The Blessing (Rewritten)

Welcome to Vailala

Corrie POV

The Kingdom does not look like it has changed much in the last 3 years. The walk to the castle is a long one, so I decided to look around the village. The leaves on the trees are starting to change color and fall. Autumn is here now, and it is starting to get colder now; it will not take winter long to get here. Unfortunately, the people have not changed either. Giving me nasty glares as I walk by just because I am a little different. Maybe if they had kept us around, they would not be missing loved ones now. I did not talk to anyone as-to not stir up any issues before I even had a chance to introduce myself to the royal family. I am nervous to be doing this. 3 years is not a lot of time to forget someone you were lovers with.

I look at the gate that the castle waits behind, this is as far as I can get my feet to move. Why is this so hard, this is just like any other job. I need to be as professional as I can be and just get it over with. I finally bring myself to walk up to the guard at the gate and introduce myself. I am wearing a long sleeved dark colored dress to cover my markings and dark colored slip-on shoes. The guard was in full uniform, black shirt and trousers and equipped with a sword in its sheath. His short brown hair was covered in a black hat and most of the seams of his clothing were golden.

The guard just looks down at me. "State your name and reason for being here." He demands in a normal tone, but you can hear the authority in it.

"Corrie Stone, sir. I am upon the request of your Queen for a blessing and help with missing citizens." I pulled back my sleeve just enough for him to see the marks on my left hand and smiled at him.

He gave me a disgusted look which made him look even uglier than he did before. He opened the gate, and I could hear him whisper under his breath "Ungodly creature." I simply ignored him as I walked past. The whispers and looks do not really bother me much anymore. I walked right up to the front doors. The castle was a huge white stone castle, but unlike fairy tales there were no towers. The middle of it was pointed and the sides mirrored each other, flattening out at the top with stone rails so that if guards were up there, they could not fall off easily. The door opened before I even got to them, and a smiling Queen greeted me. I could tell this was making her uncomfortable as the smile did not reach her eyes. She was beautiful though. Blonde hair that was slowly turning gray was twisted up in an elegant crown upon her head with a beautiful crown placed on top. It was slender and lightly jeweled. Her small figure did not stop her standing up straight and elegantly either. This was Lydia Stevens, the Queen of Vailala.

"Your Majesty." I curtsied to her as a proper lady should while in front of respectable people. Did I find the royal family respectable? No, no I did not. Was I about to admit that to anyone? Also no, no I was not. So, I put on my best smile, bowed to this hateful old woman that had hated my kind for as long as I can remember. She is the Queen of where I live and, like it or not, you just do not go there.

"Ah you must be the witch's daughter I hired, and your name, my dear?" She walked inside the castle.

I fought to roll my eyes as she pretended to not know who I was. "Corrie your Majesty, my name is Corrie Stone." I ran slightly to keep up with her as she was walking faster than one would in heels.

She nods in understanding. "Corrie, my son is getting married, and the wedding is soon. I need a blessing for the wedding and their future. You see my son has not met the woman he is marrying. She is due to arrive soon and even though I know he will do as he is told, I am worried. He’s always been a little defiant."

"Ma'am, I can bless whatever you tell me too, but I can't make him fall in love with someone." I wanted her to know that even though I can do a lot of things, making someone fall in love is not one of them.

She stopped and turned to look at me and I stopped when she did. "I am not asking for a love potion silly girl. Love will eventually come. I just do not want him causing any unnecessary trouble for the woman I have arranged this marriage too. We do not marry for love; we marry for our duty.” Her words beat heavily down on me as I know that was meant for me. We had tried to get married, and she basically escorted my family out of her village. . .with an angry mob.

"I will bless it as much as I can, but his actions are his own. I just needed to let you know beforehand that blessing it will not make it work if they do not wish it to. Blessings though, sometimes do make people feel that it is special. I can do that." I replied with as much professionalism as I could.

She nods and starts walking again. "Good, the other thing I need from you is to find out what's happening to our citizens. If we cannot protect them, they will not follow or support us. That is the most important thing that we have is our nation's trust."

I nodded my head as if she could see me. "I will do everything in my power to stop whatever is happening."

She walked me down an incredibly long hallway and as she rounded a corner, I looked around some. I looked right and that led to another hallway while straight led to a large staircase. I quickly moved to follow her so I would not be considered rude. I was in a large sitting room with an older man with a larger and heavier jeweled crown upon his head. Salt and peppered hair and facial hair. He was dressed in a neat suit with his tie perfectly straight. He was tall and his build was not as strong as it once was, but he was far from looking weak. You could tell this royal couple aged very well during their reign.

"This is my husband." She introduced him. She did not mention their names, I already knew them and they knew that. The King was Harold Stevens. I was the unwelcome girl they tried to keep their son away from.

I just curtsied to them both and bowed my head as I did so. "Your Majesty." I also avoided looking them in the eyes as I held no respect for them. To them I would seem shy, but I could barely hold my disgust for them and insulting them would cost me. They were not friendly people.

The King and Queen looked extremely uncomfortable around me. Funny they feel simply fine asking me to hunt down some dangerous thing taking their people, but they are not okay being in the same room as me. I stood politely, knowing they were not going to offer me a seat. They barely wanted to offer me a room, but it was a requirement of my help. A man dressed in a black suit walked in bringing the King and Queen something inside a pot with two little glasses, probably tea or something. "Ah, Roger, please escort Miss Stone to her room." The Queen smiled a huge fake smile. I guess they are trying to get rid of me so I will not ruin their afternoon.

He looked me up and down, his balding gray hair was short, his gray mustache was well groomed and he was on the shorter side, probably around 5'7 and he looked around 80 years old. He bowed to the royal couple. "As you wish your Majesty." He jerked his towards the staircase and I just followed him after I politely told them goodnight. I pulled the strap to my bag closer to me as I walked up the steps. I walked slower than Roger as I remember the last time I was in this house. "Miss please keep up." He looked back at me “I know you remember me as I do you Miss, I do not know why you are back, but these people are not kind. Please remember that.”

I simply nodded to the man and followed him faster. When we turned to the left after getting to the top, my heart almost stopped. There he was walking towards us, walking past us. Alexander Stevens, my first love, my first and only friend I had ever made. I did my best not to look at him as we passed each other. I walked with my head held up and fought the urge to look back at him as my heart beat out of my chest. He did not look at me as we passed, it did not even look like he knew who I was. Would it even matter if he did, no he is getting married soon anyway. He was a Prince, and I was nothing but a witch.