Queen: Vanished

The river ran backwards on the day the Queen vanished. This would be a terrible precursor for the events to come, but the prophecy being as it was, and the Seers having predicted this very moment made it so the people were prepared. Those who wished not to be stuck in a forcefield of magic until the prophesied savior arrived had left several weeks prior, preferring the long arduous journey to the next kingdom than not being able to venture out or even communicate with those outside the barrier. Those who stayed, understood that life would without a doubt change, with the trade market being stopped, and those outside the kingdom knew nothing about the Queen vanishing, nor the magic used to curse the lands. The Queen had been prepared and thus prepared her subjects. She had stationed several guards at the entrances of her kingdom to prevent outsiders from entering her cursed lands. It had been prophesied that any and all who sought to leave after she had gone would suffer for all eternity, unable to release the suffering, not by re-entering, not even with death. But no Seer had been able to predict what would happen if someone were to enter the barrier. The Queen would not risk it. She knew that if people were to find out about her disappearance, they would be vulnerable and adjacent kingdoms would attack, not knowing of their curse. She would not have that happen. She created a Council to rule in her stead, while they waited for their savior.

Her Council was made up of five vastly different persons. There was her head guard, who had been stationed to protect her as she was growing up. He knew her well, and she trusted his judgment. Then there was the farmer, which had been picked at random between all the farmers in the kingdom. He was a voice to the laborers, hardworking and experienced. There was a mother, also picked at random, to give a gentle voice of reason. There was a maid, the maid who had been alongside her since her coronation. She had listened to the Queen deliberating out loud countless times. She knew how the Queen thought. Finally, there was the teenager. Freshly turned 19, chosen by sheer luck. The Queen had been wandering the town when she witnessed this child leading the others in a play battle against their parents. The child had managed to assemble a large mass of other children and guided them through an epic battle that lasted too long for the parents to enjoy.

The Queen had spent months guiding the five Council members to rule in fairness and understanding. She had put them through various exercises to see that they would rule as she would.

She had also made sure that a group of Seers remained in the Castle at all times to report any changes to the prophecy. They had been told that the Council would not make them leave until they had found a way to stop this curse. For months leading up to the Queens vanishing, they had tried to find another way to break the curse. Unfortunately, the only way was to wait for the Savior to come; the Seers couldn't see who this Savior would be, it could be anyone from inside or even outside of the Kingdom. They just had to have faith that this Savior would show up soon, for they couldn't see when the Savior would show up, only that they would.

Everyone knew they might have to wait a few years before being saved, and finding their Queen. So when the Queen disappeared, there was an announcement and life went on as normal.

As the years start passing by, no Savior in sight, the river still running backwards, the townsfolk start questioning the Seers abilities. They start petitioning the council to find new Seers, and they threaten a riot. They are upset that they had to lose their Queen and the Seers couldn't predict when it would happen, when they would be saved, and who would save them.

Nearly twenty-five years had gone with no sign of the Savior. The Queen, still gone. The People have lost hope of being saved and finding their Queen. The Queen is aging, assuming she is still alive; she wasn’t young at the time she vanished, she certainly hasn't gotten younger.

One day as the twenty-five year mark was growing nearer, the river’s backward running stopped, as if time itself had stopped. A young child, playing with friends, saw this and ran to tell the Council.

As the news of this development spread, the People grew curious and went to see for themselves. What could this mean? Is it a good omen? Or a negative one? Only time will tell, but for now the People were hopeful. They hoped the Savior wasn’t a newborn, forcing them to wait another decade or more for him, or her, to save them.