In the echoing halls of Shane's personal laboratory, Eleanor watched him tweak the final gears of an intricate device on his central workbench. Though tired from endless meetings assessing the wraith attacks, excitement kindled in the queen at this clandestine progress report.
"There!" Shane proclaimed, closing the device's panel with an air of finality. He flashed Eleanor a grin. "The prototype is complete, Your Majesty. Allow me to demonstrate..."
With reverent hands, Shane activated the machine, a symphony of whirrs and clicks filling the domed chamber. The apparatus began projecting streams of illumination that coalesced into a flickering, but recognizable image hovering before them.
Eleanor's eyes widened, marveling at the revolving likeness of Eldoria's royal palace captured seemingly out of thin air. "Shane...it's astonishing! A projection system harnessing lucidum energy without any lens or glass."
"Exactly!" Shane exclaimed. "The lucidum particles act as the image conduit, straight from my mind. Think of the possibilities, Eleanor..." His voice took on an ardent tone. "We could use this technology to inspire the people in the wake of those horrific attacks."
Eleanor reached out to grasp his calloused hands, pride welling up within her breast. "Only you could pioneer such marvels, my friend. Eldoria shall know hope again, thanks to your genius."
Shane smiled softly, squeezing her slender fingers. "Ever a team, my queen."
There they stood for a few moments, unified in purpose - ruler and engineer, visionaries peering into a dawning future only they could envisage. A new age for Eldoria fashioned by their shared passions, emerging radiant from the tough challenge of their recent tribulation.
No sooner had Shane powered down the lucidum projector than urgent shouts and clanging bells erupted from the courtyard outside. Trading alarmed looks, Shane and Eleanor rushed to the windows which faced the capitol gates.
There they saw a dozen riders in midnight livery, flanked by Prince Vincent's personal banner and clearly bearing tidings of ill intent.
"Quickly now, let's intercept them before they reach the front hall," Eleanor said tensely, sweeping towards the laboratory doors with Shane close behind.
Reaching the courtyard first, they arrived to see the lead rider, Captain Verus, conferring in hushed tones with the gate captain. Noticing the queen's approach, Verus broke off and bowed hastily.
"Your Majesty! Grave news I bear from His Highness..." The man's face was haggard, his scarlet cloak muddied from hard riding.
"What has happened?" Eleanor demanded. "Have the wraith armies returned to Vincent's borders?"
"Would that they had, my queen," Verus replied heavily. "It is the Archduchess...His Highness' beloved sister has disappeared without a trace from their family's summer palace."
Eleanor drew a sharp breath as Shane muttered an oath. Vincent's radiant sister Octavia was renowned as a patron of magical arts and sciences. Her loss struck a cord of sympathy in Eleanor's heart.
"Does Vincent have any leads on her whereabouts?" she asked urgently.
The captain shook his head. "None yet. His Highness only knows she was abducted through some powerful dark means. He has locked down the palace seeking clues and sent me to request your magical assistance for finding the culprits."
Exchanging resolute looks with Shane, Eleanor made her decision. "Inform Prince Vincent that I shall depart within the hour. His sister will be found, have no doubt."
As Verus hurried off to prepare an escort, however, Eleanor felt cold claws of intuition raking her spine. For what hostile forces now stirred in their realms, seeking to bring monarchs low through such personal anguish? Who had something this serious against Vincent's kingdom?
Queen Eleanor swiftly assembled her royal assistant companions within Vincent's guest palace after arriving by a wind rider escort. Captain Verus had provided disturbing reports of signs of magical infiltration in Princess Octavia's chambers - scorch marks marring the stone floors, shards of darkened glass littering the plush Persian carpets. It spoke of an intense struggle amid the finery.
Vincent himself paced before the vast marble fireplace like a caged wolf, scenarios of vengeance etching his noble features. He appeared years older, the weight of his torment plain to see.
"Eleanor...your presence is a balm amidst this nightmare," he rasped, taking her hands. "Octavia must be found before those monsters harm her further!"
Gently extricating herself, Eleanor waved over her tracking expert, the sylvan-blooded loremaster Vaelen. "We shall learn what we can. Now Vaelen, attune your instruments and sweep this chamber top to bottom. Not an etherial trace is to be overlooked."
As Vaelen worked, his amber eyes glowing beneath green hair, Shane kept watch near the ravaged picture window. His mechanical monocle clicked and whirred, modifying settings to pierce magical cloaking effects. Time crawled by agonizingly slow before Vaelen gasped and held up a pulsing purple crystal.
"Here! I have the magical signature," he breathed. "Faint but unmistakable..." He continued breathlessly.
Vincent was at his side in an instant. "Well? To whom does it belong so I might carve out their heart myself!"
Vaelen regarded the crystal grimly. "I had hoped that initial indications were wrong, but the shards do not lie. This is Fae magic...from the Unseelie Court."
A terrible silence enshrouded the room at his pronouncement. Then Eleanor recalled eerie whispers months prior of the mad Dread Queen amassing power in her glacier palace. Glamour magics capable of disguising the vilest monsters in fair form. She met Vincent's thunderous gaze, their thoughts aligned.
"Then we know who has her...and where." Eleanor's voice was deadly cold. "Shane, summon our forces. Before two moons pass, we storm those accursed halls of ice and reclaim the princess!"
Nothing now would halt their retribution. Ancient pacts be damned. The Dread Queen would rue touching Eldorian royalty's loved ones...