Midnight

Daryl Hemmerich

Description

Eighteen-year-old Cinderella is orphaned and under the thumb of an evil stepmother as a vengeful knight seeks her death and a handsome prince longs for her love.

Based on the story of Cinderella and fused with the epic-style majesty of Braveheart and Camelot, Midnight is a brutal and graphic saga of romantic love and vicious revenge.



Living in medieval England, Cinderella is a beautiful and angelic young woman of eighteen, whose world is about to turn upside down. Orphaned by her mother, the equally beautiful Lady Victoria, and her father, the late great Sir Thomas Baldwin, first knight to the powerful King George, Cinderella’s welfare is now under the guardianship of Sir Baldwin’s icy fiancée, who sets out to have one of her two self-centered daughters marry the king’s dashing young son, Prince Edward.



The courageous Sir Jonathan Winston assumes the role and responsibilities of the first knight soon after Sir Baldwin’s demise. However, and unbeknown to everyone, King George; his wife, Queen Miriam; and their son, the prince, are all about to be embroiled in a terrible vendetta with the evil and violent Sir Richard Blackwell II, also known as the Black Knight.



Hell-bent on revenge over the death of his father, Sir Richard Blackwell I, committed by Cinderella’s father, and over the death of his mother, a result of the subsequent poverty they endured, the Black Knight is out to more than even the score. Not only does he want to destroy everyone even remotely connected to Sir Baldwin, he also wants nothing less than the throne of King George.



And through it all, the sweeping unrequited love of Cinderella and Prince Edward prevails at the heart of this dark opus, the saga of two people whose destinies have yet to unite.



Malevolent, chilling, and suspenseful yet alternately sweet, passionate, and vibrant, Midnight is the lush medieval epic to end all others.

Sujets

• medieval
• Inglaterra
• Cinderella
• England
• Fiction
• Fantasy

Informations

• Publié par: Archway Publishing
• Date de parution: 04 mai 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781665722254
• Langue: English

Extrait

MIDNIGHT
 
Based on the story of Cinderella and fused with the epic-style majesty of Braveheart and Camelot , Midnight is a brutal and graphic saga of romantic love and vicious revenge.
Living in medieval England, Cinderella is a beautiful and angelic young woman of eighteen, whose world is about to turn upside down. Orphaned by her mother, the equally beautiful Lady Victoria, and her father, the late great Sir Thomas Baldwin, first knight to the powerful King George, Cinderella’s welfare is now under the guardianship of Sir Baldwin’s icy fiancée, who sets out to have one of her two self-centered daughters marry the king’s dashing young son, Prince Edward.
The courageous Sir Jonathan Winston assumes the role and responsibilities of the first knight soon after Sir Baldwin’s demise. However, and unbeknown to everyone, King George; his wife, Queen Miriam; and their son, the prince, are all about to be embroiled in a terrible vendetta with the evil and violent Sir Richard Blackwell II, also known as the Black Knight.
Hell-bent on revenge over the death of his father, Sir Richard Blackwell I, committed by Cinderella’s father, and over the death of his mother, a result of the subsequent poverty they endured, the Black Knight is out to more than even the score. Not only does he want to destroy everyone even remotely connected to Sir Baldwin, he also wants nothing less than the throne of King George.
And through it all, the sweeping unrequited love of Cinderella and Prince Edward prevails at the heart of this dark opus, the saga of two people whose destinies have yet to unite.
Malevolent, chilling, and suspenseful yet alternately sweet, passionate, and vibrant, Midnight is the lush medieval epic to end all others.
DARYL HEMMERICH
 

 
Copyright © 2022 Daryl Hemmerich.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
 
Archway Publishing
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Bloomington, IN 47403
www.archwaypublishing.com
844-669-3957
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
FIC009000 FICTION/Fantasy/General
FIC009100 FICTION/Fantasy/Action & Adventure
 
ISBN: 978-1-6657-2224-7 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6657-2225-4 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022907862
 
Archway Publishing rev. date: 05/04/2022
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
About the Author
Chapter 1
On a vast, grassy plain deep in the English countryside, the world holds its breath. Two opposing legions in glistening armor cover the field, helmets winking blindingly in the midday sun. The only sounds in the vast silence of anticipation are those of horses jittering and flags snapping in the breeze. Then a trumpet’s call splits the air, and the stillness shatters.
A deafening roar suddenly fills the air as two armies, both ten thousand strong, charge toward each other. The ground shakes from the thunderous pounding of horses’ hooves, and the air becomes thick with dust, blinding the riders. As the armies collide, thousands of metal swords clash, ringing out a deafening metallic sound. Gruesome cries from maimed warriors follow every clash of steel.
An arrow, razor-sharp, soars through the clouds of dust, puncturing the neck of a warrior. A second armor-piercing arrow impales the chest of another warrior with a loud crack. Hundreds more soar across the sky like dark clouds, hitting their targets with deadly accuracy. Hundreds of bodies, both human and animal, clutter the blood-soaked ground, followed by hundreds more as the battle rages on. It is a brutal, grisly scene.
High on a hilltop overlooking the battlefield, a group of knights and military aides on horseback surround King George the Lionheart, mounted on his horse. In his late forties, King George is a handsome man with long dark hair and a serious, chivalrous demeanor.
A knight on horseback gallops up to the group, pulling back sharply on his reins and coming to an abrupt halt within a few feet of King George. The knight raises his face shield to reveal Sir Thomas Baldwin, the king’s first knight. In his mid-thirties, Sir Baldwin is a strong, courageous man with long dark hair and a handsome profile.
“Sire, we have all but crushed the enemy.” He catches his breath. “Some have surrendered. Still others are fleeing.”
“Excellent!” cries King George, radiant with pride. “See to it that our wounded are cared for immediately.” Sidestepping his horse around the inner circle, he continues, “Finish this quickly and let us return home.” He glances over at his first knight. “Sir Baldwin.”
Sir Baldwin moves his agitated large white horse in closer. “Sire.”
“Seize all weapons and horses. Let the prisoners go on foot. We have no use for them.”
The king pulls his reins hard to one side, walking his horse out from within the circle of knights. He is obviously disgusted with war and bloodshed. He stops his horse momentarily, turning back to his men. With sword in hand, he points it down at the battlefield.
“Let the enemies’ bodies lie in the blood-soaked land so that others will know we will fight to the death!” he says with passion. His horse rears, kicking its front legs. “By my faith, I will lead this land into a civilized country!” The king’s horse whisks him away, galloping back to camp.
***
Fearing an assault on the king’s life, Sir Baldwin waves additional knights back to camp. “Guard the king with your lives! Allow no one to break through!”
The remaining knights gallop alongside Sir Baldwin, their boots jabbing into the sides of their horses as they ride down the hill back into battle. And like thunder, the body armor worn by the knights clashes against the armored horses. The royal army marches home after months of conquering hard-won territory in opposition to King George.
Sir Thomas Baldwin and Sir Jonathan Winston ride side by side, looking gallant in their suits of armor. In his midthirties, Sir Winston is blond and powerful, with an air of fearlessness about him.
“Jonathan, what will your return home look like?”
“I shall kiss my Jenny a hundred times,” he booms merrily. “Then I will soak my weary bones in hot water and sleep for days without waking.”
The two men share a drink of water from a leather bag hanging from Sir Winston’s saddle.
“And you, Thomas,” continues Sir. Winston, “what will you do when you return?”
“I shall kiss my Victoria a thousand times.” A wistful smile. “There lives not a finer woman.”
“Except for my Jenny, the fairest of them all,” contends Sir Winston.
They turn toward each other and laugh good-naturedly as the triumphant royal army marches on. All through the night, there is little talk or revelry as they quietly contemplate their return home.
Early the next morning, Sir Baldwin separates from his men. He gallops his horse through the woods and across a meadow. A while later, he rides through a quaint village, finding his way to a large cottage, where he dismounts his horse. A young woman runs out from the cottage and over to him. She is Lady Victoria, an ethereal beauty in her twenties, with long wavy blond hair. Her stomach hangs heavy with their first child.
Sir Baldwin takes Lady Victoria into his arms. “Victoria, I have missed you so.”
“Oh, Thomas, thank God you are safe,” she says with tears in her eyes. “You have been away from me too long, my love.”
Thomas picks Victoria up, cradling her in his arms, and carries her inside.
Over the coming months, the forest leaves turn from their bright green to a multitude of oranges and fiery reds, eventually liberating themselves to fill the air.
Chapter 2
A newborn baby cries as she is taken from Lady Victoria. The physician, Richard Murdock, a kindly and unassuming man in his middle years, hands the baby to his nurse, who wraps the child in a blanket. Inclement weather ushers in severe thunderstorms. Lightning cuts across the skies, lighting up the room.
Sir Baldwin stands at Victoria’s bedside, holding her hand. Beads of perspiration cover her forehead as she lies there, exhausted and spent. She is noticeably pale and fragile, even for her naturally porcelain complexion.
“You have a healthy baby girl,” Dr. Murdock informs them, smiling warmly.
Victoria and Thomas smile as the nurse holds the baby for them to see. Lady Victoria takes the baby from the nurse, cradling it in her arms.
***
Outside, the storm strengthens. Lightning cuts across the sky with a malevolent crack.
The silhouette of a castle pulsates in the dark stormy night with every lightning bolt. Trees blow wildly from the turbulent winds.
Inside the castle, Dr. Henry Wadsworth enters the royal quarters through large double doors. He is a tall man in his late fifties with a closely cut beard and musta