Disclaimer: When a pig flies (outside of the wizarding world), then I claim absolute ownership to ALL HARRY POTTER PRODUCTS! Ehh, too bad that's not happening.

AU: This chapter might be a little boring since it's giving you more and more information so that other chapters make sense! Chapter 4 will hold the end of the flashback hopefully.

Reviewers will receiver their proper replies at the end of the chapter! Enjoy, mes amis!

Far away, long ago,
Glowing dim as an ember,
Things my heart
Used to know,
Things it yearns to remember...

And a song
Someone sings
Once upon a December...

Part 1: Chapter 3

(Continued from Chapter 2)

-Flashback-

"They found the Queen's body atop her bed and under the covers with no immediate signs of trouble," said the guard and continued, "The ladies in waiting were unaware of any trouble that may have besought her. They believed her to be taking a few more hours of rest as she did go on one of her infamous escapades the night before." The royal guard could not help but wipe the tears that came from his eyes. He wasn't one to be very emotional, but this was his Queen and not only that because she had saved him from certain death as a child and given him a proper life along with countless others.

He bowed as he kneeled and said, "Lady Amarante did not deserve such a fate, your highness."

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King Edgard had been away on royal business with the other kingdoms to discuss all of the random killings and fires that had been ravaging villages. It had alarmed all of the kingdoms because such happenings had been unheard of ever since the end of the Dark Age. If there was another Dark power coming on the rise, then they would have to take account of all of the dragons because they were Dark's most faithful servants no matter how much good they were exposed to. It was said that dragons had come to be from Dark's blood. However, that was only legend.

When Lady Amarante took her own life, Edgard had felt her pain at that exact moment. It was the most excruciating pain he had ever experienced in his life, but for some reason he remained reassured. It was as if Amarante herself had felt some sort of assurance even through this pain she was suffering. The husband and wife had shared a connection that allowed them to sense if the other was feeling any extreme emotion. He knew that something was extremely wrong, but a meeting with all kingdoms in the wizarding world was too important to dismiss. Edgard was not able to excuse himself from the meeting until morning.

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The King looked at the guard and ordered him to stand back up with a motion of his arm. This was too much to take in. How was it that only a few hours ago he was holding his dear wife in his arms and promising that he'd keep safe while he was away? She should have been the one to promise…Edgard couldn't let loose of his emotions now when his people needed him the most. He just couldn't because if he did, then anything would be able to cause the kingdom's demise.

"Leave me alone with my wife," said the King more forcefully than he had intended. The guard nodded in submission but King Edgard smiled as best as he could to show that he wasn't angry.

"Oh, and could you please find Prince Bastien? Tell him that there is something important I need to tell him," said the King before the guard reached the door. The guard was about to turn around to ask about the preparations for the Queen's burial, but the King answered before he could ask.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of the preparations myself. It's the least that I can do to ease my peoples' mourning. They will miss their Queen dearly. I will announce her death myself shortly."

The guard left husband and wife alone in search of the young prince.

King Edgard walked towards the bed that held his wife's body. He sat down upon the edge and stroked her silky hair. Death may have taken her soul, but her beauty was left untouched. Her lips still held their color and as the King bent down to kiss his wife for the last time; he remembered the taste of a luscious red apple. He sighed deeply and looked at her face once more. There was still a rosy hue upon her cheek that told a tell-tale story of a once vivacious life.

"Pourquoi êtes-vous parti, mon amour?" he managed to sob out. "How could you leave us all without your presence lightening our lives? Did you not care for your husband? Your son? Your kingdom!" King Edgard suddenly felt angry. SHE HAD NO RIGHT TO DO THIS! She had no right!

Edgar wasn't able to cope with such a loss. He sobbed endlessly as he held his wife closer in his arms. Bastien had entered the room some time ago but instead of announcing his presence, he had kept quiet and watched as his father held his mother lovingly in his arms. When he saw his father brush away his mother's hair, a large gash was suddenly noticeable upon her cheek. It tainted his mother's beauty and he gasped at the size. This caught Edgard's attention.

"Bastien? Son, is that you?" Father asked. Bastien snapped out of his stupor and walked towards his parents.

The young prince looked at his father and then back at his mother.

"Papa, what's wrong with Mother?" Edgard was forced to look away before his son saw the tears in his eyes. His silence worried Bastien even more. He felt for his mother's hand, but as soon as he touched her, he pulled away in surprise. Bastien's eyes became wide with fright. Lady Amarante felt colder than ice.

Bastien backed away in disbelief and stumbled on his own feet.

"Son," pleaded Edgard, "Please, come back." His son was no longer looking at him but rather at his mother as he pointed towards her cheek. Edgard didn't understand what he was pointing to until he looked down upon Amarante's face. There he saw his tears healing her wound. In its place was a long black scar.

King Edgard laid his wife back down on to her bed and stood up while his mind was racing with thoughts and ideas to try and explain such an oddity that was rare even in the wizarding world.

The Prince ran towards his mother and tried to wake her by shaking her body.

"Please, mama. Please, wake up! Please!" Father tried to calm his son.

"Bastien, mother has passed away. But something is very wrong about this situation." This made Bastien's ears perk up to listen.

"Hurry, son, and go to Merlin. I need his guidance more than ever. Honor your mother, son. Hurry!" The Prince understood that this was even bigger than he had ever imagined if Father needed Merlin's guidance. His mother would have wanted him to do this. Doing this would have made his mother proud, so he ran as fast as he could towards a place that no more than 3 people ever knew existed.

King Edgard paced the mahogany floor for almost an hour in thought. That scar was unnatural. Nothing healed in that manner, and his wife would not have taken her life willingly. Something was definitely in the wrong. But what exactly!

He went back towards his wife to try and get some inspiration just as he would have had she been alive.

"Tell me something, love. A hint, a sign, anything! I just want to put things back in the right. I want to know that your death was not all for naught. Anything, love. Give me anything." While he said this, his hand reached for hers and incredibly he found something inside her clenched fist.

It was a crumbled parchment! Edgard tried to unravel it as quickly as possible without damaging it. What was written on it was worse than he had ever imagined. The world that he had come to know was indeed in jeopardy. It had read:

Dearest Edgard,
Keep the Everard family safe. Keep all kingdoms in close relation. The Black Dragon has made its appearance. I have failed to stop the omen. Do not despair for my life did not end all for naught. Give the Allied Kingdoms a final word of advice from me; more than ever we need to be accepting of everyone and everything because the Dark Beginning looms closer than we could have ever imagined. Tell my people to keep their trust in the Everard family.I love you and Bastien very much.

All my love,

Lady Amarante, Queen of Everard

P.S. The daughter has precious blood and the young dragon is a rising power. The world's fate lies in their hands but most importantly in their hearts.

Just as the King had sat dejectedly next to his wife, Merlin revealed himself from under his invisibility cloak. Beside him was young Bastien. Merlin took one look at Lady Amarante's seemingly sleeping form and knew what had happened without explanation.

"She wasn't supposed to die," whispered Merlin to himself and continued, "Her death could only mean one thing."

To be continued in Chapter 4

AU: I bet you all hate me right now! Yikes! Hehe. Sorry for the boring chapter and whoa! What is Merlin doing in this story? Hehe! Ah, well there'll be a bit more information in Chapter 4 to clarify even more things, but I'm sure you'll be seeing the young couple soon.

Now for the lovely reviewers!

Hannah: Thank you for being my very first (real) reviewer! I hope to see more of your reviews. Perhaps you should keep reviewing to see if this story is really as promising as you think? Hehe. ;-)

Cucu4cocopuffs: Lol. You are my very first reviewer for my 2nd chapter. Thank you for all of the compliments. :blushes: I hope to get more reviews, but if I have yours, I'll be as happy as baby with candy (which is right now hehe).

Emeralds in ebony: I have to admit that after hearing that song from the Anastasia soundtrack, it really inspired me to change this fic around a bit. I hope you stick around to see where this plot (and the characters) develop!

Dragonfly313: Wow, I have never really gotten constructive criticism before, and I'm glad you were the first reviewer to do so! I hope you've received the email that I've sent. Thank you for going above and beyond! I honestly never expected a review to ever have such depth. Thank you once again!

Blondejenny: Haha. I will PMS! Lol. Of course, post more soon, just as long as you're still here to review!

BloodJewel: Hehe. I hope Chapter 3 was satisfactory. -D

alBBie: Because the real HP books are really set in the 1900's, then I'm kind of going along with that but my time setting maybe just a little earlier than that. It is in France right now and Draco is in England but because of magic, the Malfoys can easily get to France. There is a reason for everything that I write (even if it's not apparent to me right now!), so just keep reading and I'm sure I'll find a use for Blaise being Hermione's twin brother and all…and being able to sense her thoughts and feelings. ;-)