A princess's gift by Ashley Berrett (best summer books TXT) 📖

"Kathrine, you are ten years old now, it is time for you to know about the gift you've been given," Queen Clarrissa said as she sat across from her daughter. " When a Princess is born they are given a gift. An item or small trinket in wich holds certain a-a-abilities. For generations this gift has been passed down. It is your responsibility to discover what your abilities are. You must decide if you will rule with good or evil. many queens before you have ruled selfishly and with dark magic. When this kingdom is yours you can rule with kindness and use your powers for good and your kingdom will prosper. Or you can follow a differrent path, A dark, evil, twisted path that will only lead you to suffering and sadness."

Kathrine reached up and touched her scarlet, tear shaped necklace she had had since birth. She began twirling in her fingers as she thuoght about what powers it might hold. 

Arabeth paced across the floor of her bedroom menacingly. She grunted and collapsed on her bed as her black dress sprawled across it. She reached her hand up and touched her dark locket. She sat up with a mischievous smile on her face. She was a queen who had mastered dark magic and she longed to overthrow her neighboring kingdom, Kennsington. Her own kingdom, Lucadia, was not doing very well. She had received word though, that kennsington, was doing quite well. They were quite wealthy, and their crops were always plentiful. Arabeth knew why Lucida always had dark shadows looming over it. After all, most of her abilities were evil, or at least that’s what she used them for. Arabeth’s locket, which she had had since her mother given it to her at birth, gave her the gift of persuasion. In which she could use to make people do what ever she wished. The locket also allowed her to see and move into the future. It also gave her a few other side powers which where not as strong.

The queen had a plan and it would be quite easy to put into practice, she wouldn’t have to do hardly anything. The Kennsington Queen was dying, and everybody knew it. She had been drowsy and weak, and had been fainting quite a bit the last few months. So all Arabeth had to do is watch and wait until she could slide in and take the kingdom for her self.

Arabeth was a rather impatient person, so she rather wanted to take a quick step into the future and peek at her success. She stood up and gripped her dark, heart shaped locket with a green diamond in the middle, with one hand. With the other she traced a large oval in the air. She pictured exactly where in the future she wanted to go, she decided to go a little farther then needed so that she could see herself in her prime. The oval being traced began to become visible and it changed to an image of the kennsington castle. Arabeth opened her eyes and let her hands drop to her skirt, a smile appeared on her face and carefully she lifted her dress and stepped through the oval. Right before she disappeared she glanced at the clock tower outside of her window and read one thirteen o’clock.

*   *   *

What she hadn't realized yet is that instead of going six years, she had gone precisley sixteen from that moment in time.

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 Arabeth appeared right infront of Kennsington castle, a slight breeze blew her dark brown frizzy hair into her face. Arabeth walked up to the golden door were she should be able to see her reflection in the smooth surface. but soon as she looked in she remembered that she was like a ghost she could walk straight through everything and she had no reflection. she walked through the door of Kensington Castle she now found herself in the great ballroom,she pictured herself in the finest black pearl silk gown twirling around in this ballroom with a handsome fellow with eyes glaze over by her persuasion.Twirling around the ballroom with a handsome fellow with eyes glazed over by her persuasion. the next room she entered was the throne room. It had beautiful marble floors that shimmered in a perfect way when the light hit it. it just made you want to smile. why hadn't future Arabeth changed that despicable ability? 

Arabeth walked to the next door, it had a golden emblem painted onto it. a sudden realization struck her like a bolt of lightning that rattled her to the core, it was Queen Katherine's emblem. she ran through the door and watched any word as a girl with auburn hair had a crown placed upon her head by her mother Kathrine. Arabeth just stood there, mouth wide open, and watched the people that crowded every inch of the room as they all began clapping and the room became overwhelming loud. and it was at that moment she realized she had gone 16 years into the future, and it was the girl with the auburn hair's birthday (or so she had gathered from a birthday banner hanging from the ceiling) so that means... Arabeth couldn't have been so stupid, that is why the queen had been weak, she was going to bear a child!

The room quieted, as Queen Kathrine rose her small feminine hand into the air, and pulled out a piece of parchment, "today I am glad to present to you my daughter, Tess Claudia Windsor, and I am even more grateful to be the one to crown her Princess of Kensington," the queen said briskly, "at precisely 2:27 she came to this earth 16 years ago." Arabeth closed her eyes and tuned out Kathrine's words, as she realized that she still had time to stop Tess from being crowned Queen if Arabeth hurried. Arabeth got back to the front of the castle as fast as she could and ran straight to the oval that hung right through the French doors. She picked up her dress and almost leapt through the oval seeing as she was in such a hurry.

She appeared in her bed chambers again and bolted to the clock. 1:38, She still had time.

Arabeth ran out the door of her castle and out to the stables, "Coachman! Coachman! prepare me a stagecoach as fast as you can, include your fastest horses or I will take off your head!! the queen yelled. She watched as the chubby little man named Wes, rushed to get the four fastest horses out of their stable and into their harnesses. All the while he complained about how he wished for a raise so he could take care of his family, But he spoke a little louder than a mumble so the queen barely could hear. Wes nearly ran out of the stables when he finished hooking up the horses harnesses, and the queen was quite amused as she watched him struggle to pull the horses out the doors. all the while his short gray braid bounced brown trench-coat.

"The coach, the coach is ready your majesty" Wes stammered as he tried to catch his breath, Bow and hold the coach door all at the same time. The queen hurried to the open door and allowed Wes to help her in. He then slammed the door and climbed aboard the driver seat. Arabeth heard a sharp ha! And they were off, Arabeth bumped along as she thought of what she was going to do when she arrived in Kensington. First I will take a ratty old midwife's costume and sneak into the queens quarters. then I will take the child and act as if it is sick and is in extreme condition. then I will take the child and do...something with it.... Arabeth grunted in anger and frustration but suddenly it changed to extreme glee and happiness, because now she had the perfect plan.

Kathryn cried out in pain for the final time, then breathed heavily. Somebody dabbed her sweaty face with a cool towel. She looked around the room and saw a nurse walk towards her with a bundle of cloth. Tears came to her eyes and she smiled, she reached out her weak arms and allowed the nurse to set the child in them. It was a girl.

Queen Kathrine stroked her beautiful bright red hair, and peered into a bright green eyes with a call to ring around the pupil. King Richard walked into the room holding a beautiful brown box with a diamond in the middle. "We will call her Tess Claudia Windsor," The queen announced with a smile. Richard knelt by the bedside and with one hand held out the wooden box, with the other he squeezed Queen Kathrine's hand. He then let go and allowed her to open the wooden box. She reached inside and plucked out a tiny round object out of the box it looked like a golden ring, To match her eyes. It could fit perfectly around King Richards finger. But it would be more perfect for a babies wrist.

 Katherine turned it in her hand then read the engraving on the inside of the ring. We will love you to the stars and above, It was perfect. with the final rotation the queen noticed a small, clear, diamond on the outside. She smiled and looked down at the baby laying beside her she slid the bracelet onto her wrist and wrapped her in a blanket with Tess embroidered on it. She laid her in Richards arms is then sent her gently into the white crib a few feet away from the bed. A few hours later test began to cry. The noise grew louder and louder as Queen Catherine started to rollover on the bed and kill her eyes open, as soon as she did the nurse through the door and rushed to pick up the baby. Her dark brown frizzy hair covered parts of her face.