A/N: I thought I knew what I wanted to do when I started my next story, but I was left feeling pretty desolate after finishing Briarheart and couldn't find that spark of inspiration like I had before. Yet here I am, ready to begin my new tale that is more original than based off of any fairy tale in particular- although it draws on some popular motifs from tales like Rapunzel, and the Frog Princess. While it promises to be a little different than my previous stories I hope that you enjoy the first chapter of Withered, and if you do please let me know!

Love Always,

C.V.

Prologue- Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time, in a kingdom so old that you've probably never even heard of it, there lived a beautiful queen. Her hair was as golden as the sun, and her eyes were so blue that even the clear, summer sky had cause to envy her. Still, with all of her beauty and wealth, she was always left wanting more. Her loving husband, the king, had always found her selfishness to be harmless and endearing- but as time passed her desires never seemed to ebb. Eventually the people of a once prosperous kingdom began to suffer in order to support her desires.

The king became consumed with pleasing her and began to tax his people mercilessly until both they and the land began to wither quite without his notice. His eyes were so focused on his lovely bride that he never saw that while he grew older, her appearance always remained the same- consistently without any flaw to speak of. His ears were so occupied by her sweet words that they couldn't hear the whispers in the dark. Hushed voices that worried that the queen might be a sorceress. For although she looked as bright and shining as gold, her heart was so dark and black that light would never again dwell within.

Yet despite his starving people and the ever-growing suspicion that his wife was a witch, the king did nothing. A fact made even more apparent when a few years later he had not only a wife to contend with, but two daughters as well. The two girls were mirror images of their mother, and gave their father little notice unless they desired some trinket or another. The rest of the time their mother took charge of their education, mostly in the dark arts, molding them to grow up just as black of heart as she was.

One would think that the queen would require nothing else to maintain her hold on the kingdom- that given all of her powers she would be able to hold it perfectly in her grip. However, fate ensured that the one thing that she was required to do to maintain her hold on the crown continued to elude her. She couldn't bear a son.

The law in the old kingdom demanded that the next ruler must always be a male heir. When the king died, an eventuality that she would surely help come to pass if it would further her cause for power, the throne would not pass to her or her daughters. Instead, the stewardship of the kingdom would transfer to the male next in line, the then three year old son of a deceased Lord.

Slaying the child would not have been above the wicked Queen either, but it would serve her no purpose. For there would always be another heir. No matter how obscure, or how far he was removed from the current nobility.

And when the king had begun to question why she hadn't been able to conceive a boy, the queen was forced to take more extreme measures. Without an heir, the king would be forced to remarry, a prospect which she did not care for in the slightest.

Frustrated with herself and her poor luck, the witch queen resolved to use black magic to achieve what she desired. However as is usually the case with the dark arts, she did not get what she wished for.

Although she conceived, much to the king's delight, her child was not the boy she had so needed. Still, for all her careful planning, the queen hadn't considered that there could be anything worse than having another girl.

But on the day I was born, she learned that there was. It was on that same day, that I was locked away and hidden from anyone who might learn of my existence.

For 21 years, I would live in that tower, waiting for the day when my mother finally found a use for me. When she did, it was one I could never have expected.

A/N: Thanks to Be Rose, for being excellent with grammar!