Confronting a Witch

Arthur took a moment to try and clear his mind, as if suddenly afraid of himself and what he might do, before turning to his bride and giving her his best attempt at a reassuring smile.

"Wait here, my love and make conversation with our guests. I have a matter to attend to, but shan't tarry"

He then strode off purposefully, and before long found exactly who he was looking for. The flame haired sorceress was standing alone, observing everything, scheming, the same as always. Despite her classic, almost haunting beauty she was unlikely to be troubled for a dance. The whole of Lincoln knew of and feared Rosalind. Part of the love she'd had for Arthur came from him being one of the only men who dared treat her like an equal.

"Foul witch! What have you done to me?!" he demanded to know as he stormed over.

"Done to you?" Rosalind asked with mock innocence "Nothing. I have only gifted a blessing upon your beloved"

"Aye, and laid a curse on me as well!" the angry groom accused her "For now I find myself possessed of dark thoughts about the woman I love!"

"Arthur my dear, I am not some fairy tale enchantress who can fling spells around hither and thither, conjuring whatever is at my whim. Were it so, I fancy I should be Queen of all England this day! The blessing took much of me in preparation, and I find my magic drained for some time now"

"Those thoughts weren't there before!" Arthur assured her.

"Nonetheless, they are yours" Rosalind sipped casually from her goblet as she spoke "Power can quickly turn a fair man wicked. But you swear you truly love Isabel, and with that being the case, surely you could intend no harm on her purely to satisfy your own desires, even if now made capable of doing so? Then again, you once swore you truly loved me"

Arthur had by now started to realise just how cruel the curse his jilted former fiance referred to as a blessing was, and how it had afflicted him just as much as his new wife. He could feel himself changing, fighting demons he never knew he had, trying not to become someone who would take pleasure in doing unspeakable things to the woman who loved him, just because he could.

"Remove this blessing Rosalind! And never use your witchcraft on my wife again or I swear I will end your existence, whatever it takes"

"I simply can't do that, dear Arthur, no more than I can remove the stars from the sky" Rosalind shrugged, unconcerned by any threats against her "The blessing is it's own entity now, and will do what it must to survive, to spread, to ensure it's own continued existence and centuries of happiness, no doubt, for all women from this moment forward born into your family line. I can't even tell you what methods the blessing may employ to preserve itself and secure its succession. It is beyond me now"

Arthur paused for a moment, trying to take this all in. He knew Rosalind well enough to realise she wasn't lying. The "blessing" was a part of Isabel, and even himself now. He looked over at his beautiful bride once more, thoroughly ashamed of the dark urges towards her that were now stirring in him. Then he turned back to the witch.

"This blessing" he began a little tentatively "If I'm to live with it I need to understand it. I want you to explain to me how it works and what it can do, sparing no detail"

"Now that.." a satisfied smirk spread across Rosalind's pretty face "I can help you with"