The Devil's Cursed Witch

Kingdom of Valor.

A small and prosperous kingdom surrounded by vast green land, mountains and rivers. The generations of the Valor family ruled this kingdom for several decades and built it from scratch.

Inside the royal palace of the Royal family of Valor, the queen's residence.

A beautiful middle-aged woman, wearing a royal elegant light blue dress, was standing by the huge glass window of her study. Her face had a solemn expression as her eyes stared at the mountain far away which was still emitting smoke even after a month of fire breaking out. Her long blonde hair moved along the silent breeze, the sunlight coming from the window, making her look dreamy.

That faraway mountain she was looking at was burned and she looked like her eyes were trying to search for someone, knowing it was impossible from such a long distance. That quiet gaze held the pain of losing someone.

She was the first wife of the King of Valor, Queen Shanel Valor.

A servant entered the study, "Your Majesty, the Third Prince is here to visit you."

"Allow him."

A handsome young man in his early twenties entered the study, "Greetings, Mother."

His features resembled his mother along with his sea-blue eyes and short blond hair like his mother. He was dressed in a light beige shirt with a brown waistcoat and brown pants with long black boots. The gold delicate accessories added to the royalty of the clothes and the sword hung at the left side of his waist, made him look like a warrior.

The Queen turned her face to look at him, "Did you find her yet, Rhian?"

The young man lowered his head apologetically, "Apologies, Mother."

"It's been more than a month and you still could not find her," her beautiful eyes filled with impatience.

The Third Prince Rhian kept his head lowered, "My men searched the entire mountain for a month now but there is no sign of her as if she had disappeared in thin air. The group of men I had sent to rescue her even before they burned the mountain, went missing as well."

"Maybe she had escaped long before that day. Have you searched the villages and areas around that mountain?" Shanel asked.

"I had already done it, mother, but there is no sign of her. Maybe, that fire had harmed and left no traces of her...."

"It can't be," the Queen interrupted Rhian, "She can't die. If she could, she would have been dead long back. She is somewhere and you have to find her. She is your sister, a Princess of this kingdom. You must find her."

"I will do my best, Mother. I have sent my spies to the neighbouring kingdom as well."

"I believe she is alive and you will find it," the Queen said. "I can only rely on you as your two brothers follow their father. You don't have responsibilities like them and you are free to go anywhere so do not miss this opportunity to search for her."

"Yes, mother. But there is something else that I wished to inform you about."

"What is it?"

"The day before that incident, a group of royal soldiers was guided on the mountain."

"Royal soldiers? His Majesty...."

"Yes, mother. I think, father had sent the soldier there the day before they put the mountain on fire. But those soldiers went missing as well according to the information I received."

"Why would the King send soldiers there...hah!" She chuckled, "He must want to be sure that she is dead and has no escape from that mountain. Such a cruel father she has got. It would have been better if she was not born instead of having such a cruel fate when her own people wants her dead."

"Mother, what if father has found her and kept her imprisoned somewhere? If we can not find her and she can't die, then this is the only possibility we are left with," the Third Prince Rhian suggested.

"If that is the case, then I will go to your father personally and ask him," she had determination flashing in her eyes, "You can leave."

The Third Prince bowed to his mother and left. Shanel looked back at that burned mountain far away, 'Sephina, before you die, I promised you that I would protect your daughter," she sighed, "But why do I feel like I failed to keep it? Almost two decades...I did my best to secretly protect her but why does it feel like I still failed to keep that promise?' her eyes turned moist, 'If I can, I would protect her with my own life but If I have already failed, will you forgive me? I can only hope she is alive somewhere and living the life she deserves.'

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply to calm herself. Opening her eyes, she called for the servant, "Nomi!"

A servant entered her study and bowed, "You called for me, Your Majesty?"

"Send a message to the King's residence that I would visit there."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The servant left.

After an hour the Queen went to visit the King in his study. The knight opened the grand-looking wooden door for her. Entering the study she saw a man, her husband sitting in his chair behind his desk inside that grand study. Light brown colour haired, middle-aged good looking man, wearing the king's Royal looking signature attire. His light brown eyes lifted from the document in his hand to look at his wife who had just entered his study.

He was calm and composed and could see through his wife's current mood. She was upset about something and there was turmoil inside her. She seemed to have so many questions for her husband and was in a mood of confrontation.

She stood in front of his desk while glaring at him. She was so upset that she had lost her usual calm and dignified composure as a Queen of this kingdom.

The king of Valor, King Gregor Valor simply put the document in his hand back on the desk and instructed, "Have a seat, Shanel."

"I am not here to sit and chat with you, Gregor. I want the answers to my questions," she said coldly, her blue eyes filled with rage.

"Ask!" He was still calm.