As the entire kingdom went into an officially declared period of mourning, I refused to get out of bed or eat. I ignored all orders to leave my room and attend to my duties, regardless of the consequences. Nothing mattered anymore. Before she was even born, I had been told that we would marry and rule the kingdom together for centuries to come. I didn't know what I would do after the entire course of my life had been changed, and the love of my life was dead.
Every day afterward, I spent hours hiding in various places on the castle grounds, secretly crying, and overwhelmed with the grief of her passing. Sometimes, I would find myself throwing rocks at trees or ponds, furious that she had been taken from me. I was angry with myself for not protecting her, not realizing that, as a child, there was little I would have been able to do, anyway.
It wasn't until much later my hope had been restored. Mattie, Marguerite's watcher, had faked concern regarding the abduction because she knew what had really happened. Eventually, she confessed to her involvement in the abduction of the love of my life. For years, she'd kept the secret—Marguerite was alive, but far away.
A Long Time Coming
Chapter Two
I brought my thoughts back to the present. So much for the run clearing my head. Thoughts of Marguerite never seemed far from my mind, even after all of these years. The harder I tried not to think about her, the more I did. Sighing, I slowed down. I had hoped the run would have helped to empty my thoughts. I was getting near the edge of the immense hidden woods.
Looking around at the creatures I passed, I couldn't help wondering what she would think of everything when she returned. She had been raised to believe she was human, and according to what Steve's family had told us over the years, she had no idea she was anything other than an ordinary mortal.
How different both of our lives would have been if she had been able to grow up in the castle, knowing her true roots. We could have grown up together, as we were supposed to, instead of spending these fourteen years apart.
After the news of her death, I continued to long for her company, regardless of how much time had passed. At first, everyone thought it was only because I missed her. When I was unable to move on after nearly a year had gone by, my parents began to suspect Marguerite was still alive. If she had been dead, our deep connection would have been broken, and I would have been able to move on with my life. But she never left my thoughts or my heart. I was completely unable to move on, even at such a young age.
One day, a full three years after Marguerite disappeared, Mattie broke down and confirmed my family's suspicions. Marguerite was still alive—well and happy, in fact. Only she didn't remember anything about her life at the castle. I was heartbroken at the news, and even though I wanted to scream, I stood still and listened to Mattie's explanation.
Mattie had tears running down her face as she spoke. "Vince Moretti threatened my daughters' lives. If I didn't make him think I had killed the princess, he would have killed my daughters. I love little Marguerite as my own, so I placed her in the care of a human family I know and trust. She's safe, and those who want her dead think she is. She's safe—I swear."
The king's expression darkened, his eyes looking like flames. "We've believed our only daughter to be dead for all of this time! You should have talked to us and not taken matters into your own hands, and for your betrayal, you shall be put to death at once!"
"She saved Marguerite's life," the queen pleaded. "Let her live, Geoffrey. Please. She's served us faithfully for years."
The king and queen discussed Mattie's fate privately. It took them weeks to come to an agreement. In the end, Mattie's life was spared, but she would live in the castle's dungeon and must tell the king and queen all the details regarding Marguerite's new life.
As soon as they learned where she was, the king and queen sent their most trusted servants, Steve's parents, to live near her and her human family. I had begged to go with them, but my parents insisted I stay at the castle to continue to be raised. My parents were second in line to the king and queen, and I was going to become king when I married Marguerite.
"It's bad enough that she isn't being raised in the castle," my father told me. "You need to be. We can't have both a king and a queen who have no idea about castle life."
"I'm fourteen now!" I told him. "I know all about castle life, and I cannot forget either, Father."
"Son, you are soon going to go through your transformation," my mother told me. "We royals have much more difficult—and more intense—transformations. It really is best that you are here for that. You also have much to learn about becoming king."
"Why don't we just bring Marguerite back?" I demanded. "She needs to be here, too! What's the point of her living with humans? We know where she is, and she needs to be here!"
"Her parents made the decision to have her stay where she is for the time being. That's the end of the discussion."
"Don't they want her back? I can't believe I want her back more than they do!" I was on the verge of losing my temper. I wasn't aware at the time that I was beginning my transformation.
"Clifford, you need to control your temper," my father said, sounding irritated. "The king and queen made their decision, and we must respect that."
"Why don't they want her here?" I demanded. A couple of light bulbs on the wall exploded into a glassy mess.
"Looks like it's starting." My father's eyes lit up.
A look of love and pride swelled over my mother's face. "My baby is beginning to transform."
I groaned. "Mother."
My father patted me on the back. "It's a big day, son."
"Just tell me why they don't want her here. I can handle it."
My father sighed. "The Moretti's think she's dead. Her parents want to keep it that way. If she comes back to the castle, word will spread, and they will try to kill her again. They might actually succeed next time. Vince Moretti is not one to make the same mistake twice. We need to find the Morettis and take them down before she comes back. It's for her safety."
"If she comes back now, she might not survive for you to marry, Clifford," my mother said. "Without her, you won't be king. She's next in line for the throne. There are no available young men from the first line of the Fyrsturae. You are first in the line of Halldor—we can't get onto the throne without you marrying into their line. For now, we must respect the king and queen. It's imperative that we don't fall out of their favor."
"I'm more concerned about her safety than I am about becoming king," I said, feeling myself beginning to calm down. "I'll wait for as long as I have to. Her safety comes first."
***
All these years later, Marguerite's safety was still of utmost concern. Now that she was on the verge of her own transformation, I had to get back into her life and help her through it. I wasn't about to let her experience it without knowing what was going on. I couldn't imagine how scared she would be, discovering she had supernatural powers when she believed herself to be human.
If anyone could handle it, though, she could. Ever since she was a baby, she'd had a mind of her own and found ways to get what she wanted. It drove her parents and Mattie crazy when she was little, but those were the qualities she would need to rule the throne.
***
All of a sudden, sunlight shone on my face. I covered my eyes and blinked a few times, adjusting to the light. The darkness of the forest made the light seem much brighter than it actually was.
Looking around, I saw I still hadn't reached human civilization. The only thing I could see in front of me was grass. I walked straight ahead, stiffening at the different feeling in the air telling me that I had left the safety of the forest and castle. Not that it was entirely safe there, as we could still get killed, but it would be far more difficult. The whole area had been created to provide protection for our kind. And when we passed the protection barrier, it was more than noticeable. It was unsettling.
As I walked, birds flew overhead and clouds grew bigger and da
rker. It was a typical Northwest fall afternoon. It would probably start raining before too long. It could go from warm and sunny to windy and rainy with little notice. At least I had a hoodie on.
Narrowing my eyes, I was able to see a road in the distance. As I walked toward it, squirrels darted about in zig-zagging patterns. A couple of them battled over a hazelnut. Clearly, they were preparing for the upcoming cold season.
Once I reached the road, I looked as far as I could see in both directions. There were neither cars nor any signs, only some power lines in the outskirts. I decided to walk along the road, knowing it would be safe. It had no lines painted on it, indicating it was rarely traveled. I sighed in relief, not wanting to see anyone, human or immortal.
As I walked along the road, looking at the unchanging scenery, I thought back to my years waiting for Marguerite to return to the castle. I had spent the time focused on learning everything I would need to know about becoming king. I had learned all I could about rules, regulations, history, and prophecies. I honed my talents and gifts as my transformation progressed. I had done what I could to keep my mind off Marguerite as much as possible.
Though, whenever I rested, she filled my mind and constantly lived in my thoughts. I dreamed of the times we spent together as children and of her growing up in the human world. I didn't know if they were figments of my imagination or perhaps visions of what she was really like. Even when I was busy, there had been a constant ache I could never soothe.
I had longed for the day I would be able to hold her in my arms and never have to let her go again. Even with her absence, my love had grown more romantic as I got older, almost as though she were right there with me. As the years went by, I began to resent her parents for not insisting she come back to the castle. I couldn't imagine why they would think that she would have been better off being raised outside the castle by mortals. I could have protected her. I would have gladly stayed with her at all times to keep her safe from the Morettis.
I worried about her falling in love with someone else. It wasn't unfounded, either, because there was a prophecy about her falling for another. When I had first heard that news, I was not only stunned, but too young to really understand what it meant. Aside from that, it was before Marguerite had been kidnapped, so I felt that I could protect her. Once we thought she was dead, I had forgotten about it altogether.
But once I went through my transformation, I nearly lost it when I remembered the prophecy. My wild mood swings sent me over the edge in general, but the day I recalled it, I went on a rampage. I nearly destroyed everything in my room, leaving only a few items left intact.
I didn't feel any better after that, so I ran out of the castle and through the woods. I continued on beyond the woods, entering into mortal territory. When I came across a lone man, I jumped on top of him and tore him to pieces. The look of terror in his eyes right before he died caused me to freeze.
What had I done? I had never wanted to kill anyone—ever. Yet I had let my anger rule over me and I lost control, killing someone. Guilt washed over me, and I hid the body, not wanting to be caught. The guilt drove me to be angry at everyone, and I used my transformation as an excuse to take it out on anyone near me.
I threatened to rescue Marguerite myself and bring her back to the castle. The only thing that stopped me was my mother threatening to remove me from the family line. Without being in the line, I couldn't marry her.
Many times, I brought up going to get her from the humans, but the answer from my parents was always the same—wait for the king and queen to bring her back. That we needed to let them make the decisions so we could eventually get on the throne. I wasn't to cross them.
The years dragged on, but my longing for her never wavered. The more time went by, the more tortured I felt. I knew that one day we would be reunited, but one day seemed so elusive, and I felt sure it would never arrive.
I had finally gotten word from Steve that she was beginning her transformation. All of the waiting was finally over. Well, almost over. I still had another week before I would join Steve's family and see Marguerite…Alexis…at long last.
I stuck my hands in my pockets, deep in thought. I walked down the road until it had become dark. I heard some claps of thunder in the distance. Then I kept going, not afraid of anything the mortal world could throw at me. As the reality of the situation set in, I could feel myself moving from shock and disbelief to excitement.
By the time I got back to the castle grounds the next morning, I was more excited than a child before his birthday. I could barely contain my emotions. I was so close to seeing my love again!
When I walked to the front door, a servant opened it and gave me an exasperated look. "Where have you been, your highness? Everyone has been looking for you. Kelvan said you had received a phone call and then disappeared. Someone called your parents and they returned early from their trip. They're beside themselves with worry."
I stifled a groan. "As you can see, I'm perfectly fine. I'll find my parents and deal with them."
My parents showed up directly in front of me before I had even reached our wing.
"Where were you?" my mother demanded.
"What's going on, son?" asked my father.
"I needed some time alone. I only wanted to think."
"You can't simply run off without telling anyone," my mother said, folding her arms. "You have responsibilities now. This isn't like the days when you were going through your transformation and could do anything you wanted."
"I thought I wasn't supposed to do anything I wanted then, either."
"What's going on with you? Is—"
"Marguerite has begun her transformation. I have some things to take care of here, and then I'm heading over to Delphic Cove to help out. I needed time to process the information."
My parents both stared at me for close to a minute before my father spoke up. "It's beginning? How do you know?"
"Stephen called."
"We must get over there immediately," my mother said.
I stepped closer to her and looked directly into her eyes. "You need to let me do this on my own."
"The king and queen aren't here. We really should—"
"No," I said, narrowing my eyes. "I will go alone. Should I need your assistance, I will let you know."
Her eyes flashed red. "You must respect our decisions."
My father placed his hand on her shoulder. "We should let him handle this on his own. He's proven himself, Francine. The Flemings will be there, and they're very capable."
She glared at me. "If you need anything, call us right away."
"Of course, Mother. Why don't you two get back to your trip? I didn't mean for anyone to call you back from it."
The rest of the week, I couldn't focus on any task at hand. I couldn't believe that Marguerite's transformation was finally beginning. It had taken so much longer than I had expected. It shouldn't have started any later than when she was fifteen, yet she was now nearly seventeen. It had to have had something to do with being raised away from the castle, I was sure of it. Allowing her to be raised by humans was a bad idea from the start, no matter what the king and queen said.
A Long Time Coming
Chapter Three
The day came at last for me to leave the castle and go to the Flemings' house. My parents had a list of instructions for me, but I couldn't pay attention.
I was finally going to see Marguerite! When I left the castle, I was dressed in plain clothes again so I would blend in with humans. I ran as fast as I could to Delphic Cove. Running so fast that no mortal eye could see me definitely had its advantages.
When I arrived at the house, Brooke, Steve's sister, answered the door and I ignored all formalities. "Where is she?"
"It's wonderful to see you too, Cliff," Brooke replied with a laugh. "You're going to have to wait a few days to see her. We have plenty to fill you in on, anyway. We'll keep you busy and distracted."
"I doubt that. Why are you making m
e wait?"
"You both need to be prepared for the dance. I want to make your reunion as magical as possible," she said, her eyes twinkling. "Both of you need to look your absolute best. She's going to take some real work, believe me. She doesn't resemble a princess in the slightest. We'll just have to rent a nice tux for you. That'll be easy enough."
I sat down on the couch. "So tell me about her. She's almost seventeen, and I haven't been allowed to see her since she was three."
Brooke sat on a chair across from me. "She's extremely intelligent. She's won all kinds of awards and contests for her knowledge. She studies all the time and has no interest in human boys…that should make you happy. She pays no attention to how she looks, so I have a lot of work to do. I've designed a dress that resembles the ones she wore as a child so often. I can't remember ever seeing her in a different pattern back then. The dress I'm designing is more elegant and mature, of course, but has the same pattern. Hopefully it will help to bring back some memories. I don't think she can recall anything from before her kidnapping."
My stomach dropped. It made me sick to think that she'd forgotten about me. "I'm sure she's beautiful even if she doesn't spend any time on her appearance," I said, not wanting to think about her memory.
"Of course she is," Brooke said. "But she doesn't see it."
"What does she know about her transformation?" I asked.
"She doesn't know that she's going through a transformation for starters. She's figured out that she doesn't belong with her human family, but she just thinks she was adopted and her parents are lying about it."
"What's the deal with the crows?" I asked. "I've never heard of anything like that."
"I'm worried it has something to do with the Moretti's," Brooke said, and then sighed. "She's stayed hidden from them for so long, but we think they may have discovered that she's alive and are looking for her. My parents haven't heard of crows chasing anyone during their transformation, either. We have to protect her. We can't let them get her."
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