Sunstone

The river ran backwards on the day the Queen vanished. Throughout the kingdom, the earth shuddered. Some said the river had grown weary of endlessly flowing in one direction and rebelled against nature, causing the earth to convulse. Others claimed the earthquake struck first, forcing the river to flee back to its source. One thing is certain: everyone was shaken out of sleep well before dawn.

-History of the Elves Volume XII

* * * * * * *

Jolted awake, I stumbled out of bed and cautiously felt for the candlestick with my feet, its metallic clang still ringing in my ears. Using coals in the hearth to light the candle, I scanned the room and realized my good fortune: as powerful as the earthquake had been, the only damage to my room was a book that had accompanied the candlestick to the floor. Hopefully, the rest of the castle fared as well as I had.

In too much of a rush to search for a fresh set of clothes, I simply put on the clothes I had dropped on the floor the night before. I wondered how after being worn for two days, the Elven cloth still smelled and looked clean. There was still much to learn about our hosts, even after spending so much time with them.

As I crossed the short hallway that separated my room from my daughter’s, I was struck by how calm the castle was just seconds following the final tremors. It almost put me at ease.

“Ophelia, it’s me,” I said after knocking on my daughter’s door. “Are you OK?”

“I’m fine, Daddy,” her voice answered through the door. “It was just an earthquake. I’ll be out once I finish dressing.”

The knot in my chest loosened as Ophelia’s voice reached my ears. It had been years since I’d felt a quake so strong and the first I’d felt in this world. My father’s heart had needed to hear her voice before it could stop racing.

Sensing a presence behind me, I turned to find three elves approaching at a quick pace. They slowed as they neared and the lead elf addressed me.

“Ralph, I’m glad to see you up and about. I trust Ophelia is unharmed?”

“Yes, Prince Max. Ophelia is well and will be out momentarily.”

“This is wonderful news. I bring a request for both of you to meet in the banquet hall. The King is asking for help to check on the well-being of the kingdom following the earthquake.”

“We will be honored to assist.”

“Then I shall see you soon. I have others to summon.”

“Very well,” I said as the three elves continued down the hall.

Elves never cease to surprise me, I thought as I watched them round a corner. Not only is the castle calm, but just minutes after being woken by an earthquake they asking everyone to help in the relief effort. Back in my world, plenty of humans would understandably have a hard time remaining calm. Something like this could easily cause a panic.

“Was that Max I heard?” Ophelia asked as her door opened.

“Yes, he came by to check on us and let us know we’re needed in the banquet hall. Folks are being dispatched to see how well the kingdom fared.”

“Let’s be on our way then,” she replied.

As we made our way from our modest guest quarters to the grand banquet hall, we encountered a few elves headed in the same direction. They smiled at us, but kept to themselves. That seemed to be a common reaction to us lately, especially among those living in the castle. News of Ophelia’s and Max’s relationship—or rather the King’s thoughts on it—must be common knowledge.

For at least two centuries, elves had intermarried with other races. While not a common occurrence, mixed marriages were accepted by elves. This recently changed, however, when King Anders found out that one of his sons was “infatuated with a human.” Now there were rumors of prohibiting intermarrying and preventing mixed bloodlines from assuming the throne.

“Do you think the King will be there?” Ophelia asked as we neared the throne room. “I’m not up to having him glare at me right now.”

“He may be, but he’ll likely be too busy to pay either of us notice. Use me as a shield if you’d like.”

“Thank you, Daddy.”

A page greeted us as we entered the banquet hall and directed us to sit anywhere and wait for instructions. We took a seat in the back and nibbled on some cheese and grapes that had been placed on the tables. The front of the room looked almost empty without the normal entourage of high-ranking elves that typically arrived in a pageantry celebrating their importance. However, the floral crest hanging above King Ander’s empty table more than filled the void. Its jeweled center seemed to radiate more light than all the candles in the room combined.

It didn’t take long for the room to fill. While everyone watched for the King’s entrance, a page discretely handed a small envelope to Ophelia. She tucked it up her sleeve and winked at me.

“What’s this?” I asked. “I never knew you were so sneaky.”

“A lady knows how to be discrete,” she said with a sly grin.

My daughter a lady… I almost chuckled at the thought. She’d come a long way since we’d been staying with the elves, but still thought of her as a tomboy.

Before I could think of a retort, the King entered the room, causing everyone to rise and look in his direction. As I sat down, Ophelia slipped the now opened envelope into my hand—Queen Celestina’s now broken seal still recognizable. While the crowd was still focused on the King, I glanced at the note inside:

I have something for you. Meet me by the Rose Tree before you leave. Please bring your father.

I tucked the envelope into a pocket and gave Ophelia a quizzical look. She shrugged her shoulders and looked towards the King, who was beginning to speak.

“Thank you for assembling so quickly,” King Anders announced. “As you all know, a large earthquake awoke the kingdom a short while ago. There are no reported injuries in the castle, and damage in the immediate area appears to be very minimal. However, other areas may not have fared so well. You will be assigned to a specific area. It is imperative that you go there as quickly as possible to make an assessment. Provide help if needed, but send word if additional resources are required.

“Assignments are being distributed now. Packs with first aid and food supplies are available on your way out. Thank you.”

A surge or energy filled the room as pages handed out assignments. Folks quickly glanced at their assignments, then headed to an exit, grabbing a pack of supplies before they left.

Ophelia and I were both assigned to Two Fords. A small community half a day’s journey south on horseback. We each grabbed a pack, then headed to the gardens rather than the stables.

“Why does Celestina want to talk to us?” I asked Ophelia once I was sure we were alone.

“I was hoping you might know,” she replied.

“The only thing I know is that a summons to a secret meeting never ends well.”

“Oh please, Daddy! You used to do this all the time from the stories you’ve told me.”

“That was a long time ago,” I said. “And I never involved royalty.”

“I guess that’s about to change.”

The gardens were lovely at any time of day, but never more so than dawn. Many of the flowers were just opening for the day and we slowed our pace to enjoy the view. As we drew near the Rose Tree, I saw a lone figure sitting on a bench admiring the tree. Queen Celestina’s hair shimmered in the dawn light as it cascaded like a red waterfall down her back. She turned and beckoned us to join her.

“Good morning. Thank you for coming,” she said, standing up and looking first at Ophelia, then me, and then at someone behind us.

I turned to see Prince Max just a step behind us.

“Mother, what is this about?” Prince Max asked.

“All is well. You will soon understand,” the Queen replied. “Please, sit.” She motioned for Ophelia and the prince to sit on the bench.

She looked to her side and said, “Denwin.” A guard materialized and gave a nod. “Now that our guests are here, ensure we are not disturbed.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the guard replied, then faded back into the garden.

Motioning me to her side, the Queen turned to the young couple and said, “I will speak plainly and to the point. You will have questions, but now is not the time. We must do this quickly while the King is distracted.”

What have you got yourself into this time, Ralph? I thought.

“King Anders is a good man,” the Celestina continued, “but can be stubborn and forgetful. It has been some time, but once he and I looked at each other the same way you two do. His father objected to our relationship because he feared my common blood and red hair would taint the royal bloodline.”

Ophelia’s mouth dropped open in surprise.

“Oh yes, I was a commoner. Red hair was despised by most elves back then. Some believed it was a sign of mixed blood or other questionable lineage.”

“Your grandmother,” Celestina said, looking at Max, “didn’t care about any of that. As a queen, she understood what a king needs most; a queen who truly loves him and will provide the support he needs—not the support he wants. She saw that in me and helped your grandfather see it as well.”

I wonder how she did that?

The Queen turned to my daughter. “Ophelia, I’ve seen the changes you’ve brought out in my son. As a third son, he is unlikely to inherit the kingdom, but he still needs a match with the potential to be his queen.”

The Queen gently placed her hand on the prince’s shoulder and prodded him to stand. “Do you love Ophelia and wish to spend the rest of your life with her?”

“Yes, with all my heart,” Max said.

“Ophelia,” the Queen said, gesturing for my daughter to rise. “Do you love Maximilian and wish to spend the rest of your life with him?”

“Yes, more than anything.”

A smile burst upon the queen’s face as she said, “Be it known to all that Maximilian and Ophelia are promised to each other.”

Promised? Shouldn’t someone have talked to me about this first? Before I could voice my concern, the prince spoke.

“Mother! Shouldn’t the couple know they are to be promised before it happens?”

“Are you telling me you would like to back out?”

“No! It’s just that father…”

“I shall deal with him later. Does anyone else wish to object?”

I had questions, but held my tongue. Ophelia was also silent.

Celestina withdrew a slender box from her robes and opened it, revealing two thin gold chains, each connected to a golden wreath of interlocking flowers surrounding a larger flower with an amber gem at its center.

“This is not simple promise jewelry anyone can wear,” the Queen said. “These were made for future kings and queens. They are the emblem of the kingdom and as such contain a measure of its magic.”

“Mother, you cannot give us these,” Max protested.

“These are the necklaces your father and I wore long ago. They are mine to give.”

The Queen held the box out to the young couple and continued, “Each of you, take one and put it on. Quickly, now.”

The amber gems seemed to glow as hands grasped their respective chains and drew them about their new owner’s necks. Looks of confusion and wonder appeared on both Ophelia’s and Max’s faces.

The Queen smiled. “The magic allows you to sense the other wearer. This allows you to be with each other even when separated by great distances.” She seemed about to say something more, but then released the balance of her breath.

There's something she's not telling them, I thought.

“Thank you, mother,” Max said.

“Yes, thank you, Your Highness,” said Ophelia.

“You’re welcome. There is much more I would say, but for now, speak of this to no one. Hide the necklaces under you clothing. I will speak with the King when the time is right. Now, go.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” the three of us said in unison.

Ophelia and I followed the prince out of the gardens wordlessly and bade him goodbye at the path to the stables.

“Congratulations!” I said as we continued to stables.

“I’m not sure what to think yet,” Ophelia replied. “I had hoped this would happen someday, but never expected it so soon. Nor did I expect it to be a secret.”

As we neared the stable, I heard rapid hoofbeats near the castle. We rounded a corner in time to see an elf being rushed towards the castle by some guards and a horse being led to the stables. The horse’s flanks heaved and a stable hand spoke gently to it while rubbing its damp sides.

“What’s going on?” I asked the boy as we caught up to them.

“Guy nearly rode his horse to death all the way from the river to get here,” he replied. “Said he had urgent news for the King about the river running backwards.”

“Backwards? Because of the earthquake?”

“He didn’t say,” said the boy, shaking his head. “All I know is that riding a horse to death won’t fix a river.”

While we saddled our mounts, we discussed the strange events of the day. The sun hadn’t even cleared the trees, and it was already one of the most interesting days of my life. Turns out the day was just getting started.

As we led our mounts from the stable, four of the King’s guard stopped us.

“We are to escort both of you to the King at once,” a guard said.

“What’s this about?” I asked.

“The Queen went missing after your meeting with her this morning. The King is hoping you may know of her whereabouts.”