One thousand years previous to main story

The sweat glistens in the candlelight as the queen continues on through the long, intense labour. Her cries of pain and effort echo throughout the crowded bed chamber. As time goes by the cries get weaker and weaker.

"Please your majesty, let us call upon the court physician. The longer the birth takes the more danger both you and the child are in. We do not want to lose you!" One of the many people gathered within the chamber begged emphatically.

"No!" the queen yells, the determination clear on her face. She pauses briefly to cry out as yet another contraction hits. Once it subsides she continues; "I will not have the man who allowed my beloved husband, and your wise and just king, to die anywhere near me or my child. Am I understood?"

"Yes your majesty" the crowd murmurs, however many a look is shared as some within debate the worth of following that order. A knock on the door disrupts the crowd before anyone can act.

"See who is there." the queen orders breathlessly. A young maid rushes to do the queen's bidding and cracks open the door just enough to see who is there.

"Majesty," she says. "It is the healer from down in the village. Shall I let her in?"

"Please." the queen responds weakly.

The maid opens the heavy wooden door and in walks a small, elderly woman. She quickly walks to the queen's bedside and begins to examine her.

"My queen," she begins. "I fear that I have arrived too late. You have already lost so much blood. I worry that you are bleeding internally."

Gasps of shock erupt throughout the room and the woman's words. Soon the sounds of quiet sobs can be heard.

"Can you save my child?" the queen asks, her face paling even further.

"I will do my best, but I make no promises." the healer states as she begins to do just that.

"The Fellstar heir must survive." the queen mutters before slipping into unconsciousness.

A short while later, the strong cries of a newborn child fill the room, but before anyone can begin to celebrate a guard bursts into the room.

"Your Majesty, there has been a coup! Your life is in danger!" He exclaims. "I'm here to get you to safety." His voice trails off as he begins to notice the tear stained faces before him. his eyes cross the room before coming to rest on the now still form laying on the bed.

"The, the child? Did the child make it?" he questions, hoping that the worst has not yet come to pass.

"Alive. She's alive and well." the healer responds.

"Well that's something." he says, running his hand through his hair. "The Fellstar heir lives, we must strive to make sure it stays that way."

"Agreed." The healer calmly states, her eyes changing form earthy green to startling white. "You." she says as she points to the young maid who opened the door. "You and this guard here will take the child and hunt down a Leaper. From there you will realm hop until you are not even sure of exactly where you are." The echo of someone more powerful than the lowly village healer flows through her voice. "In one thousand years the heir will be found. But all will not be as it seems. This amulet will guide the one who seeks." she states, producing a golden star shaped amulet from thin air, the ruby in the center gleaming in the candlelight. "Now go. I fear you do not have much time!"

The maid quickly takes the child from the healer and moves to an indistinct panel in the wall. Pushing a hidden button she motions for the guard to follow. The couple quickly disappear into the dark tunnel and the panel clicks shut.

The white bleeds from the healer's eyes as she looks around slightly dazed.

"What happened? Where is the child?" she exclaims wildly. Before anyone can answer her the door to the queen's chambers are smashed open and armed men, stained with blood, swarm into the room, led by a well dressed man with golden hair.

"So the queen is dead. What of her child?" he asks, venom dripping from his voice.

"Died with its mother." The healer lies.

The man glances around the room, the remaining occupants nodding their agreement over the healer's statement.

"So be it." with a small gesture from him, the armed men move into the room with their swords drawn. As the blood pools and soaks into the plush carpet, the pendant lays gleaming.