Ch.2 The Spell

 The Tsar soon found out that life would never be the same again.

THE SPELL

Opening her eyes to the song of a blue-bird, Rebecca could feel the warm sunshine on her face. It was a glorious day, with a perfect blue sky, the roses in the Palace gardens basking in the summer morning. Hearing her father’s voice underneath the window, Rebecca danced up and opened the French windows just in time to see her father and three brothers riding off towards the village. Strange as it seemed, life had quietened down. Although her new stepmother had completely changed the Palace, with new colour schemes, new furniture and even new historical pictures, this young woman was clever enough to get her own way without causing any upset.

Clever, crafty and cunning!

Going down to breakfast, Rebecca noticed an eerie silence in the Palace. True, the servants were always there but they seemed especially quiet. Rebecca didn’t pay much attention to it, the day was too perfect to worry about such things. She did, however, wonder where her stepmother was. It was unusual, as they always breakfasted together, even indeed as Rebecca had always done so with her mother. Asking one of the maids, she soon found out that her stepmother was ‘indisposed’ in bed. “I’ll pick some roses for her, that’ll cheer her up”, thought Rebecca, because although Rachael wasn’t her first choice of companion, she was company. And Rebecca had been lonely since her mother’s death.

The roses were in full bloom and smelt delightful. Red, pink, white and yellow. Rebecca picked just a few of each and cradled them in her arms. Looking out over the colour-filled gardens, a tall figure caught her attention. He was very masculine, with long raven-black hair and a smile that charmed the birds out of the trees. Rebecca was smitten, her very first love and her only love.

Walking the stranger into the Palace, Rebecca noticed her stepmother, Rachael, much recovered it seemed, walking slowly down the grand staircase. The stranger bowed and introduced himself. The Grand Prince Peter of America, a distant cousin of the Tsar who was away at war during the time of the wedding, but who had now come to pay his respects to the newly-married couple.

The new Tsarina was beside herself that such a dashing fellow had come such a distance. Blushing like a school-girl, she led Peter into the great drawing-room and ordered refreshments. Trying to flirt with him, Rachael made joke after joke, a rather peculiar way to act for some-one so newly married and apparently in love with her father, thought Rebecca. Rebecca need not have worried, for Peter had eyes only for her, Rebecca, the daughter of the Tsar. With her, by now, long flowing, raven-black hair, enchanting smile and very sweet voice, Rebecca had captured his heart. He was determined to marry Rebecca.

The Prince stayed. The Tsar was pleased to meet his distant cousin and Rebecca’s brothers, noticing their sister’s obvious love for this man, made him most welcome. This delighted Rebecca, as she always wanted a very happy marriage. However, the Tsarina had other ideas! Flirting outrageously with this new Prince, Rachael all but made a fool of herself and was insanely jealous of the attention Peter gave Rebecca. This irritated her husband who said more than a few choice words to his new wife in private.

None of this could touch the happiness Rebecca felt. She was in love and truly happy for the first time since her mother’s death.

The following night, Rebecca was awoken by sounds under her bedroom window. Standing quietly behind the summer curtains, she could just make out her stepmother Rachael, standing there talking to a bent over creature. Straining to hear the conversion, it dawned on her that this bent over creature was the old witch from the forest and, as if hearing her thoughts, the bent over old witch looked up directly at Rebecca’s room. Moving back with a start, Rebecca nearly fell over her dressing-table stool, just catching herself in time, avoiding making an almighty crash. Sitting quietly on her bed, Rebecca was bewildered. How did the old witch get past the black dogs?

There were no answers the next morning, as every-one had left to go to the village, including Rachael. Rebecca was never allowed to go and all she knew was that it was the ‘Tsar’s business’. Sitting down for breakfast, Rebecca’s eyes shone. What a surprise that Prince Peter was still in the Palace and was now sitting down eating breakfast with her. The worries of the night before soon faded.

The young couple had a lovely morning. Riding out through the Palace gardens and into the forest, they soon enjoyed each other’s company. Dismounting and walking along hand in hand, Rebecca gazed longingly into Peter’s eyes. He bent down and kissed her lips. She almost fainted with passion. Bending down on one knee, Peter did indeed ask Rebecca if she would honor him by becoming his wife. Rebecca instantly said “YES!” and he swept her into his arms, kissing her with more passion. Taking out a beautiful velvet box, Peter placed a ring on Rebecca’s wedding finger. A ruby with two diamonds either side on a white gold band, how unusual!

That evening was full of celebration. The Tsar was overjoyed that his only daughter was so happy and getting married. Her brothers constantly teasing the young couple. Even the servants gave their compliments. Rachael, although smiling and being gay, was seething inside and full of hatred and jealousy. Rebecca noticed it in her stepmother’s eyes.

How Rebecca wished her mother was still alive.

That night, everything changed!

Saying their goodnights, everyone went to bed. Opening her door, Rebecca could smell roses. Unusual as she only ever had lily of the valley in her rooms. This seemed to have a sleepy effect on Rebecca, so she lay down on her bed, still in her beautiful red satin engagement dress, her hair resting on the pillow, her new ring comfortable on her finger. As she lay quietly on her back, Rebecca could not help but dream about her wonderful future.

“Dreams are all you will have now!” said a voice, and opening her eyes, Rebecca saw Rachael standing over her with the old witch on the other side of the bed. The old woman was muttering strange words and holding a white rose over Rebecca, her stepmother laughing with her eyes. Rebecca wanted to scream but found that she could not move, except for one second when she moved her head and saw her mother’s picture on her dressing-table. This seemed to disturb the old witch, but Rachael was cruel and told her, in biting words, to continue the spell. Moving her head quickly back, Rebecca passed out, it all seemed too much for her.

Rebecca woke the next morning, still unable to move and still with her stepmother leaning over her, the old witch seemed to have disappeared. Holding a mirror over Rebecca, her hateful stepmother laughed. Rebecca had been turned into a small, ten inch china doll, only her eyes could move. Rebecca couldn't believe it. “This must be a terrible dream!” she thought.

But she soon realized that this was no dream as Rachael carried her downstairs, making up some strange story to the Tsar about his only daughter. Having been placed on the drawing-room sofa, Rebecca tried to smile when Peter entered the room. Picking up the china doll carefully, Peter noticed the tiny ring on her wedding finger. Surely he knew it was really Rebecca. Peter knew it was Rebecca but how? He kept very quiet.

That night, Peter followed the new Tsarina into the forest to the old woman’s cottage. Handing over Rebecca, Rachael told the old witch to: “Get rid of the stupid girl!” The old witch told her: “You will be cursed for this, I cannot kill my own granddaughter!” Rachael told the old woman to do as she was told and left, slamming the front door behind her. Walking silently past the drugged dogs, the hateful stepmother did not notice Peter hiding behind a massive old oak tree.

Knocking on the door of the old cottage, Peter found the old woman cuddling Rebecca, holding the doll close to her, crying. He tried to comfort the old woman. As the old witch stopped crying, the truth came out. “I know you can hear this” said the old woman, as she spoke softly to Rebecca. Rebecca listened with her eyes, so glad to see Peter.

The old witch was the mother of the Tsar, Rebecca’s father. Having gone mad after the death of her husband, this old woman was allowed to live in the cottage, guarded by the black dogs. And this is how Catherine, the old witch, had lived for many years. It was only after Rebecca was born that her sanity started to come back. But Catherine still had her bouts of insanity, and begged Peter to take Rebecca away to safety. The new Tsarina had threatened the old woman with death if she did not do as she was told. “But how can the spell be broken?” asked Peter, looking lovingly into Rebecca’s eyes.

Only by the love of a little five year old girl, a pure Russian, who would love Rebecca, the china doll, so much that it would break the spell and Rebecca would grow back to being the beautiful, young woman she was.

“Now go, and save my granddaughter before I go insane again!” said the old woman. And with that, Peter held Rebecca carefully in his jacket and rode out of the Palace, towards the village. He would break the spell somehow, he loved Rebecca.

(Look out for ch.3 "The Curse")