The Curse of the Seven Stones
Prologue
When Maria Merryweather, the second Moon Princess of Moonacre Valley, ended the curse of the Moon Pearls that threatened to destroy the valley she called home in the 1800s, and the De Noirs and Merryweathers agreed to set aside their differences, she honestly thought that that would be the end of their troubles. Little did she know, and little did she know, or hardly any of them know, that the Moon pearls were only the beginning of Moonacre's troubles. Because, long before the first Moon Princess cursed Moonacre Valley and the Moon Pearls, the Merryweathers and De Noirs took something else from nature. The leader of the De Noir clan, and the leader of the Merryweather clan made a pact with the Sun and Moon. The Sun and Moon had been at war for many years, causing chaos in the valley. The Merryweathers and De Noirs helped end the fighting. When the Sun and Moon looked around at the damage they'd caused while at war, they were ashamed, and sorrowful. So, they promised never to go to war again, and begged the two clans to do the same. The two leaders gladly agreed, for they had seen enough of war, and cast an enchantment so that their descendents would never take part in a full out war with each other, or other clans of people, even if they were mad at them, and hated them. The Sun and Moon then agreed to help the clans rebuild. The Sun gave the Merryweathers a gold necklace that held a precious and rare sunstone, surrounded with rubies, emeralds, and diamonds. The Moon gave the De Noirs a silver bracelet that held a rare and precious moonstone, surrounded with sapphires, aquamarines, and diamonds, and the two gave each an onyx ring. The magical jewelry held the 7 Sacred Stones of life. With their power, the families could rebuild, and get back the lives that were lost in both clans. They were allowed to keep the jewelry until the next solar eclipse, when the Sun and Moon would then need it back so as to heal and rebuild the kingdoms in the sky, and to restore their own strength. The Merryweathers and De Noirs rebuilt, and lived happily, sharing nature's beauty, and wonders. The jewelry promised bountiful harvests, and good fortune to both families. But then, just before the eclipse, the jewelry fell into dangerous hands. The 2 leaders that the jewelry was bestowed upon and all their sons but their youngest died. No one knew how. Some say it was old age, others believe that they were killed. Many people suspected their youngest sons, who had been very interested in the jewelry. No one dared accuse them though, because they were the new rulers of Moonacre valley, and with the power of the seven jewels in their hands, they were all but unstoppable. They abused the gem's powers, using them to make Moonacre an empire, rather than an estate. They became more and more greedy, using the jewels to make themselves rich. They did not want to return the jewelry when the time came, for they feared it would turn Moonacre back into a wasteland like it was before the Sun and Moon gave them the jewels. Then, they would be rulers of a wasteland, a place where the only sign of life was the wind, and the cries of suffering. They also feared that the wealth and power the jewels brought them would disappear. So they made a plan to all but destroy the Sun and Moon. When the day of the eclipse came, the Sun and Moon appeared in the amphitheater where their war was ended. The 2 sons welcomed them, and explained that their fathers and brothers had died , and that they believed the cause to be an illness. An illness brought on by the Sun and Moon! They accused the Sun and Moon, although they knew it wasn't true since they had been the ones to kill their fathers and siblings so that they could be rulers and control the jewels, of giving their families the jewels partly to help rebuild, but also to drain their family member's strength and bring it to them, eventually killing them, and teaching their families not to interfere with the business of the gods. They then attacked the Sun and Moon with soldiers they summoned with the jewels. In their weakened state, the Sun and Moon couldn't stop them. They were almost destroyed, when a niece of the Merryweather ruler, and the son of the De Noir ruler came together and helped the Sun and Moon escape. They were then to be hanged for betraying their families. The Sun and Moon rescued the pair, as they had rescued them. They brought them into the heavens with them to become their attendents. They then cast a curse on Moonacre Valley, and the jewelry, which then disappeared. "When the 50,000th Sun is setting and Moon is rising, a solar eclipse will occur. The eclipse will allow us to take our revenge on the traitorous Merryweathers and De Noirs. When this day nears, the reincarnations of our attendents will again walk the Earth, and will join, to save Moonacre, and unite the two clans. If they are unharmed, and unstopped, they will save this valley from destruction and darkness. If not, then they, along with everyone in the valley will perish!" Maria was horrified when she learned that, as were the rest of the two clans. They searched and searched, but it all was in vain. They could do nothing to save the valley, because the only ones who could save them were the two reincarnations of the saviors in the prophecy, who wouldn't appear for more than a century. But Maria had a plan. She and Robin, her best friend, left journals of instructions for the ones that were to save Moonacre, so when they did come, they would know what to do. And so, they sealed away the only assistance they could give to Moonacre's only hope for survival.