The Vanished Queen

The river ran backwards on the day the Queen vanished.

Our kingdom has been hidden for time out of mind. We are an insular people with our home deep beneath the mountains. A strong, rushing river cuts through the stone of our mountains roots, burbling over rocks and crashing over falls. It is the life source of our people. But on the day that Queen Eir vanished it became our omen of misfortune and, many believed, the harbinger of our kingdom's fall.

The kingdom of Falio Grafan has long been ruled by Queens. It was a queen who first lead us to these mountains, far into the Northern Kingdoms, away from the wars and famines that were claiming our people. Here, in this place, we settled and began to delve. We discovered treasures untold within the barren rocks and stones of this place, and our people flourished. It has been 800 years since that journey, and now our Queen Eir has vanished and all we know is about to change.

Earlier in the day.

The morning is brought about by the first light of the sun throwing its rays from mirror-to-mirror, illuminating the halls within the mountain. Astrior could hear the ringing of the morning gong as it boomed through the mountain halls and caverns.

"Something seems off," she thought, "that isn't the morning gong, that's the call to gather!"

Leaping from her bed she yanked her tunic over her head, shoved her feet into her shoes, grabbed a slice of bread and ran out the door. Neighbors were streaming in a frantic crush towards the Queen's assembly hall. Voices overlapping with calls and cries to each other, children wailing to know what was wrong, why they were being rushed from their beds. In all of their years, none had heard the call at this early of an hour.

"What can be the matter? neighbor called to neighbor. None knew. Wondering just as much as those about her, Astrior pushed her way through the crush and into the vaulted assembly hall, it's cavernous heights ablaze with lanterns to light the hall. The Queen's chancellor, Solveig of House Bjorn, stood with several others of the Queens council upon the dais, but the Queen was not in sight. "Tom, do you know what's going on?" Astrior asked of her friend as she came up beside him. "No idea, but they must be waiting for the Queen before they say" responded Tom with a shrug.

As those already gathered waited for the rush to slow and the others to arrive quiet speculation and unease seemed to slide through the hall. Finally, when it seemed as though the last stragglers had arrived, the Chancellor pounded his staff against the floor.

"As I'm sure you all are wondering what this is about, I will get right to the point," he said heaving a breath and furrowing his brow. "The Queen is missing." The words seemed to hang in the air as gasps and cries fly up from the gathered crowd and voices are raised and questions poured over each other in a loud cacophony.

Banging his staff against the floor Chancellor Soveig called, "Silence! Silence! I understand your fear and uncertainty and I share it. The councilors have been searching all morning, and while the Queen has not been found we discovered another oddity." Here he paused as though uncertain how to continue.

"Would you hurry up!" Astrior thought to herself, as she shifted impatiently. "What could be more odd than the Queen suddenly vanishing?" With a slight shake of his head, Solveig continued, "The river is running backwards." At more shifting and anxious sounds from the gathered crowd he held his hands up, placatingly. "I know. It makes no sense to any of us who have already seen it. This is why we called everyone hear. Does anyone, anyone, know what has come about? Has anyone seen the Queen in the early hours of the morning or during the night? Has anyone heard of such a thing as a river that runs backwards?"

Astrior looked over at Tom and saw her own anxious and uncertain thoughts on his face. His tousled brown hair and worried green eyes seemed to ask the same questions she herself was asking. Scanning further into the crowd she saw that no one seemed to know anything.

Turning once more to the front of the hall she heard a sudden rustle of noise coming from the back of the hall as voices were raised to call "Here! Here! Elder Hilda says she knows something!"

Elder Hilda was a small women, so wizened with age that it seemed incredible that she could even walk. Her hair was snow white and her blue eyes crinkled with laugh lines, her frame fragile and brittle with old age. The oldest member of the community, she knew of things the younger ones of the mountain could only marvel at. As she shuffled into the hall, willing hands reached out to guide and help her to the front of the hall as everyone waited anxiously to hear what she had to say.

"Elder Hilda," said Solveig, "Please. What do you know? Have you seen the Queen? Do you know about the river?"

"Peace, young one," said Hilda, causing Astrior to snicker into her palm at the thought of the older Chancellor being "a young one." "I have not seen the Queen, but I have knowledge to share that has long been forgotten by those of your generation."

A whisper of sound came from the crowd as feet shuffled and people leaned forward, trying to hear the old woman's voice. "Long before any of us were born, before our ancestors even came to this mountain, a prophecy was given to our priests. They were told to pass it down through the ages, as there would come a time when our people would be in need of its guidance. I believe that time has come." Coughing softly, Hilda continued, "Hear now the words of your ancestors."

'In a time of darkest need,

When home and hearth fall under shadow,

When merciful queen into darkness vanishes,

And waters flow against the tide;

One will rise to raise the banner,

And bring home light again.

Travel yea to furthest kingdom

Full of sand and fire and storm

There, hidden in smoldering depths

Waits the one who must be freed.

Take with yea the bravest friend and greatest enemy,

Forget not the sword and axe,

But act not in haste or vengeance,

Else all shall be lost.'