"John! I heard the village outside our castle boards had an outside visitor. Is that why you have been asking to see me?" The Royal guard bowed his head as the King descended the stairs with his messenger by his side.

"Yes, your Majesty. I was going to deliver the news to you as soon as I got inside the castle but I was delayed" The king nodded gesturing for him to follow as he walked towards the dining hall. 

"I hope you don't mind my family joining the conversation," He said getting a smile from John.

"I see Prince Henry has improved significantly in duels against the men I taught for battle" The king smiled in pride looking at the shy man sitting beside him. 

"I am proud, although I wish he would be a bit outspoken" Henry looked down, twirling his spoon against the bowl. 

"All in good time My King," John said and The king motioned for him to take a seat to his right.

"The man was in distress, we suspected a spy from the north, however. We spotted a letter with a royal seal and a Royal crest in his hands. He even had his identification as A royal Guard to the family.  He gave us grave news asking for the letter to be brought to you directly and begging for help. We thought of it as a sign that King Arthur might have spies across our kingdom, however-" 

The King leaned back staring at his Guard. 

"But?" Edward frowned, his eyes falling on the soup served before him. 

"It made me wonder, Sire, He had nothing but a coat of a peasant on his shoulder, a letter with a royal seal, and a crest in his hands. The man who brought him to the village said he walked through the mountains and it just doesn't settle well with me" 

The king nodded. 

"He has been under observation but no sign of any letter coming in or going out, nor does he seem like a spy. The letter is with Lord Edward, I assume he may present it to you in the next meeting?" The King nodded. 

"You are a good friend of mine John, but I cannot take letters from some peasant claiming to have a crest and letter of the royal seal" John sighs. 

"I will never ask your Majesty to go through such trivial matters. But this is something different" The King sighs. 

"It isn't every day that a man running across the boards of two kingdoms begs of a guard to let our King know that their Kindom - no longer has a King" 

The King snapped his head up in utter disbelief. 

"A man speaking such ill of a king is punished severally" The Queen spoke after staying quiet since the start of the meal. She never spoke in the matters of the Kingdom, However every man alive knew the consequences of speaking about the death of the King who still Rules over the Throne, And they found the punishment of the northern land to be no different from theirs in such matters. 

"And Why have I not received that letter yet then?" The King asked, visibly angry at John. 

"Your Majestic, Such letters with royal Seals are only to be presented by the lords governing the Part of land the letter is taken from" 

The King looked at Queen as she spoke and rose his eyebrows. 

"Who made that rule?" He exclaimed earning a small snicker from one of the guards and he looked up at them as they looked ahead in fear. 

"Is there anything you wish to tell me ?" He asked staring at the guard. 

The Queen cleared her throat, "You did" She spoke two words before taking a sip of her wine and setting the glass down earning a smile from Prince Henry and John. 

The King closed his eyes in disbelief unable to remember why he made such rules. 

"Bring me that man and the letter after the annual meet" John nodded bowing to the king and leaving the hall. 

"Now, When is that again?" He asked looking at his wife, surprised by the fact that she stared at him in disbelief herself. 

"The next week, my King?" She almost left a rhetorical question mocking him and he nodded eating his meat. 

"I wondered what I was forgetting" He whispered.  

The King stared out to the boards of his kingdom and the villages beyond the boards visible through the tower he stood in. The sudden touch of a soft hand on his back made him relax his shoulders. 

"Arthur and I had many misunderstandings" He spoke. 

"Yes, But King Arthur never rose his army on ours, It might be best if we confirm the news brought here" She spoke looking towards the dark forest.

"I have sent a number of soldiers to assess the condition" She nodded. 

"Do you think it was the curse?" He looked at her, his eyes filled with fear but he kept his gaze stern. 

"No, It is not. There is no such curse alive today nor do I believe in it" She frowned as he left her alone at the tower and she stares at the forest. She remembers her father's last words. She remembers how the villagers disappeared in that forest. The borders stayed just as they were when she was a child. 

She remembered what they said. It took her mother's soul inch by inch. Leading her to chains of bed and to be put to sleep forever. She remembers her mother's smile as she watched the forest. 

Izabella touched her chest, her fingers pondering upon the jewels restored after her mother broke them and handed them to her. 

"If you ever see a child at the southern borders of that forest, help him. I beg of you, no child given by god is a devil. That is an innocent soul"  

Her last words rang across her ear till today.

"Bella" She sighs as her husband's hand reached her, wrapping around her waist, his lips lightly touching her neck. 

"Yes ?" She asked as he pressed his chest to her back watching her beauty. 

"I do not believe it took your mother, you do remember that, yes my love?" 

She smiled and nodded. 

"Yes, I do. but I do believe your presence had been requested at the east court by your counselor. Who might be waiting for more than an hour now" 

He froze suddenly remembering his duty and sighs, "Ah, yes. Well then, I shall see you for dinner" 

She smirked watching him practically run out. 

***

It was past dusk when the soldiers Of King Edmund slashed the villagers as they stopped working for just a drop of water. 

"Do I see you wasting your time peasant?" Heard by all the villagers looked at the man as he gasped for breath putting the wood down. 

"Forgive me Sire" As the soldier rose his slash to whip the poor man as he rose his hand to protect himself in vain a voice stopped them. 

"No! You will kill him!" 

"Valeri!" The sudden hiss of her mother was ignored by her as she grabbed his hand and stared at the man standing in front of him. 

"Perhaps you deserve a beating too little girl" She clenched her jaw grabbing the logs of wood that fell down before his hand. 

"I shall work in place of him" Her mother gasp as she watched her daughter working with the men. She wanted to stop her but she disappeared with the logs of wood. The soldier smirked looking at the other guards. 

"We might have a small gift from the villagers don't we" one of the guards chuckled staring at her body as she helped the men from the village as it took their legs such strengths to even stand upon them adding the abuse that was put on them. 

Valeri was only a child. However, her mother feared for her life as she gave the men some water. 

The sole reason their lives were spared was because of this woman, who provided the soldiers with food. Since raw food was taken from their farms and their plates to provide for the guards, these farmers were left with nothing in their hands. The hope was gone. To provide these men with food from their own plates, was their only purpose. 

And Lord Edmund's men took full advantage of it.