The Hunting Of Locksworth Tower

Chapter I: The 2nd Prince

(Flashback #1)
" Your meal for today, Miss Madeline." The young maid said as she set a wooden tray on the desk and left the room in a hurry.

" She must have more important things to attend to." Madeline thought to herself.
She got up from her chair by the window and walked over to the pail of drinking water.
" It's funny, really . . . She is always so kind to me and calls me by name most of the time. Unlike the other maids, who do not even speak to me. I wonder why that is. Perhaps. . . They are not prohibited to do so, by Mr.Locksworth?"
She dipped a ladle into the water and filled a cup. Then she went back to her spot by the window, not even paying attention to the tray of warm leftovers. She sipped on her water as she starred at the plantation through her open window.

" Sometimes, I wish I could leave this, monotonous, room. I could ask the maids if I may have some color, but I doubt they would comply. It is really pretty outside. . . Oh! There is Big sister Anna! She looks quite radiant, today. And her gown is ever so lovely. Though, I think it would be even more beautiful, if it were blue." She quietly whispered to herself.
" Wait a minute. . . Who is that person with you," She asked Anna, as if she was in the room with her. The whispered question would not reach her sister of course.
" Could he be Big brother Stephen, perhaps?" She wondered. " No, he is much older then Big brother Stephen. . . Mr. Locksworth!"

She jumped up from her seat, nearly dropping her cup of water. She noticed and gripped the cup with both hands. She took a deep breath and hurried over to the desk. She set the cup down and picked up her unfinished, drawing and a pen. Madeline rushed back to the window to see Mr.Locksworth was talking to Anna under a maple tree. She looked back and forward, between him and the drawing, while sketching.

" Perfect!" Madeline said with a smile. " Now all I need to do is, convince one of the maids to take me to him. I want to deliver it in person."
Madeline signed the drawling and rolled it up neatly, after the ink dried. She finished just in time as the pair began to move around the yard, again. She watched them closely, as they talked.
As she attempted to make out what they were saying, she whispered to the empty room, disappointedly," I cannot tell what they are talking about."
All of a sudden, there was a rapping at the door.

" Hello? Is someone in there?" A boy's voice inquired, from the other side of the door. She wanted to hide like the maids told her, but she was also excited that there was someone at her chamber door. Madeline went over to the door and pressed her body against it. The maids that look after her told her that if someone unknown was at her chamber door, they were most likely new maids. Keeping this in mind, Madeline spoke politely to the person on the other side of her door. Though, she thought it was paculiar that they would send a boy to be her new maid.

" Hello, sir. . ." She said quietly.

" Who might you be, young miss?" He asked.

" Might I ask you the same question? But since I am not allowed to leave this room. . . I am Madeline Locksworth. At your service, sir." She replied politely.

" Madeline Locksworth, ya? I have never herd of you. But a beautiful name you have, Miss." He said.

" Thank you, kind sir, but you did not answer my question." She said quietly.

" Oh! Sorry, I am Victor Locksworth. I am the third child of the Locksworth's and the second son." He said slightly boasting.

" Big Brother, Victor? What are you doing up here? No one, but the maids, is allowed up here." She asked in a whisper, but you could tell in her voice that she was either worried or surprised.

" What do you mean, Big Brother? I only have a younger brother, no younger sister." He implied.

She kept silent.

" Miss? Miss are you still there," He asked frantically, afraid to have forced her into this silence or that he was talking to a ghost. ," Might you open your champer door?"

" Why would you want to see a girl with cursed blood?" She asked harshly and then fell silent, again. There was a hint of sadness in her voice.

" Well, because you sound sad and I wish to see the one to whom I speak." He replied.

Madeline slowly cracked the door open and kept half of her face hidden behind the door.

He looked surprised as he saw her, then he asked," May I come in, Miss Madeline?"

" I don't think that would be a good idea. You see... You might get in trouble." She said in a whisper as she closed her eyes.

" Why would I get in trouble?" He asked.

" You were not meant to learn of me. . . He will surely have me hung or burned at the stake for witchcraft. Claiming that I bewitched you, forcing you to come up here. You must leave here and tell no one of me. . . For both our sakes." She whispered in a lonely voice, sopped in sorrow.

" But, if you are my sister, then why have I never heard of you?" He asked.

" I am not at liberty to tell you. Do forgive me." She softly cried as she moved away from the opening and tried to shut the door, only to have Victor place his hand on it, stopping it from closing.
She observed him through the opening. He had long, blond, hair, pulled back with and a black ribbon. His eyes were green like the ivy leaves that grew outside her window. He was much taller then her and wore a nobleman's attire, which was a light shade of blue.

" Such lovely clothes. I love a nice shade of blue." She whispered with a soft smile and admiring eyes.

" Thank you, miss," He replied with a smile. " Miss, who is the man you speak of?"

" Mr. Locksworth. My mothers husband and your father. . . Sorry for talking about him as though he were a tyrant," She said with a bow. " My prince." She apologized as she pretended she was wearing a dress and bowed like a lady should. Victor did not return the jester.

" Why doth big brother, Victor, not bow? Art thou not the second prince of the Locksworths?" She asked, trying to sound like she was raised as a noble.

Blushing, Victor said," I am the second son of the Locksworth family. But I am not royalty, I am afraid. Unlike you, up here in a tower like Repunsle."