Ever After (The Prince and the Pretender)

Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time there were two kingdoms, separated by the Whimpering Woods. Gilead, the more powerful of the two kingdoms lived in peace with Seraphim; the less luxurious. Unfortunately, no such thing in this world is constant but change. So the peace both kingdoms held since they have been founded, didn't last forever.

The King of Gilead became suspicious with the Queen of Seraphim, knowing that the she has been providing for the nomads encamped in the Whimpering Woods. He would have burned their flimsy tents himself. Faith, how he hated those dirt bags interfering with his weekly romp in the boarders; destroying the view with their dowdy clothes, bulky talismans and poor hygiene. "That deluding Queen is onto something, I know!" He exclaimed, with great fear of Seraphim expanding its borders into the Whimpering Woods and having Gilead as the least of the two. "That ever smiling face of hers would last no more when she tastes the wrath of Gilead herself." He growled.

But the King of Gilead was wrong. Only out of the kindness of her heart that the Queen of Seraphim was helping the nomads get by. "I do not understand why you have to stay in this cold dangerous forest. Seraphim would always be open for anyone who needs to be settled." She told the oldest hag who was one of the elders of the camps.

"The White Light Coven will forever be grateful of thy goodness, my Queen." The old toothless hag spoke, but never accepted the Queen's invitation to live with the Seraphites.

"Well, goodness is the only thing Seraphim has to offer." The Queen replied with a smile that could win the hardest of hearts.

The young Queen, ruling all alone had not much to do in her castle, having her kingdom too harmonious that she didn't have any major problem to solve. She was frequent in the camp, providing them bread, crops and clothes. Sometimes, the Queen would bring the little Seraphite children to the Woods for them to be aware of their kindly neighbors. The well kempt and clean Seraphite children would play with the Nomadic children in shabby clothes and dusty faces. Sometimes she would bring pregnant women and sick patients knowing that the nomads had some kind of medical know how that the physicians of Seraphim could never match.

This was how she met Joash, one of the very few males in the White Light Coven. He was serious yet funny, strong yet gentle, kind and pure hearted. He was everything the Queen loved and he has been feeling the same way ever since she found her way to the camp.

A wedding was held and all of Seraphim and Whimpering Woods went to celebrate. Even an entire flock of harpies, kobolds and party loving mountain trolls went to witness the glorious day. Gilead have had invitations of course, dozens of pink frilly envelopes with golden ink on the Queen and the nomad's name but neither the King nor any of the officials of Gilead did receive an invitation. They were all in the hands of one wicked woman who had just slain the Seraphite messenger bearing the invitations. With a sly smile she watched the king of Gilead from angry to furious at how the Queen of Seraphim had just forgotten to invite him.

A few months later, the King too had a second wife and a great wedding feast of course. Purposely not inviting the Seraphite Queen, a cold war had just begun. Gileadite merchants were forbidden to sell on Seraphim and a noticeable lack of butter, cheese and meat reached the Seraphite castle. Thankfully, Joash of Whimpering Woods was good at handling cattle and the problem was solved in no time. The oppression from Gilead and the slow progress of Seraphim continued for almost a year. Furious, the king of Gilead halted the production of cement, knowing that his walls are high and sturdy enough but Seraphim doesn't have any.

With no walls to protect the small kingdom and a threat for a war sealed by the Gileadite King in hand, the Pregnant Queen had the worst problem she had ever encountered in her life. She regretted that she had become too dependent on love and peace and that her faith in humanity was too strong. Now she had to suffer the wrath of Gilead for naught.

From the highest red turret, the Elders of Gilead wanted to forfeit the war, knowing that the peace between both kingdoms has been established long before they were born. But even with the King's two month old son in his second wife's arms, he pursued the war. "I will never let Seraphim expand to the woods. That Queen married a nomad for she had a plan. She wanted to expand her boarders that is why Seraphim does not have walls. Now that she can't build one, she has no choice but to flee for her life." He spoke with eyes focused on the marching Gileadite soldiers disappearing to the Whimpering Woods.

A shrill scream of pain filled the white Seraphite castle halls that night. Joash paced worried outside the huge mahogany door where his wife was delivering their child. Their child. Oh, how his heart was filled with so much joy when he heard the faint sniffles and the high pitched crying of his newborn child. He barged inside the door and embraced his beautiful sweating wife. He kissed her forehead and lovingly stroke the Queen's brown hair. "It's a she." A nomad nurse brought the newly bathed baby girl to her mother's arms.

"She has your porcelain fair skin, my love." He said and kissed the baby's puffy cheeks.

"And the color of your hair, my love." The Queen said, stroking her husband's jet black hair. She kissed her daughter. "My princess, my future queen. I declare you a life filled with joy and the adventures of youth. A pure heart of love and kindness and a mind, witty and sharp. The kingdom will call you Princess Georgette of Seraphim."

The loud rattling of chains and hammering of wood brought the Seraphite King and Queen, back to the war they were dreading. "Maya, take the Princess to the outskirts of Seraphim. Hide her in the old White Light camp. Use the pipes, they will lead you there." The Queen spoke as more and more sparing metal and soldier grunts were heard on the lower grounds. The Queen struggled to stand up as her husband held her. She grabbed the nurse's elbow. "Maya, whatever happens, take care of my Princess." She said as teary eyed Maya opened the vents behind the divan and disappeared inside with the Seraphite Princess wrapped on her chest.

Face soaked in tears, heart raging with fear and knees wobbly in the cold, Maya held the baby tight after plummeting on series of pipes and sliding down on slimy algae. At last she saw the vaulted hatch. She ran to it and opened it with all her might, mumbling spells to strengthen her limbs and soften the hinges. She opened it and saw the dark Whimpering Woods, eerie and treacherous.

From afar she saw the cottages and ran as fast as her shivering legs could offer. But before she reached the cottages she saw soldiers fully armed, trampling on the herbs and kicking pots left by the fleeting White Light Witches. And as the crimson lion crest in the jet black armor, and the fowl attitude suggests; they were Gileadites. "My sisters," She whispered to herself, where could they be?

"A Seraphite!" One ofthe nine soldiers spotted her and they charged ready to slay anyone who isn'tone of them.