His Fated Queen

Chapter 2

Most witches don’t develop powers and start their training until they are five years old, usually completing their training by sixteen. To start, it is simple things coming from one of the four elements of earth, air, fire or water. For me, however, my powers started when I was three years old, and I flooded the bathroom.

‘Katherine, it is time to get out of the bath and go to bed.’ My mother asked

I was usually a calm, respectful child, but not at that moment, ‘NO.’ I yelled. I splashed the water with my arms and sunk under the surface, picturing the water getting warmer and higher in the bath. The water just flowed over the edge of the bath, along the floor and out the door.

My mother gasped at what she saw, and her hands fluttered around her mouth. I sat up and saw how scared she was. Her eyes went wide, and I could almost hear her heart beating. I drew all the water back to the bath.

My mother was scared out of her mind. I was too young to develop any powers and the ease at which I could control the water was years beyond me. My father, Charles, a short man with a crop of dark hair and a most loving nature, came rushing upstairs wondering what was happening and started running through the water outside the bathroom.

Breathless, he asked, ‘what is this, what is going on, has the bath overflowed? Isn’t Katherine in there?’

‘Yes, my dear, she has flooded the bathroom.’

‘How did she flood the bathroom?’ He demanded to know.

‘She used her powers.’

Father looked down at me, ‘okay, but we knew she would have powers, isn’t this a part of it?’

‘She is too young to be showing any signs of power, especially at this level already. Even I struggle to move this much water.’

All my father could say was ‘oh.’ Looking startled, concerned and perhaps a little proud all at the same time.

He looked up at my mother with fear in his eyes, ‘what do we do?’

‘I will have to start her training now and my mother will need to come and help me. I need to send my brother to her with a message and bring her here.’

My father was not enthusiastic about that, he knew my grandmother would be a part of my training, but they didn’t always agree on my upbringing and often argued. The idea of three witches in the house was a lot, plus the three witch children currently under our protection in the house at the time was too much for him. He was worried it would draw too much attention to our family. But he also knew he had no choice. He knew this would happen and still felt very unprepared.

My grandmother arrived a couple of days later. She usually lived in London with my grandfather, Pedro, at their home there. My grandparents had bought a small house in London when they first arrived in England along with her brother, Matthew, before buying the country house we now lived in. Though I was pretty sure there was magic involved as the house was much larger than a family of our standing should be able to live in, the same went for our country house as well. Though both looked smaller ont he outside than they were inside. It was a typical London house, with two sitting rooms, a dining room, a large kitchen and a few bedrooms upstairs. There was even a courtyard with a fountain and kitchen garden.

During the days before my grandmother arrived, I flooded the bathroom again, started a fire in the fireplace each day in the kitchen and grew the ivy covering our house another couple of feet. I was out of control. But I was fascinated by what I could do. Each time I tried to do something, it just happened. It came so naturally to me. My mother was afraid and amazed at the same time. She never got angry with me, just watched in wonder as I worked with each element, bending it to my will, almost reaching out to touch the element I was working with as though I could see it.

It was raining heavily the night my grandmother arrived. She was a tall woman with long blonde hair and a most inviting smile. She was so beautiful to me, I thought she looked like an angel. Sometimes when she used her magic, she glowed. When the door opened to her, it was like the storm had parted around her, not a drop of water on her immaculately clean dress.

‘Come in mother.’ My mother dragged her into the house. I clapped my hands to get their attention and as they turned there was a loud gasp. I had managed to start a small fire in front of me.

‘Oops,’ I said as I giggled and pointed my hand to the front door and a splash of water from the rain flew inside and on to the fire, putting it out.

‘Good grief Margaret, why did you not call me sooner?’

‘She only started using her powers when I sent word to you.’

‘She just used three elements in one and telekinesis at the age of three, you wrote three days ago. She can barely talk yet.’ My grandmother looked down at me, ‘I wonder.’

‘Yes, mother, I have wondered about that as well.’

I looked between them, not knowing what they were talking about. I clapped my hands, blowing the door closed, trying to get their attention again.

‘We need to know what other powers she has.’

‘Yes, you have more experience than me, which is why I need you here. This is beyond me; beyond anything I have ever seen. So much power and she is already starting to control them. I have never seen or heard of it.’

‘No daughter, you are right, and I the same. Where is the grimoire?’ She seemed troubled. I had never seen my grandmother do anything other than smile.

‘It’s upstairs on the altar as always.’

‘Ok, take her up there, and we will start straight away.’

At that, my father walked into the hall.

‘What is wrong with Katherine?’ He demanded to know. He was still the man of this house, even if he knew the women really controlled everything. He loved his daughter more than anything. His wife had explained their family history, but it didn’t truly prepare for the time and he was suddenly afraid for his family.

‘Nothing is wrong with your daughter Charles. She is perfect. She is powerful indeed and she will do great things. I think she will be the most powerful witch we have ever seen or will ever see.’

‘No, she is three years old. I don’t like this.’

My mother walked over to her husband, placed her hand on his arm and looked him in the eye. ‘It’s okay my love, we will teach her, we will guide her, and she will learn control.’

My father looked up at my mother with tears in his eyes. He was thinking about his daughter with the realisation that I would never be the little girl he envisioned when I was born. That was no longer my path. I would need his protection.

‘I need to go to London. Pedro and I need to attend court. I should take Matthew as well. Peter will stay. No, maybe Matthew should stay as well.’ He said the last while watching me in my mother’s arms. ‘I must go to court and make sure I am trusted. I need to ensure she will be safe. It’s all I can do to protect our daughter.’

‘I know, I understand my love.’ My mother gently caressed his face.’ We will all have to protect her until she is able to do so herself.’ My father went to his room to start packing for London.

My mother turned and took me up to our grimoire. Grandmother was already at the book looking through the pages.

‘I am sure Margaret; she is the one. She is the daughter of Eve returned to us.’ I looked up at my mother, she was sad, a single tear fell down her cheek. I lifted my hand to touch her face. She brought me close and kissed the top of my head.

My grandmother had opened the grimoire to the front, with the list of powers that each witch over the years in our family had developed. So far, I had shown an ability with all four elements.

‘According to the prophecy, Katherine will develop all of these powers.’ My grandmother explained and gestured to the book in front of her. Waving her hand over the list as though that would ease my mother’s mind.

‘All of these powers, how many are there, what will she be able to do?’

‘Everything. Visions, telekinesis, telepathy, empathic abilities. With just those, she will be able to control people around her, the things they do, their emotions, and she will be able to draw them to her. She will be able to sense other beings, sense other witches and what their powers are. Her senses will be heightened, not like a werewolf or vampire, but much greater than a human. Her spells will be more powerful, she will be strong, she will be able to create her own spells. I think she will live for a long time as well, but I’m not sure about that. The prophecy talks about a new millennium that’s in 500 years’ time.’

My mother sat in the chair next to her. Her breathing hitched ever so slightly. I turned in her arms, touched her face,

‘Ok mama.’ Her breathing slowed, she visibly relaxed. Then her eyes flew up, she gasped, standing up, placing me on the chair and taking a step away from me.

‘What’s wrong Margaret? What just happened?’

‘She changed my emotions. I was feeling sad and scared. When she touched me, I relaxed, feeling like everything was going to be fine.’

‘Oh. Well, I guess that is one more power down.’

‘Not helpful mother.’ My mother stated sarcastically.

‘I know, but we need to be practical about this. These powers are coming on fast, and she is learning to control them as quickly as she receives them. She needs to be with one of us all the time, and I suggest she doesn’t leave the house too much until most of the powers manifest, and we know for sure she understands not to use any of them in public. I think it will only be for a short time. Though I would not be surprised if, once she is married and no longer a virgin, her powers will increase even more.’

‘How on earth can we prepare her? We aren’t prepared for this.’ My grandmother walked to my mother, took her hand and looked her daughter in the eye.

‘We might not be completely prepared, but I have had visions of Katherine before. I don’t think we will ever be prepared for what she is capable of, she may not be able to handle it. If only there was more to the prophecy or a way to call on Ruth for guidance. She had all these powers. But we will do everything we can for her.’

‘She also had Lucifer to train her to use those powers, his powers. I don’t think that is really an option for us.’

‘Ah, no I doubt that.’ Grandmother returned to the grimoire. ‘Though part of the prophecy talks of him returning to earth to guide her, that isn’t for another 500 years, so no, not helpful at this moment.’

‘How old was Ruth when her powers manifested?’

‘I have no idea; I can only assume she was the same age.’

‘I feel so lost mother. I have no idea how we are going to help her. How do I tell her about the prophecy, how do I tell my daughter that she will be immortal, and Lucifer will come back to claim her?’

‘We don’t tell her about the prophecy yet, she is too young to understand now.’

‘How will we know when she is ready?’

‘She will let us know. One day she will ask us about it, then we will tell her what it means for her life. She will have the power of visions; she will most likely have a better understanding of the prophecy and her powers than we will. But first she needs to understand the basics of her gifts.’