The true and extraordinary legend of the sword in the stone
Prologue
Once upon a time, when dragons roamed the sky and you could taste magic in the morning air, there was a kingdom like no other. A kingdom where peace and kindness made a home, a kingdom with love in every corner of itself, a kingdom where happiness seemed to grow on trees and fields of poppies. And in this kingdom, there was a king so pure of heart, so gentle and kind, so brave and smart and witty, that the Gods themselves have sung praising odes about him. His rule, long and prosperous and peaceful, had brought his people possibilities that few others have ever dreamed of. History remembers him with awe and kindness, and many have said he was more saint than human.
But this is not the time to tell his story. For to be a great king you need to come from greatness, and although history has taught us that usually the Gods above give us the greatness we need, in this case, the greatness came from a fellow human. Someone that not only taught him how to rule, how to lead and how to protect his people, but taught him how to do so with a gentle heart and kind hands, with an agile mind and a free spirit.
For these words here and the ones that follow will tell the story of this someone that shaped a nation, by teaching a boy how to be a noble man. This is the tale of a mother that raised a kingdom. This is the legend of Queen Alis, Knight of the Ancient Forrest and Mother of the Kingdom of Dalmores.
To tell her story, we first have to tell the story of the circumstances that birthed Queen Alis. Of a kingdom so desperate and despondent they would sell their souls to the devil in the blink of an eye. A kingdom that thought hope was a fairytale for rich children. A kingdom ruled by a king that was more preoccupied with silk skirts and soft sheets, than with leading his people. A kingdom protected by an army that would more likely pillage and strip its last semblance of happiness for their own good than keeping them safe. A kingdom where the Gods gave the beasts back control over the land, and the beasts still couldn’t be more cruel than the indifference of the jester on the throne.
In these lands, during these cruel and unnerving times, under the power of inhuman nobles, a girl with dreams and ideals, a girl made with steel like bones and ivory skin, a girl who taught injustice to be the highest form of betrayal a ruler could make, a girl like this met a bunch of wayward boys and girls that craved the sweet embrace of hope. And with them by her side, she walked towards the Ancient Forrest of the Beats, towards her history-changing destiny.
Notes:
Hello lovely people and welcome to what I hope will be the beginning of a great journey. So sit back and relax as yours trully takes you on the true and extraordinary adventure of how Alis, a brave and just farmer's daughter became the queen a nation deserved.
This story was birthed from @rusalkastudio amazing embroidery called "... destiny awaiting", and therefore is yet another collaboration in which I play the ever struggling author that is trying to put into words the earth shattering talent that the goddess Russ poses in her. So thank you for being an inspiration and a friend, and for putting up with me.
Special thanks to the world best beta @ifsogrl. You are my grammar queen, my vigilant editor, and I don't deserve you. Thank you for making sense of my mumbled words.
So stay tuned and join Alis on her journey of self discovery. Her destiny awaits, and you have front row seats.