The Legend of the Euranian Stone

"We're going to need to travel that on ship. The water is too deep. Our horses wouldn't be able to handle it."

King Evan's party was mounted on horses, looking out at the sea. Midnight Mountain was just barely visible, its peaks jutting out above the horizon. They needed to travel to Mitania and had no way to get over the waterway.

"Make a raft," Willie said, quietly.

"Are you crazy? We don't have the time, nor the material to construct a raft!" King Evan boomed.

Willie hung his head, but Daymore frowned.

"No! We do, Father!" Daymore exclaimed.

He got off his horse and ran to Isaiah, whispering something in the man's ear. Isaiah nodded and chuckled.

He took a medium-sized ax out of his huge knapsack and handed it to the prince. The boy dragged the heavy utensil over to a nearby tree and swung it at the trunk. The rest of the group only watched. Prince Daymore wiped sweat from his brow on the back of his sleeve, and was soon forced to remove the sweat-soaked satin blouse. He was physically fit, but so lean that his ribs could be seen through his skin.

Finally, King Evan, Isaiah and Willie joined him, and Keisha collected reeds and vines to tie the logs together. Daymore then concentrated his attention on constructing the raft. Gluing the logs together with mud, and then tying them with the vines. When the small vessel was ready, Willie cut a pole for Daymore to steer with, and Isaiah whittled a couple of oars.

The gang loaded the horses and cargo, and they too, jumped aboard. Keisha pushed the raft away from the shore, and they were then on their way. Daymore hummed a tune as he watched the horizon and the setting sun while he steered their little raft. Willie and Isaiah were rowing. The prince grew sleepier and sleepier, and as he leaned against his pole, the world went suddenly black. . .

King Evan had been watching the tip of the island's only mountain when he heard a splash.

The raft hit a bump, and Willie shouted, "Man overboard!"

King Evan snapped to attention, and Willie and Isaiah stopped rowing.

"Prince Daymore! Prince Daymore!" Keisha cried, holding her hands over her eyes.

Isaiah tore his shirt off and jumped in after the boy. He came up twice before he had a hold on the prince's soaked clothing. The servant dragged Daymore's limp body onto the raft, and sputtered a bit while he was at it. He caught his breath, and everyone stood around, waiting with bated breath for the prince to come around. . .

DAYMORE'S DREAM

Father, the servants and I were on the island of Mitania. We were so close to finding the Euranian Stone that Father could taste it. He was so excited that he could barely sit still in the saddle. There was just one problem. The path to the Temple of Teconohuan was very narrow, and it crossed over a rickety-looking bridge that I thought to be over 300 years old. The bridge was suspended over two sides of a huge ravine. Father clucked to his horse, and proceeded to walk the animal over the bridge. Suddenly, I heard a snap, and knew something had gone wrong. The bridge slipped off of the posts holding it up, and Father and his horse tumbled into the ravine toward the rocky land below. . .

* * * * *

Griffin received a letter on his birthday. Ironically, it was from Princess Jezebelle. She hadn't even realized that his birthday was coming up when she had written the letter, and here it was, arriving on the exact day Griffin turned eleven. He read it and got a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. He felt like he needed to see her. To reach out and touch her curly locks; to breathe in her sweet fragrance. He wanted to go back to Rainbow Valley.

The boy raced out of his room and down the steps. He ran down a hallway and finally into the throne room. His father was on his throne, pointing his scepter at a servant, commanding her to do something. Griffin's mother sat next to her husband quietly, her hands folded neatly on her lap. When King Homer was finished speaking with the slave, he turned to his son, and Griffin spoke up.

"Mother? Father? I've gotten a letter from Princess Jezebelle recently."

King Homer looked at his son and raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? And why is she writing you?"

Griffin blushed and replied, "I've decided to court her, Father. We were acquainted on my first visit to her native kingdom. She tells me that she misses me and wants to see me. I promised her that I would talk to her soon. Four months isn't soon, Father."

"Well, when do you propose to go back and see her? It seems to me like you're just wasting her time and yours."

The prince rolled his eyes. "That's what I've come to address," he said, looking his father directly in the face.

"I want to return to Rainbow Valley sometime this week."

Queen Nancy nearly choked on the tea she had been brought.

"This week?! Griffin Larue, are you sure?" the woman asked, heatedly.

The prince grinned. "Absolutely."

* * * * *

Prince Daymore found himself staring at the clear blue sky when he regained his consciousness.

"What was that?!" his father demanded. "You've just delayed the trip! Again!"

"By an hour," the boy retorted sharply. He sat up. "I had another dream."

The servants all exchanged looks, and the king narrowed his eyes. Daymore brushed himself off.

"Another dream?" King Evan asked.

"Yes, and if we're not careful, you'll end up falling to your death."

The boy's eyes locked on his father's as if daring him to rebuke the prophecy. King Evan's face contorted into an expression of confusion, and he stuttered for a moment, then allowed himself to regain his composure.

"What do you mean, son?" he asked, finally.

"My dream, Father." The servants remained silent. "You and your horse will fall into a ravine off a broken bridge in Mitania if you don't listen to me. Remember what happened last time?" Daymore said, silkily.

Evan rolled his eyes, although he was disturbed by the fact that his son had predicted the future correctly once already. Would he be able to do it again?

The journey continued on, and when they finally reached Mitania, they went ashore and pulled their raft out of the water. The group then mounted their horses, and set off again.

It was around seven o'clock that night when King Evan and his crew were in a forest, that they began to hear beautiful music.

"Stop singing, Keisha," Evan ordered.

"I'm not, Your Highness."

King Evan turned around in his saddle to see for himself, and noticed two things. One: the girl had been telling the truth, and two: his son was missing. He sighed.

"Daymore! We don't have time for games! Daymore!"

The party rode on until they came into a clearing where the ocean was once again visible. The moon was fairly bright, and silver light shone down on the water. The pathway they were on wound around a beach, and the lapping of the water on the limestone rocks kept a steady tempo for the mysterious singer.

That's when Evan spotted his renegade son. The prince was standing on an outcrop of rock, looking out to sea. He had dismounted, and was holding onto the reins of his horse. And by the looks of it, he was about to jump into the sea. King Evan threw himself from his mount and ran to the boy. Grabbing the prince's arm, Evan slapped him on the cheek. Daymore had been swaying slightly on wobbly legs, and he had obviously been entranced.

The boy jumped in surprise at his father's appearance and said, "Look, Father. A mermaid. She was singing me a song. Isn't she pretty?"

The music was louder than ever here, and when the king glanced out at the water, he saw a thin blond girl, sitting shirtless on a rock. She was brushing her hair and singing, and sported a fish's tail in place of legs. Just as King Evan brought his gaze to her face, the mermaid looked up and stared for a moment, then promptly leapt back into the sea.

The night got quiet once again. Evan sighed and clapped a hand on his son's shoulder.

"Come on now, Daymore. We need to find a place to spend the night."

Daymore followed King Evan back to the group, and they once again rode off, into the night. . .

* * * * *

Princess Jezebelle stood out on the balcony off her room, gazing up at the night sky. The moon was full, and the stars were awfully bright. She wondered if Griffin had gotten her letter and if she was ever going to see him again. She had a deep, achy feeling in her heart, and she was sure it was because she loved Griffin. She loved him. Nine years old, and deeply, truly in love. Horribly, terribly in love. She longed for Griffin.

Jezebelle could only dream of becoming Queen of Winter Plains. Would her dream ever come true? It seemed so far away to the girl. Jezebelle turned away from the sky and instead stared at the city below her. Did the common people ever have to deal with such problems as being away from the ones they loved? What a silly question. Of course they did. What of the men who went away to war in the king's army? Their wives, fiancés, sisters, and daughters would all miss them.

The princess entered her room once again, and climbed into her bed. She stared up at her embroidered canopy, and hugged the silk sheets to herself. Then, she began to think of other things. What was to become of Amariah? Or Avadean? Would they marry? How would their mother ever find a match for them? There just weren't enough princes in the Light Realm. Maybe Amariah would become Queen of Rainbow Valley. Maybe Avadean would have to run off with a commoner. Or worse, a Dark Realm prince. What would happen to little Julius? After a while, Jezebelle's head began to spin with all the questions inside it, so she stopped thinking and settled down into her bed, falling asleep not long afterward. . .

* * * * *

King Evan and his expedition party slept in a tent in a grove of trees that night. It was horribly hot in there, and the mosquitoes were a tremendous nuisance. The smell of skunk and male sweat hung in the air. Willie had gotten sprayed while putting the tent up, and Isaiah had been chopping wood halfway into the night. Keisha had said that it smelled too dreadful in the tent, so she decided to sleep outside, under the stars.

Daymore felt chilly, even though the air was humid. So, King Evan held his son close to him, his cape serving as a suitable extra blanket. The king almost feared that Daymore was once again coming down with a cold.

When the band of explorers awoke the next morning, they were stiff, cold and hungry. Daymore found a patch of bushes to relieve himself near, while Willie built a fire and Keisha fixed up some breakfast. Isaiah contented himself with whittling a piece of wood, and after the fire was constructed, Willie sat with his back against a tree, trying to avoid the rest of the group. He still smelled of skunk.

King Evan emerged from the tent just as Daymore came bounding back from the woods.

"When are we going home, Your Majesty?" Isaiah asked.

King Evan popped a piece of bacon in his mouth and stared at his servant.

"As soon as we get the Stone," he said, after swallowing.

"Aw, but we're so far away!" Willie complained, smacking at an insect on the back of his neck.

Daymore yawned and said, "We've traveled this far, and we aren't going to retreat now."

After breakfast, the group packed up and headed off.

They hadn't been traveling long before they reached the ravine that had been in Daymore's dream. The boy eyed the scene cautiously. King Evan began to get antsy when he saw the bridge. It was old, and he knew it led straight to the Temple of Teconohuan.

"Forward now!" he called.

"No! Father, no!" Daymore shouted.

Evan turned around.

"The dream! You must listen!"

King Evan turned his horse away from the bridge. "Fine then. Show me that this bridge is dangerous, and maybe I will listen to you."

Daymore nodded and thought quickly. He turned and nodded to Isaiah, and the big man dismounted. He picked up a huge rock and hurled it onto the bridge. There was a snap, and the bridge fell from one side, still hanging onto the other. King Evan swallowed hard and directed his horse into the ravine.

"Okay. This way will be safer."

Once again, Daymore had predicted the future correctly. King Evan thought about it as he directed the crew through the ravine and back onto the path toward the temple. . .

* * * * *

"When are we leaving, Father?" Griffin asked.

He was anxious to get back to Jezebelle. He wondered if she looked any different. He sure didn't.

"In a couple of weeks, son. We have some business to take care of first. If the entire family is going, who will watch the castle and rule the country? We need to think about these things."

Griffin nodded. He understood.

He went back to his room and set his letter on the desk. Maybe he could get a stable servant to hitch up a team of horses so he could have something to do. The next few weeks were going to go by slowly, and the prince knew it. He would need a lot of things to keep him busy, and keep his mind off of his beloved Jezebelle. And after making the decision to go out to the stable, Griffin dressed for it, and did just so. . .

* * * * *

"Amariah, please. I will be willing to wait a few years to get you acquainted with Deatrick, but you must be married. You must!" Queen Maria pleaded.

"That will be fine, Mother. I don't wish to be married right away. I am glad that you are willing to wait until I become more interested in the male species."

"Well, just look at your sister, Jezebelle. She's smitten with that dear boy, Griffin."

"I am afraid that I am not Jezebelle," Amariah retorted.

Queen Maria sighed. "Very well. I understand."

The queen stood and left the room. Amariah had always enjoyed silence, but now she was beginning to wonder if the silence was getting to her. Maybe she did need a male companion. Maybe she was jealous of Jezebelle for being so pretty. Maybe she was angry that her sister was privileged enough to have gotten a man before she did. Amariah satisfied herself with these explanations, and then set out to find a servant to fix her some lunch. . .

* * * * *

It was almost noon, and King Evan and his gang were nearing the temple. Daymore wasn't feeling like himself. He was hot, and he thought the heat to be too much.

"You guys? Father? Maybe we should stop for a drink," he said, weakly.

King Evan shook his head. "Nonsense, Daymore. We're so close. Nearly there!"

Isaiah handed the prince a canteen, and Daymore drank the remaining tepid water. It held him for a time, but he suddenly began to hyperventilate. He couldn't breathe, and felt as though he were going to pass out. He dismounted and led his horse along, careful to stay in the shadow. He was hoping it would clear his head, but no such thing happened.

Instead, the extra exercise only exacerbated the problem. Daymore fell to his knees, and let his horse go. He began to get a pounding headache and fell back on the grass. His head was spinning, and he now felt sick to his stomach. The prince stared up at the sky, and the glare of the sun hurt his eyes. His vision became blurry, so he shut his eyes. It helped a little bit, and soon, he felt Isaiah's strong hands on his waist, lifting him off the ground. Daymore was lifted onto a horse, and the group continued on their way.

The prince tried to open his eyes again, but his headache got worse. Nearer and nearer they drew to the temple. And the closer they got, the worse off Prince Daymore became. His leg started to throb where he had broken it, and when he saw the stone temple, overgrown with vines, his eyes began to burn. He held his hands to his head. It felt like someone had set fire to his brain. He leaned over and threw up. Daymore then slid off his horse to lie on the cool grass. He groaned.

"I can't go on. Ohh. . . my eyes! My head! Stop! Stop. . ."

The party discontinued their trip for the moment and went back to assist Daymore.

"What's the matter, Prince Daymore? You sick?!" Willie asked.

"No. . . my head hurts, and. . . and my eyes burn. We can't go on. It's the. . . it's the temple. It's. . . ugh. . ." And Daymore passed out.

* * * * *

When the boy returned to consciousness, it was a week later. They had returned to Eurania and were already back to the Dark Realm. Daymore yawned and sat up. He rubbed his temples and eyes, then looked around. The prince realized that he was once again in Doc Williams' clinic, and he heard his father talking to someone in the hallway. He tried to listen in as best as he could.

". . . glad you brought him in when you did. If you had been any later, we might not have been able to revive him. At first we didn't think he was going to make it at all, but now it's clear that he will. He's sleeping at the moment. But. . . it's the demon's power, I tell you. It's linked to the Euranian Stone. You keep up your silly notions, sir, and you'll lose your son. When he neared the temple, where the Stone is, the demon took him over. It's a sign of things to come, Sire. First the predictions and the tests, now this. It's all too much for the boy. Something's bound to arise from this mess," Doc Williams said.

"I'm actually beginning to believe all of this. . . this twaddle about Daymore's hidden magical power," the king said offhandedly, pressing his fingertips to his forehead.

Daymore was confused at first. He knew they were speaking about him, but he couldn't comprehend the talk of demons. Was he possessed? The two men entered the room, and both of their expressions changed when they saw the prince sitting upright in the bed. Doc Williams ran over to check the boy's vitals, and found that they were normal. He scribbled something onto the paper attached to his clipboard and sighed.

"You'd better believe it now, Your Highness. Daymore is downright proof! How can someone go from instability to normal in a matter of an hour?"

King Evan raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. Turning to his son, he said, "I'm glad you're awake, son. Now. Let's leave this place and head for home. . . he can go home, right Doc?"

Doc Williams nodded, and said, "Yes, Daymore is free to return home, but only if you or one of your servants, preferably one that sees the prince a lot of the time, can monitor his state."

"Agreed."

Doc Williams helped Daymore off the examination table, and watched as the boy stood on his legs for the first time in weeks.

"Thank you, Doctor," Daymore said.

He looked up at his father, and King Evan regarded the prince with a dubious glance.

"Are you feeling well enough to return to the palace?"

Daymore sighed and gave a nod. "I sure am!"

King Evan flashed the beginnings of a faint smile, but it quickly faded, and the two of them strode from the room.

But as they were leaving the clinic, Doc Williams called out to them.

"You'd better be careful, Your Majesty! That power is a force to be reckoned with, and you're lying sprawled in its path! A real phenomenon will take place. A phenomenon, I tell you!"

As they mounted their horses, Daymore opened his mouth to ask about this power and the demon, but shut it and kept quiet. He decided that he wasn't ready to know just yet. . .