The Duchess' Enchantment

Prologue

A hooded, cloaked figure silently crept down the endless staircase with a log, extending her arms toward the oil lamps. She succeeded in lighting her torch and continued her journey toward the narrow cobbled rocks flowing through an almost non-existent stream of water. She reached a wall, not exactly high but still fairly high, enough to make it difficult for her to climb it. She placed the torch on the torch holder attached to the wall as she swung one leg over the wall, struggling. She finally managed to get over the other, although she landed very ungracefully and stumbled over the next few steps. She had retrieved the torch and continued her journey, stopping as she approached a horse and offered the horse an apple and some sugarcubes. The horse sniffed and swallowed the treats it was offered happily, snuggling closer to its owner's hand and nibbling it playfully. The owner jumped onto the saddle gracefully and whispered to the horse, while rubbing it behind the ear affectionately.

The moon glistened high above the clouds, casting an air of gloom upon the rider and the horse as they raced through fields of grass and farming area, and then through the streets of Inverloch's markets to finally reach their destination. She looked around, seeing the once lively and joyous town now sink in sorrows and misery. Many of the sellers and traders were packing up their things in a bundle of clothes and closing up their shops. A mother, or a sister more likely was hugging a young boy to her chest while simultaneously trying to soothe a baby. She didn't look old enough to be a mother. So many were wailing and sobbing, their arms around each other trying to comfort loved ones. She walked up towards the chief of the town, who knew everyone and was good friends with everyone. He was the oldest living resident of the town and the wisest, someone who people loved to visit and ask for advice. The chief was currently hugging and soothing a young couple. The woman looked exhausted, presumably because of the huge baby bump she carried around. The couple walked away, and she approached chief Dupree, unsure of what was happening in the town.

"Chief Dupree?" she called out, lifting her hood to show her face properly. "What is happening around here? Why is everyone leaving?"

Chief Dupree looked startled, as he turned towards her. "Annalise my dear is that you?," He exclaimed, quite shocked.

"Aye, t'is me Annalise," she replied, smiling. "My dear child, it has been so long since we last saw you! Could you not have come earlier?" Chief Dupree asked, attempting to smile.

All at once the townsfolk swarmed her with questions.

"Lise is that you?"

"Child how have you been?"

"Ohh you have grown so much!"

"How dare you not visit us thus?"

"I'll strangle you, why didn't you come earlier?"

Annalise thought that she would suffocate by the tightness of the hugs she was given. The hugs, she realized, were more of an unwillingness to let go rather than wanting to strangle her for not visiting often.

"Allay, allay rally down to calm yourselves," Annalise smiled as she hugged and kissed the townsfolk on both their cheeks. "I would come but earlier if I had known. And if oncle and tante had not been so strict with keeping me under lock and key. They've stripped me of freedom now that they deem I am of marriageable age and declared that I should not be nurturing unladylike behavior that my future husband is sure to unapprove." Annalise scowled at the thought.

"But I don't understand? What is happening here? Why is everyone packing up their belongings?"

The townsfolk's happiness at seeing her died. Chief Dupree stepped forward. "Tis because of the high tax rates, my lady. No one can even afford to rent to sell anything here. The crown council have raised the amount of taxes allotted to them, which means that the treasury of Goslar is running out. Thus your Oncle and Tante have been taking more in order to keep the treasury from running out."

"Indeed Lise, we are leaving from here, there aren't many who step foot in Goslar anymore. The tensions with the royal family and the members of the court are so high, there is rumored to be a war. No one wants to come to a territory where war is waged soon, especially if it concerns the deranged royal family." The young woman with a belly bump answered, her arms seeking comfort from the man beside her- her husband.

"Many of us aren't allowed to stay here either," Jo piped up from the corner, a good friend of hers from her younger days. " Your Oncle and Tante want to use it for some grand event they are set to plan for the arrival of the royal family and some other forein sovereigns."

The royal family is set to arrive in Goslar? That was indeed problematic. She did not want to have the displeasure of crossing paths with them again, especially the second-in-line for the throne. If her oncle and tante were indeed planning to host the royal family, it would explain why they were so insistent with keeping her under lock and key. Especially considering that it would be an ideal event to discuss marriages and with the rich and bountiful dukedom of Goslar, there were bound to be countless proposals. They must have hidden her away to suppress her wild, carefree side, to nurture her into an obedient, demure women, to hang as an ornament on some wealthy titled aristocrat's arm, only to be paraded among a nest of vipers in ostentatious clothing as the possession of her groom. It was despicable how society behaved now. The only goal for a young aristocratic woman was to secure herself a wealthy, suitable groom and bear him many heirs. By heirs, they meant male children, as only men could secure the line of succession. If any females were born, they would be married off to the highest bidder, no matter how despicable that man was, to higher the family's standing in society.

The darkness of the night has started to fade by now, as the tiniest streaks of sunlight peeked through. That was her sign to leave. If her family were to discover what she'd been up to...

She shuddered. She didn't want to think about it. Her best bet was to take the eastern trail to the castle, to make it before anyone found her missing. While she knew that her family would not wake till at least 10:00 in the morning, the maids could find her missing. She spoke up.

" I must be going now, everyone. If my Oncle or Tante, or anyone were to find me missing..." Annalise trailed off.

"You'd best be going then. We don't want you to land in trouble with them." Chief Dupree said darkly.

"I am most sorry, but they are not aware of my presence here tonight. They'd be sure to forbid it, thus why I did not bring it to their attention," Annalise replied apologetically.

She hugged everyone and bid them their goodbyes before she set off to the castle, her family's choice of residence since generations. Her horse galloped across the town's roads, with her hood covering her face, she looked like any traveler that visited or looked to trade in Goslar. While it was the quickest way to the castle, Annalise preferred to go through the back roads, as there were less people who traveled that way, with less chance of anyone recognising her. But her favorite aspect of the back roads was the beautiful scenery, the hills, grass, freshness of air and the clear blue skies, untainted by the filth and dirt produced by the factories.

Huh, home sweet home. She wondered what awaited her for the coming days and weeks.

End of prologue

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is my first time writing on Wattpad, please bear with me. Also I will try my best to update weekly, but I can't guarantee it. Hope  you enjoy the first chapter!