Ghost Empire by Richard Fidler

Author:Richard Fidler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2016-06-22T04:00:00+00:00

RAYMOND DE LA FORÊT was born into a noble family in France that had fallen on hard times. The Count of Poitou took pity on Raymond’s penniless father, so he adopted the boy and raised him as his son in his castle at Poitiers. In time Raymond grew up to be a handsome and charming youth.

One day the Count invited Raymond to join him on a hunt for a wild boar. As they travelled deeper and deeper into the dark forest, they realised they had become separated from their servants. The boar had escaped and they were lost. The forest grew dark and so Raymond and the Count set up camp and lit a fire.

The two men were warming themselves against the blaze when they heard a rustle in the undergrowth. Suddenly the wild boar leapt out and pounced on the Count. Raymond seized his sword and swung wildly at the beast, but his blade struck his master instead, hacking into his side. Raymond swung again and this time the boar fell dead at his feet. As he wiped the blood from the sword, Raymond saw that he had accidentally killed his master, a good and kind man who had loved him like a son. Raymond mounted his horse and rode off in a daze.

Time passed strangely that night. In time, the dark forest opened up and Raymond entered a glade, illuminated by the silvery moonlight, where a pebbly stream ran from a bubbling fountain. Next to the fountain were three young women in iridescent white dresses. They were indescribably beautiful.

One of the young women rose to her feet and gently advanced towards him.

‘Why are you so frightened?’ she asked.

Raymond broke out in tears and he told her how he had unintentionally killed his master and protector. The young woman listened, and when he finished she said, ‘I think I have a solution. Remount your horse,’ she suggested. ‘Return to Poitiers. Act as though you have no knowledge of what has taken place. Then when the body of the Count is discovered, it will be assumed that he died while slaying the boar.’

Raymond thought this was a very good idea and agreed to act on her advice. As they fell into conversation, Raymond was overwhelmed by the young woman’s beauty and charm. At dawn he realised he was in love with her, and made her promise to be his.

She said, ‘I will do as you say. But in return I ask of you two things. Firstly I require you to obtain a grant of land for me around this fountain, but only so much as can be covered by the hide of a stag. Upon that space I will build a great palace.’

‘And what is the second thing you require of me?’

‘I will marry you . . .’ and here she paused to look at Raymond very earnestly, ‘but every Saturday, you must agree to leave me in complete seclusion. You must never intrude upon me on that day. For my name is Melusine and I am a water-faerie of great wealth and power.

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