Prologue

PEACEFUL, THAT'S HOW BEST TO DESCRIBE the atmosphere. That kind of cold and silent peace that seems to cling to the dark forest.

A lady dressed in dark robes was on a mission that night. She could barely see with all the fog yet she stumbled as though the devil himself was on her heels while clutching her bundle to her chest.

She ran until she burst from the entrapping trees of the forest into a clearing, Where she slowed down for a bit, exhausted and happy to have reached her destination. The lady walked slowly and came to a stop in front of a river, where she freed her bundle of its wrap.

The wail of a child pierced through the air, louder than the chirping of the nocturnal insects. The lady tried to appease the wailing naked child then she placed the babe in a bowl which she placed on the river.

She stood for a while, gazing at the infant as she taught of all the things the child might have become. Overcome by guilt, she hastily backed away and left the child to the elements.

The child cried out into the night as a fervent battle began between her and the waves of the river.

As the woman ran she turned back for a second, to take a last glimpse of the child. Then as swiftly as she came, she turned her back on the child and ran into the forest hunted by the wails of the innocent she left to die.

Some people believe in fate, but that night seemed to be a design by destiny. For walking in that same forest with her husband was a queen haunted by her inability to produce a child.

The queen had tried all she could to conceive a chilly and she longed for a babe to call her own. Queen Vanisha occasionally took long walks in the forest with her husband, as they prayed to the moon Goddess to induce fertility.

"Andres do you hear that"? The Queen asked, as she stopped walking and turned to face her husband.

King Andres not bothered by his wife grunted in reply.

"My King, I can hear the cries of a child. Am I being punished for my sins?".

By then, King Andres could also hear the cries of the babe and he replied " There is no punishment involved, I can hear the cries of an infant as well."

Vanisha walked back to the king and held his hand, then she pulled him in the direction of the cries.

They arrived at the clearing with a river, just in time to see the outline of a woman in dark robes run away.

The King tried to run after her, but she had gotten a large headstart and she soon disappeared from view.

The lady ran towards the river where she found the baby girl drowning. In a panic, she pulled the coughing child out of the water and tried to nurse the child.

Her husband came towards her out of breath, he stopped and gaped at the child his wife held in shock.

"Is she okay"? he asked in awe.

"Barely" she replied while petting the crying child.

"I wonder what kind of monster leaves her child to die," The lady said in annoyance as she peeled off her scarf and used it to wrap the shivering child.

"I don't know who that lady that dropped this child was, she is not one of our people she wore the colors of Berravin." King Andres said.

"I do not care if this baby came from Berravin or Graham, I care that she was abandoned so that means I can keep her, " Queen Vanisha said obstinately, as she began to rock the baby.

"Vanisha you can't just keep the child because you want to, she's Brigishan. This could prove detrimental to us when she finds out her heritage. Besides we can't have a Brigishan sit on the throne."

King Andres said in a worried voice.

" IF she finds out her heritage. Don't forget that Andres, from this moment this child is my flesh and blood and nobody is permitted to know otherwise. Don't worry about the throne, I will raise her and she will make a spectacular queen." Vanisha said as she clutched the child to her chest protectively.

" Vanisha I need you to be reasonable, I know we have no child and the kingdom is expecting an heir, but they will never accept her." King Andres said sadly.

"Well anybody that doesn't accept my princess will be beheaded. I will go into 2 months of seclusion, after which I will announce the birth of our joy."

"I just hope you know what you're doing" king Andres said as he hugged his wife and new daughter.

"Arielle Zura Theron, what do you think," Vanisha asked as she smiled.

"I love it" he replied.

King Andres smiled as he looked at the happiness on his wife's face. Finally, his Queen would smile again. That alone would make him very thankful to his Brigishan child.