Born again... (on hold)

Chapter 1

This will contains parts of Norse mythology some parts may be different that the actual myth.

 May we be born again till the end of time....

The castle was bustling with news, servant rushing around making arragments and getting the rooms ready, a new concubine was being introduced today. The sixth one. She was arriving on the morrow.

Many wondered what she looked like? Would she be beautiful? Would she be talented?

Was she a princess from a far away land, or a daughter of a noble?

Throne room 

The gods! Another one was coming today. Another headache. She would be the sixth she would also be the youngest of them all, which was causing quite a stir with the other concubines and of course my wife, they didn't want to be usurped by a younger women. 

Of course my advisers supported the idea, this would bring new alliances with another kingdom, and they would have a trade route through the freezing terrains of Aldsnow, they told me.

I of course didn't want to deal with another women and this one was barely one at the age of 18, what were my advisers thinking when they agreed to this. I had enough harpies in his castle I didn't need another one.

But of course I saw the wisdom of the idea, so I allowed her to come, and would accept her into my kingdom but never my heart....That was a place that my wife and Queen had yet to reach. 

The next day

The next day people gathered outside the expansive courtyard waiting with King Corbinian and Queen Brigitte to welcome the new princess.

The Queen of course had her own reasons for being there, she was a jealous creature full of vanity and arrogance and saw herself as the most beautiful women in the kingdom. Many regarded her as such, and she would not share her husbands attention with another younger girl. While she stewed in her thoughts.

A pure white carriage, pulled by night wing black horses was seen in the horizon interrupting her thoughts. The people quietened as the carriage came closer, and closer till the rider stopped the horses and stepped down, opening the carriage doors...

Out stepped a young girl on the crisp of women hood. Brunette hair fell down her back gently in curl's, curious brown eyes stared out to the crowd, and her already pale skin paled further as she glanced around noticing all the stares, some curious some filled with malice. 

The King noticing how nervous she seemed to be getting and stepped closer.

"Welcome princess Tabea." He reached his hand out and she took it, bowing and kissing his ring she then stood.

"Thank you my King, I am honored to be here and be apart of this kingdom," the rehearsed words flowing out of her mouth. 

After that the ceremony occurred where the King accepted her into his palace and she was taken to her rooms where the rest of his concubines resided.

The Queen of course was satisfied that her King did not give the girl any attention, he basically ignored her and why shouldn't he, she was plain, nothing special to look at, and as quiet as a mouse, easily frightened. The girl wouldn't be a problem she thought silently to her self.

Over in the chambers of the concubines a similar conversation was going on. They saw how the King acted towards her, and she was timid, the little girl wouldn't be a problem. The hierarchy would stay intact. Because you see the concubines were jealous creatures, they wanted to be the women whom the King desired most, and came to so a hierarchy was established. 

First they was Annelies she was beautiful, with long honey blond hair cascading in waves down her back, ocean blue eyes, and a voluptuous figure, many regarded her as the most beautiful in the harem, some whispered she was the most beautiful of all, even more stunning than the Queen. She had also birthed a son for the King. After her was princess Irene. Many sought after her for her beautiful voice, a siren was what she was called she lured a many men from their wives, so the rumour states. She had snared the King with her voice, she also gave him a son.

After that was Elisa, Sylvia and Debora, Debora being last because she never gave him a child, and Elisa birthed two daughters. Sylvia also gave birth to a daughter. These women spiteful they may be, were the most beautiful and talented women in the kingdom, they were also daughters of nobles and Kings, and were the most desired of all. 

But Tabea stood out and didn't belong she was shy and didn't seek the King attention, she knew the other women were more beautiful than her, they often reminded her so didn't try. She felt very left out and alone and often wondered the gardens alone. She knew the King would have to bed her, as per the alliance a child needed to be born to cement it. She never had a choice to come here, her father needed the alliance and offered her without asking. 

So she came, and hated it, the other women didn't accept her, they ridiculed and laughed especially when she would read and want to learn, after all women were just there to please their husbands and King they had no other duty. 

But she wanted to be more than that, before she came here she had almost convinced her father to allow her to learn about mathematics and science from a tutor, but now that would never happen. She was trapped here.

So she waited and stayed in her quarters, venturing out sometimes but not always she tried talking to the others but her shyness prevented her from making the first move. The others in the castle saw this as her being arrogant and thinking herself below them, but truly she was nervous.

This was all new to her, the setting, the people, even the weather! Her Kingdom was so much smaller, and this Kingdom was so much bigger, grander and elaborate. It was was quite daunting for her to be in such a place, to be surrounded by all these nobles in their finery and jewels. But she knew she had to persevere, this was all for her people, if she fulfilled the contract her Kingdom would have the aid required to survive the damage inflicted by the civil war that ravaged her land for years. 

Time skip

A year had passed but nothing had changed much, she was still shy but had some acquaintances she talked to sometimes at the balls and parties held in which she had to attend. 

It was after one of the winter balls when she fufilled her duty, she was impregnated, her father was very happy when he heard the news he after all wanted a grandson. As her knew that his granddaughter would never be a princess, as Tabea was simply a concubine. But if she birthed a son he would still be prince, and in line for royal succession should something happen to the crown prince.

But secretly she wanted a girl, someone to talk to, to be a mother to, because she knew if she had a son he would be taken from her and raised by nannies and trained by the King. 

The months passed and her belly swelled with child, the Queen and concubines waited with apprehension for the birth of the child.

Not once did King Corbinian visit her and ask about her health, she knew he didn't care about her child and this fueled her desire for a girl, she would love her child no matter what.

When the time finally came for her to give birth she was alone with a mid-wife pushing and pushing, blood rushing to her cheeks as she pushed with all her might. She was of slight build so the birth was difficult for her, after 32 hours did her baby finally arrive giving a mighty cry to the world announcing her arrival, while the moon shone through the windows illuminating her form, bathing her in white light.

Her little princess was finally born, 9 months she had waited and finally she was here, when her daughter was placed in her arms did she finally glance upon her form, so beautiful.

Silvery, white wisps of hair curled around her head, pale skin blotched in red, she was so still and quite after her noisy arrival, but she realised the pain was worth it as she had brought this wonderful creature into this world.

NOTE

For those  who read my entry in the competition this is the first part of it, I thought I would try to make it into a story, please tell me what you think about it? LOVE or HATE it....