The Enchantment of Wellspring

The river ran backwards on the day the Queen vanished. While most of the residents of the village of Reeds stood and watched in wonder, Roland knew someone had to act, and quickly.

Grasping the sleeve of his friend's shirt, he nearly toppled him as he pulled, yelling, “Come, Seth! We need mounts!”

Seth recovered his balance and quickly matched Roland's stride. They ran for the nearby stables, where the royal steeds were housed. “You know we could be hung for what you're suggesting, right?”

“Only after they draw and quarter us!” came the reply. Roland's eyes were blazing with the prospect of action and adventure and Seth's grin was proof he was already in, regardless of the consequences. “Besides, if we manage to find and rescue the Queen...”

The lifelong companions had been born and raised in Reeds and although they were fairly well-traveled now, at the age of twenty-five years, everything they were, they owed to the good people of this village. Tragedy had befallen their parents when they were nothing more than boys, and the community had come together to raise them. Today, these stalwart and skilled young men intended to protect their home at any cost.

No further words were required, so both men saved their breath as they reached the stable and together, swung the heavy doors wide. Within seconds, they had made their selections, a fiery black stallion for Seth and Roland chose the King's favorite, a strong, white filly with flecks of red in her dark eyes.

“Easy, Snowprincess,” Roland spoke calmly and quietly, guiding the spirited filly with his hand on her neck. Seth spoke just as gently to Stormshadow, “Come, boy, the kingdom needs your help.” The horses followed the two young men willingly, as part of their upbringing had been working as hands in these very stables. Though their touch was well known, they had never been allowed to ride the horses and the risk in what they were about to do was no less real.

Fortunately, riding the locals' stock was very much encouraged and they had become adept in all things equestrian. They had outgrown the need for the encumbrance of tack long ago, and once their mounts were outside, both men leapt lightly and easily to their backs, raising not the slightest stir. Both steeds stood patiently, but both snorted their readiness.

“So, my friends, are we doing this?” asked Seth. No response was called for, and with a gentle nudge from their riders, both horses leapt into a smooth gallop, raising a cheer from the townspeople gathered at the water's edge.”

“They're going the wrong way!” a woman shouted, as the riders headed downstream. The cheers went silent momentarily, until Elder Hopkiss responded in his booming voice, “On the contrary! They will assess the problem downstream first, by checking the level of Lake Lorraine. They can then send messengers further downstream with a warning and return with the knowledge of how long we have. The lake is our stopgap!”

Already well downstream, Roland and Seth grinned at each other as they heard the faint cheers swell again far behind them. Elder Hopkiss had been one of the boys' mentors and they knew he would use his significant influence to muster support for their quest. He would also know why they'd opted to go downstream first, since he was among the smartest in the village, and probably the kingdom, itself. The young men entrusted the pace to their noble steeds and they traveled smoothly, swiftly and effortlessly, as if on the wings of Alareen, herself.

The trip to the lake was long and would require one camp, so the leisurely pace was necessary for all of them They would need to feed themselves and their horses before nightfall, and that would mean foraging in the forest. After the meal, they would all require rest. Yes, their quest was urgent, but no purpose would be served by any member of their small band succumbing to exhaustion, hunger or dehydration.

The townspeople would already be filling every cistern and netting fish to sustain the population as long as possible. The young men knew how resourceful Lysenthians could be, and with those thoughts in mind, rode steadily on, each lost in his own thoughts, but with their purpose and intent clear.

Little did the friends know, their quest would soon ask more of them than any mortal should be expected to give.

***

An entry for the Fantasy Prologue II Challenge:

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