Estelle The dank smell of decay assaulted my senses as I climb down the steep steps. The slick stones beneath my feet threatening to send me toppling with one small miss-step.“I hate this place.” I mutter. Righting my footing yet again as a stone crumbles out from beneath me, sending a wave of small stones rattling down into the gloom below.This place had always reminded me of death.Even as a little girl, when my father had brought me here for the first time, an excitable ten year old girl, surrounded by my brother’s. Eager to see the Schmidtz family vault. The source of our powers, and a historic linage that could be traced back to the awakening of magic. I realised that this place was far from the fairytale tower of my dreams.Our family had held to the old ways.And it wasn’t until the fateful day that my father presented me at the Malificus Acus that I realised just what that meant.Blood.Sacrifice.Pain.Everything that I cringed back from at such a tender age.I couldn’t und
A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path. Agatha Christie Chapter 1 I 19th February - Present Day Rosalie The intense rush of sickness rose up my throat and spilled out onto the ground before me. It had been the one thing I had not remembered anything of, the moment I travelled to the past. Only that, one moment I was following the strange voices, and in the next, I was waking up freezing cold in the early morning due, on the worn alter stone that dominated the middle of the stone circle. This time it was different. I was expecting it. I chose to travel. And this time I had more at stake. Something was coming after me. And I didn’t have time to sit about and wait for them to arrive. Pulling myself up onto wobbly legs and pushing down the rising discomfort fighting its way up my oesophagus, I race through the undergrowth. The bare branches
Rosalie “Rosalie, are you alright?” Somewhere in amongst the confusion, I must have fallen to the floor. Landon’s face coming back into view as he pulled me into an upright position. “Just breathe Rosie. Everything is OK, you are home now.” He eyed me worriedly. His blue eyes darting around my face. Becoming increasingly aware of how close he was, and the fact I could feel every single inch of his body touching my skin, I try to pull away. But it was no use. It would seem Landon was in no hurry to let me go. My cheeks begin to warm under his scrutiny. His worry soon began to harden into what looked like anger. “Where the hell have you been Rosalie.” He spat out, not necessarily viciously, but close to it. “You disappear without a trace for eight years, and now you decide to come back. Do you have any idea how worried we have all been?” His words stung. Of course, I knew. In fact, for weeks, months even, after I first fell through time, all I wanted to do was return home and comfo
21st August 1751 Rosalie Waking with a start, I reach out a hand to find the only comfort that I want after having my visions. Alexander. He seems to have sensed what the issue was and pulls me into him, holding me against his hard chest. “Another bad dream?” He asks me sleepily. “I’m not sure it is a dream Alex. They are so vivid, so real.” I breath through the soaring adrenaline which came as part of the aftermath of my night terrors, as I try to regain control of my heartrate. “What else could they be?” “Visions. I am sure of it. It’s always the same thing. The goddess warning me of a great darkness coming. Alex, something bad is about to happen I can feel it in my body. We always knew that the goddess had bigger plans for me, I think that she is making good on her promise.” “If that is true, my Rosa, then we will face it together. But for now, you must rest. You need to be strong for the baby.” His hand came to rest gently on my midriff. The little surprise which we had nev
Rosalie Estelle had once been the bane of my existence. Baying for my crown and doing her best to push me away from Alex. Thankfully, none of her exploits had worked. And eventually, even she, the Germanic witch, had managed to find true love herself, despite everything. Estelle had rarely set foot back into Castle Black in the years that followed. And if she did, she certainly didn’t show her face into court. “Estelle is here to answer some questions.” Alex spoke before Estelle could answer for herself. She didn’t even flinch at his tone. Just carried on eyeing me with a smug grin plastered to her face. There was no reason why Estelle’s presence should affect me the way it did. She was hardly a rival anymore. But there was something about her assumed superiority of me. And the very fact that she knew secrets about me that no one else did, was enough for me to dislike her. “Questions about what?” I ask, moving into the room and around the large office table to stand behind Alex. Es
Rosalie It had not been a difficult task getting Estelle and Henry Byron to except their summons to court. Luckily enough, the castle was in full swing of getting ready for the mid-summer celebrations. And I am sure, if nothing else, the Byron’s took the invite as them being the VIP guests of the event. As Alex had pointed out, Estelle had never actually been dismissed from my service as a ladies-maid, and as much as I disliked the idea of her being anywhere near me, let alone wait on me, it left an ideal opportunity to try and glean some more information out of her regarding the Tenebris matter. But any hope of this soon seemed to vanish when she failed to attend on me at all through the day. The few moments during the day that I caught a glimpse of the statuesque blonde, she disappeared going out of her way to avoid me. “Somethings never change.” A dear voice spoke from behind me. Turning from my position by the window, I look towards my friend Lucille seated by the unlit firepl
It was said many moons ago that Tamara, the first witch in the Walker blood line, fell in love with a mere human. The coven was known as the Votadini then. They had settled in what was the small village of Alauna, or more commonly known as the city of Edinburgh in more recent history. Tamara was the daughter of the coven elder. A man of great power and respect. It was he that created the Coven of Votadini. Amadeus was one of many who had been turned away from his own village after showing signs of unworldly gifts. Magic was rich in the lives of everyday people, the air we breathed was considered to be magic. Growing crops and flowers was believed to be magic. Magic brought riches that no one could explain, but it was also a dark time to be alive. Demons wondered the earth freely, destroying all that stood in their paths. Sickness and plagues devoured whole villages and destroyed livelihoods, all set about by a witch casting a curse, or allowing a stranger to pass over the threshold.
Tamara “You lied to me.” My voice broke in my mouth, coming out as a whimper. I looked to the man who was my husband. His kindness and generosity of spirt, were all things I had fallen in love with. He was the most beautiful man I had even laid eyes on, and yet here he was, his true form. All I could see was the monster within. The man I knew never existed. It was all a clever rouse. One that left me heart broken and lost. “No, Tamara, you have to believe me. My feeling for you were never a lie.” He stepped forward in his monstrous form. The leathery wings at his back brushing passed the lifeless corpse of my father as he stepped over. His hands came to rest in front of him, clasped together as he pleaded his case further. His fingers had elongated and taken on the form of long sinewed talons. His face was different too. Gone was the carefree glint I so often found in his eyes. Instead, there was something sinister staring back. Dark veins worked their way up his neck and around hi