Charlotte softly grasped Vagatha's hand as the two girls watched the royal coach depart from the cottage. She could tell by the girl's longing hazel eyes that Vagatha desperately didn't want her mother to go. Raphael could also sense his mistress's distress which was why he slowly came up next to her and licked her other hand. Even Alastor felt sorry for her.
"Don't worry Vagatha." Charlotte told her reassuringly. "As soon as my father returns from the crusades, we'll all live together as one big happy family."
Vagatha smiled and gave her sister a hug who returned the same gesture of affection.
"Thank you Charlotte." She said. "Do you think that maybe Granny could come live with us in the castle?"
"Of course. Once I tell Papa how she took care of us, he'll insist."
"Are you sure? He wouldn't see her as an embarrassment, would he?"
"I should say not. What would give you the idea that he would?"
"Because that's what Mother says. She says that a royal castle is no place for a senile old woman. She's certain that Granny would only bring shame to the royal family."
"With all due respect." Alastor interjected politely. "If anyone in this family is capable of bringing shame, it would be that miserable shrew that you call Mother."
"What are you doing here?" Vagatha asked, irritated.
"You forget, Charlotte and I are friends. Which means I am welcome to visit her. With her kind permission of course."
"Oh, right." Vagatha turned to Charlotte. "Why are you friends with him again?"
"Vagatha be nice."
Vagatha began to whisper into Charlotte's ear.
"I'm sorry. I know he's your friend and that you want to be kind to him but to tell you the truth, I don't like him."
"Well that's perfectly fine Miss Vagatha because I'm not too fond of you myself." Alastor said.
"What the- How did you-"
"Don't bother to whisper in my presence. My hearing is exquisite and far surpasses yours. That also applies to my sight, smell, and manners."
"Alright that's enough conflict for one day." Charlotte said. "Let's make this afternoon a happy one. Why don't we go play into the forest? It's not so very cold today, the snow has finally melted, Spring should be here soon."
The other children answered her with quiet smiles and she took each of them by the hand, leading them into the part of the woods that was safe for children to play in because it was near where wood cutters worked. Together the three of them played chasing games, climbed trees, skipped rocks across the creek, and went looking for birds, rabbits, and squirrels to watch. Although Alastor did try to eat a few of them once or twice.
"Faster! Faster!" Charlotte laughed as Alastor ran about, carrying her on his back.
"As you wish." Alastor replied with a grin.
"You're so strong Alastor." She commented. "At least I hope you are. If you're getting tired then you can put me down."
"You need not worry about me fair Princess for I am but your humble steed. Give the order and I shall do as you command."
"Flatterer." Vagatha mumbled.
"Would you like a ride next Vagatha?" Charlotte asked.
"No thank you." Vagatha responded. "Besides I don't think Alastor would enjoy carrying me very much."
He only smirked at her and continued to playfully entertain his new friend with many more of his tricks and games until the children sensed that dark was close. So the girls decided to return to the cottage and Alastor hurried off to his own home.
"Alastor truly is a creative individual." Charlotte said as she and Vagatha walked back together. "If he were to become a performer he would be the talk of the entire kingdom."
"I suppose."
"I don't understand why you don't like him. He's polite, friendly, and so much fun to be around. I like him, your granny likes him, why don't you?"
"I don't trust him."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't trust beasts."
"He's not a beast."
"He has fur, claws, fangs, and a tail. That makes him a beast in my book. A beast like a wolf."
"Alastor is nothing like a wolf."
"Maybe he is, maybe he isn't. All I know is I'll never let my guard down in front of a beast. That's how I lost my father and I'm not going to lose anybody else the same way."
"You never have to be afraid of losing me. Remember what we always say. We will not leave each other."
"Never so long as we live." Vagatha smiled as she finished it. "Thank you Charlotte. You know I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you or Granny."
"I think that you would be just fine. After all, you're probably the bravest person I know. Much braver than me."
"Well being brave isn't exactly a required trait."
"It is if you're going to run a kingdom someday. My father says that when I grow up I'm going to become queen which means I have to be brave and strong like him. But I'm not."
"Maybe not now but that doesn't mean you can't be brave and strong someday. I could teach you."
"I don't know."
"Hey I wasn't born brave. My granny taught me to be brave. If she can teach me then I can teach you."
"Thanks Vagatha."
"Speaking of you becoming queen one day, is it true that someday you'll have to get married?"
"Yep. Papa says that it's important to make sure our royal line doesn't end. Producing heirs is essential which means once I ascend the throne it's only a matter of time before I have to take a husband."
"Are royal marriages arranged?"
"Mostly. It's preferred that we marry someone in our class but my mother wasn't of royal birth. She was a goose maid but my father loved her so much that he just had to marry her weather she was a commoner or not. He chose to marry for love so that's what I'm going to do. Although I think he's hoping that I'll fall in love with the prince of Poland."
"Oh gross! Not him!"
"You know him?"
"No but I've heard of his father, King Vincent of Poland and he's a tyrant. My granny says that he's cruel, greedy, and bigoted. You know he's enslaved and wrongly convicted Moors and Romanians."
"Oh dear. If that's true I wonder why Papa would want me to marry his son."
"Granny says not everyone knows what King Vincent is really like."
"Then how does she know?"
"Granny told me that when I was born she wasn't sure if Germany was a safe place to raise me in. She considered the four of us moving to Poland so she went there to gain permission from the Ludwik, the king at the time, but he had taken ill and his son Vincent was running things in his place. Vincent denied my granny's request, saying that her people were of filth and the devil. That he wouldn't allow anyone affiliated with Satan to reside in his kingdom. He then threatened to have her burned if she ever set foot in Poland again."
"How terrible. What did King Ludwik say?"
"He never knew of my grandmother's visit. He had become far too ill to even leave his bedchamber."
"And no defended her?"
"She said that the royal squire Isaiah tried to speak on her behalf but he was quickly silenced. In the end though, Granny realized we were better off staying in Germany. She sensed that there was something twisted in the Polish monarchy."
"Twisted how?"
"She says I wouldn't understand it now. That because of my young age it would be too complicated for me to comprehend. But she gave this warning and it's that every family has secrets."
"Even mine?"
"Yep and the royal families usually have the most scandalous ones."
"I can't imagine any secrets my family would have."
"Neither can I but I'm sure there are some."
"Well I don't want there to be any secrets between us. So let's promise to always trust each other and to always be honest with each other."
"Agreed. I promise to always be honorable and true to you my sister."
"And I swear by my father's good name that I shall do the same."
And honorable and true the stepsisters would be to each other. For Charlotte and Vagatha were more connected than they realized, and when they matured they would learn that Desdemona's marriage to Percival was not the first time she had become involved in Charlotte's bloodline. Nor was this the first time two girls of different blood; one fair and one dark, had become as close as sisters.