Charmed

"Atlas my son, you can no longer avoid this. Your father's illness is getting worse and he will be dead soon! You have to take over rulership of the kingdom and to do so you must have your queen!"

"As I've told you before mother, I do not want to rule the kingdom, let alone take on a bride!"

The queen begins to laugh. "It's amazing to me that you seem to believe that this is a request. You will be king, you will rule this kingdom, and you will have a queen by your side!"

"Why must I? The Cardonians are ruled by a queen alone and they are just fine!"

"You must because it's your heritage, it's your destiny, it is the only reason for your existence! Besides the Cardonians are not just fine. They are the weakest kingdom in the world. They are not ruled by a queen alone. They do the bidding of our kingdom. They do whatever your father tells them to do. We are the strongest kingdom and we will remain that way by any means necessary!"

"So how do you suppose I find a queen in such a short period of time?"

"I've informed every woman of the kingdom that the time has come for you to choose a bride. Every woman in the kingdom would be at the grand ball and all of them will be competing to become the new queen."

"And I'm supposed to fall in love with a woman in one night?"

The queen begins to laugh once again. "Aww poor baby. You think that you're going to find love? Love has nothing to do with it. We are looking for beauty, prestige, intelligence and leadership no one cares about love. I've never loved your father. I was by his side because I was chosen to be. I remained by his side because of my loyalty to the kingdom. I will mourn his death as my king and nothing more. I will also rejoice in your crowning. In that moment I will be the happiest that I've ever been!"

Every woman in the kingdom was preparing to go to the grand ball. Getting the best dresses and making sure that they will look their best on that night. Two of those women were sisters Alexandria and Alaina.

It has always been a dream of their mothers for one of them to become queen. Now they had a chance to make that dream come true.

"I need both of you to look and be at your best for the grand ball. I will not let any of these other women take what is ours."

Alexandria and Alaina were prepared to compete with each other. They were also prepared to compete with all of the other women in the kingdom. All of the other woman except for Selena.

Alexandria and Alaina hated Selena. She reminded them every day of what happened to their father. They also hated the reason that she was there. Their father was a man that had a problem with being faithful to their mother. He was having sexual relations with many of the woman across the kingdom. He was often caught in his infidelity. So, in order to not be caught again he would journey to the land of the Cardonians and have relations with those women.

Everything was fine until he impregnated one of them. Relations between the Medainian kingdom and that of the Cardonians was strictly forbidden by the king and so their father had to deny that baby. The Cardonian mother of the child couldn't afford to take care of the child alone and so she threatened to expose their father to the king.

In order to save her husband their mother agreed for him to take the baby and raise her as their own. A secret that they were going to have to take to their graves. Another Cardonian woman jealous of the opportunity being provided to Selena also tried to blame her baby on their father. When he refused to take on that child she exposed him to the king and he was sentenced to death. Alexandria, Alaina, and their mother had to keep Selena's secret in order not to be sentenced to death themselves. So therefore, they hate Selena and will stop at nothing to make sure she would never be queen.

Selena had no desire to be queen. She didn't even have a desire to go to the grand ball. Nevertheless, she was ordered to attend, and she was going to go. So she did exactly what every other woman in the kingdom was doing. She prepared herself. She got her dress and made sure that she would be at her best on that night, it wasn't due to a desire to be queen. It was to make sure that her sisters did not.

Throughout her life her sisters and so-called mother treated her terribly. She knew that they hated her, and this was going to be her ultimate revenge.

The night of the grand ball came, and all three girls looked their very best. Unfortunately for Selena her very best was far better than that of her sisters. That was her goal. What Selena didn't know was that her sisters although wanting to be queen also had the goal of stopping her. So once they saw that she had looked better than them they attacked her. After beating her rather severely and destroying her dress they then proceeded to lock her in the basement of their home. They had believed that she was now totally eliminated from the chance at being queen. Not only was she beat to the point of not being attractive, but she also had nothing to wear and was locked away.

Alexandria and Alaina were satisfied with what they had done and they went to the grand ball. Selena was left alone in the basement crying. That was when Valentina showed up. Selena was surprised. She had no idea who Valentina was and how she got into the basement.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Don't be alarmed I'm here to help you."

"That still doesn't tell me who you are."

"My name is Valentina. I am also known as the witch of Cardona."

"A Cardonian witch? What are you doing here?"

"Like I said I'm here to help you."

"Why would you help me?"

"I was ordered to help you by the queen of Cardonia. When our king died our queen didn't have a son. So, she was forced to rule the kingdom by herself. The other kingdoms of the world saw that as a sign of weakness and began attacking Cardonia. The king of Medainia decided to help us in exchange for a few favors and we've been doing the bidding of Medainia ever since. Now with the king dying and the prince needing to find a bride this is the perfect time to strike. That's where you come in. See the queen needs you to become the next queen of Medainia."

"Why me?"

"Because a Cardonian of the throne of Medainia would free our people from under the arm of the Medainians. It would also give us power. See the Medainians would be a disgrace to the world if the other kingdoms found out. So we Cardonians would have to be rewarded for our silence."

"Yeah well Im not a Cardonian, so."

"See that's where you are wrong. It is true that you were born as a result of an extra marital affair. It is also true that your father was killed by order of the king. What's not true is what you were told about your mother. See your mother was not ordered to death as a result of the affair. In fact, your mother is alive and well. The truth is that your mother is Cardonian, which makes you Cardonian."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your father was sentenced to death for having sexual relations with Cardonian women. One of them being your mother. You were just told that your mother was killed in order to keep the secret."

"That's absurd. I do not believe you!"

"You don't have to. Truth is that we do not have all night to argue about this. Time is running out. So just ask yourself, do you want to be a queen or not?"

Selena thought very hard. She really didn't have a desire to be a queen. She decided to do it only as a means to get revenge on her sisters.

"Ok what do I need to do?"

"All you have to do is go to the grand ball and make the prince fall in love with you!"

"And how do you suppose I do that. I'm beat up. I look terrible. I have nothing to wear. I have no way to even get to the castle."

"Like I said I'm a witch. Your part is to make the prince fall in love. Leave everything else to me."

Valentina then begins to cast her spells. Next thing she knows Selena was outside in the most beautiful gown she had ever seen. Her face and hair was perfect. They're was also a beautiful horse drawn carriage waiting to take her to the grand ball. She then once more questions Valentina.

"If you can do all of this then why not just make the prince fall in love with me?"

"A love spell will not work on one without love. The prince has no love in his heart. He doesn't want to take on a bride. Right now he resents the fact that he has to. The choosing of the new queen will only be based on love if you succeed."

"What if I don't have any love in my heart? I don't like the prince. I also don't have a real desire to be queen."

"If that is truly the case then you shall fail and return here to live out the rest of your miserable life. But if that's not the case the truth will be revealed."

"What do you mean by that? "

"The spells that I've cast have not really changed you. They just mask who you are to yourself and others. True love however can not be attained under the guise of a mask. So once either you or the prince begin to feel true love the mask will come off. Then you will return to your true form. Now go. The prince awaits."

Selena arrives at the castle and is let into the grand ball. She's so beautiful that no one recognizes who she is. Not even her sisters. The prince notices her immediately and rushes over to meet her.

"Shall we dance?"

"No we shall not! That is no way to greet a woman!"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"I mean there was no introduction of any kind."

"Introduction? Surely you know who I am and why you are here in the first place!"

"Yes I clearly know who you are but you have no idea why I am here."

"You're here just as is every other young woman of the kingdom. You're here to compete for the honor of being my queen."

Selena begins to laugh."Is that what you think? You believe that I've made myself this beautiful for you? That I've come here to compete with all of these young women for your hand?"

"Is it not why you're here?"

"I'm here because how often does a girl get to get dressed and have dinner and dancing at the castle? Now if you would excuse me I hear a ballroom floor calling my name."

Selena walked past the prince and on to the dance floor. The prince had tried to entertain the other women but he found himself still watching Selena. So he decides to speak with her again.

"Hello madam, I'm prince Atlas and you are?"

"Nice to meet you prince Atlas my name is Selena."

From that moment on prince Atlas and Selena were inseparable.

"So you seriously have no desire to be queen?"

"Most girls dream of being princesses not queens."

"Well technically you would be a princess."

"When I think of princess I think of being spoiled and loved by my father not my husband."

"Your father didn't spoil you?"

"I never knew my father. Your father had him killed when I was a baby."

"I would say I'm sorry but maybe your father was a bad man."

"I would hate to think so."

"Well you didn't know him."

As the night went on they became enamored with each other. They danced, they drank, ate and laughed. Most of all they talked.

They talked about everything from their childhood to all of their dreams and aspirations. The prince was amazed by her intellect and ambition. She provided him with a comfort that he had never felt before.

She made him feel like he was just Atlas and not a prince soon to be king. He no longer felt like he was there to find his bride. He felt like he was genuinely enjoying the company of a woman for the first time in his life.

Selena felt good as well. She couldn't believe that a man with such power and authority was opening up and being vulnerable with her. He had just the right amount of pride and conceit. She too became very comfortable with being around him. He wasn't a prince to her anymore. He was just Atlas a very charming very handsome man that was enjoying her company as she was his.

Then something crazy happened. Atlas noticed a bruise forming around Selena's eye.

"What's happening to your face?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Your eye. It looks as if it's starting to bruise."

Selena immediately excuses herself and runs into the lady's room. She looks into the mirror and sure enough the bruises from the beating had returned to her face. Just then Selena had remembered what Valentina had told her.

She began to smile so intensly that she couldn't even stop it. She knew that those bruises meant that true love was happening.

At first she was ecstatic. She felt tremendous joy. The butterflies were fluttering in her stomach. Her heart was skipping the beats.

Then the panic took over. As she looked down and saw the beautiful gown turn back into the rags from the basement. She didn't want to love him. She didn't want to be queen. What would he do if he found out the truth about her? What did the Cardonians expect of her if she was to be crowned.

In that panic she stormed out of the bathroom and straight for the ballroom exit. Although she looked raggedy and beaten Atlas immediately reconignized her. To him she was even more beautiful than before.

He tried to chase behind her but was surrounded by women still vying to be queen. As he got closer to the door he noticed a heart shaped necklace on the floor and immediately picked it up. It was glowing.

The ball ended shortly thereafter and the queen couldn't have been more excited. She had met some women who she was sure could be queen. She couldn't wait to talk to her son.

"So Atlas, there indeed were some wonderful women here tonight. Would you not agree?"

"Yes mother there was."

"So I take it that at least one of them you found suitible enough to wed?"

"Yes mother I believe I have!"

The queen's joy quickly turned into anger when she began to question Atlas about the woman. She hadn't remembered any Selena. She started to believe Atlas was lying to her.

So she made a list of all of the woman that she had found suitable to be his wife. She then informed him that he was going to take one of them for his bride no matter what.

Atlas was still determined to find Selena no matter what his mother said. His first step was to find out what that glowing necklace meant. So he went to the Medainian wizard Galtar to find out.

"Where did you get this my prince?"

"This necklace came from the woman Selena that was at the grand ball."

"This necklace is Cardonian witchcraft. This necklace is cursed. Any woman that wears it that it does not belong to will die a horrible death!"

Atlas then realized that Selena may be Cardonian and he asked Galtar about Cardonian and Medainian relations.

Galtar informed him of the law against relationships between the two kingdoms and told him of a man killed a long time ago for violating set laws.

Atlas in that moment realized why his mother didn't know Selena. He knew then that Selena was the secret love child of a Cardonian and Medainian. He didn't care. He was going to make Selena his bride no matter what.

That's when he put his plan into action. He told his mother that he would indeed marry a woman from her list. He told her that he would visit each one of their houses and whichever one looked the most beautiful in the necklace would be his choice.

The next day Atlas and three of his best men journeyed out to go to the homes of the twenty women on his mother's list.

First there was Samantha. Samantha was very much so excited to try on the necklace. She tried on the necklace at the top of the stairs to the entrance of her home. She put it on, and nothing happened. Atlas became discouraged. He knew Samantha was not Selena but yet the necklace did not respond.

Atlas turned to leave and Smantha not wanting him to leave raced down the stairs to stop him. Then out of nowhere she fell face first to the ground, breaking her neck. Smantha died instantly. Atlas reached down and retrieved the necklace from her neck and continued his journey.

Then there was Jennifer, struck by lightning. Beatrix attacked by a lion. Juniper, run over by a stagecoach. There were six more women dead before the rest of them had given up. None of the remaining women on his mother's list wanted to risk trying on the necklace.

The Queen was enraged. Nine women of her kingdom were dead and Atlas had yet to find a bride. She began to believe that Galtar had cursed that necklace. Galtar when questioned showed his loyalty to the prince. He told the queen that the gods did not find favor in those women and did not want them to be queen of the kingdom. He informed her that once Atlas found the one the gods will most certainly spare her life. The queen accepted Galtar's response.

Atlas however was now hopeless. Without any women in the kingdom willing to try on the necklace he was sure that he would never find Selena. That was when he received the news that Alexandria and Alaina were both willing to try on the necklace. Although neither of them was on the queens list their mother thought this was the prime opportunity. She thought this was their chance to become queen of the kingdom. She was so confident in fact that she was willing to risk their lives.

When Atlas arrived at their home he became very hopeful. See with them being paternally related to Selena there was a great resemblance. He started to think that one of them could be her. That maybe there was a chance that he'd found the one. First Alexandria put on the necklace. She waited a few seconds and nothing happened. Atlas became filled with joy. His eyes lit up with excitement. His heart began pumping with vigor.

Alaina noticing how excited Atlas had become snatched the necklace in a jealous rage. Then she proceeded to put the necklace around her own neck. Once again nothing happened. Now as Atlas stood there confused the large Oak tree in front of their home suddenly fell over killing both of them instantly. The necklace lied on the ground next to the tree. Their mother furious because of what happened to her daughters decided that Selena should die too. So, before Atlas could leave, she screamed out for Selena to come.

Selena walked up and Atlas once again was discouraged. She didn't look like the woman that he had loved. Then she spoke to him.

"Good evening prince Atlas."

The sound of her voice sent chills down his spine. His heart once again started to beat with vigor. He had become completely overwhelmed with joy. He slowly walked up to Selena and very lovingly placed the necklace around her neck. In an instant she was beautiful. She was in the same gown from the ball. She was the one. Atlas kissed her and immediately took her back to the castle.

Atlas had told Selena that he wanted to get married right away because his father didn't have much time. That was when he sensed that she had reservations.

"I know what's bothering you, my love."

"You do?"

"Yes, my love I most certainly do. Galtar told me about your father. I know all about you being Cardonian. I also knew about the necklace being cursed as well."

"So you're saying that you willingly scarificed all of those women of your own kingdom to find me. a Cardonian?"

"Not only to find you but to love you. To marry you. To make you queen of Medainia!"

So, with that being said Selena and Atlas had the most beautiful wedding in front of the castle. Everyone in the kingdom was there. As soon as the ceremony was over a strange woman came walking up. Around her neck was a medallion that was the crest of the Cardonians.

The church guards quickly stopped the woman and asked her what business did she have there. The woman looked up and said, "What, can a woman not attend the wedding of her daughter?"

The End.