King Graham's coveted adventurers cap is hurtling through the air, while both his charming daughter, Princess Rosella and his returned long lost son, Prince Alexander, flail their arms about, reaching for the prize.
The Queen, Valanice, their mother, watches the affair, a smile on her face. She doesn't care which of her children will be so blessed by their father's gift, she is only too happy that her family is together once again.
King Graham beams with happiness, before clutching his chest. Something is wrong, but he does not know what. His body becomes weak and his knees buckle, as he falls to the floor. The whole matter concludes within a matter of minutes and the other three persons in the room are completely shocked and forget all about the hat that falls to the floor.
Graham is surrounded by his family as they beg him to rise, but it's no use. The color is gone from his cheeks and his eyes are glazed. Any rational person can see, he's on death's door, but rationale does not often apply to families.
The weak king is taken to his bedchamber where he's attended to by his family, none of whom are as conflicted as Alexander. He's only just retunred to a place he hoped was home, to a possible father who now lays dying. Was he to lose him, before he even knows him? It's simply not fair.
Valanice is no better. She's had many wonderful years with this man. Together they had sired two wonderful children. Then Alexander was abducted and she could see some of the light in her dear king's eye, go out. She watched the worry lines double upon his brow, as they received reprots from countless soldiers, that their son was no where to be found.
Then the dragon came. For a moment she could see the bravado rush to his face. He was off to slay a dragon. He had the shield, there should have been no threat to his life, but the shield broke and with it Graham's spirit.
The defeated warrior retires along side his queen, as they held close their precious daughter. All the while their beloved home and land, is ravaged and there was nothing they could do.
The dragon demands maidens and the royal family watches while these innocent victims walk to the heaven climbing stair, never to be seen again. Then it was their daughter's turn and it broke the once proud king beyond all seeming means of repair.
He could not even watch her walk away. He just stayed seated on the throne and would not budge. It's certain that had she not returned, he would have simply withered away to nothing.
Then a miracle, both of their children came back, which propelled the couple from the brink of total destruction to the limits of pure happiness. It was all just too much on the king's aged heart. At least that's what the queen surmised.
Last is Rosella and she's equally distraught, but her grief will not allow her to look upon her strong, robust father withering away in his bed. She walks into the throne room, waiting for the tears to flow, but she can't, she was too angry.
Why had this happen?! They had only just been reunited. Couldn't it have waited a year, or two?! What about never?! What had her father done to deserve such misery stacked upon his crown?! What could anyone have done to deserve this punishment?!
Her eyes fall upon the crumpled hat laying at the foot of the stairs. She kneels down and picks it up, at last the tears come. They stream from her cheeks as she breathes deep her father's scent from his favorite cap. Through the streaing water she spies the broken shield, at the foot of the king's throne. It's all too much, too fast.
Then a glint catches the corner of her eye. At first she thinks it is just shaodws playing on her mind, but it wouldn't let up and the glint becomes a flashing, pulsating light. Rosella wipes the tears from her eyes and stands from her place. It's the mirror on the wall. The magic mirror her father had quested for, one of her favoirte stories.
She makes her way to the beacon, with slow deliberate steps. She still isn't sure if she is seeing something real, or only imagined. There's something there, hazy, but there. Then it becomes clear, a radiant woman floats on the other side, she speaks but the words cannot penetrate the solid barrier, but it doesn't stop her from trying.
Rosella closes the distance and through hand gestures, indicates that she can't hear. The woman places her hand against the glass and indicates that our heroine do the same. The young princess complies.
Suddenly, the glass evaporates and she stands within the limbo that has been created, with the mystery woman.
"Good day, young maid," the woman addresses her. "My name is Genesta, I am queen of the fairies."
Though grieving, Rosella still remembers her manners and so, curtsies. "Good day to you, your highness," she greets her regal guest.
Genesta smiles. "Thank you my dear," she carries on. "But now let me get to the point. I know of your grief and your father's illness and I have a solution." Rosella's spirits lifts, but there is more the queen has yet to impart. "There is a rare, sacred plant that only bears a single fruit every one hundred years. It has the magical properties which willl retore vitality to even the most aged or infirm."
"Then is," Rosella starts before the queen cuts her off.
"I'm sorry my dear, I wish I could go into more detail," Genesta apologizes. "But my powers are far too weak for me to carry on much longer. And I will only be able to bring you here, by not send you back, not unless you fulfill the quest and return to me what has been stolen. So I must ask, dear princess, will you accept this perilous quest?"
Rosella doesn't need time to think. The mention of a quest puts a fire in her belly and the dire circumstance of her father's failing health sets her feet to the journey. "I will," is all she says.
Genesta smiles back. "Thank you dear princess," she speaks warmly.
The next instant, Rosella feels herself drawn through the mirror and her feet touch down on the loose sand of a beach. And she can feel a kind of transformation take hold of her, changing her previous ornamental attire, to a simple frock and beside her is the shimmering image of the queen of fairies.
"Welcome to Tamir," Genesta introduces her to the magical land. "I have altered your clothing so that you might better blend with the other folk of this land, but you must still be careful, there are many dangers that await you on this perilous quest."
The image begins to distort. "I'm running out of time," the queen warns. "Please come see me on my island, I don't how you will get there, but you must see me before too long. And the plant you seek is surrounded by a swamp in-" The image fades completely, cutting off the last words.
Rosella is now all alone, but she has a mission and the drive to see it through. Her father will not die this day.
YOU ARE READING
King's Quest
FanfictionPreview: none- This is a bit of fan-fiction from the famous Sierra game series. Though to be more accurate, it is a retelling of the first four games.
