It was late at night, and the sounds of owls and mockingbirds echoed around Wartburg Castle, creating a symphony that was anything but soothing, unlike the sweet song of a nightingale. The trees shivered, disturbed from their rest by this unpleasant noise. But they had grown used to it, as this had been the nightly music for years.
Wartburg Castle stood atop a mountain range in the Elbe River’s landscape. It was surrounded by thick bushes and dense forests. A towering wall, about 6 meters high and lined with parapets, protected it. The castle itself was built entirely from stone, and each side was guarded by tall watchtowers, also made of stone.
Queen Ranavalona, the daughter of George II and Anna Gracious, ruled over the castle after her marriage to Ferenc Nadaskov. She had married him at the tender age of 15. Her mother passed away, leaving her in the care of her stepmother, Sinatara, who was cruel by nature. Sinatara always carried a whip with her and would lash out at any maid who crossed her path. Her vicious laughter echoed through every corner of the castle, sending shivers down the spines of those who heard it.
After her stepmother's death, Ranavalona claimed the throne by killing her step-siblings, who were only five and eight years old. Although she was the rightful heir, she didn't want them to suffer a painful death, so she gave them milk laced with a drop of poison.
The maids and servants feared working in the castle. Wartburg had been a gift from Ferenc after their wedding, but he had gone off to continue his studies in Vienna shortly after. The castle was surrounded by large agricultural lands and a few villages. Among them, the Roseberry Fields and Old Danube were famous for their cultivation of roses and strawberries.
Ranavalona resembled her stepmother not only in appearance but also in character. However, unlike her cruel stepmother, Ranavalona had a soft spot for children and adored them. She was also passionate about art and fashion. She loved paintings and had a particular obsession with designer dresses. Her wardrobe held nearly four hundred gowns, each more elaborate than the last.
She favored a combination of black and deep wine red in most of her outfits. Ranavalona employed several skilled hairdressers and beauticians to tend to her hair and skin. Once, she punished a beautician severely for making a minor mistake while shaping her eyebrows.
After all her beauty treatments were done, she would often admire herself in the tall mirror in her private chamber, where she thought she looked every bit the wicked queen.
Though Catholicism was the dominant religion at the time, Ranavalona secretly practiced Satanism. She learned the dark arts from witches and even had a Satanic symbol tattooed on the back of her neck.
When Ferenc left to receive military training after completing his studies, he entrusted Ranavalona with full control of the castle and its lands. The villagers were required to pay 40% of their income as tax to the queen. Those who couldn’t pay had their lands seized, and the men from those families were forced to work in the castle.
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