Okay, here's the new beginning of Charmed. I'll post the next chapter right after.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the "Tangled" franchise. I only own the story idea and any OCs I make up.
If anyone notices a similarity between this chapter and the prologue for BubblesRRJ's "Tangled: Witch War," that was NOT done with plagiarism in mind. I used her prologue as a template to get my thoughts in order.
Once upon a time, millennia ago, when people believed the sun and moon were controlled by unseen deities, there was a time when magic ran rampant throughout what would become the Seven Kingdoms.
The earth teemed with old magic that only seemed to grow with each passing day. Everything thrived from its power; plants, animals, and people.
During this era, there was a clash in the heavens that became known as the Cosmic Event. During a dispute between the sun and moon, both celestial entities released a single drop of their power that fell to the earth.
These two drops took the shape of two celestial artifacts: The Sundrop Flower and the Moonstone Opal.
Both were very powerful, with abilities opposite in nature. The Sundrop could heal the sick and injured and restore a person's youth. Meanwhile, the Moonstone could summon destructive black rocks and drain the life of those who ventured too close.
Mages, witches, and wizards of every practice traveled to study the flower and stone, but none dared to touch them. It became taboo to even consider taking such precious treasures.
As centuries passed, the birth of the monarchy in the land began, causing two different fates for the celestial artifacts.
The Sundrop faded into obscurity in an out-of-the-way spot by the ocean. It sat alone and undisturbed by man, watching as the Kingdom of Corona grew not too far away. Its only constant visitor before that was a witch named Gothel, and she wanted to keep the flower hidden so she could use its power to remain young forever.
The Moonstone, on the other hand, had an entire kingdom grow around it, kept safe and guarded for generations. Known today as the Dark Kingdom, the kingdom built itself around, worshiped, and adjusted to the whims of the seemingly sentient Moonstone Opal.
However, the Moonstone had become cruel to the kingdom in the last few decades. People were dying of a plague created by its decay magic and impaled or chased out of their homes by black rocks.
The once-proud kingdom soon fell because of the power it once protected.
The Seven Kingdoms formed, grew, and changed with time. As the years passed, the land's magic fell asleep, and those who once partook in its power faded into the realm of myths and fairy tales.
The Sundrop Flower watched Corona expand from the mainland onto an island in the bay. The kingdom's golden age began during the reign of King Frederic and his wife, Queen Arianna. Everything in the realm was prosperous and peaceful, and Corona was in good standing with its neighbors. The economy was stable, and crime was low. Trade was encouraged, harvests were bountiful, and Corona became a new standard for culture and education.
Everything was perfect… until the royal family was expecting their first child.
Toward the end of the Queen's pregnancy, she fell sick. Very sick. As her condition worsened, the King consulted every doctor and apothecary he could summon to find the one who could save his wife.
Many strived to find the answer.
All of them failed.
All they could do at this point was make Arianna as comfortable as possible.
The King fell into despair as they ran out of time. After leaving to give physicians room to work, he paced the throne room.
"Your Majesty?" A low voice cut through his troubled emotions.
Startled, Frederic turned to see one of his oldest friends, Quirin, entering the throne room.
"Hello, Quirin," He greeted the man tiredly. "It has been a long time, old friend."
"So it has." Quirin sighed heavily. "How is she doing?"
The King looked down before turning to the window. "I don't know what else to do…."
The two men fell silent, feeling the weight of the situation, until the throne room doors opened. One of the guards walked in and bowed at the waist.
"Your Majesty. Sir Quirin." He greeted them with a hint of an Ingvarrian accent.
"Lieutenant Rolvssen." The King straightens up.
Lieutenant Rolvssen of the Guard was a tall, slender, yet fairly built young man in his twenties. He had light tan skin, short black hair, and brown eyes and was dressed in the Corona Guard uniform.
The Lieutenant was a skilled fighter and tactician. Despite being foreign and only having been part of the Guard a short time, he more than earned his place as second-in-command of the Royal Guard.
"Does the Captain have something to report?"
"No, Your Majesty." Rolvssen shook his head.
"Then why are you here?"
The Lieutenant was quiet momentarily, taking a deep breath before speaking again. "I think I know someone who can help… but I make no promises."
"Who?" The King straightened, daring to feel hope.
"He's a healer who's mostly nomadic. Right now, he's settled in Corona. His name is Jareth Morgan. He sells potions and remedies for common ailments to those who can't afford traditional doctors."
"I've sought common treatments, Lieutenant. What I need is a miracle."
"In this day and age, mages are the miracle workers."
Frederic and Quirin's eyes widened at his words.
"Lieutenant," The King breathed, his voice beginning to shudder. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," He nodded.
"How do you know about this mage?" Quirin asked, his eyes narrowed.
"… He saved my life…." Rolvssen said softly before speaking up again. "I can vouch for him, but if you want his help, I have to bring him to you. His family doesn't like knowing where they're living."
The King's shoulders tensed warily. "There are more of them?"
Rolvssen chuckled wryly. "They just welcomed their third grandchild."
"And what if they curse my unborn child?" Frederic speculated. "Or cause Arianna to be barren?"
The room became quiet after that. Quirin could swear he saw an angry glint in the Lieutenant's eyes, but it was gone as quick as it appeared.
"Your Majesty," He said gravely. "She'll die either way. You can either do nothing and face that, or you can have a little faith in the one thing that can save her."
With those words, the Lieutenant saluted and left the men alone.
In the twilight of the Queen's pregnancy, the King took Rolvssen's words to heart. He called the Lieutenant of the Guard and instructed him to bring the healer to the castle.
The Lieutenant was gone for several days without a word, causing his fellow guards to worry about his well-being. The Captain wanted to go out and find his colleague, but the Guard still needed a leader.
Then, one evening, there was a knock on his office door, and in walked Rolvssen.
"My apologies for taking so long, Captain," He said, gesturing to someone behind him. "His mother is a difficult woman to convince."
With him was a young man whose head and most of his face were covered by a purple traveler's cloak.
"I was told you needed my help," The stranger said softly.
When he pulled back his hood, the Captain was almost visibly taken aback by his appearance.
He was a young man about the Lieutenant's age and would be described more as beautiful than handsome. He has medium-long, straight, golden hair like sunshine and violet eyes. He had a tall, svelte figure, and his skin was fair and flawless. His facial features were angular and refined, giving him an air of maturity, yet his eyes glimmered with compassion and kindness. Under his cloak, he wore a teal vest over a long-sleeved white shirt with dark blue pants and brown boots. Across his body was a brown satchel that most likely held supplies he would need.
Getting over his surprise, the Captain discussed the situation with him, explaining the King's distress.
"This is their firstborn child," The Captain finished. "If the Queen perishes, there will be no heir."
"I see," Jareth nodded. "So it's more than just the mother and child at stake."
The Captain nodded gravely. "Is there anything you can do?"
The healer was quiet, weighing possibilities and ideas before speaking again. "There might be. However, I will need to assess the Queen's condition for myself."
"Very well."
The Captain led his lieutenant and the healer to the judgment hall. King Frederic greeted them with a few guards before showing them to the Queen's bedside.
"Well, wizard?" The King insisted after a moment's silence, "Is there anything you can do for her?"
Jareth stepped closer before raising a hand. A very light cornflower blue light encompassed his hand as he moved it over the Queen's fevered form. Frederic just barely stopped himself from slapping his hand away.
"I see," The King heard him say. The light disappeared before the healer delivered his verdict. "The child is healthy and will more than likely survive the birth. The Queen, however… the odds are not in her favor."
"Is there anything you can give her?" Rolvssen asked.
"That's where we run into a problem. While I have some elixirs that could cure the Queen, to the healthy baby, it could cause them to become sick upon birth."
"Would a c-section be possible?" The Captain asked.
Jareth shook his head. "In the Queen's state, she wouldn't survive the procedure."
"I cannot accept that!" The King hissed in outrage. "I do not believe you would agree to come here if there was not something you could do!"
Jareth sighed resignedly. He looked conflicted as he glanced at the Lieutenant and then out the window at the night sky. The moment stretched out again, agonizingly silent and dim.
"Stars, forgive me," He whispered before turning to the King. "Tell me, Your Majesty, have you heard of the Sundrop Flower?"
Frederic scoffed in disbelief. "A child's story! It doesn't exist!"
"It does," Jareth answered sharply, his violet gaze losing its gentleness as it bore into the King. "And I know where it is. All who feel magic do. Anything else we try will do no good. The Queen is at death's door. It's the only thing that will save her now."
The King breathed sharply through his nose.
He didn't like being given ultimatums. But to save his wife…
"On one condition, King Frederic," Morgan raised a single finger. "I wish to have full access to your library. Not the city library. Yours."
Frederic barely bothered to even consider his request. "Yes, done, of course! Just do whatever it takes to save my family!"
Jareth's eyes softened after a moment. "I'm not heartless, My King. I will warn you of the dangers of using the flower. To disturb magic from the heavens… It could bring unimaginable consequences."
The King looked at his wife. He reached for her pale, clammy hand and held it fast in his.
"Whatever the price," He whispered. "I will pay it."
And so, Jareth and his brother, Brian, led the King's scouts to where the Sundrop Flower grew.
Word spread of hope in the darkness, a light that could bring the royal family back from the brink of despair. Many prayed the rumor was true, that the Queen would be saved and a new heir would be born.
However, there was one who did not believe the Sundrop was the answer.
"Frederic," Quirin begged at the King's throne. "You can't take the Sundrop. Even if you do find it–"
But the King's decision was resolute, his voice of reason ignored. "I'll accept the consequences if it saves her."
"It won't just be your consequences," Quirin retorted. "The entire kingdom will be in danger!"
He said many things to the King that day, words of terrible warnings and dark lands filled with decay. All these things King Frederic ignored, and Quirin left with a heavy heart.
That night, the King accepted the flower and watched as the healer demonstrated how to prepare its magic.
"Have her drink it," He told him, his voice quiet and weary. "And pray that the Moon will have mercy on your kingdom."
As Frederic raised the elixir to his wife's lips, he stared back at the healer. His eyes were cold, determined. His words were caustic and biting, words that would not be forgotten.
"And may your guilt be reflected with mine."
The King never noticed the angry glare the Lieutenant gave him at that moment.
The Queen was saved, her child secure. The kingdom erupted into celebration, praising the miracle that had preserved the family line.
No word was breathed of the Morgan Clan, and they disappeared from Corona. Not long after, the Lieutenant suddenly resigned and left the kingdom.
The King's newborn child was a daughter, and she was given the name Rapunzel, after the flowers that sprouted in humility towards the sun. The King watched a new dawn break over his kingdom, and he heaved a sigh of relief…
Until his daughter was stolen.
How the thief infiltrated the castle was a mystery. Many claimed it to be magic.
At the sight of his wife weeping for her lost child, the King felt rage take over his grief-stricken mind. There was only one person he suspected of having taken his daughter.
After locking down the castle, he ordered his guards to search the kingdom for the Morgan Clan.
After three months, they came up empty-handed.
While the kingdom's guard increased their efforts against criminal activity, the King set aside a particular group of guards. They were dark tunics and metal helmets to disguise their appearances.
"I want every witch, wizard, warlock, and magic user brought to the castle for interrogation," The King demanded. "Anyone and everyone who claims to have known this family will comply or suffer the same as every other criminal you find. Hunt them all down!"
And so, the Witch Hunters began their crusade.
As the few mages left in the kingdom were routed and dragged back to the castle, the Morgan Clan remained unfound. Neighbors were suspected, and distrust spread like a plague. Magic became a forsaken art, suffocated by the realm of science and alchemy.
A shadow fell across Corona as the months turned into years, and the Princess was still nowhere to be found. It seemed that the kingdom's future would fall into an age of disarray.
But the Queen encouraged her husband not to give up. Each year, on their daughter's birthday, they petitioned every citizen to craft a floating lantern. In the evening, they'd send their makeshift lights to the heavens, singing a prayer for the Princess to return.
And, one day, she did.
But the Morgan Clan did not.