Daniel's First Birthday - Chapter Fifty Two

"My grandson's birthday is almost here, and you still haven't found that girl. You better find her and soon, for your sake!" she yelled at the wizard.

"We are searching everywhere. It's like she disappeared into thin air! I don't see how she got far in her condition; someone is obviously helping her," he told Kristen."You're running out of time, wizard. You better find her," she warned him. 

Everyone gathered to celebrate Daniel's Birthday. They were not sure if he was even going to see his first birthday because of how sick he had been as a baby. Today, they would be able to see if he truly had the curse or if he had managed to escape it. 

When he aged, his hair was a pretty golden blonde color, his eyes were light brown, and his cheeks were a pretty pink color. Everyone gasped to see he indeed didn't have the curse. He was a perfectly healthy little boy. Many thought that he took after her instead of James because his mom was without the curse. This was a big relief to Kristen. However, William now had even more doubts about his grandson being his son's child. Deep down, he knew his son would not lie to him, but he wanted to be wrong. 

After discovering that he didn't have the curse, they adjusted his food to normal instead of supplementing it with blood. Within a week, Daniel was thriving and seemed to get stronger each day. 

Isabel found Julia alone with Daniel in her room. "I hate to say this, but he looks like you and the stable boy. Is Derick the father of this child?" Isabel asked. Julia looked shocked when she mentioned Derick. 

 "Yes, he is, but I will claim that he looks like me. We will have to keep them from being close together so no one will see the resemblance," she told her mom."I think we have gotten lucky so far with him, but I still fear that we will be discovered for this," she told Julia.

Daniel seemed to be a happy little toddler. The ladies began to teach him to walk and talk. He loved to keep them on their toes.

"I was wondering how Amelia was doing?" he asked James. "She's doing much better. I think she might actually recover from this," James replied. "Your mother was really mad when she found out that she was missing and was determined to find out who had betrayed her. I don't think she suspects us, but we must not let anyone know. I think you have been wronged, and I don't believe that this child is yours. He is without the curse, and he looks nothing like you. I see some of Julia in the child, but he does not look completely like her.  If this is true, and your mother finds out, Julia will be in so much trouble. I know the queen will not show her mercy," he told James.

After the day grew to a close, William and Kristen enjoyed some time dancing in the banquet hall.

"I was wondering, who you think Daniel looks like?" he asked Kristen cautiously as he guided her across the floor. "Well, I think mainly like Julia. Why do you ask?" she replied. "I was just curious. I don't see James in Daniel at all. I wondered where he got the brown eyes from?" he asked her. "I didn't notice until now. Julia's is a purplish-blue color, and James's is a blue, golden color. I must admit, I did find it strange that he did not have the curse or any resemblance of James," she replied.  

Kristen stopped dancing and stared at William with curious eyes.

"Do you think that Daniel isn't James' son?" she asked. "I was just wondering. He doesn't like her; he's claimed that he's never been with her, and now the child looks nothing like James. I don't want to jump to conclusions just yet, but I think we should keep our eyes open and see if anything suspicious pops up?" he told Kristen. "It better not be true or someone will pay for this injustice," Kristen replied.