The Stone

Prologue

Hey everyone! I have been working on this book for almost two months now and I'm so excited to present it to you with my first illustration I have just finished. It will be the cover of the book. Enjoy! Don't forget to vote! Feel free to leave me any comments as well ❤️

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A lot of the images I have chosen to portray my characters are not of my own. Eventually I will be casting them in photo shoots done by either myself or a hired model. But I'm not there at this point in time.

Prologue

A fabled tint to the moon symbolizes a powerful event and tonight is the rise of a blood moon in the shadow of Jupiter's alignment. It has been many centuries since their last orbital kiss, and brings forth justice, righteous law, and seems to be focused on me at this time. Here I sit in my room writing the last few pages to my Grimoire. I take a moment to remember the precious times here. My satin draped bed embroidered with lines of gold and silver. The black wood canopy over top with matching drapes, I used to swing from it when I was a child.

I bring my eyes to the only empty wall not covered in tapestries and paintings, it still has my name and height carved into it when I was just five years old. Positioned to my left is a gold leafed armoire that holds my most beautiful gowns. Though all of these memories are precious, the one thing I will miss most is the view from the archway window that looks out over the city center. I have spent many hours daydreaming of knights and princes who would ride up on their valiant steeds and sweep me up into their brave arms as we gallop into the night...Just dreams. I shake my head and laugh at my frivolous ideas.

This brings me to the desk where I sit. I recall the countless hours studying history and mathematics. I excelled in mathematics and started experimenting with alchemy which was shunned upon and considered a demonic craft in my realm. I tried to stay away from those types of interactions, but they seemed to follow me throughout my entire life. Eventually I gave into them, and started into mage-craft, hiding it as much as I could from the world around me. But alas, I was found in the forest reciting one of my strongest spell casts, by one of my husband's little birds. She watched the entire incantation as I sacrificed a goat and drew the pentacle on my naked body. I was not able to cover that up as a Catholic ritual.

Now I write the last pages in my book. This will be a spell that is binding to me and to the person who finds it.

I write,

"Shall this book be your talisman, shall this book be your might, let it be your bloodline, let it be your right." I prick my finger with the end of my ink feather pen and finish with the symbol of my sigil as the queen of Lesterose,

The Queen's Sword sigil. I write below it as magic seeps into the blood ink.

I take off my crown encrusted in Orange jewels and run my fingers along its five pointed spikes. Tears swell in my eyes as I start to reflect on my past decisions. I pick up the orange stone around my neck and kiss it. In my hand I hold a rare pendant, a large orange stone called a Spessartite, legend says it came directly from a dragon's heart. It had fallen into my possession on the day of my wed. A renown healer had come from the land beyond the seas to bear witness and bless our marriage. She brought a small box with her made of silver and dragon scale containing the stone. I remember the first time I held it up by its black herringbone chain, looking into the center of it I saw what I thought was myself at first but as I looked deeper into the stone the figure changed, it wasn't me anymore although her features were similar with blonde hair and green eyes, she was beautiful with an innocent smile on her face. I knew then this girl would hold the stone one day.