A Grim Fairy Tale

Chapter Seven

"No thank you Stepfather."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes. I do not wish to get in the way of your special time with your daughter. Besides I do not know how to even ride a horse."

"As you wish but if you change your mind, I can have the royal stable boy teach you."

"Thank you but it's not necessary."

Vagatha then bid the king goodnight and left to sleep in her chambers with her dog Raphael at her side. Awhile later, the king himself retired to his own chambers with his new queen. But before they slept, he insisted that they speak on the matter regarding the ruined portrait of his late wife.

"Just as I told your adorable daughter." Desdemona said. "It was a mere accident. I truly did not mean to tear the painting."

"I saw the painting." He replied. "You said it fell on a nail and that's how it was torn. But there was more than one tear."

"Do you doubt my word husband?" She proceeded to shed false tears. "Is this how you cherish and honor me?"

"No. Please don't cry."

When Percival moved to comfort Desdemona, she gave him a special kiss that further weakened his senses and made his will easier to manipulate. 

"I'm sorry dear. Forgive me. I know you meant no real harm."

From that moment on the new Desdemona's influence over Percival and his palace grew stronger and stronger. And unknown to all within the castle, including her own daughter, Desdemona was a witch just like her ancestors before her.  A wicked witch who had used her powers to charm the king into marrying her and it was not long before she revealed herself to be a very proud, haughty, and selfish woman with little to no care for anyone. She behaved with cruelty, mistreated the servants, and heavily taxed the people in order to buy lotions, jewels, and dresses to maintain her great beauty. Each time the king even thought about putting a stop to her vile actions, she would strengthen her enchantment on him thus allowing her to do as she pleased. 

As for Vagatha she only became more sad with each passing day. Though her new stepfather was kind to her, she still grieved for her own father and she missed her grandmother terribly. She also tried to earn her mother's attention but the queen barely spent more than an hour with her each day. She stubbornly refused Charlotte's attempts at friendship and took comfort only in Raphael. Yet as sad as Vagatha's situation was, it was no where near as bad as Charlotte's.

You see Desdemona utterly despised the pure and innocent girl. Despised her for her fair face and by how adored she was by all in the kingdom. She turned yellow and green with envy. Whenever she looked at Charlotte her heart turned over inside her body, her hatred grew like a weed. Eventually she sought to get the young princess out of her sight but she had to be clever about it. King Percival may have been in her power but just as her mirror had warned, no force in all the world could destroy the love he had for his child. 

Then one day the king received a summon to join in the crusades against the Turks and he simply could not refuse out of fear for the safety of his kingdom. It was the perfect opportunity for the queen.

"When Percival leaves I'll send that brat to live in the forest with my crone of a mother." She thought. "She'll be kept in the dark and far away from the sunshine. She'll be dressed in rags and bound to a life of hard labor. Strenuous toil will surely turn her into a hag."

On the day the king was to leave for war, Charlotte was in tears. She desperately pleaded for her father not to go.

"Oh Papa I'm afraid." She wept. "You simply can't go. What if you do not return?"

"I must take that risk for the good of our people. You will understand when you become queen."

"But Papa with whom will I talk and play?"

"With your new mother and sister. You also have Niffty to take care of you. Do not fret so, I will return. I cannot say when but I will return."

He kissed Charlotte and turned to Desdemona.

"You will protect and love her in my absence won't you?"

"I shall live only for her dear husband." She lied.

 He kissed her farewell and rode off on his horse, leading his soldiers into battle. 

"Farewell my father." Charlotte thought as she waved goodbye to him. "Be safe and come back to me soon."

Poor Charlotte. In that moment she thought being separated from her father would be her only hardship but many more was to come in her future.