One Crown & Two Thrones: The Prophecy Read online

  One Crown & Two Thrones

  The Prophecy

  ISEULT  O’SHEA

  Copyright © 2016 Iseult. O’Shea.

  This EBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This EBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

  Dedication

  ~

  This book and series is dedicated to my mother and sisters. They have been ardently encouraging throughout this past year and full of opinions and honesty which has been greatly appreciated. Honesty is key and who better to hand to it to you than your closest allies and friends. This has been a long and arduous process filled with creativity, frustration and love. I wanted to create a world in which I could better understand humanity and all the complexities of the human nature and I hope I have achieved at least a fraction of that.

  Iseult O’Shea.

  “Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig.”

  Marcus Aurelius.

  Contents

  Part One: Enlightenment

  Prologue

  I Vengeance

  II The Door

  III Moirai

  IV Shadows in the Night

  V Hiraeth

  VI Fire from the Sky

  VII City of Ruins

  VIII The Prophecy

  IX Something Wicked This Way Comes

  X Look Upon Thy Death

  XI Kiss of Fate

  Part Two: Of Light & Darkness

  XII Valley of Shadows

  XIII Prince of Darkness

  XIV Fallen Through Time

  XV I Am

  XVII Breathe of Life

  XVIII Downfall

  Part Three: The Choice

  XIX A Life So Changed

  XX Betrayal

  XXI The Choice

  Epilogue

  Two hearts, bound by fate and time shall cast a great light across all seven corners of the universe. Under the tree of life shall they come, sipping from the fountain of time, binding themselves to one another, forevermore.

  Together they shall become one and one shall overcome all that stands in the way of the light. Together they will vanquish darkness and reign glorious forever more, never to be parted.

  Yet fate is not so easily cemented if bend it must. For man will try to part what does not belong to him, breaking the bond of eternity, cursing the light to forever live in chains, bound to the everlasting darkness.

  Part One

  †

  Enlightenment

  Prologue

  1938

  Without knowing what I am and why I am here, life is impossible…

  Leo Tolstoy.

  A soft and warm breeze cast itself over the fields of Keswick, interrogating the long blades of fresh green grass and barley that covered the lands of the Lake District now bathed in the rays of the high sun as mid-day came to pass. Upon the eastern shores of Derwentwater lay a beautiful seventeenth century cottage owned by the notorious writer, Estelle. A. Black, a civil rights activist, political analyst and mother of two orphaned teenagers; Eveline, Celestine, Blackwell and Theodore, George, Sampson. Estelle sat by the window of her study, her chin cupped within her palm, whilst her ageing fingers were settled atop her type writer. The window, slightly ajar, welcomed the warm breeze, which whirled about her stuffy old study, filled to the brim with books, journals, maps and paper. From her study, her piercing blue eyes settled upon the lake below, calm and gleaming as the soft waters lapped against its shore. Estelle had been up from six in the morning writing her new novel on liberal politics, unable to keep herself from the study for much longer after taking a lengthy break away from her manuscript, two weeks to be precise.

  The once calm household had now been thrown into disarray since Theodore’s conscription to the RAF. Estelle had prayed for so long that her eldest would be kept safe from the clutches of the oncoming war that brewed within Europe once more and try as she may, she could not force her conscious naivety to outwit her good senses from which logic flowed deep and strong. Beneath the window, the smell of her father’s roses and the buzzing of the bumble bees filled her senses.

  “Mother?” a soft voice called out from the hallway. Estelle turned her blue eyes to her youngest child, Eveline who was leaning against the frame of the doorway, her vivid auburn hair pinned up loosely and her golden eyes curious. Estelle had never truly digested the beauty of her youngest child. Taller than most young women was Eveline, her frame petite and her skin pale against her fiery auburn curls. Most of all, Estelle had never bored of her daughters incredibly rare eyes, golden with flecks of yellow surrounding her iris’s. Of course those within the town of Keswick had been flummoxed when introduced to Eveline at the tender age of nine. Many believed her to be a witch in spite of it being the twentieth century. At first Estelle had believed her youngest to be possessed as she did indeed carry with her some peculiar abilities, abilities beyond anything remotely human. Eveline herself had been aware of how odd she was to others, for it was the reason why her first set of adoptive parents had placed her up for adoption again. Estelle had felt no evil from the child upon receiving her and thus reconciled herself to belief that Eveline was a gift from God, a gift that needed to be protected and shielded by those who would see her harm or those who would exploit the rare gifts bestowed upon the shy and reserved child. To be blessed with a child such as Eveline was to Estelle a miracle and so when she adopted Theodore she was for a time speechless, for he too carried gifts that to others were also seen as peculiar and dangerous. Theodore, now nineteen years of age was tall, blonde and blue eyed. From their first meeting, Theodore and Eveline had struck up a precious friendship, both odd and both outcasts in society. As they got older, their abilities evolved and strengthened. However, Estelle always keeping her eyes on her two children observed how much more powerful her daughter was.

  When on trips to London, Estelle had spent a great deal of time sourcing out specialists to try to better understand her children and why it was they possessed abilities only heard of in stories. Ministers encouraged Estelle to send the children to a psychiatrist but Estelle refused, knowing that Eveline and Theodore would be locked up in an asylum. Instead Estelle found herself spending lengthy periods of time researching the history of witchcraft and demonology as a means to understanding her children. She could see patterns that coincided with her children’s abilities but came to the conclusion that their gifts were not those of witches and demons, despite a great deal of similarities. Estelle became determined to give Eveline and Theodore as normal a childhood as she could. She did not oppress her children of their abilities but encouraged them to grow and find confidence in who they were no matter society’s attitude or opinions. And so the small family of three lived a sheltered existence in Keswick and in time the residents of the town grew accustomed to the two oddities even feigning to talk to them and invite them to dances and dinners. Growing up in Keswick had been easier on Theodore for he was not physically seen as abnormal, being tall and handsome he was very much sought after by the young women. And so he had no trouble in socialising with the greater world, unlike his youngest sister and best friend, Eveline. From their first meeting he had known in all her being that she would forever be his partner in life. With every day that passed he grew to love her more, unable to voice his inner feelings for fear of being forced to leave the home they had share
d together and for fear of Eveline’s rejection, instead he willed himself to be patient and content, although the older he got the harder he found it to be both content and patient, the spell she had cast over him becoming deeper.

  Eveline, shy and lacking in confidence adored her adoptive mother and brother with a love so deep she could barely find words in which to describe how she felt towards them both. Her abnormalities had been encouraged and loved and she had found an ally in the evenly matched Theodore, her guardian and protector. As she grew into a young woman she had observed how her adopted brother looked at her, his gaze evolving into something deeper than sibling love. She didn’t mind much that she had few friends and was treated with contempt in some parts of the town. She was happy living away from society’s eyes, roaming the countryside and reading till the sun set and her eyes and mind grew weary.

  As Eveline was content to stay in Keswick, Theodore grew restless, yearning to go forth into the world and come back a man, like his friends. It was at this point that their quiet, conservative lives began to change, particularly when Theodore had received his summons to make for London where he would join the RAF.

  “Yes?” Estelle replied quietly, turning her body towards Eveline, who was dressed in a pale pink summer dress.

  “Theodore and I are going for a walk with Wordsworth, would you like to join us?”

  “It seems almost sinful to stay inside on such a warm day, but I need to get this manuscript finished for my agent before the summer ends,” Estelle said with a sigh, for she dearly wished to be outside basking in the sun and enjoying the company of her children before Theodore’s imminent departure in seven days’ time.

  “Theodore will be down at the pub later, so that will leave us plenty of time to go for a short walk around the lake if you would prefer?” Eveline returned with a soft smile.

  “I would enjoy that immensely, now go and don’t forget to put on your hat!” Estella ordered gently, waving Eveline away with a hand.

  “I am just about to fetch my hat now,” Eveline returned with a wink of her eye. Turning, Eveline was gone from the doorway, leaving Estelle to her thoughts once more. The house stood quietly as Estelle watched Theodore and Eveline make their way down the garden path with Wordsworth, their ageing Irish wolf hound, already bounding across the beautiful fields. With a smile she watched on as Theodore wrapped an arm about Eveline’s shoulder and guided her away down to the lake with a basket in his left arm.

  *

  “Let me see the letter again,” Eveline requested as they both sat beneath the shade of a cherry blossom tree, watching Wordsworth as he leapt into the waters of Derwentwater, barking loudly with excitement. The basket that carried their picnic lay open before them. About them bees buzzed and butterflies fluttered wildly, whilst beautiful dragonflies scuttled across the glittering waters of the lake. Theodore lay back against the tree, with his straw hat placed over his face as he relaxed in silence after their light lunch. Eveline lay upon her stomach, her head tilted upwards to catch the sun, cupped by her palms so that she could also observe Theodore dressed in a light white shirt and brown trousers. Beside her lay a book of poems and a glass of ginger beer. Behind her, she knocked off her shoes and lifted her feet into the air, crossing them over one another.

  “It is in my pocket,” Theodore mumbled, lifting his left hand and casually dipping it into his pocket, retrieving the letter. “Here.” Eveline took the letter and opened it, reading its contents once more, her heart flittering with anxiety.

  “And you are certain that you wish to join the RAF?” Eveline quizzed, folding up the letter once more and setting it down by her side.

  “Yes.”

  “What will you do if Britain joins the war?”

  “What I must of course,” Theodore replied lightly hearing the concern in her voice, a rush of pleasure coursing through him.

  “Does mama know of your intentions?”

  “She does, we spoke of it last night.”

  “And she supports your decision?”

  “Of course. She understands my need to venture out into the big bad world,” Theodore said gently, opening his eyes and removing his hat. Beneath him, Eveline lay, her eyes gazing up into his own. “You are worried about my safety?”

  “Yes. I am worried you will not return to us,” Eveline whispered as she lifted her right index finger and spun it around in a circle causing a cherry blossom to detach itself from a nearby branch. With little concentration she guided the blossom down until it nestled itself within her hand.

  “I will return,” Theodore said with a serious expression, always enamoured with her rare displays of magic for want of a better word. “Nobody can be certain that we will enter into a war yet,” Theodore soothed, seeing the sadness in Eveline’s golden gaze.

  “I know, but I am afraid that when you leave all that was and has been will be left behind us, that we will change and alter, that you will find yourself not wanting to return home to us, to me,” Eveline stuttered quietly, rolling onto her back and getting up onto her bare feet, the cherry blossom still in her hand. Slowly she let her left hand drift over the thin branches of the cherry blossom, keeping her face turned from Theodore. The air still and unmoving echoed in her heart as she watched Wordsworth bound up from the lake towards her, his long tongue hanging out of his mouth. Before reaching the tree, Wordsworth shook his wet body, riding it of any excess water before moving once more, coming to sit beneath the tree.

  “Why would you think that I would leave and never return?” Theodore asked curiously, his eyes upon Eveline’s slender frame, beautifully draped in a chiffon dress that danced about in the summer’s breeze.

  “Men do.”

  “Not all men Eveline, come you are being a little dramatic,” Theodore smiled as he got up onto his feet and made his way over to her side.

  “I envy you,” Eveline said through gritted teeth, walking away from the tree and towards the lake wishing to dip her feet into the fresh waters. Theodore followed Eveline slowly, watching her weave her way through the tall blades of fresh grass.

  “Why?”

  “You have this inept need to discover the greater world around you and so much will in which to do so,” Eveline replied, finding the fresh water and dipping her toes into it, biting down on her lip at the cool touch. “I cannot bear the thought of leaving Keswick or mother. But still even I in all my comforts wish to see more of the world and would choose to do so if it were not for my abnormal features and lack of social endeavour.”

  “Why should you let the colour of your eyes stop you from opening the door to the world?” Theodore quizzed Eveline, his body leaning against a fir tree as he watched her waddle through the water, hitching up her dress, her auburn curls shining in the sun’s rays.

  “The world would not accept a monster like me,” Eveline said with a degree of bitterness. “No matter how mother tries to deemphasize our abilities and my unfortunate eyes.”

  “Mother sees beyond your eyes and our somewhat extraordinary abilities and sees us,” Theodore explained carefully not wishing to wound her any further, the subject of her impediments being of a sensitive nature. Eveline turned to Theodore and caught his unwavering gaze.

  “Be truthful Theodore, would the world really accept me as you and Estelle do?”

  Theodore pushed himself away from the tree and made his way towards Eveline, capturing her hands in his own and looking down into her grievous eyes.

  “If the world knew you as I do, they would all kneel before you in adoration and love,” he whispered, gently wiping away a strand of her auburn hand, his blue eyes ablaze. Eveline shook slightly at his touch, a deeper feeling of conflict arising once more in his presence as it had done the past year. She was torn between adoration for Theodore and confusion at the strange feelings that sprung up in his presence. She knew that he loved her as a man loved a woman, but she was not on her part entirely sure of her own intentions. But when she faced the true reality of her existence she
came to understand that she would and could not love another as she did Theodore, that no man would ever be his equal. She only wished that her heart could tremble and burn as his did when he looked at her the way in which he looked at her now, with his big blue eyes, intent and full of promise.

  “I am like the wretch,” Eveline whispered, lowering her eyes to her feet, now fully covered by the icy waters of the lake.

  “You are no wretch Eveline, the wretch was a hideous creation,” Theodore argued lightly, feeling the tremor in her hands as she hung her head in shame. “And even if you were a wretch, I should love you the same and have my vengeance upon Victor Frankenstein.”

  “You’re trying to make light of what is a very serious subject Theodore,” Eveline said curtly, removing her hands from his and turning away, wading her way into the lake, until the water reached her knees. “It is alright for you, the sun has always shone upon you. You are handsome, intelligent and above all are a highly social creature. You fear not those who would deem you inhuman. Your physical appearance is anything but grotesque unlike my own. You have a freedom I so yearn for. To be able to walk the streets of Keswick without eyes upon your every move, without the constant inner dialogue that plagues you’re every step, or the danger that may occur if cornered by those who hold all that you are in contempt.”

  “Eveline why do you speak as though you are a foul creature of the underworld? Can’t you see how I hold you against all the other beautiful creatures within this world of ours?” Theodore returned in earnest, his brows furrowed into arches.