Mystery? In a Royal Court?
What price do you pay to protect someone? What cost to yourself do you pay to make sure tender dreams are not crushed?
There are no dragons (not on this planet, everyone is glad about that). Dungeons are generally fo...
The three of them travel northward along a well-maintained road. Weather is clear and the day pleasant. The young girl has clothes that could hide her fairly well. The large man looks resembles a guard for hire. Emme is dressed appropriately for her social class. The three could pass for a young lady being escorted somewhere (school or magical academy). They will reach the next kingdom hall today. It is one of the seven of the seven kingdoms.
Near the end of sunny hours, they reach an outpost gate. Instead of a set of guards, one man waves to them. He is a citizen of the central kingdom and is watching the gate for a relative. Emme finds this extremely unusual or casual in an unheard of way.
The conversation results in an important clue. Hanging on an inside wall of the small gate-house is an illustration (a tiara and a stylized chain-mail bikini).
It is royal decree that any who see this royal sigil should send immediate word "private word" to the royal family of the northeast kingdom.
They walk over a series of gentle hills and see a castle with a sole observation turret. Quite beautiful and oddly peaceful looking. No guards or ranks. Just several older workers.
Emme asks at the castle door about the process to consult for a private word. Told politely to go two floors up and wait at the main royal hall entry doors. Then, come in when called.
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They see no one. No scribes, no courtiers, no guards. They wait at the door and after some quick paced shuffling within the hall, an authoritative voice says "Please enter the royal hall."
Seated on the thrones are the King and Queen, who welcome the travelers. A fine looking pair of royals of young years (yet certainly mature).
As they approach, Emme describes how they heard about a royal sigil. It might be a clue to a cause of a curse she was investigation.
She brings forward the young girl who looks around with little reaction, and says "I know that I am a princess, but I have many gaps. I have a mother and father..."
The hall is not small though there are larger royal halls. As they walk forward, the Queen looks intently and then stands and leaps. Moving quickly towards them, her emotional expression transitions into sadness or horror.
The young girl falls into a collapsed seated position and stares without recognition. Saying over and over. "I have a mother and a father.."
The Queen also collapses to her knees, the lack of recognition is unbearable. She shakes and stares forward saying 'Yva, Yva, Yva... please..'
The King rushes to the side of his Queen, and whispers "Remember, remember, my Queen. The bead!"
The Queen finds a bead on her necklace of beads. It is a bead, she had often held and touched often these many years.
She finds it by feel and rips the bead away from her neck. Beads roll away in all directions, but she holds that one bead and thrusts it towards the King.
The King has a momentarily surprised look at the beads rolling around on the smooth polished floor. As if thinking 'well that is one way to get a bead off a necklace'.
He guides the hand of his wife with his hand, saying "remember my Queen, remember my Queen, remember.."
They bring the bead to forehead of the girl. A magic glow grows, and Emme slides back quickly (predictability has not been a feature of any of this curse so far). The magic surrounds the girl, the Queen and the King.
"Mommy! Daddy! Oh I have been so afraid and well.. cursed." All three hug and cry. Princess Yva has returned.
The King regards Emme and 'Big Guy' for few seconds, but rejoins his Queen in celebrating with tears and hugs.
Princess Yva is home.
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