A Grim Fairy Tale

Chapter Two

The entire kingdom mourned the loss of their queen deeply but none of them could have been as grieved as King Percival. Evangeline had been the love of his life, his sole reason for living. He worshiped her and never once hesitated to give her anything she desired. The poor man would have been consumed by grief had his beloved queen not left behind their little daughter.

Charlotte.

Little Charlotte was the only thing that could bring a smile to King's face after losing his wife and he went out of his way to be a most devoted father to her. He gave her many gifts and luxuries, he made sure that she was well educated by the best tutors, but above all he made sure that she always felt loved but that was never an issue. Charlotte you see was very easy to love for she was a very beautiful child; with curls like sunshine, eyes that twinkled between shades of blue and silver, and skin that radiated like snow. All who gazed upon her could not help but adore her instantly and she in turn adored all who knew her. Her loyal subjects, her servants, the castle guards, and of course her father. There was nothing and no one in all the world that she loved more than her father. A smile was always on her face when she was in his presence and her laughter could always be heard whenever he held her in his arms. Truly the young girl could want for nothing as long as she had his love.

However despite Percival's devotion, as a king he could not be at his daughter's side every hour of everyday. He had a kingdom to care for as well and he felt that the little princess needed a maternal figure to guide her into womanhood when she matured. Now she had a nurse as all royal children do, Niffty a former lady in-waiting and she loved the girl as a mother would but a nurse could not teach Charlotte how to carry herself with the grace and elegance of a queen. His advisors suggested that he take a second wife but the king was not sure if he could ever have any woman at his side other than his dearly departed Evangeline.

But then one day when Charlotte was no more than seven years of age King Percival went hunting in the forest. He lost his way while chasing a stag and after wandering for hours his horse brought him to a small house where there lived a old woman called Dolores. She knew the forest well and offered to shelter the king for the night then show him the way home in the morning. During his stay the king met Dolores's widowed daughter and her young granddaughter.

The widow was called Desdemona, a very beautiful woman, it was rumored that there was no one in all the land who a had beauty that could match hers. When her eyes met with the king's he was immediately intrigued. She spoke to him of how her husband had recently been killed by and how since then she had been very grieved. Grieved and struggling to provide for her child now that her spouse was gone. Struggling to keep food in her belly and clothes on her back. She wept over how terrified she was of her poor daughter growing up in poverty. Drawn in by her beauty and her sad story, the king was overcome by a sudden desire for the widow and he begged her to become his wife. She agreed despite protest from both her mother and daughter.

The wedding was planned to take place one month later and the entire castle was busy with preparation. The kingdom had been restless for a new queen for quite some time so naturally they were thrilled by these news. As for little Charlotte, she was not sure what to think of her father's decision to remarry. Because of how young she was she didn't understand the king's reasoning for taking a second wife and although she had no memory of her mother she had known from many stories told by her father and servants that she was a perfect queen. A paragon to women, a saint to her people, and the only woman her father ever loved. Knowing that Percival intended to marry again made the princess fear that her mother had been replaced by this widow and she feared that this widow's daughter would replace Charlotte as well.

"Charlotte! Charlotte where are you?"

It was the day before the wedding and it would also be the first time Charlotte would meet her future step family, her nurse Niffty had been instructed to have her ready by the time Desdemona and her daughter arrived. But Charlotte tending to be a stubborn little thing, decided to hide herself at the top of the apple trees in the royal gardens.

"Charlotte dear now is not the time to play." Niffty called as she searched the garden grounds. "If you are late your father shall be cross with both of us."

The child only grinned down at her nurse.

"Lord save me that girl is an angelic child with a demonic streak." Niffty huffed. "She'll be the death of me one day, I'm sure of it."

That's when she heard a familiar giggle and looked up to find the girl sitting on a branch, munching an apple she had plucked.

"Charlotte you naughty girl, come down from there at once! You know how your father feels about you climbing trees! What if you were to fall?"

"I never fall Niffty." She said. "I'm always careful."

"No one is always anything child. Now do as I say."

Charlotte took another bite of her apple and did as her nurse said.

"Now come along, we must make you presentable to meet your father's betrothed."

"Why?"

"Why? Well she's to be the new queen. It is imperative that you meet her."

"Why do we need a new queen?"

"Well your highness every kingdom needs a new queen once the former has passed."

"But you once said I was to be the new queen one day. If that's true why is she coming?"

"Because you are a child my lady. Too young to be queen. Your father's betrothed is grown and mature, she will help him rule the kingdom until you come of age. Not to mention you need a mother."

"I have a mother."

"Yes but she's in heaven with our lord. You need a mother who's on earth."

"Well why can't you be my earth mother? I love you and you love me, you brush my hair, you fix my scrapes, you read me bedtime stories, you hug me and kiss me, doesn't that make you my mother?"

For a moment Niffty stopped to smile at her in a touched way.

"Oh Charlotte, I'm afraid not. I'm only nurse which means I can only care for you when you're a child. Once you become a woman you will have to leave me and the queen will be the one to guide you."

"But why?"

"You're too young now, someday you'll understand."

"But I don't want to leave you."

"We all must leave those who nurture us sooner or later. But worry not, you won't be leaving me until your twelfth year. That's what your father declared when he chose me to be your nurse."

"Why did he choose you?"

"I cannot say for certain but I suppose it is because I was your mother's most loyal lady in-waiting and on the night you were born, before she passed, she asked me to look after you in her absence."

"Could you tell me about her? Please?"

"She was a tender-hearted woman and a gentle soul. I was young when we met and she saved my life, my family had arranged a very poor marriage for me and my former husband had committed acts of treason to the crown. Acts which I had no knowledge of but nearly everyone did not believe so. They argued that I should be punished along with my scoundrel husband but your mother defended me and requested that I be appointed as one of her ladies in-waiting."

"Why did she believe you were innocent?"

"She said that she recognized the signs, the signs that I was an unhappy and mistreated wife. One who had no choice in her marriage. I've been loyal to her since and I shall be loyal to you her daughter. I pray that she knows how much I appreciated her compassion toward me."

For a spell, Niffty was overwhelmed by memories of her dear lady and felt sorrow. It was enough to make her shed one tear but she quickly wiped it away and brushed off her feelings of grief.

"We cannot afford to talk anymore now. Let's go on to your chambers and get you properly dressed. No running off this time, I mean it."

"Yes Niffty."

She placed her arm around Charlotte's shoulders and gently urged her along into the castle for preparation.