“Queen Abryelle was an intelligent woman and knew that her
daughter would attempt to leave with the captain. She ordered the sailors’ ship
burned in the harbour, removing what she thought was their only way of escape.
But Larya, with the help of Syranne, had written a spell that would open a
doorway through the earth from the island back to the sailors’ homeland.
“On the night of the new moon Princess Larya, the Syranne’s
help, managed to drug the guards and free the sailors from the dungeon. The
princess bribed a stable boy to prepare horses for everyone and the group
slipped out of the castle, ridding miles through the woods to reach the lone
mountain on the island.
“What the princess did not know is that the stable boy had
been in love with Larya for a long time and could not stand the thought of her
leaving forever. He betrayed the group, sending word to Queen Abryelle of the
princess plan to leave. The queen sent guards after the group.
“When Larya, Syranna, and the sailors arrived at the
mountain, the ladies began to cast the spell. There was a deep vibration in the
ground and then all sound disappeared, leaving everyone thinking they had gone
deaf. Then with a thunderous noise, a hole opened in the side of the mountain.
Through the hole, the group could see a different land beyond.”
At this Kilynn and her brothers gasped. The description of
the spell matched what they experienced every new moon. Kilynn’s eyes grew wide
as she understood what her grandmother was telling them. Her grandmother smiled
at her with a twinkle in her eye, knowing Kilynn had figured things out. A
glance at her brothers told Kilynn they were still trying to puzzle it out. Her
grandmother continued her story.
“The sailors began running through the tunnel one at a time,
for the tunnel was narrow. Larya sent Captain Willam through, promising him she
would follow after him for she needed to close the tunnel to prevent others
from following them. Larya ordered Syranne down the tunnel too, but as she was
about to enter the tunnel the queen’s guards appeared. Syranne, always one to protect
her best friend and the heir to the throne, pushed Larya into the tunnel,
telling her to run. When she was sure the princess was on her way, Syranne quickly
closed the tunnel then surrendered herself to the guards.
“On the other end of the tunnel, Larya and Mikeal were heartbroken
by the fact that Syranne didn’t make it through. Larya had lost her best friend
and Mikeal realized too late that he had fallen in love with Syranne. The group
looked around trying to figure out where they were. It was Captain Willam who recognized
the mountain behind them. It is the same mountain you can see from here.”
Grandmother pointed up over the trees to the mountain in the distance. Ryl and
Herry gasped in understanding. Again Ryl began to interrupt his grandmother but
she silenced him with a look to continue her story.
“Aye, children, the sailors and the princess came here. The
Lady Syranne was taken back to Queen Abryelle and thrown in the dungeon for she
refused to reveal the spell. The queen was devastated by the loss of her
daughter. She lost interested in caring for her people and was soon overthrown
by a rival faction. She fled to the wilds of the island to work on crafting her
own spell that would take her to her daughter. As far as we know, she never
succeeded.
“Here in this land, Larya discovered that she no longer had
her magical abilities but she didn’t mind. She was happy to be here with her
beloved captain and the two soon married. I am the first-born child of that
union.” Kilynn had suspected that her grandmother was somehow related to the
princess Larya so she wasn’t surprised by this announcement. She glanced at her
brothers and saw that they weren’t surprised either. “My mother and father had
many children, and those children have gone out into the land and had children
of their own. The blood of the island has mingled with the blood of this land.”
“Grandmother, The Hunt is obviously people from the island
coming here, but why? Why do they come here and steal us away?” Kilynn asked
the question all three siblings were thinking.
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