READ MARIAH'S FREE SHORT STORY

An Interview with

Danielle de Foret

Welcome Danielle! First, our readers would appreciate if you would tell us a bit about your background.

I was born and raised in Naples Florida. My father died when I was young. My mother became the main breadwinner and opened a small antique shop one block from the trendy shopping and eating area of Fifth Avenue.

My father was gone, so my mother and grandmother became my rocks. They doted on me and gave me love, confidence, and all the attention they could. After I graduated from college, my mother transferred ownership of her antique shop to me. I relocated the shop to Fifth Avenue, made it larger, and acquired more unique items.

Where do you live now and what do you do for a living? What do you like to do on your time off?

Chenonceau

I still reside in Naples and still operate my antique store. I love what I do especially since each piece I acquire to sell makes me research its history. When I have time off, and that is rare, I would love to see more of the world.

When I was twelve, my Grandma gave me a most beautiful doll house, a replica of Chenonceau Castle in the Loire Valley of France. It’s one of the most romantic castles in Europe with a river running beneath it. She told me on many an occasion that our ancestors were from that castle and we were of royal lineage. As a child, even as an adult, I found her stories hard to assimilate, but I didn’t want to hurt her feelings so I listened to all of them wondering if I would ever see this beautiful castle in person.

Those stories must have made for a wonderful heritage .

They did. Everything in my life was beyond wonderful until one day, a very peculiar customer came into my store. He was dressed oddly and had a very rare and old piece for me to appraise. It was summer and business had slowed down so I was greedy and anxious to oblige all customers.

When I completed my appraisal, its owner turned out to be a wizard. He cast a spell on me and whisked us both back to 1559 and to the home of my ancestors, Chenonceau Castle.

I was kept a prisoner, a royal prisoner, because the wizard told me I was a princess! Now, what kind of princess is kept under lock and key? And what could this horrible man want from me? I hope you understand I can't say anymore right now about what happened to me next.

Well, if you can't say more about that, maybe you could tell us if there is someone special in your life?

Mariah at Chenonceau

All I will reveal now is while imprisoned at Chenonceau, I met Aidan, a handsome knight, who was in the service of his queen. He was stationed as my guard from the first moment I arrived. Brave and loyal, his piercing eyes held me captive. But, the only times we met occurred when he delivered my meals or was sent to deliver messages. However, we did make the most of our time together and fell in love, even though we were from different times and places. I guess you'd like to know more of what happened to me!