The small cottage was warm and cozy, lit by the warm glow of candles and the fire crackling in the hearth.The scent of baked bread still lingered in the air even do dinner had been served an hour ago.
Two little girls, Emily and Cathy sat on a plush velvet armchair in the center of the room. Cathy's black eyes were wide open and her small face marred with excitement while the other girl's eyebrows arched in boredom. Her small mouth twisted into a pout. Cathy's tiny hands clasped together as the story reached it's climax.
"...and the princess lived happily ever after with Mr knight." Their grandmother concluded the story.
Cathy's eyes shun like stars, her excitement uncontainable, "I really love to become a princess one day."
The old lady smiled at her granddaughter hearing her words and said, "I hope you become one, sweetheart."
"It doesn't seem like Emily likes the story that much." A black-haired lady who had just entered with two candles in her hands commented.
The girl complained, "I hate princess and the Knight's stories."
Her grandmother's face twisted into a frown and asked, "Don't you want to be a princess, dear Emily?" Emily shook her head, the frown on her face still evident.
The black haired lady placed the candle on the table then walked to where the girls and her mother were sitted.
The lady sat next to her mother on the couch and smiled, "Little Emily doesn't like your princess's story." She then turned to her mother and said, "You should tell her something she likes."
The old woman rolled her eyes at her daughter's words and said, "Maybe you should tell her one."
Little Emily's face lit up hearing her grandmother's words to her aunt. Her eyes moved from her grandmother's to her aunt, expectantly.
Camille smiled at the little girl and asked, "Do you want your aunt Camille to tell you a story?"
The two girls nodded their heads at their aunt.
Camille stared into the distance, her fingers tapping the armrest. A small enigmatic smile suddenly grazed her lips as she looked up at her two anxious nieces.
"Centuries ago, the kingdom of Westfield was ruled by king Maxwell," Camille started.
Little Cathy then remarked, "But our king is King Jonathan."
"Yes, darling but king Maxwell was the king a long time ago." Camille explained to the young Cathy with a smile.
She then continued her story, "King Maxwell was known has a cursed king because he couldn't bear children. King Maxwell didn't have an heir and without an heir, king Maxwell would lose his rights as a king. He waited for years but he still didn't bear a child,"
"Don't tell me it is the same old story your grandfather told you." The old lady commented with her face scrunched into a deep frown.
Camille rolled her eyes at her mother's displeased expression and continued, "One day he decided to take in children without no origin as his own. He sought out the children and finally found six boys,"
Emily commented, "Too bad for king Maxwell."
Camille grinned at her niece's remark, satisfied that she was listening to her story, she then continued, "The six sons of the king were trained and brought up well as one day one of them will be chosen as the king. The six sons were strong and powerful, they fought for the kingdom and would always be victorious. Other kings were jealous of the sons, the king had brought up,"
Cathy's face lit up, and she let out a squeal of delight, "The story is getting exciting."
Camille smiled at her niece's outburst while her mother rolled her eyes and let out a frustrated groan.
"Among the six brothers, the fourth prince possessed unparalleled power. He was formidable and he far surpassed the other princes in every way. He was highly favored by the king and his brothers saw him as a threat and were jealous of him."
"Is the fourth prince the Knight in this story?" Cathy asked.
Her elder sister replied, "There isn't a knight in this story, Catherine."
Cathy's face fell and her eyes drooped hearing her sister's words.
"When the fourth prince conquered the Kingdom of pistilines, one of the strongest kingdom then. The other princes were already certain that their brother would become the next king. Hatred, greed and jealousy filled the heart of the princes and they came together and plotted against their brother to kill him,"
Emily interjected, "But if they kill the fourth brother who will then become the king?"
Camille smiled at her niece's question and she said. "Little Emily as become so intelligent." She patted her head with a grin and Emily grinned back at her.
She answered, "They didn't care about who would become king. All they wanted was the fourth prince out."
"Did they succeed?" Cathy asked
Camille answered, "No, they didn't. The fourth prince was too powerful and he killed his brothers and took over the throne. The fourth prince became the king of Westfield kingdom,"
Cathy who wasn't interested in her aunt's story was now fully indulged. She sat up straight, her leg crossed and her hands clasped together, completely absorbed in the tale while Emily's face was scrunched up in concentration as the story was already getting to its peak.
Even Camille felt satisfied seeing the expression on her niece's face. They looked very enthusiastic to hear the end of the story.
"The fourth prince was known as one of the most powerful king ever ruled in the kingdom of Westfield. He won many wars and took over so many kingdoms and clans. The kingdom of Westfield was feared by many then,"
"He doesn't seem like a nice king." Cathy commented in a low voice.
Camille leaned in close, her voice above a whisper, "He wasn't a nice king. The fourth prince was known as 'the king that never dies'," The kids gasped hearing this as their mouth were slightly agape.
Camille grinned at her nieces' reaction and then continued, "Rumour had it,that the king could never die but it was no rumour but it was true. They even said he was immortal,"
As Camille spun her tale, the room seemed to fade away leaving only the three of them, suspended in their own world.
The old lady in the room who had been quietly observing from the sidelines, spoke up, "I think it's time for the children to sleep."
Emily crossed her hand over her chest and protested, "But aunt Camille isn't done with her story yet!"
Camille tried to make her mother understand, knowing why her mother was displeased with the story, she said, "Jist a few more minutes, mother. They're enjoying the story."
Deep creases etched the old lady's forehead, and her eyebrows drew together in a thin line, she gave an awkward smile before she stood up and said, "If their parents were around they wouldn't be up by this time." She snorted then left to her room.
Camille watched her mother disappear from the room before she turned to the children and gave them a warm smile.
"Should we continue?" Camille asked and the children gave her an excited nod.
"The king ruled the kingdom for so many centuries but one day the king disappeared from the kingdom leaving no traces. Some people said the king had died and his subordinates were hiding it while others believed that the king was alive,"
"What was the truth?" Cathy asked.
Camille leaned in, her voice above a whisper, "The truth? No one knew." Her words set shivers down the girl's spine.
The story was scaring the girls already but they needed to know more and find out what will happen to the fourth prince.
Emily who hadn't spoken for awhile said, "There must have been a way to kill the king. I'm sure so many people wanted the throne then." Emily smart words surprised Camille and she cleared her throat before she said,
"People said there was a way," The words made the girls lean in closer.
Camille was suprised at the children's enthusiasm and she continued, "The invisible sword. The sword was just a rumour then but some said the sword was real. Anyone who wielded the sword would gain ultimate power and could kill the king,"
"Did anyone find the sword?" came Emily's question.
"No. People began to believe the sword never existed or someone had wielded the sword already and killed the king."
"The sword..."
"No more questions. It's time for bed." Camille stopped cathy from asking any other question as she stood up and the girls reluctantly stood up with her.
Camille went to blow out the candles in the room and extinguish the fire crackling in the hearth. She walked to the table and blew out one of the candles she had placed on the table and took the other one in her hand.
Camille walked to where the girls stood and held Emily's hand while Emily held her little sister hand. Camille led the two girls to their room and helped them settle in bed. When she was done tucking Cathy in she went to tuck Emily in.
"I would like to wield the invisible sword like a knight." Emily said demonstrating with her hands.
Camille grinned at the girl's words and tucked her in then said, "If you want to be a knight and wield the invisible sword, you would need to train very hard."
"I'm ready to train so hard. I want to become a knight and save people from the bad king and not only the princess." Emily's words made Camille grin widen as she patted the girl's head.
Cathy chimed in, "I want to become a princess." Camille laughed and planted a kiss on Emily's head.
"You two should sleep now. We would talk about princesses and knights in the morning." She watched them close their eyes and with a final smile she extinguished the candles in the room and grabbed the candle she had placed on the table next to the children's bed awhile ago then she left the girls to their dreams.