Chapter 1; The Baby In The Middle Of A Snow Storm

-Mortal World-

*Third Person's POV*

Queen Maurice the queen of Citrine is on her way to her husband's hunting lodge. It's the King's tradition to stay there every winter to go hunting. The queen was very excited to see her husband after two weeks of being away. She can no longer wait for his return, so she thought of visiting him herself. She ignored the cold breeze and the snow storm that they were experiencing in the middle of the woods. She thought of the things she will do when she arrives there. She's going to give her husband a tight hug and prepare a nice soup for him.

While having this thoughts, she heard a loud thud. She was surprised especially when she heard commotions outside. She opened her carriage and asked her lady-in-waiting Kaira who's obviously panicking.

"What's going on Kaira?" the Queen asked worriedly.

"There were wild animals who attacked one of our guards," she answered while trembling. The queen was shocked. How could those wild animals attack when she's in a hurry to see her husband and while they're in the middle of a snow storm?

"Tell the guards to kill those beasts immediately!" She ordered before she hurriedly closes her carriage. She can't deny to herself that she's also panicking. She had a trauma with wild animals when she was still young. Those beasts attacked her home and killed both her mom and dad. It was her luck that a hunter came and saved her. If not for that hunter she might be dead by now and she would never have a chance to meet the king and be his wife.

The commotion lasted for almost an hour before it finally stopped. The queen was busying herself with the book she brought from the palace to minimize her boredom and to avoid possible panick attack. She opened the door of her carriage when she heard a knock. It was Kaira with a smile of victory plastered on her face.

"We're safe now your Highness. The guards managed to shoo them away," she said happily. But her mood changed when she saw that the sun is about to disappear.

"Your Highness, we have to hurry. It's getting late and the woods is not a safe place for us to stay during the night!" she said worriedly.

"She's right your Highness. We can't see the wild animals properly during the night. So we have to hurry before the sun sets!" Her trusted eunuch suddenly appeared behind Kaira.

"Very well then, tell the guards to start moving so that we could leave this place immediately!" she ordered. They both nodded in response before carrying her order to the guards.

Halfway to their destination, the Queen heard a baby's cry. At first she thought she was just hallucinating so she tried to ignore it. But she heard it again for the second time around. It's as if calling her.

"Stop the carriage!" she shouted that made everyone worried.

"What's wrong your Highness?" Kaira asked worriedly.

"Did you hear something?" the Queen asked her.

"Like what your highness?" Curiosity was written all over Kaira's face. She did not hear anything except for the sound of ruffling bushes which is normal because of the snow storm.

"I can hear a baby crying right now," the Queen stated. Kaira was horrified with what the Queen said. How could their Queen hear a baby's cry while she's not hearing anything?

"There's something creepy in this place. We must leave immediately!" Kaira said but the Queen objected. She's really bothered by the baby's cry so she stepped out of her carriage to look for the baby herself.

"Your highness where are you going?" Kaira and her Eunuch Seve asked in unison.

"I'm going to check on the baby," the Queen answered while still trying to figure out where the cry is coming from.

"But it's not safe!" Kaira tried to stop her but the Queen was unstoppable. She really wanted to save the baby. She can't just trust anyone because she's the only one who could hear the little one's cry.

Kaira knew she could not stop their Queen so she ended up following her to keep her safe. Some guards followed them as well.

They walked through a lot of trees covered with snows and they were already trembling because of the cold weather. But the Queen really wants to save the baby so she ignored the cold and the heavy snow.

She focused on the baby's cry and she knows that she's already near. She heard the cry from a big tree that's located in the heart of the forest. She hurriedly went there to check on it. And she was not mistaken for she saw a baby covered with silk and was carefully placed inside a basket.

She quickly took the baby and carry her in her arms.

"Hush now little one, you are safe now." The baby stopped crying as if comforted by the Queen's words.

"Your highness are you going to keep that baby?" Kaira asked worriedly. The baby is a stranger for her since they have no idea about it's real parents and it's origin remains a mystery. Afraid that the baby might cause harm to the queen she tried to pursuade her to just leave the baby in the woods. But the Queen, unable to bear seeing a helpless child being left alone in the woods insisted on keeping it.

"There's a reason why I found this little baby here!" the queen said with glee. Kaira then understands that she can't do anything to change the Queen's mind so she agreed with a heavyheart .

"Maybe I am really destined to be her mother. Finally! The Goddess of childbirth Hera heard my cries. She have given me a wonderful gift!" the queen added with excitement and happiness in her voice.

"We need to go back to your carriage your highness ,it's really cold in here." Kaira was trembling so bad.

"Sure, but before we go I want you to keep everything that happened today a secret. This baby is our child and I don't want to hear any rumors saying that she's adopted. Is it clear to all?" the queen reminded them.

"Yes your highness!" everyone answered.

And from that day onwards the Queen take very good care of the mysterious baby that she found in the middle of a snow storm.