Cursed Enchantments - An Unusual Fairy Tail by Char Marie Adles (black female authors txt) 📕

Chapter One

Untraditional Traditions

Princess Isabeau Marie de Valois was the thirteenth daughter of the King of Brilina, by all means a rather ordinary kingdom often over looked it was so plain, nestled in the foothills of the Eastern Mountains of Pamir.

She was labeled to tall, hair to dark and to clumsy to be a proper princess like all her older sisters. She could not dance, as her older sisters loved to do, nor sow or give a decent curtsey. Rather than all that nonsense she could was a scholar of all fairy tales, could cook delicious food and knew a little magic; all things a princess should not know.

Princess Isabeau was much like her kingdom in that way not really remarkable at all. Most did not know the king had a thirteenth daughter at all and were surprised every time someone found out. But soon the other king’s daughters, who were all blonde and beautiful, started to marry leaving fewer and fewer daughter’s to marry off. That meant soon it would be the king’s turn to marry off his youngest daughter, an idea she was not happy about.

Though the kingdom was rather boring it did have its fair share of magical mishaps. A prince turned into a frog, a princess who became enchanted, or even a wicked fairy who gave a curse upon one of the royal family. The last happened to Isabeau on her twelfth birthday rather than at her christening.

It was not unusual for the occasional fairy to pass through the kingdom, however it was unusual for one to show up at the request of the king and queen. They had meant well hoping the fairy would gift their youngest daughter with something that could make her into a more proper princess, instead the opposite happened. The fairy cursed Princess Isabeau to speak the truth at all times, rather than bless her with the sweetly spoken voice of a princess.

This caused no end in trouble for the princess as she grew older. It caused even more issues when her parents finally started matching her with princes to marry at the age of sixteen.

“You must marry my dear,” the queen said in her soft, sweet voice but you could hear the strain under her tone. “You are at the proper age to do so.”

Isabeau balked at the idea instantly, speaking her mind as her curse made her do. “But I am only sixteen! Too young to marry now.”

The queen tsked with impatience, something she had only done a few times over the years and Isabeau was the only of her daughters that could drive her to it.

“I was married at fifteen to your father,” the queen reminded her daughter, “And so you will marry.”

And that was that.

However that lead to a long string of princes who came for her hand as the king offered a large dowry, but they all left soon after they came and met the princess.

Unable to help herself, really, Isabeau blurted out the truth of what she thought of each one when they asked. Some were to dimwitted, others to vain and some even to ugly.

As the years passed the king even allowed enchanted princes who were turned into frogs and knights from neighboring lands the chance at her hand. He even increased the dowry to half the kingdom but none took her hand for marriage.

This to Isabeau’s mind was just fine and it suited her. She was free to do as she pleased much to the king and queens chagrin. But by her eighteenth birthday Isabeau grew wary of it all.

“Mother must I go?” Isabeau asked a final time as the queen straightened the small silver crown pinned in her hair.

“Yes,” the queen said flatly, “this is the eight-ninth suitor that has come to see you and you must make this one stick. Your father had enough time convincing him to come. Isabeau Marie de Valois you will make this one work.”

Isabeau scrunched up her pretty face at the use of her full name, “But he lives so far away. Nearly on the other side of the continent!”

“Well if you hadn’t chased off all the suitable princes and knights from neighboring kingdoms you would not have to marry one from so far away,” the admonished.

Isabeau made a face but did not say another word at the look her mother gave her.

“Now pretty smile, stand up straight and greet him kindly. Do not say anything if it will make him leave. Smile, nod and for once please be proper,” the queen instructed taking her by the elbow and leading her down the steps to the main hall where she would meet her eighty-ninth prince.

Oh the joy, Isabeau thought sourly.

Publication Date: 04-10-2019

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