The Sleeper Queen - Editing/Rewrite

Chapter Two: The Two Kingdoms and the Woodlands

     Indeed, there were many things in the forest to be feared, and the Sleeper Queen had every right to be afraid. A part of her, deep down, knew that there was something in the woods that she had no wish to come into contact with…

     The First Mage paced in the study, looking to his time stone every so often. Normally he never wanted dusk to come, for it meant the departure of the one person that chased away the perpetual foul mood of the Fisher King. Today, however, he had dared to send the King's page to fetch him. He knew it would be in vain...nothing could tear the King from Evalie's side when she arrived, but he'd had to try.

     He'd been pouring through his ancient tomes, handed down the patriarchal Mage line from grandfather to father to son, over many years and generations. His books had the most archaic magic known in the lands, some of it more...clandestine, and he had been searching for a loophole in the curse that kept all of their voices silent and helpless to aid Evalie. He had found a few, but found them to be sealed up, as his King had said, by the Heretic's sister. The King would get his happy ending but yet the mage could sense that there was something they were missing, something disturbing the curse that was completely separate from the wicked curse of the Heretic. Something far more sinister cast a pall over the spell that had taken the Queen away every night. There was no explanation for the Queen's loss of memory, but the mage had a feeling it was tied to the ancient evil he felt feeding into the curse.

     His doors slammed against the wall as they were thrown open by the King, who looked on his First Mage with wild silver eyes. The mage raised his eyebrows...did he detect a glimmer of hope in his ruler's eyes? He looked at Alaric, bewildered. He'd never seen him this...happy...after Evalie vanished. He was always very irate and easily vexed in the hours between dusk and high noon. 

     "Are you alright, my lord?" The mage asked. The King took five great strides to the mage's desk and slammed his hands down with a hearty laugh, his face fairly illuminated by the happiness radiating off him. The King then started pacing around the mage's study, every step almost light and cheerful. The King paused, laughed again, and turned to the mage.

     "Never better!" The King's eyes darkened for a moment. "Never better since right before dusk on my wedding day, that is." He clarified. The mage looked at him and waited with baited breath. What had happened to put the King in such a good mood? Normally after Evalie departed for the night, the King was morose, angry, bitter, and near inapproachable.

     "My lady has remembered that the morning glory is her favorite flower...and that she is, for some reason, fearful of the forest." The King stated. The Mage smiled. The Queen's love of morning glories was reflected in the very decor of the palace, Alaric’s father had remodeled the castle as a wedding gift. From the pillars of the courtyard to the Queen's private study, there were morning glories everywhere. She professed to love them, and before the curse, could often be found in the early morning hours, wandering among the blooms in the garden before they closed up for the daylight hours.

     The young girl ran through the woods, weaving between the trees, her laughter resonating through the wilderness as her long black hair flowed behind her. She looked over her shoulder and saw him running behind her, a look of joy on his face. She laughed again and stopped suddenly, turning around to face him. He let out a playful growl and leaped towards her, gently tackling her to the ground.

     "Ah, Evie..." He smiled at her, his mouth slanted in a crooked grin. His face hovered close to hers, their eyes locked on one another. The girl sighed and feigned a look of defeat.

     "I win again, dear heart." The man teased. She reached up and brushed a leaf from his hair. He trailed a finger along her cheek, smiling as she leaned her face towards the touch. She closed her eyes, a gentle grin on her face. With one swift movement, she threw him off of her, and she stood, brushing grass and dirt off her dress. Her mother would not be pleased, but Evie didn't care. She was having too much fun.