the haunted kingdom - Charles E.J. Moulton (most read book in the world .txt) 📗

their age. That was eleven years ago. She might be thirty wherever she is now and if so then she was in training when you were captured.”
He saw Belinda worried gaze. “I don’t know.”
“Sweetie, Lucinda threw curses on us every day back when she lived here. She even put a curse on Cretan that he might never ever get into the Senate. Now he is the head of the Senate. Lucinda is angry because we have ignored and hated her for thirty years. She screamed at me back then that she would return in three decades to haunt me, but that is just her trying to make us feel that her magic tricks are part of some eternal plan. Trust me, she is full of lies and tricks and nonsense. She plans things way in advance to get back at people. Then she makes people believe she has some dark power behind her to back it up.”
Belinda nodded. “She did wait eleven years, did she not? If she had wanted to kill us, she could’ve done so in 1392 and in 1411.”
”By the lake she could have done it or through Nina Ray or last Friday.” Alexander whispered. “Don’t forget that this whole routine is her way to make us afraid. She throws out these huge plans and then makes the effort look like it is part of a grand cataclysm and makes you wait for it. Then she arrives and makes you wait even longer. Finally, you are pleading for her to beat you up.”
Belinda said, her eyes widening. “We have had two warnings. There will be a third, will there not?” Belinda began to cry. Steven looked their way and Alex took his girl further away and held her tight.
“No, princess.” He held her and caressed her. Belinda put her head against his chest. “Don’t get too involved in this thing. Forget Lucinda. Leave on your trip and it will show her that we are not afraid of her. Have the time of your life, eat, drink and make sweet nuptial love with your husband. Show her that you are a strong woman and will not be intimidated. No Winsletenna has ever been intimidated and you shall certainly not be the first one.” Belinda looked up. Alex took a handkerchief and dried a tear. “Her greatest weapon is our fear. If we are not afraid she is powerless. Don’t give her that power. She will try to scare you with illusions, but that is all they are. Illusions. You have a glorious life, a glorious husband, a glorious mother, a glorious father.”
She laughed and nodded and wept. “The best.”
“You are glorious, beautiful, talented and intelligent.”
She chuckled and blew her nose.
“Exactly. I am extraordinarily sappy.”
“Lovely and emotional” her father corrected her. “You are. Sweetheart, be as aloof and arrogant and funny as you always have been. Don’t change. Drive us as crazy as you always have.”
She giggled, a few tears running down her cheeks. “You have a reason to feel confident. You are a queen. Remember that?” She nodded. “Promise?”
Belinda nodded. “I promise.”
“Now go and have a good time!”
She smiled. Steven came toward them. “Is everything in order?”
Belinda dried her eyes. She nodded.
“Fine, sugarplum. Let us leave.” He caressed her with a worried expression on his face. She embraced Steven as if she was afraid he would leave her at any given moment, grabbing his arms and chest with a power that surprised both him and her father. “I love you!”
Steven was a little dumbfounded. “I love you, too!”
Belinda walked to the carriage and left Steven behind.
“Whatever did you tell her, Alex?”
Alex shrugged. “Something for her to take with her on the journey.” When he saw that Steven still did not understand, he said. “Words of encouragement. I don’t know why she cried,” he continued. “I told her that there is nothing to fear and that she will be fine with you by her side.
”I promise she will be safe.” Alex nodded and made a solemn agreeing sound. Steven stood there looking at his love, his mind seeming to drift into space and then at once turned to Alex and hugged him hard. “Thank you, dear man. See you in a few months.”
“Take care of my girl.”
He jumped in the carriage after Belinda. Both of them waved.
“Bye, be good now.” the bride waved. Everyone waved back.
Patricia said: “Don’t count on that.”
”At least not me.” Morgana cried. “I won’t even try.”
The coachmen whipped the horses into motion and two hands disappeared into the carriage. One by one, the family walked in through the main entrance of the castle, leaving Sieglinde and Alex standing there alone and watching the two coaches leave.
Crown Princess Belinda Winsletenna and Prince Regent Steven of Gargetania waved one last good bye to the family before withdrawing their hands and snuggling up into the carriage to enjoy their first day alone as a married couple after three weeks of nuptial celebration of company.
The siblings and family left by foot, some in pairs and some alone, leaving the king and the queen alone in front of the door of the marble arched entrance with its white statues of Gods, birch trees and Dorian columns. The two planted areas of grass lawn with floral arrangements ended in a sandstone fountain that had Poseidon holding a shell. Water was pouring out of it.
Alexander was looking at it, whilst Sieglinde gazed the other way toward the exit her daughter was now using to leave the grounds. It was an open space. Gravel under the hooves of the horses, her child was now riding into unknown territory.
Then she saw her husband looking at the statue. She looked at him, curiously.
“Sweetheart,” she finally said. “What’s the matter?”
He looked at her with an open expression. “I just told her that that Lucinda is full of hot air, that her own power only is strong because of our fear of her.”
Sieglinde smiled. “Yes, that might be true.” she said and looked at the fountain. “What does that have to do with the statue of Neptune?”
Alexander sighed. “My thoughts are far fetched, but logical.” He waved toward the disappearing carriage holding his daughter and son-in-law. “We might have our Perseus right there in that coach,” he said, slowly albeit dreamily.
Sieglinde pursed her lips. “You are comparing Steven to a Greek hero?”
Alexander smiled, wind blowing in his hair and beard, making him resemble Poseidon a bit. “According to Greek mythology, Poseidon sent the Ketos Aithiopios, a ferocious sea monster, to Aithiopia because Kassiopeia had the hubris to claim she was more beautiful than Andromeda. So they chained Andromeda to a rock as an offering. Perseus came just in time, however, on his winged horse Pegasus to save Andromeda and slew the monster.”
“Are you saying that Lucinda is as jealous of Belinda’s beauty as Kassiopeia was of Andromeda?” Sieglinde asked Alexander a bit bemused.
“Yes, I am.” he answered. He looked over at the wagon, which was just disappearing out of sight. The water from the fountain was splashing down into the water in the distance. “I am also saying that our son-in-law might be her saviour if something happens to her.”
“If something happens to her, darling,” she responded quietly, “it might be him, yes, and we can be happy that we have him as a husband to our child.” She chuckled softly and sighed. “On the other hand, you might also be her saviour if something happens. Have you thought of that?”
Alexander nodded and kept on looking at the fountain for a bit. Minutes turned into hours that day and the couple had their quiet dinner on the terrace just looking at the fountain.
When they went to bed that night, Alexander Roderick Winsletenna dreamt of King Neptune.

Wednesday, October 28th, 1422

Belinda looked out the one large leaded glass window of the thermal bath. The green birch trees outside swayed in the wind. She could barely see a squirrel shoot up the stem of it through the green glass. She suspected it was cold outside because she imagined seeing the little paws shaking. In here it was warm and that made her feel safe. It was nice to be spending the honeymoon in a private palace so warm.
“Thank Goodness for the Neapolonian Queen,” Steven had said, referring to her gift of sending the newly weds to Urbania as a wedding gift. There were new servants here and larger beds, three lit fireplaces in every room and plates of food cooked by whom she had no idea, apparently all arranged by the Queen herself. Except the occasional walk they took and the nightly concert, all they seemed to be doing was making love, bathing and drinking wine. Belinda seemed to be feeling better and this made her happy. The worry about discovering Lucinda around the corner was vanishing. At the same time as feeling so good, another part of Belinda was afraid of relaxing.
Steven was holding his cup in his left hand and embracing Belinda with his right hand. At times his hand travelled up to her hair and at times down to her right breast. She would smile every time that happened. Belinda leaned against Steven, sipping white wine slowly from her bronze cup.
“Never drink wine in a thermal bath,” her mother had once said. “That will make you even more drunk.”
To tell the truth, it was quite nice knowing that this was legally approved. She could get as drunk and as randy as she wanted. By Jove, she was supposed to get randy. Drunk? That went along with the territory. The wind made a peaceful, comfortable sound and the hot thermal water seemed to animate the couple to kiss each other until their lips were numb. Outside the thermal bath, in their wardrobe room, three musicians were playing “Bedroom Roses” in variations. The rebec and the aulos were accompanying the fidiculas’ main melody. Everything was being transported through a little hole in the door. They had been urged not to stop playing in case “indiscreet noises were to be heard through the entry”. This had been a request from Steven Belinda didn’t care. No, she wanted them to hear how they were making love to each other. Maybe that would inspire them to become better musicians. Belinda laughed at this prospect, imagining the musicians peeking through the hole and getting excited watching the royals at it.
Belinda’s tongue met Steven’s earlobe and circled it several times until she took his entire ear in her mouth and nibbled. With her other hand she stroked his gender.
Steven managed to take the gold flask from the green and blue mosaic edge and fill Belinda’s cup. Belinda looked up at Steven and saw his eyes fluttery and melancholy. “Anything the matter?” He smiled and looked at her. She took a sip of her wine and so did he.
“I am just asking myself how my wife is doing.” He smiled. “Honestly.”
She smiled smugly and rubbed his chest. “You are a tease,” she mused. “I am nearly raping you here,” she said, continuing to rub herself against him, “and you ask me how I am. How do you think I am?”
“I imagine that you are well,” he responded.
“Certain body parts are sore. I must admit.” She blinked at him and let her hand travel down between his legs again. “I am drunk, hot, full, giggly and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
He kissed her tenderly, his tongue dancing around affectionately within her. His mouth travelled to her neck, where he started to wet her skin with his saliva.
“I just