[untitled]

            Once, this land was a beauteous one. For over a century, the crops did not fail; nor did the people fall ill, nor the animals. It was the most plentiful land on this side of the southern sea. During the day, the birds could be heard chirping even in the most remote of locations, and minstrels played through the night at the royal court. The life force in all of us, the vai’shan, ran freely and strongly. All was well; that is, until she came. A woman, as beautiful as anything, with long silken hair the colour of the sun, and eyes like deep blue pools. Her skin was as fair as her temperament, and she seemed to exude kindness. She was tall, slender and graceful, and every man who came into her presence was instantly besotted. As I look back on this now, I think that was the danger. Our king found her wandering in the woods. She seemed to be learning the plants, as she had a small open book in her hands and was saying aloud their names. Of course, I was not there, but our king gave all of us working in the royal courts a detailed description of how he found her. He said that when he saw her, he thought she was an angel, come down from heaven. When I heard this, it was all I could do to stifle the oncoming giggles. A cold look from the king, and he returned to his story. He called out to her, asking what she was doing out here alone. A reply, then he invited her back, as he too had become infatuated. According to His Lordship, she could do no wrong. A few days after she came home, they were married. It was said to have been magnificent, her dress of the finest silk, his suit handcrafted by the master seamstress of An’duk. Of course, we servants were not permitted to attend; instead we stayed inside and prepared the food for the banquet. The woman ate ravenously; she obviously had not eaten in a while. She looked quite gaunt, but that did not stop the male servants from following her to her bedchambers and hiding in the shadows when she turned. Those hiding tactics did not work; they were found, and sent away. These times were the only times she was seen to be irritated. The expression did not fit her face. It made creases in her forehead, her eyes scrunched up, and according to the servants, she looked almost ugly. Of course, the king was not told of this; the messenger would be beheaded at that statement. Nobody wanted that, as we were all well acquainted with everyone having their heads, and we did not know what to do in the occasion where somebody should lose theirs; should we leave it to the undertakers, or risk burying them ourselves?

 

            As I mentioned before, the land was alive and kicking, until she came. Then it all went downhill. For the first time in over one hundred years, the crops failed. We were alerted of it when the promised shipment of rice failed to arrive. Then healers who had been out of business for that long century were suddenly needed again. All over the Kingdom, people were showing feared symptoms – most commonly, patients falling into a seemingly permanent sleep. There were even signs of it showing in our fellow servants, who were taken away, and never seen again. From that point on, everyone in the castle had to wear flimsy gauze masks, to keep away the spirits causing the illness. But they didn’t work. More and more people, in and around the castle mostly, were becoming infected and falling asleep, the condition now named The Sleeping Death. But for every person falling ill, the ‘queen’ seemed to become more beautiful and radiant. It didn’t make sense, but what can a mere servant do? After careful decision-making, I asked the king for a career change. I asked to be switched from my current, lowly position in the kitchens to an apparently much-wanted position working for the ‘queen’ herself. Much to my surprise, I was granted my wish. As it turned out, all of the other applicants had become sick that that mysterious, incurable illness. For the first time in my life, I praised a deadly sickness for helping me in my quest for the truth. For I did not want to look after this woman; I did not want to wait on her hand and foot, to follow her around caring for her limitless needs. It simply had to be done. It was for the good of the whole, the wellbeing of the many. It was my thought that she was behind this illness and the failing of the land, and I needed proof; but I could not do it alone.

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