Many years ago in the enchanted forest…..
Once upon a time in a magical land, there lived a king and his queen, they longed for a child, but alas the queen had been cursed by an evil enchantress making it so she could never bare children. The couple longed for a child, but more than that the king longed for an heir. One night, in the middle of his wallowing a dark figure appeared in the shadows and offered to make a deal with the king, he will procure the king with an heir and all will be right with the land. What the Dark One did not tell the king was that the child he brought to him was a twin, and that at a later time he would need this child's twin. But that wasn't for many, many more years. The queen was unsure how they came to have such a wonderful and loving son, but she couldn't have been more thrilled to finally be a mother. Now that she was a mother, she longed for another child. She called upon the Dark One and begged him to find them another child, but he told her to be happy with the one, because all magic comes with a price. Frustrated and despaired the queen fled to her chambers and began to cry.
Suddenly a bright light appeared at her window, the queen looked up in alarm but was greeted not with the presence of evil, but instead of that of a fairy "Fear not my queen, I am the Blue Fairy. I have heard your cries and I wish to help. I know of the curse that surrounds your womb, and I know a way to help. The journey is not easy, and the road is quite long, but if you are willing the lady of the lake can help."
The queen stared puzzled "The lady of the lake? But she's just a myth. A…a story. She's not real."
Blue smiled and came a step closer to the queen "At the end of the day we are all a part of a story. I wish my magic could help, but this is the only way." And with that last quip the fairy vanished.
The queen ran to tell her husband of the news but he shook his head "You know nothing can fix what was done to you. There is nothing in this realm or the next that can heal you. We have James, he is all we need. This is a death wish."
"But what if we could have a child of our own, flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone. Isn't it worth risking? Please husband, I beg of you let me try." The queen fell to her knees in front of her husband tears streaming down her pale cheeks.
The king closed his eyes and against his better judgement gave his blessing for his queen to go in search of the fabled lady. The journey took several weeks, but then just as quickly as it began they came upon the lake. The queen stepped closer and the water began to bubble, in front of the queen appeared a great lady dressed in white "Who are you to dare come close to my waters?" the woman's voice echoed.
"I..I am no one, just someone searching for a way to make a family. I was cursed as a young woman unable to bare children and…"
"And you thought I would heal you? Don't you know that healing like that, magic like that, it comes with a price."
"I am willing to pay it. Whatever it is, I just wish to give my husband a child of his own flesh and blood." The queen said looking at the great lady before dropping to her knees "Please Lady of Lake Nostos, I beg of you please let me drink of these waters so I may be healed."
The Siren looked at the queen and came closer to her looking her over several times. She reached down and drew a silver goblet holding it out to the queen "The price for this drink is high and you will pay the ultimate price for what you want."
The queen took the goblet and with shaking hands took a sip and gasped as her hand flew to her belly "Wh….what?" she looked at the siren and then to her guards "We need to return to the kingdom, now!"