London 1492
The girl slipped from the postern gate of the great Benedictine Abbey into the teeming London streets. She pulled her hood up over her head, hiding her face as much as possible. She hated people staring at her, as they often did –for she bore a strong resemblance to their young, lovely queen. Strong enough to start curious onlookers questioning.
Grace did not want any questions asked. Not now, not ever.
Her mistress was unwell; she had ailed ever since the ‘events’ of five summers ago, and now her condition had worsened. So much had happened to the Dowager since her husband died in a cold spring four years before that time, most of it distressing and unfair. But, for a brief time, a light had shone through the darkness, or so it seemed. Messengers had come and gone in the night, bearing tidings to which only her mistress was privy, and a lightness had formed in her lady’s step for the first time in years.
“My dear Grace,” the mistress had said, putting hands on her shoulders, “I have taken out a lease on the abbot’s house, near Westminster. A forty-year lease. I shall be near Westminster, near to the queen. You shall dwell there with me if it is your wish to stay in my service.” (Read more)
FATE offers tales of history, mystery, and magic—sometimes all three. From Anglo-Saxon conquest to the pursuit of alchemy, from ghostly warnings to hidden identities, these short stories explore the threads of destiny that bind us all. You’ll meet mothers, invaders and long-lost lovers, time travellers and vengeful spirits, each navigating a world where fate plays its hand. Whether you crave historical depth, puzzling mystery, or fantastical wonder, there’s a story here for you.
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