Chapter One

Madeline was born on a dark night.

Strictly speaking, this isn’t unusual, because 99% of nights are dark unless you live close to or in a big city. To say the night was dark wouldn’t be strange, especially considering that the place she was born never saw the sun, but it was especially dark that night, so dark you could almost reach out and grab the night like it was made of cotton candy.

Where was she born? you ask. Surely, every place sees the sun, unless it's magic or something.

Well, the place was magic, so yeah. You see, she was born in the Dark Kingdom.

Her father and king had tried to evacuate his kingdom, but her father’s friend Quirin insisted on staying behind to tidy things up, and Quirin’s wife insisted on staying behind with him.

That was a decade ago. King Edmund kept trying to get them to leave, but they both insisted.

As soon as Madeline was born, the magical rocks surrounding the kingdom started glowing and inching towards her. Her mother Eliza, friends since birth with Angel, Quirn’s wife and Eliza’s midwife started screaming.

“Quirin, help!” Angel yelled.

Edmund, her father. and Quirin came bursting in. “What’s wrong, my love?” Quirin asked her.

“The rocks!” Eliza exclaimed. “They’re reaching for my child!”

“Oh no,” Edmund said. “I believe we may have done something wrong.”

The men rushed to the library. Edmund began to page through an old-looking book. “Oh no,” he repeated. “I believe it was the blast,” he said, “which we were both present for. It must have put dormant energy in us- an energy that came out in my daughter.”

“Is there anything we can do?” Quirin asked.

Edmund shook his head sadly. “The best I can do is give you this book. It contains a recipe for a potion that can take away the child’s powers- but it must be given as close to the moment of birth as possible, and it takes almost an entire day to make. Hopefully, if you and Angel ever decide to have children, this may help.”

“What if you and Eliza need it?” he asked.

Edmund lowered his voice. “Look, I haven’t told anyone this, but my darling has a terrible, terminal disease. It won’t do anything for a while, but then it’ll strike and she’ll be in severe pain. Our best guess is she has weeks, maybe days left. Madeline will be our only child. Promise me you’ll take care of her?”

“I- but you’ll still be here!”

“No,” Edmund said firmly. “I can’t leave my kingdom, but I want my daughter to be as far away from the rocks as possible. Perhaps her powers will never show then.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

Trivia

 * The mood song for this chapter was "Dear Theodosia" from Hamilton.
 * The close friends Eliza and Angel are a reference to the Schuyler Sisters Angelica and Elizabeth.