An Era of Charming Tales: Betrayed

AN: Right after the story (before the credits) there is a casting call.   I hope some of you will give it a try!!  I look forward to seeing your creations.

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It was a lovely fall afternoon and Evella had a mind to have a small tea party.   She was looking forward to some good food and good conversation.

She only had two guests on her list.

One was her oldest cohort, Bramblewise and the other her son, Korbin.

Bramblewise arrived early.

He was feeling particularly jovial on this afternoon.

He enjoyed the cool fall weather, it was so much more like his childhood home of Sixam.

The aroma of the apple spice tea and sweeties Evella had prepared was heady!   His stomach was already rumbly.”

Tea time was his favorite.  He could be prevailed upon to join someone for tea in an instant especially when it was shared in the company of someone nearly as devious as he!

“Thank you so much for the tea invitation dear Evella,”  the little scoundrel purred, “so very kind of you to invite me.”

Evella glanced over and gave him a reasonably warm smile and a nod.   “You are very welcome, dear Mergwhen,” she replied cordially.

Normally Evella found him rather despicable.  But she did enjoy his wicked sense of humor!  He was very amusing at tea.

The afternoon would be passed pleasantly enough over tea and chats.

Glancing at her clock, “Oh where is that boy.” She uttered under her breath, “always late.”

“Shall I pour, Mergwhen?”

Bramblwise was all for that.

“MOTHER!”

Corbin screamed, “STOP!”

The teacup crashed to the floor as a startled Evella let out a screech and grabbed her chest.

“Korbin what on earth do you think you are you doing behaving like that?  You about scared me to death.”

“Mother haven’t you heard the news! Princess Lilly has been murdered and there were attempts on princess Violet, prince Aster AND the King and Queen.

They were sent poisoned apple spice tea.”

Pointing to the box, he clarified, “The very same type of tea that you were brewing even now.”

I don’t know what you are talking about Korbin?

I don’t know anything about any murders!

This tea came by courier yesterday. I thought it was a gift from you!

“No Mother, it was not from me!  It must be the same person who sent tea to the royals!”

Evella gasped as it dawned on her who was behind this.

Bramblewise was stopped cold by the same realization!

Evella attempted to calm him as he grew more and more angry.

“There must be some sort of explanation.”

“There is,” he hissed.  “The Weasel has gone rogue.”

Eva gasped at his assertion. 

Could that be true?

Was he using them for HIS own agenda all along?

  How foolish she had been to trust someone like the weasel.

Did he really want her dead too?

“I warned you from the beginning of this association that it was not a good idea,” Bramblewise fumed.

“And now look what has happened!  It is unsafe here.  Our very lives in danger or worse yet we will end up with the blame for all of this!  

I will have to return to the home of my idiot nephew and stay there till this cools down.”

He turned to her, his black eyes cold and terrifying,  “This is all your fault! You did this!”

“I have no idea where to go,” she cried.

Evella clearly did not have a well-made exit plan

**~~~~~~**

The Cheif and the detectives were summoned to the evidence locker at WPD HQ.

Chief Theis and his crew stood staring into the locker with mouths agape.

WHAT could have happened here!

Someone had stolen the evidence brought back by from the jungle by Nita.

All were in shock.

Who could have done this thing?

No one knew about this evidence except for all of them and the royal family.

It had been kept very hush hush.

Was there a stoolie … a canary …  A RAT … in their midst?

**~~~~~~~~**

“I’ve come to beg you and the queen to leave this place.

It is dangerous and I fear for your lives,” Korbin pleaded.

“An attempt was made upon my mother’s life in the same way as the attempt was made on yours.

Yesterday a courier delivered the gift of apples and tea and today my mother and her friend nearly drank this tea. If I hadn’t gotten there when I did they both would be dead.”

“This terrible thing is all my fault.,” Cheif Thies groaned.

“The murder weapon ..  the tea ..  came from my own evidence locker.

I have no idea who would have done such a thing.”

But when I find him AND I will find him,”  Cheif Theis Vowed, “he will be sorry for all the trouble he has caused our fair kingdom!”

Mike inquired of Korbin, “Who is this that you’re talking about and why would this person want your mother dead?”

Korbin sobbed,  “My mother is an associate of this reprobate.

She has never been a good judge of character.

AND now he wants her dead.”

Alexander piped up, “Who is this that we are talking about?  This weasel?”

Corbin answered, “No one knows not even mother. He cloaked his identity as well as he cloaks his face.”

Mike listened and considered the words carefully.

He and Rose had not wanted to leave Windenburg but he did not want to risk his beloved Rose’s life either.

“I’ve made a decision,” he spoke up, “we will go visit my parents Kingdom for just a little while until this all settles down.

I am certain that Officer Theis and his crew will find the perpetrator very quickly.”

“It is what I plan to leave too sire. In fact, Marissa and I are leaving today.”

“Hold on here a minute!’  Rose shouted, “Isn’t anyone going to ask me about what I want to do?”

Rose vehemently declared, “I am NOT going!”

“Your Majesty,” Cheif Thies began.  “It is not safe for you here.  We simply must consider your welfare above everything else.”

After a few minutes he had calmed Rose down and she was, still grudgingly, willing to go.

She turned to Alexander,  “I invite you to come with us to stay safe as well.”

Alexander shook his head no, “I don’t feel that my life is in danger because I’m not a royal.

You will need someone to look after the kingdom while you were gone and I will gladly volunteer my services for that.”

Besides I can’t go because my parents are here and with Lily gone there’s really nothing for me but to stay.”

Mike and Rose reluctantly agreed to his terms.

But they still did not feel right leaving Alexander here alone.

Officer Theis offered his protection but again Alex refused.

“We have the guards and the security cameras.

It will be enough.”

**~~~~~~~**

Korbin and Marissa made their exit.

He wanted this far away from all of this is possible. He hoped they would start a quiet normal life.

Somewhere away from his mother and all the drama that surrounds at this place.

Marissa’s safety and happiness was his only concern,

AN: I hope they find the “normal” life they want. 

I, for one, wonder just how normal can the son of Evella get. 

Maybe we need to visit them sometime in the future.  

*~~~~~~~**

The snow was falling pretty heavy as Mike and Rose reached Mike’s boat.

Cheif Theis provided an escort to the boat and stood guard as Mike and the crew made their preparations to depart.

As good fortune would have it the snow stopped and they were able to begin their journey.

With the final salute shared between Mike and Cheif Theis the goodbyes were done and the boat and crew were off.

Rose White could not stop her tears from flowing.

Goodbye dear Windenburg.

**~~~~~~~~~~**

Officer V found Alexander sitting in his new favorite chair (the throne).

She had terrible news to deliver.

“I’m sorry sir, her voice trembled with sadness.  “We have gotten word that the boat was lost at sea.

It does not appear that there were survivors and all are presumed dead.

No bodies have been recovered yet. There are ships out still looking for survivors.”

**~~~~~~~~**

 

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Charming Tales Table of contents (current)

 

CASTING CALL:

I am looking for …

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Credits:

Even tho these have been featured before, I think it is a good time to mention their creators again:

CAS:

Builds:

I purposely did not put the Island in here this time.  You will learn MUCH more about it later .. but it is a creation of the amazing Simoniona so you KNOW it is going to ROCK!

I had the good pleasure of finding a wonderful “new” creator.  I don’t know that you noticed but I have used her a few times already.  Her Eiffel tower build is FAB ❤

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If you have never been to my “regular” story before and maybe wonder what it is all about, I invite you to stop by this next link.

It is an “in -a -nutshell”  story recap.   

If you are a new reader this will give you enough story background to follow.

An Era of Charming Tales: Special Feature (Lemme es’plain .. UH NO! Too much! Lemme sum up!)