The Alchemists and the Nine Realms: The Lost Kingdom

14 - Finding Jules

Moonlight dripped through the leaves overhead, casting an ethereal glow on the winding path that snaked beside the shimmering river. Julie, her boots crunching on the damp earth, pressed onward, her heart a drum against her ribs. Every muscle in her body ached, but fatigue was a distant concern compared to the gnawing worry that gnawed at her.

She'd left a note, a confession of love nestled within the familiar folds of parchment. But had Varian found it? Had he understood her reasons for leaving? A pang of guilt stabbed at her, but she pushed it down. There was no time for sentimentality, not when her kingdom, her people, needed her.

The legend of the hidden constellation, whispered amongst her ancestors for generations, was her only guide. According to the stories, following the river to a specific location during the full moon of summer would reveal a hidden constellation in the night sky. These stars, when aligned, would point the way to the entrance of a lost kingdom, a kingdom said to be veiled from the outside world.

Julie clutched the weathered map tucked inside her pocket. It was a family heirloom, passed down through generations, bearing a crude sketch of the constellation and the cryptic inscription: "Seek the moonlit river, follow the starlit sky."

She knew Varian would follow. He wouldn't let her go alone. But she couldn't risk his life. Her quest, the burden of reclaiming her lost kingdom, was hers to bear alone.

A twig snapped behind her, sending a jolt of adrenaline through her. Heart hammering, she whirled around, hand instinctively reaching for the dagger strapped to her thigh. But the intruder was nothing more than a startled deer, its eyes wide with curiosity before it bounded back into the undergrowth.

Julie let out a shaky breath, her fear replaced by a surge of determination. She had to reach the designated spot before dawn. Once the constellations appeared, aligning the stars, she would activate the hidden entrance... and hopefully, before Varian realized she was gone.

The path stretched before her, a ribbon of moonlight through the dense forest. The river, a constant companion, gurgled and whispered secrets in the night. Julie pressed forward, fatigue forgotten, fueled by love, duty, and a desperate hope that her gamble would pay off. Somewhere beyond the moonlit path, beyond the whispering river, awaited a kingdom and a destiny she was determined to claim.

***

Midnight, Varian's loyal steed, pounded the earth beneath him, hooves churning the damp soil into a spray that glittered silver in the moonlight. Varian, his hair whipping in the wind, leaned forward in the saddle, his eyes scanning the path ahead.

The forest, once a dense labyrinth, had thinned considerably. The river, no longer a hidden current, now flowed freely beside the path, a shimmering ribbon reflecting the brilliance of the full moon above. It was this river, pulsating with an ethereal glow, that Varian was following, a beacon leading him closer to Julie.

He remembered her words, snippets of stories she'd shared about the lost kingdom – a place whispered of in hushed tones, veiled from the outside world. The legend of the constellation, the guide to this hidden realm, had resonated with him. And when he'd found Julie's note, the love and worry intertwined within its words, he knew exactly where she'd gone.

Rapunzel and Eugene's words of caution echoed in his mind, but they were drowned out by the urgency gnawing at him. He had to find Julie before she disappeared into this hidden kingdom, leaving him behind in a world that seemed to dim without her laughter and warmth.

He glanced skyward. Scattered stars, like diamonds scattered across black velvet, peeked through the thinning canopy of leaves. He remembered Rapunzel consulting the old legend book, memorizing the specific constellation they needed to find.