The Chosen One: Century Isle Chronicles

By D.B. Mauldin

“I forever banish all involved in these crimes to the Back Water Stream area of Blooming Isle where you will live with the trolls for the rest of your lives!”

The fairies have been involved in a bloody war with the ogres for centuries with each claiming Century Isle as their own. Instead of bringing peace and harmony, the settlement of humans on the plush, fertile island has only served to heighten tensions. Seventeen-year-old Meg is left heartbroken when the ogres launch a ferocious assault on her village leaving her orphaned and fearing for her life. Aware that she is “The chosen one” the fairies take her to a safe haven where under the protective eye of Seraphina, the Fairy Queen, an incredible voyage of self-discovery and spiritual awakening begins.

Can Meg set her own grief aside for the greater good of her people?

Will she submit to the teachings of her ancestors to fulfil an ancient prophecy?

Will she find true love or are her heart and soul set to be crushed by an evil warlock?

Century Isle Chronicles: The Chosen One is a haunting, coming of age story in which a young heroine must not only come to terms with her grief but learn to safely unlock and embrace the supernatural power that will keep the islanders safe. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: D.B. Mauldin
• Release date: Apr 19, 2016
• ISBN: 9781533732798

D.B. Mauldin

I am a professional published Author. I write articles, short stories, short story series, novella’s, and coming soon: novels. I’m an avid reader and love writing book reviews. I believe in author’s helping author’s. Writing has always been a part of my life. My passions are writing fantasy’s, paranormal, and women’s fiction. Most of my writings are geared to middle grade and young adult audiences. Currently, I live with my loving, supportive husband, and two rat terriers, by a small lake in northeast Alabama. Together, my husband and I have three grown daughters and seven grandchildren; 5 girls and 2 boys. My grandchildren are my world.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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Cover Design by Kathryn Jenkins

http://www.kjmagicaldesigns.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without written permission from the author.

Chapter 1

Century Isle - 1537

An army of ogres attacked the village, in the dark of the night. The guards on duty sounded the warning. Men scrambled from their beds, found their weapons, and rushed out into the night.

Meg felt someone shaking her. Meg, you must wake up! her mother shouted over the noise of the battle erupting outside. Meg, you must run! Run into the forest and do not stop! Run, my darling daughter, run!

Meg clung to her mother. What about you, mother? Won’t you run with me?

I’m going to help your father. I will be fine. I need you to run. She gave her daughter a slight push toward the back door. Run! Run now, Meg!"

Meg ran out the back door and into the forest. She paused to look back. She saw the giant ogres swinging their giant clubs, destroying homes and men alike. Meg heard the screams; they made her blood curdle.

Meg stood frozen with fear. She watched an ogre knock her home from its foundation. Mother! she screamed as tears flowed down her face. She turned as if to head back to her home.

The giant ogre stopped and looked toward the forest. There she is! he grunted loudly to the other ogres. Meg remembered her mother’s words; Run!" The giant ogre took a step toward the forest. Meg did not waste any more time; she turned back toward the forest and ran.

Run...run! I can’t stop now, Meg thought to herself as she ran through the forest. Leaves, branches, and vines slapped at her arms, face, and legs. Her heart was racing, her head pounding, and her lungs aching. The stitches in her sides were getting worse.

Meg felt the root snag her foot. She fought for balance, but it was too late. She braced herself for the fall, and then everything went black.

***

What beautiful music! Meg thought to herself. She tried to open her eyes, but the light was too bright. Her head ached. Meg was consciously aware of the pain throughout her body. It was too much to bear. She let her consciousness fall back into the light melody of the music and drifted back into sleep.

The nightmare came again. Had her mother and father been killed? Was the entire village dead or had some of the villagers survived? Meg hoped that the ogres forgot about the village and that everyone followed her into the forest to safety. She could hear their snorts and heavy breathing as they closed in on her. Meg ran and ran until she felt herself falling and jerked awake.

***

Meg opened her eyes to a muted light. A woman was sitting beside her on the bed. She caressed Meg’s cheeks, softly wiping away the tears. It’s okay. You are safe now, she crooned.

Meg looked into the woman’s green eyes. She saw no malice, only concern.

The ogres, Meg said in a shaky voice.

They are gone. You are safe here.

My mother...father...the village? Meg cried. Tears flowed down her face as she remembered the attack.

I’m so sorry, Meg. I sent a search and rescue team of fairies back to your village on Century Isle. However, there were no survivors. A few of the ogres are still searching the forest for you, but most have regrouped back on their side of the Island. They are probably planning a further attack, the woman said.

Meg covered her face with her arms and sobbed. She didn’t know how she could go on living without her mother. For seventeen years, her mother had always been there for her, gently guiding Meg through the difficulties of life.

"Why didn’t I stay and help her? Why did I run away, knowing she would die? How will I go on with the whole village gone? Everything and everyone that I loved and knew is gone. Meg thought to herself.

Meg was conscious of the woman still sitting beside her on the bed; comforting Meg by gently stroking her back and humming a sweet song. She continued to sob as her consciousness slipped away. This time, she slept soundly with no dreams or nightmares.

***

Several hours later, Meg woke with a heavy feeling; like someone, or something, was holding her down. She tried to move her left arm but found she didn’t have the strength.

The woman had noticed the slight movement and was soon at Meg’s bedside.

Who are you? Meg asked weakly.

The woman smiled. My name is Seraphina.

Meg looked around the room and was unsettled by the fact that nothing was familiar to her.

Where am I? she asked.

You are at my home on Blooming Isle.

Blooming Isle? How did I get here?

I will tell you everything, but first I must ask if you are in pain?

My head hurts a little. Meg tried to sit up, but her head started spinning, and every muscle felt sore. Ouch, she said.

Do not try to sit up yet. You have been in the bed for seven days. It will take you some time to get your strength back. Allow me to get you some willow bark tea for your pain, and then I will help you to sit up.

Meg studied Seraphina as she prepared the tea. She looked to be a young woman, not much older than Meg was. Long red hair flowed down her back, nearly to her knees. She stood tall and proud, but her features were delicate, almost fairy-like. Seraphina wore a light pink dress that flowed around her voluptuous body.

When the tea was ready, Seraphina helped Meg sit up just enough to sip the tea. Meg could feel the healing powers of the willow bark tea flowing through her, relieving her pain. She sighed, as Seraphina laid her back against the pillows.

Now, to answer your questions, Blooming Isle is an island near your home on Century Isle. The forest fairies, on your island, saw you fall and knew the savage ogres were following you. They quickly picked you up and flew you to me. I am Seraphina, the Queen of the fairies.

Meg had heard tales about the forest fairies but thought they only existed in stories. She never thought them to be real, and now, this young woman was telling her that she was the Queen of fairies! Meg did not know what to believe. Am I still dreaming? She thought to herself.

Are there any ogres on the Blooming Isle? Meg asked.

Yes, but they mostly keep to themselves. I don’t think they know about you, yet, Seraphina replied.

What do you mean they don’t know about me, yet?

Seraphina sighed. She had not meant to let that slip out, but slip out it had. She knew Meg would not let it go. However, she was not sure the young woman was ready to hear everything.

Seraphina, Meg began with panic in her voice. What do you mean they don’t know about me, yet? In her agitation, Meg swung her legs off the bed and tried to stand up.

Shh...don’t try to get out of bed, Seraphina said calmly. Lie back down and I will tell you."

She smoothed the light brown hair from Meg’s forehead while looking deep into her troubled brown eyes. Her motions calmed and soothed Meg. Soon her eyes grew heavy, and Meg was swept into another deep sleep.

She heard Seraphina’s calm voice from far away.

Allow me to tell you a story, Seraphina began. A long time ago, in a village on Century Isle, there lived a medicine woman, her husband, and their children. Her husband was a great warrior. He had fought many times to keep invaders from taking over the Island and the evil ogres that lived on the Island, in their place.

The medicine woman was also a powerful witch, who loved her warrior husband deeply. She stitched her husband’s clothing with fighting spells, leadership spells, protective spells, and success spells. She placed a protective spell on the Island and its villages. The medicine woman helped many people with her medicine.

Time passed. Her husband died. Her children grew up, married, and had families of their own. Out of her seven children, only two daughters and one son had inherited her great skills.

When she was on her death bed, the medicine woman called her son to her. She told him about a vision she had a few years before. A vision in which she was shown her great-great-great-granddaughter; also, a great medicine woman and a powerful witch who would overcome the evil ogres so that they would never bother humankind again. The girl’s true identity would be hidden, even from her, for protection. All would be revealed to her when it was time.

The medicine woman told her son that the girl would come from his line and the vision should be passed on to the trusted one. How will I know which of my children’s line will pass down to the girl, mother? her son asked. You will know, replied the medicine woman, You will know.

As Meg dreamed, she could see all that Seraphina talked about, plus some. Meg saw her great-great-great grandmother, Zoe. The medicine woman took Meg’s slender hands into her gnarled ones. She looked into Meg’s brown eyes with her own brown eyes. Meg began to feel dizzy, but she somehow knew that she needed to focus on the strength in Zoe’s