ENG - The Kingdom of Flowing Sources - Part 1

Too exhausted to cry, Nahili dropped the last stone on the mound then slowly walked away to pick flowers.

A hour later, although she had collected more than enough and was aiming back to the tomb she could not stop gathering more. This simple gesture repeated so many times in happier days soothed her soul. She was about to pick clove flowers when a horse ripped them off greedily.

Hearing her scream, Bryn turned around ready to fight. On seeing her, he relaxed and gently presented himself. Nahili eyed suspiciously the man who pretended to have been captain of king Garth.

"They died last week" she said nervously after a while. Bryn nodded and without more ado asked what she knew of the kingdom of Flowing Sources. Taken aback, Nahili answered that which all knew. The kingdom was ruled by queen Amalia, wife of king Garth. Although the name implied otherwise, there was only one source which sprouted out from the centre of the castle. It was this source which magically irrigated the whole kingdom.

Moving slightly away so that she could approach the tomb, the captain offered to tell her a story while she would make her garlands.

Twenty years ago, he said as she settled herself, king Garth fell in love with princess Amalia. When he thought about the princess, his dry heart mellowed and he felt himself a better man. Unfortunately for him, Amalia was far from responsive and her parents, king Lud and queen Mila were not in a hurry to forge alliance with their neighbour.

Then came the tragedy. The king and the queen of Flowing Sources died suddenly. Healers blamed it on a hateful spell but none could think who could have wished and ill end to such kind rulers.

Princess Amalia was of course proclaimed queen and a few weeks later, to the astonishment of all, she accepted to marry king Garth. She who had been such a sweet princess became the cruel queen who presently ruled.

With a heavy sigh, Nahili said that queen Amalia would never be as cruel as the village sheriff. Full of sorrow she added that two days before her parents died, as they fought this fever that killed so many, the hateful man had taken all the cattle invoking some new tax that king Garth had invented.

Trying to remember better days, she told of how much her father liked to say that before he married her mother he grew stones.

Bryn smiled. Nahili's father had been the poorest of the poorest villages of king Garth and his land had been a desert. By making water pour out of rocks Nahili's mother had brought joy and prosperity.

Nahili remembered the first fruit tree that her parents planted. It was for her third birthday. At the time she had been disappointed at seeing such a frail twig instead of a tree full of apples. Now the orchard had more than twenty trees which gave plenty to sell on the market nearly all year round.

But this success had not agreed with the village and although her parents had driven the source towards the village so that all could share it, they had been kept at bay. No one had come when they had died and no doubt the sheriff would soon find an excuse to steal her land.

Bryn hardened on hearing this but carried on. What no-one could have imagined, he said, was that it was king Garth who had asked Bret to poison king Lud and queen Mila. Bret was king Garth's witch.

And it was at his request still that she took Amalia's appearance and became queen. Nahili gaped at him.

King Garth could also have had the real Amalia killed too, Bryn supposed, but vengeance was in his heart and as much Amalia had made him suffer by refusing his love, as much he would make her suffer. As soon as the witch had cast her spell of forgetfulness on Amalia, king Garth ordered her captain that she be taken away and made to marry the poorest man of the poorest village of the kingdom.

Nahili's eyes threw flames at Bryn. Who was he to mock her. But the old captain ignored her and, visibly moved, carried on. Although poor Amalia had lost all her memories, she kept on begging for three objects.

Feeling sorry for her, he had brought them to her. He had taken great risks by doing that as stealing what had become the property of the false queen could have costed him his head. These objects were a mirror, a hair brush and a broche bearing the water symbol. Three objects made in gold that he carefully hid from the other soldiers.

Nahili was near fainting. No-one was supposed to know of these objects. Her father had hidden them and, doing so, had told her they would be their safeguard in case fate mistreated them...

To be continued next month…

Photos taken at the following locations on Second Life :

• ElvenHeart 88, 132, 38
• Arcana Nuevo 254, 142, 24
• Tir na Aisling 218, 217, 28
• Teal, 117, 131, 30
• Tol Lasgalen 214, 43 24