Chapter 1 The Beginning
Our story begins in a happy town named Arandell. There governed an honest and wise man with his wife. But there was a slight problem; his wife could not conceive children for she was not strong enough to bare them. They had gone all over the world consulting doctors of different cultures hoping for any of them to help them with their problem. All of the doctors would end up with the same conclusion "There is no solution." The queen had grown in frustration and started to blame herself. The king would try to do everything to make his queen happy again, but nothing seemed to work. The king decided to consult his father who lived in a further land. So he packed everything he needed and went off without his wife for she was too depressed to travel. At his father's kingdom, he shared his problem and asked for advice. His father stood up and the king followed his father towards the library where his father took out a dusty book named "Antique Potions". His father placed it carefully in a table placed for any reader. He blew the dust off the book and opened it "If I remember correctly there was a recipe for a fertility potion in this book" said the king's father while looking through the pages. After a few minutes of looking through pages of old methods and potions, they came across the fertility potion. They both started reading the concoction recipe. Like all good things, the potion came at a cost. The baby born because of the potion may have some kind of abnormality, they were hazy since the book was so old. But the king decided it was worth the risk. The king took the book back home with renewed hope.
He would finally see his wife's smile, he missed it so much. But he worried that the potion would not work at all. Once he arrived at the port he was received by his wife who welcomed him with a hug and a weak smile. He whispered lightly to her "I love you" and she hugged him even tighter. He decided to keep the news until they were alone in the castle. While they were in the carriage back home his wife spoke weakly "Greggory's wife… she just had a child. A boy… they named him Jackson", the king saw the pain in his wife and he couldn't bear it any longer "My love… I went to speak to my father about our situation, he remembered a book that had old potions and methods, within them, there is a fertility potion" before even finishing what he was saying the queen had already a big and joyful smile. The king smiled and continued his thought "It's not hard to concoct and it may be our only solution." The queen already with tears of joy responded "It is worth a try… do you know how much time will it take to make an effect?". The king's smile shortened and he looked down to the floor the queen's face changed to confusion and worry "Well… it's unknown. But my father mentioned that it would take minimum a year or so…" There was a surprise in the queen's expression. "At least a year?!" She almost yelled but her composure still kept. The king nodded and took a while before continuing "It's better than a whole lifetime" The queen sighed, she knew the king was right. She decided to go back to the original conversation to keep her from drowning in her own pity, "I've told Ariana that I will go visit her tomorrow at noon to see how she and her baby are doing, would you like to go with me to visit Greggory?" The king looked at his wife serious but kind "Are you sure you want to go?" asked the king. The queen straightened herself and answered "My situation should not affect my duties as a friend. Ariana has been with me through every step of my life and I have been too, I won't let my situation keep me away from that." She said as calmly as possible, the king knowing she was right and that there was no way he was going to change her decision, answered with a simple "I'll be going with you then".
When they got to the castle he called Laura, the queen's personal helper. Laura was young and beautiful with dark red locks and big light blue eyes. She was the youngest and prettiest of the king's servants. She had been very good, loyal and kind towards the king and queen, she was also very smart and therefore the most suitable one to trust with this potion. The king took Laura to his study "Laura" the king started "In this book" he said while handing her the book "there is a fertility potion, just what my wife needs. I need you to follow the instructions just as it is directed and have the potion ready by tonight." Laura stared at the book and nodded "Be sure not to mention this book to anyone, understood?" said the king at last. Laura turned her head and faced him "Yes my lord". The king smiled lightly and left the room. Laura opened the book looking for the fertility potion. She finally found it and read the whole page also noticing the secondary effects being blurry but she decided to trust the king. She tried memorizing the ingredients and once she did she left the room to find them. An hour or so passed and she found every single one of the ingredients. Then she proceeded with the directions, finally, she had finished the potion just as the book directed. She went to the queen's chambers and knocked "My lord, my queen, the potion is ready to take". The queen told Laura they would see her in the dining room. Laura left with the potion towards the dining room. She placed the tray with the potion inside a little bottle. Laura smiled at both of them, seeing them hold hands gave her hope, such powerful love could not go unrewarded. Laura was happy to know that the queen had renewed hope. The king and the queen stood in front of the chimney smiling at each other. Laura took the tray with the potion and stood in front of them stretching her arms with the tray so the queen could take the potion. She smiled at it and took it in her hands. She popped it open and looked at her husband with a smile, determination and hope lit her face. She took a deep breath wishing for the potion to work. She then drank it.
The next day, as promised by the queen, they arrived at Greggory's home. It was a very rich home for he was one of the king's advisers and his friend. Greggory was 5 years older than the king and he possessed a beard that made him look older than he actually was. Greggory took the king to his studio to discuss some business while the queen was directed to Ariana's chambers. The queen came in quietly and Ariana awoke weakly and made a weak movement with her hand and the index finger pointing up and placing it in her mouth making sure the queen understood to be silent for the baby was sleeping. She then spoke in a whisper almost impossible to hear "My friend… how nice of you to visit me" the queen smiled with great joy in her eyes but a bit of sadness. "It was the least I could do" she replied with a whisper a little louder than Ariana's. The queen was hoping for the baby to wake up so she'd be able to carry him in her arms. She sat down in a chair next to the bed where Ariana was laying. The queen took her hand and smiled "I know it must be difficult for you…" Ariana responded seeing the sadness in the queen's eyes "but I want you to know that it means a lot to me" said Ariana while tightening her friend's hand. Just then the baby started crying, he had woken up. The queen stood up alarmed for it had been very long since she had heard the cry of a baby, Ariana chuckled seeing the queen's amazement. An old lady came in rushing, she took the baby and started consoling him. Ariana straightened herself with the poor strength she had. She closed her eyes trying to recover breath. She then called the old lady to bring the baby to her, she did as asked. The queen just observed how they handled the baby with such care, she could do nothing but smile. Ariana calmed her baby and offered the queen to carry him. The queen saw the baby with such joy and desire; she took him carefully and cooed him. Once the baby was asleep again she placed him back to the crib.