Heart's Desire

Prologue

The throne room stood cold and empty. 

"Come forward, Michel," said King Raffet. "What news do you bring?"

Michel swallowed hard. The words stuck in his dry throat.

"Your majesties," he crocked. He bowed low stalling for time, "I have news of an alarming nature."

The King looked at him with all knowing eyes. Eyes that had seen more than any other in the Kingdom of Haven. Michel looked up from his bow and met those eyes. They were the color of green grass flowing in the wind. It was a good sign. Green was the King's favorite color. It meant he was in a good mood. The King waved for him to continue.

"There is a problem in the outer province of Bidden," Michel continued, "It seems there has been an outbreak of violence in the town of Tera." Michel's voice faulted again.

The Kings interest was high now. He knew about the problems that were going on in the outlining areas of his kingdom. There had been rumors of fights breaking out, fields being burned, and children going missing in the southwestern part of the Kingdom near the Forest of Eternal Darkness for years. His steward, Michel had sent a number of officials to investigate, but none hard ever returned. There bodies had never been found.

"My reports indicate," Michel tried to continue, "that, well that there has been a," The words would just not come. Michel tried a different approach, "It would seem that there has been. Been. Um a" he could not say the word.

"Report steward," said the King.

Michel looked back at the King. As gray mist swirled towards the King's very black pupils, his eyes were slowly shifting in color from grass green to light green nearly silver.

"There has been another death," said Michel. The words were so soft a pen drop would have covered them up, but the effect of them shook the room.

"A death?" asked the Queen. She had been silent before now. The words seemed to slip from her perfect rose-colored full lips unbidden.

"Yes my lady," Michel replied.

He turned to gaze at his queen them. Queen Maria looked almost perfect sitting on her golden thrown. Her jet black hair lay in ringlets that framed her delicately featured face. The purple gown she wore matched her purple eyes perfectly. These same eyes that were now shedding tears down her wonderfully rosy cheeks. She picked up a white lace tissue with her porcelain fingers and began whipping away her tears. The King patted her other hand slowly to bring her comfort.

"I think that it is time for me to take my leave for today," said the Queen.

"That is probably for the best," said the King.

The Queen rose from her throne. She gracefully bowed to each of the attendants. Then she exited through the right front side of the throne room her curls and attendants bounding after her. All of the court watched her leave. Silently the King turned back to his steward.

"Is the report to be trusted?" asked the King.

"Yes your majesty. It came from the most noble of my sources in that area." Michel said. Michel liked to use the words sources instead of spies. He hated the words spies. Even more so, he disliked the idea of a spy just as much as the word. It was a new idea. One that had never been needed in the kingdom before the steward's predecessor Bel had been banished.

People in the kingdom had no reason to distrust other people in the Kingdom. Everyone worked hard. Everyone did his or her jobs. Everyone was happy to do the work and play. The unspoken rule before Bel's betrayal was to give and share alike. No one went hungry. Everyone enjoyed his or her job, big or small. Children grew up laughing and playing. Families stayed together. No one fought. There was no sickness, no hurt, and especially no death. Then Bel had betrayed them all.