dreams that yet had to come true.
The biggest and most beautiful of them all was the Western Kingdom, where magnificent flowers and plants grew that made every valley look like a beautiful painted sea and turned every forest into a tunnel of the brightest colours one could imagine. It was thoroughly one of most amazing places to ever exist. Lords and princes, kings and dukes, they all came to spend hours, even days watching the flowers as they grew and tried to reach the sun. Nature was worshipped.
But one day it all changed.
One day the Western Kingdom, ruled by the most memorable king of all times, became insignificant and worthless…
The king was a powerful man, born in the Southern Kingdom he had learned how to use magic as soon as he had been able to walk and form coherent sentences. The citizens felt safe and protected – they felt special. None of the other kings were able to do such things. The Western Kingdom had a queen as well. She was witch herself; a gorgeous woman with long black curly hair and honey brown eyes. Many men had tried to seduce her but the queen was a loyal woman and not even the most expensive presents and promises could make her change her mind. She had always kept her loved ones close. While the king loved power and magic more than anything, the queen loathed it and had often tried to persuade her husband to stop using it all together but he had never listened.
The king might have been a compassionate caring person on the outside but in reality he was cruel and heartless. He knew how to manipulate his folk. He was loved by the people outside the castle, but the butlers and chefs, the housekeepers and servants hated him with every fibre of their beings.
The king and queen had a son. He was a sweet little boy, with his golden eyes and dark locks. He looked nearly as beautiful as his mother, who loved him dearly and couldn't imagine life without him. His father was different. He couldn't requite the love his son was giving him, as much as he wasn't able to love his wife the way she deserved. Sure, he cared about him but there would never be more.
When the boy was old enough his father started to give him lessons in using magic, but oh, what a huge disappointment it was, when the king discovered that his own son was incapable of doing so. Not because he was stupid or lazy, no, he simply couldn't do it. From that day on the king began to care about his child less and less each passing hour. He didn't give up on teaching though. He simply couldn't stand the disgrace of having a son who couldn't even make the easiest spells work. The son tried harder every time but it was a waste of time and he soon was ashamed of himself without really knowing why.
As the years passed by and the kingdom's prince grew older, becoming a handsome charming young man, the king felt forced to start looking for a qualified new queen. He arranged ball after ball trying to find the perfect wife for his son, who never showed any interest in any of the young girls that attended those festivities. Every now and then the king himself would grab one of them and drag them to a room where he'd have his fun with her, just to throw her out on the streets afterwards. The queen knew her husband was an unfaithful man, but she didn't care. Her love was strong and she was willing to pay whatever price it took to keep her husband happy. Nobody quite understood the love she felt for the king but nobody ever dared to ask.
One night – it was their son's eighteenth birthday – a lady strode into the ballroom, dragging a good looking young man behind her. Everything went quiet. All eyes were fixed on the woman and the boy accompanying her. The woman was utterly beautiful. Her blonde hair fell down her back in long soft waves and framed her enchanting face. She really looked like an angel but the king's son only had eyes for the boy. He slowly got up from his father's throne and made his way over to greet his new guests. The three of them connected easily, they chatted and laughed, not knowing that the king was watching the whole scenery with fury. He tried to stay calm but then his son asked the other boy to dance and hell broke loose. The king started screaming at his boy who didn't understand what was happening. He never let go of the other boy's hand, which only made his father's anger grow. The queen had a hand clutched over her mouth to stop herself from crying out loud. She had always known her son was different and she had always feared her husband finding out.
Things only got worse and the king's facade began to crumble. The kingdom started to see the monster he truly was.
He forbade his son to ever see the boy again. All love and caring was gone. Years came and went and the young prince was a grown up man by the time tragedy struck. He still hadn't found a mate and the king was slowly getting mad at his child again. One night they had a huge argument that didn't end well for anyone. King and prince were screaming and literally spitting at each other's faces while the queen was silently crying in the background. Suddenly the king grabbed his wife's arm and dragged her to the door, not without turning around one last time to face his son - the boy he came to loathe so much. He couldn't stand to be with him any more, so he left. He took his wife and left their boy alone.
The king was a powerful man, born in the Southern Kingdom he had learned how to use magic as soon as he had been able to walk and form coherent sentences and who would he be, if he didn't take advantage of those powers?
He looked into deep brown eyes and started to form words that sounded like a snake's hiss. The queen tried to stop her husband but he was too enraged to listen. He couldn't help but feel satisfied when he watched his son fall to his knees as he turned pale and started to shake, while pain slowly crept over his body.
"You don't know what's it like. You have no idea and you never will. Farewell son." He shot him one last glance and turned on his heels, grabbing his wife's arm again. The queen loved the king, she really did, but she loved her son as well and she knew she'd probably never see him again, so she did what she'd never done before. She pulled her arm away and ran over to the boy who was screaming in pain and agony, knowing she'd have to pay for it later. Tears filled her eyes and she put her hands on both sides of her son's face.
"My boy, my sweet little boy", she whispered and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. "I'm so sorry I couldn't save you. My boy, my sweet little boy."
"What's happening mother? Mother, I don't understand!", the prince croaked, his throat hoarse from all the screaming. "Make it stop!"
"Oh my boy, I'm so sorry." She held his face firmly between her hands. "I can't."
"Yes, you do!", the sobbing man screamed. "Please mother, make it stop!"
"My sweet little boy, I can't!" She looked down at her son's features and a cry escaped her lips. He was changing. Changing into something she had never seen before. "Only true love's kiss can save you now", she whispered and pressed another kiss to his now cold forehead. "True love's kiss. Always remember!"
Then she was gone – back with the king. They never came back, nobody ever saw them again. They disappeared and took all beauty with them.
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A/N: I don't own anything.
I know it's only the prologue but please tell me if it's worth a try or you hate it too much to continue reading. Tell me how much I suck! I'd totally appreciate some feedback! Thanks for reading!
