The Chateau was immense and Emerald's eyes traveled wildly to try to take it all into her mind. Marbled floors a winding staircase, enormous pictures, candlelabras all lite and throwing off sutble light. Servants scurried about, rushing to and fro but slipping a veiled look at this new strange woman who had appeared in their midst.

The Count led the way into a beautifully decorated room and bade the servant, carrying the unconscious woman to lay her on an large couch. He ordered brandy brought forth to revive her and he lifted her limp hand and spoke to her. "Annette, wake up...it is all right!" Slowly the lady's eyes opened and quickly darted around the room and when they came to rest on Emerald, she gave a faint cry. The Count patted her hand and raised her head more, so she could drink the brandy.  Quickly he said to her, "No, she is not a ghost, she is REAL!"

Annette rose from the couch and on unsteady feet approached Emerald. "Oh my oh my, this can't be true, my beloved daugther is alive!" The Count smiled a sad smile and told her, "This is not her but in fact is my lost daugther. I have found her, at last!" The woman was so stunned she almost collasped again. She embraced Emerald and started to cry. Emerald was at a loss to really know what to do but if this was indeed her Grandmother she wanted to return the embrace. The Count in the meantime had told a servant to prepare food and he gazed on this lovely scene of Emerald, in the arms of her Maternal Grandmother.

Quickly the meal was readied and the Count took each woman on his arms and led them to the huge dining room where a sumptious meal was laid out. Emerald still had Asa on her mind and asked the Count to please send word to her. Emerald told him exactly where the little house was located and so the Count summoned a servant to hasten to Asa's but he whispered something into the ear of the servant which Emerald could not hear.

The Count now proceeded to explain to Annette how he came to be in contact with Emerald and all that had transpired.  Annette still stared at Emerald in disbelief. Suddenly, Emerald had a strange thought. If this was her real father what was his name and more importantly, what was her real name. She gazed at her father and said, "Papa what is your name?" "Christian, he replied and your Mothers name was Angelique." She now stared more intently at him and said, "I have had different names in my life now I wish to know my real name."

Christian stared at this lovely vision, who was his daugther, a daugther who so resembled his beloved wife. "Your real name is Zandria, which is an Egyptian name, not French. Your mother and  I loved to travel to Egypt  so when you were born we chose this name for you. It was always such a strange thing to me that the country which gave you this name was where I lost both you & your beloved Mother."  He then gazed off into space as if remembering a long ago time.

"But Papa, I am here now and I will never leave you. All  my life I yearned to have a real family. All my life I longed to know  who I really was and where I had come from. Now Destiny through many twists and turns has brought us all together. Oh Papa, I am so happy at last." With that she flung herself into her Fathers arms and sobbed. Annette arose and came and put her arms around her Granddaugther and she too broke into sobs. Christian was surrounded by weeping, sobbing women. He loved it! His heart was so full of joy no words could convey the emotions he felt.

The servants were not sure what to make of all of this so they silently withdrew to leave the family alone. The family finally returned to their seats to finish the wonderful meal that had now grown  cold on the huge table. But they did not seem to notice so great was their mutual happiness. Later the servants carried huge candelabras up the massive stairway to led the famly to their bedchambers. Emerald was stunned by her room, so lovely in pinks, silver and greys. She prepared herself for bed and fell into the softiest cloud of lovliness she had ever felt. In moments she was fast asleep.

The morning dawned bright and sunny and soon the household was up and about. Breakfast was readied in the huge dining room. Wonderful, fragrant smells  drifted on the air. As Emerald entered the room she saw her beloved friend Asa seated at the table. They hugged and kissed as if they had not seen each other in years! Asa had arrived one hour before and Christian had welcomed her for this was what he had whispered to his servant. Not to tell Asa where Emerald was but to bring her immediately to the chateau. Christian had filled her in on all the happenings. She was totally amazed!

After breakfast Christian had a coach brought around to the driveway so he could take them on a tour of the estate. They were stunned by the exquiste scenery at every twist and turn of all the many roads. Finally they came to a beautiful lake where graceful swans glided silently across the calm waters. Christian explained that swans were always on this lake and were also a major part of the family crest. Then he had to explain to Emerald what was meant by a family crest. "I have much to learn, I fear", said Emerald. Christian smiled at her and said, "You have the rest of your life my daugther for I pray you shall now wish to live here." She smiled and hugged her fathers arm and nodded in agreement.

"I am going to plan a huge party so that all my friends can finally meet my long lost daugther. All my friends have know how unhappy I have been all these years since having lost both you and your Mother, so many years ago in Egypt.  Would it also please you to have Asa come to live here?" Asa was overcome with the thought of still being with her dear friend and Emerald was also totally overjoyed at this prospect. Thus these things were decided then and there and now many plans were put in place. The party, Asa moving to the chateau and selling her little house, Emerald learning all about her family and the workings of the estate.

Six weeks passed as all was readied for the grand event and in the meantime, Asa had moved into the chateau and shared a huge ajoining room with Emerald. Their days were spent together and their friendship grew even deeper if that were possible. Christian was gone many days on business but his returns always brought much happiness to Emerald and interestingly, to Asa also. Emerald noticed that many times she caught her Father staring wistfully at Asa. Asa was a beautiful woman in her own right.

The evening of the party found both women dressing with childlike glee and giggling and laughing like young girls. Christian knocked on Emerald's door and entered, carrying a huge jeweled box. He opened it and presented her with a wonderous surprise. A spectacular broach made from the twin clear stones streaked with gold that had been the vehicle of bringing them together. Surrounding these two stones were many sparkling rubies that  twinkled in the candlelight. Emerald was awestruck by the beauty of such a piece of jewelry. Never had she invisioned that the gem she had carried all her life and had stolen away when she fled from the Desert Prince could become this incredible thing of such artistry. Christian pinned it onto the golden brocaded gown she now wore.

Asa starred at her beautiful friend and hugged her in sheer delight. Christian turned to Asa and slowly removed a stunning necklace of diamonds and sapphires. "This is for you my dear Asa, as my present to you for your love and care of my daugther." Asa was stunned by this gesture and smiled up into Christian's face while murmuring a soft thank you. It was a perfect match to the lovely gown of blue velvet she wore. Christian now lead the two bejeweled ladies  down the vast sweeping stairway to greet the arriving guests.

As the evening wore on, Emerald was continually surrounded by throngs of wellwishers as her Father had many, many friends. Suddenly, she turned when her Father spoke her name and found herself starring into the most gentle, soft, brown eyes she had ever seen. "May I present the son of my dearest friend, this is Count Renaud de la Buselliere." Emerald's breath caught in her throat. She felt she was swept away as if in a dream. Renaud bowed and kissed her hand. As he lifted his head her gazed directly into her beautiful blue eyes and smiled. Emerald thought she would faint. She could not understand this intense, deep emotion she now felt toward this handsome man who towered above her.  He took her arm and led her out onto a nearby balcony where a breeze carrying the fragrance of lilacs, drifted on the air.

He spoke to her of his life and inquired of her to please tell him of hers. She found herself easily telling him of her life as a slave, then being bought by the Desert Prince, of her marriagfe to him but his ultimate betrayal of her with the 'foreign woman'. She told him of her flight from him and her trek across strange desert sands to finally escape by a means of a large ship to France. Then her meeting with Asa and ulimately how she opened her own salon where she could dance and finally how she had been miracliously reunited with her real father. Renaud stared at her in total admiration and awe. "May I call upon you tomorrow?" he asked her. Emerald knew in her heart she desperately wanted to be with this man again. "Yes oh yes", she answered. Renaud led her back into the main ballroom and whirled her out onto the dance floor. In his arms, Emerald felt safe and secure for the first time since she had come to France.

Weeks passed and Emerald and Renaud were constantly together. She lived only to be with him again. She felt guilty not being with Asa as often as she had been in the past  but her love for Renaud was all consuming. One night, Renaud held her in his arms and said, "I have loved you from the moment I first saw you. Please marry me and I will spend the rest of my life  loving you with all of my heart." Emeralds' answer to him was a deep and passionate kiss, which left them both heady and breathless. "Oh, I must tell my Father, he will be so happy that I am to be married to the son of his dearest friend."

Rushing into the chateau Emerald called out for her father and he came running, as her voice was like nothing he had ever heard from her. "Oh, Dear Papa, Renaud has asked me to be his wife." Christian smiled his approval and hugged Renaud and kissed Emerald. "Oh Papa, how selfish of me, I just realized I shall be leaving you all alone, again!" With this, Christian laughed, louder and louder. Emerald was startled at such a reaction. With his laugther ringing through the chateau, Asa entered the room and when Christian told her of Emerald's impending marriage, Asa hugged and kissed her  with great happiness.

But Emerald still could not understand why her Father had laughed so loudly. Finally Christian said, "My dear daugther do not worry as to my being all alone again, for just this evening I have asked your dear friend Asa to marry me. So you see  I have not lost a daugther, I have gained a son and a wife!" Emerald's heart was about to burst with pure joy for now, Destiny had brought to her all anyone could ever desire. A wonderful Father and Grandmother, a Husband to live a beautiful life with and her dearest friend was to now be her Mother. Her deepest desires had now finally come to pass!! Life was truly a Miracle led by an "UNSEEN" force!

And so it was.......that the slave girl  "Emarah", who was bought by a Desert Prince, followed her path of Destiny which took her through many lands and many adventures. To France where she became..."Emerald" and ultimately into the arms of her true Father where she learned her real identity was that of "Zandria". But more importantly, into the arms of her True Love of Destiny. All of this happened....."Once Upon A Time!"

******Life is full of wonderous things. If you allow it to unfold in a "Natural" way it will reveal its mysteries to you. It will lead you down the many paths to your ultimate DESTINY. To capture LOVE is the greatest Destiny of all. For it is the only thing you can take out of this world  when you leave. Cherish and treat it well for it is the only thing that is Truly....... EVERLASTING!!*****

SkyAngel   ©