Chapter 2: BIRTH OF EPHIGENIA
1681, November,
King Ferrum was getting nervous as the time grew nearer. He was worried about the fate his daughter is going to meet. His wife was pregnant with a baby girl.
He tried to find a sign, a clue, anything which can tell him more about the curse. He was patrolling from one end of the room to the other, his heartbeat was getting rapid as he heard the growling of her wife from the other room.
'what if she's born blind, no no no, maybe she's ugly, no it can't be this, maybe she's born a devil or possessed by one, Oh my Lord, help me!', all these thoughts were wandering in his mind and driving him crazy, he was getting worried even more when that thought of the devil comes in his mind. He was marching from one end of the room to the other when suddenly the nurse came in. He felt his heartbeat going more rapid as he saw the nurse bow her head, and asked him to see the baby.
'Why does the nurse looks so calm, maybe it's not that bad after all, he thought to himself as he followed the nurse.
'My lord, you have been gifted with a beautiful daughter, just look at her, her rosy cheeks and small hand, she's so fair just like our Queen', exclaimed the nurse, looking at the newborn with a huge smile. King Ferrum couldn't understand, he looked like a white ghost as he stared at her daughter with wide eyes.
'Aren't you happy my Lord?', the nurse said as soon as she looked at the expressions of her King.
He didn't know the answer himself, he was happy that he got blessed with a healthy baby but he was puzzled about the fact that nothing happened, no devil, no ugliness, instead she's got charmed and beauty inside her.
'Your highness, aren't you happy?', interrogated the nurse, looking puzzled.
'AHH, noo, no, no, I'm on the world today, yeah, I'm glad, too happy, yes, I'm too happy, no worries yeah', he whispered still staring at her daughter. These were the only words he could murmur at the moment.
'Your majesty, are you alright?, are you sick my Lord?', perplexed the nurse.
'Where is the priest Abdullah?', he suddenly spoke after he came out of his appalling state.
'Wha, priest, yes, ya, he's praying, maybe', she said, being oblivious about this whole weird conversation.
He rushed as soon as he heard her words, leaving the nurse voiceless and aphonic.
He could feel his rapid breath as he marched his way to the priest. He was prostrating when the King entered. He waited for few minutes for him to finish.
'You can have a seat if you want... your majesty', the priest said as soon as he saw him.
He tried to stay calm as he took the seat and watched the priest do his final prostration. He waited for few more minutes when the priest finally stood up and walked slowly in his direction. The King pursed his lips as he gazed at the slow-motion movements of the priest.
'So', King Ferrum said as soon as the priest settled down on the armchair right in front of him.
'Nothing happened or this what you thought, isn't it? your majesty, my King Ferrum', whispered the priest in a calm tone while tracing his long goatee white beard. 'My king Ferrum Speculo, a wise man is always patient, he knows his dignity, he always looks at the roots, the soul, instead of what's outside because he knows he's not allowed to see illusions and dreams at the daytime', he continued as he nodded his head while he stared at the King deep in his eyes, maintaining strong eye contact.
'But, yo'
'You should see the signs, they are there, I felt it too, they were there'
'I didn't see anything, what signs?'
'Cover doesn't have the capacity to define everything inside'
'She looked normal'
'You have wait to see more, lad'
'So nothing is going to happen right now, she'll be okay for some time then'
'Let her grow and rise'
'She really is cursed, right'
'yes, she is'
'Isn't this unfair and cruel of them? to do a thing like that'
'What you and your beloved wife did was far more than this'
'So you think it's because of us that she's cursed and will face obstacles'
'Definitely, yes'
'Why did they cursed her, an innocent child, they could've targeted us'
'You did the same, didn't you?'
'We had good intentions, we didn't mean it'
'I wonder if your words are true or there is something else behind it'
'Don't tell me that you think whatever they're doing is right and she or we deserve this'
'I never said that but you should regret what you did'
'Why don't we put the past aside and think about the future instead'
'Past decides the present and present will decide your future, my dear King, everything in the universe is interconnected, you will have to face the consequences now'
'Better if we don't talk about my past'
'Her curse will be more prominent as she grows older'
'Ahem, we'll have to wait till we see the outcome'
'Indeed'
******************
'King Ferrum looked disappointed, maybe he's not happy'
'Yeah, maybe he wanted a boy to take the throne after him'
'She's beautiful though'
King Ferrum heard the maids talking as he passed by them. He couldn't help noticing how everyone here is whispering about him being an unthankful man
Everyone else looked happy though, celebrating the birth of their future Queen. Every corner of the castle was echoing with the whispers about, how beautiful the princess is, many also commented that she's going to look like her mothers while others said she's going to reflect her wise father.
The princess was named Iphigenia after her great-great Grandmother who was well-known for her beauty and her strong sense of justice.
'Iphigenia Speculo is my daughter, she'll defiantly fight the curse off her, she'll be strong and a mature, fine lady one day, just wait till you see more of her', epigram her mother, Queen Gratia Speculo, as she held the baby in her hand with tears in her eyes.
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