Suddenly, Loren looked up. She had been staring at her feet for so long, one boot in front of the other, that she barely noticed when the cracked earth gave way to split stone and crumbling mortar. They had reached the castle, finally. Kae and Ma’trii ran for the shade of the ruined castle wall and collapsed against it, panting and nearly fainting from heat exhaustion. Cassendir immediately approached them to help, but Loren held out her hand to stop him.
“Loren?” Cassendir’s voice was hoarse and dry.
“Shh.” The princess answered. She drew her sword and signaled Cassendir to follow her.
The path from the castle wall was paved with cracked stones. The castle proper loomed above them, with their dark spires reaching up to the sky. The towers cast a cool shadow over Loren and Cassendir, and they stuck to it as they approached. Loren angled her sword at the ready and, despite not believing it was needed, Cassendir’s mage markings flashed and created a sword of blue flame in his hand.
“There’s something wrong about this place.” Loren whispered, picking her way over the fallen stones around the castle’s front doors.
“My lady, there’s nothing here.” Cassendir’s tone was reassuring, and frustrated. He was tired, and wanted nothing more than to make camp inside the castle and sleep somewhere cool. “There has been nothing in all these lands for a thousand years.”
“No, there’s something here. I can feel it.” Loren touched a hand to her chest, where her silver dragon pendant rested. It was slightly warm, but she dismissed it as her body heat heightened from walking all day under the sun. She entered a vast room held closed by ash-covered doors. A single tap from her sword caused the once proud wooden doors to crumble into dust. Her footsteps echoed in the stone hall, and she heard a faint sound. “Did you hear that? Laughter.”
“My lady…Are you alright?” Cassendir asked, concerned. “I didn’t hear anything. Maybe you’re tired. Come, lets set up camp in here, out of the sun.”
Loren heard the sound again, and whirled, her grip tightening on her sword. She scanned the empty hall rapidly, looking for the source. A single stone chair stood at the back wall of the room. A throne. “There is something here, Cassendir!”
The scholar extinguished his sword, and shook his head. He was exhausted and disappointed in himself. The princess was obviously insane, possibly driven mad by the heat but she had been foolhardy and rash to begin with, and he was an idiot for having believed her for so long. Now she led them for a week into the middle of nowhere, where he may die of thirst and starvation too far from home. Without a word, Cassendir turned to leave. He muttered to himself about taking the rest of the provisions for himself and walking back towards the Beastman Plains, when a soft movement caught his eye. Behind him, Loren saw it too. She raised her sword, every sense alert.
A soft laugh echoed through the ruined throne room. A light rasp, the sound of decayed fabric brushing down long rotted wood sounded, as a tall and pale figure descended a set of stairs that were collapsed halfway up, a skeletal hand on the balustrade.
“What is this?” The figure said with a teasing, light tone. The queen of Yureun crossed the room and took her place at her throne, the hem of her tattered black gown flowing in a false wind. Her face was gaunt, paper white skin stretched across her lithe skull. Loren suspected she was beautiful once, in life perhaps, as this specter could not possibly still be alive. “Visitors to my kingdom? My, I have not had visitors in so long.” She continued.
Loren stayed in a cautious, alert stance, keeping her sword angled towards the queen. “My queen. We merely wish to pass through.” She said.
The queen’s pout looked ghastly on her cadaverous face. Her eyes were sunken in, but they held a sly smile. “Simply passing through? What a shame. Surely you are tired from your journey? Come, stay a while, my dear. Rest.”
With a wave of her hand, the throne room changed. The castle was restored, with not a stone out of place. Warm sunlight streamed in through pristine glass windows. A long table stretched nearly the length of the throne room, laden with plates piled high with food. Roasted pig dripping with a berry sauce, beef stews, stuffed chickens, fresh fruits and vegetables sat upon the table, filling the room with an enticing scent. Loren took a step back, but Cassendir rushed for the table, greedily grabbing a flagon of wine. Before Loren could say anything, Kae and Ma’trii ran into the throne room as well, mad and delirious with hunger. Her companions gorged themselves on the food and drink provided by the queen of Yureun, but Loren could not bring herself to join them.
She looked back towards the head of the table, where the queen sat, and was taken aback. What was once a walking skeleton was now a beautiful woman. The queen’s long, dark hair was kept back in a braid, and her skin, while fair, had a lovely glow. Her previous cadaverous frame was filled out and healthy, and Loren could not help but think the queen was truly beautiful. The queen beckoned to Loren, smiling kindly, and the princess was reminded of
