The Queen Who was Forgotten
Eva walked over to the ruins; it was her favourite place to go. Just to be alone. No one ever went there for they claimed it was haunted. But Eva knew it wasn't haunted. In some places the walls still towered over her head, she was always finding new things, that's what she loved about it. The palace had once been a beautiful, grand place high atop the hill. A place of extravagant balls and courting and the training of knights. The ruins were huge because it had once been a huge castle, no one living could remember it being used because it went into ruin long before that. It was in the reign of King Roald of Conte that the ruin came. Shortly after his father Jonathan and mother Thayet passed on into the next world there was a huge storm, like none that had ever passed over Tortall. The palace although protected by many spells - and these had been done by some of the worlds greatest Mages - the place was ruined by hail that was the size of your head and a lightning bolt hit Balor's Needle and it fell upon the palace. The damage was irreparable, it was best to relocate and start from scratch on a new palace, which was done although Tortall became poorer and the old palace was left to rot. This happened 150 years before Eva had even been born and it had been told to her by her history teacher. She had been fascinated with the ruins ever since.
She stepped over one of the low walls into her favourite room, the big floor space and still visibly fine tiling told her that it had been a ball room. She had swept away the debris and then pretended many times that she had been there all those years ago.
A sharp sound startled her and she looked around quickly, telling herself off mentally for even thinking for one second that there were ghosts in this lovely place. Walking into another room she found that a painting had fallen off one of the taller walls, fired with curiosity she walked over and turned it over. The painting was of a woman, she had long red hair and blue eyes. The painting was old but still in surprisingly good condition. The woman was very beautiful and was dressed in a purple dress. The plaque attached to the frame read Queen Lavely the first, lady of secrets and keeper of the unknown. Condemned was she for the way she was born, loved for who she was.
She had never heard of a Queen Lavely before, although most of the Tortallan history was lost in the Great Storm. What did it mean 'condemned was she for the way she was born'? The painting being not very great in size and very light; Eva decided to take the painting home, maybe her grandmother had heard of Queen Lavely. She looked like a very young queen, only about 20 or so, or at least that is how old she looked when the painting was done. Feeling a cool breeze rise up Eva looked at the sky, it looked certain it would rain so she picked up her skirts and her new painting and ran for home.
Eva walked over to the ruins; it was her favourite place to go. Just to be alone. No one ever went there for they claimed it was haunted. But Eva knew it wasn't haunted. In some places the walls still towered over her head, she was always finding new things, that's what she loved about it. The palace had once been a beautiful, grand place high atop the hill. A place of extravagant balls and courting and the training of knights. The ruins were huge because it had once been a huge castle, no one living could remember it being used because it went into ruin long before that. It was in the reign of King Roald of Conte that the ruin came. Shortly after his father Jonathan and mother Thayet passed on into the next world there was a huge storm, like none that had ever passed over Tortall. The palace although protected by many spells - and these had been done by some of the worlds greatest Mages - the place was ruined by hail that was the size of your head and a lightning bolt hit Balor's Needle and it fell upon the palace. The damage was irreparable, it was best to relocate and start from scratch on a new palace, which was done although Tortall became poorer and the old palace was left to rot. This happened 150 years before Eva had even been born and it had been told to her by her history teacher. She had been fascinated with the ruins ever since.
She stepped over one of the low walls into her favourite room, the big floor space and still visibly fine tiling told her that it had been a ball room. She had swept away the debris and then pretended many times that she had been there all those years ago.
A sharp sound startled her and she looked around quickly, telling herself off mentally for even thinking for one second that there were ghosts in this lovely place. Walking into another room she found that a painting had fallen off one of the taller walls, fired with curiosity she walked over and turned it over. The painting was of a woman, she had long red hair and blue eyes. The painting was old but still in surprisingly good condition. The woman was very beautiful and was dressed in a purple dress. The plaque attached to the frame read Queen Lavely the first, lady of secrets and keeper of the unknown. Condemned was she for the way she was born, loved for who she was.
She had never heard of a Queen Lavely before, although most of the Tortallan history was lost in the Great Storm. What did it mean 'condemned was she for the way she was born'? The painting being not very great in size and very light; Eva decided to take the painting home, maybe her grandmother had heard of Queen Lavely. She looked like a very young queen, only about 20 or so, or at least that is how old she looked when the painting was done. Feeling a cool breeze rise up Eva looked at the sky, it looked certain it would rain so she picked up her skirts and her new painting and ran for home.