Page 3 of Once Upon an Enchanted Kiss

“Why not?” Hilde asked.

Instead of answering, the girl pinned her with her sad eyes and changed the subject. “Will you tell me a story, auntie?”

“A story?”

“Yes, like you always do when you visit. I want to hear a story.”

She thought of the perfect story to tell her. “If you make me a promise.”

Suspicion flickered through the girl’s blue eyes. “A promise?”

“Yes, that you’ll go with your mother to the funeral tomorrow. She’s counting on you to be there with her. And so am I.”

“You’ll be there?” the girl asked.

“I will.”

She thought about this for a long moment. “Okay. I promise.”

“Good. Now. A story.” She tapped her chin as though she were thinking of one to tell, even though she had already picked one out. “How about one about a prince and a princess, a sleeping curse, and a dragon?”

“Is there adventure?”

“Well, yes, of course,” she said with a smile.

“Then yes!” she said.

“Once upon a time, there was a lovely princess named Rosamund…”

Chapter 1

Onabrightspringday in the kingdom of Myst, the queen gave birth to a perfect, healthy baby girl. King Stephan was beside himself with joy as they had long wished for a child to carry on the royal line. It was many years of waiting for them until that perfect, beautiful day.

The people of Myst rejoiced when the herald announced the happy news. A week-long festival was planned followed by a tournament. The celebration ended with an extravagant ball.

But as the days passed and the princess’s christening approached, the king was restless. Stephan’s most fervent wish was to see the kingdoms of Myst and Woodhaven united under one banner in the realm of Stonebridge. His great-grandfather had tried to unite the two but that had failed and ended up with them at war. Since then, each king remained within his own borders, ignoring the other.

But Stephan understood there was great advantage to uniting the two kingdoms. It would strengthen their numbers when the time came to defend themselves from Faery, their neighbor to the east whose mischievous and meddlesome Fae, he suspected, were interested in expanding their own borders.

He was aware King Reginald, ruler of Woodhaven north of Myst, had a young son. A young son who could be betrothed to his young daughter. And so, he invited the royal family to attend the princess’s christening and to, he hoped, discuss the unification of the two kingdoms.

And, to show good faith, he also invited the royals from the Faery Courts—Empyrean, Celestial, Boreal, and Austral.

It was to be a grand affair.

But he made one grave error. He forgot the Fae queen from the Eternal Court.

The day of the christening arrived. All in the kingdom were invited to attend. The great hall crowded with those from the nobility and the gentry. King Reginald and his queen as well as his son, Phillip, arrived. After much debate, the two kings agreed their children would be betrothed. When Rosamund reached her eighteenth year, she and the prince would wed, uniting both the kingdoms.

Much to King Stephan’s surprise, even the Fae royals made an appearance.

“You invited the Fae royals?” Reginald asked, shock evident on his face.

“I did,” Stephan replied with a grin. “I had no idea they would accept much less show up.”

“Impressive,” Reginald said. “And perhaps you are right to unite our kingdoms. They look like a shifty lot.”

There were rumblings from the Fae court for years about them wanting to expand their borders. Stephan didn’t trust them one whit, but he was glad to see the arrival and hoped it would maintain peace between their realms.

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