Nicole Zoltack - Legends of the Grave Lagoon

Created with Vellum

To my fellow Princess Bride fans

P rincess Adelia Delafontaine of Silva did her very best not to feel out of place. After all, all of this grand feast was in her honor, although she hadnt been the one to truly put an end to the reign of terror of the living dead. For countless years, Silva had a Day of Reapening, with one of their number chosen to be the yearly sacrifice as a Reapee so that their kingdom might prosper.

No more.

Tristan Wilde, a young man who possessed magic, had given up every bit of that inherent ability to trap the living dead of Mistpass in a barbaric realm where they fought against the living dead with some of the previous Reapees.

Adelia had been the last chosen Reapee, but so, too, had Tristians mother, Beatrice. The living dead had feasted on the Reapees, trapped within the hidden realm contained by Mistpass, but now, that portal had been destroyed.

Yes, there was no denying that they had much and more to celebrate, and yet, all Adelia wished to do was to find a quiet moment with Tristan.

Mayhap he could kiss her again.

But there was one other topic that was not far from her mind.

When she had told her father, King Jameson Delafontaine, that they were free, that there would be no more Reapenings, he had mumbled the most curious thing.

If only the legends of the Grave Lagoon werent true.

Then, he had gone on and on about the feast that was not laid at the princesss feet, and Adelia struggled not to feel that icy tendril of fear.

Her father would not be using this feast as an excuse to keep her mind diverted elsewhere? Clearly, he hadnt intended to mention the Grave Lagoon.

Adelia had been almost everywhere in Silva, but there were a few places she had never traversed. One was the Grave Lagoon. Another was the Savage Tropics. Everyone knew that both locations, as well as a few others, housed many perils, or so they had been told, but as much as Adelia reflected hard on the matter, she could not recall having ever been told what precisely there was to fear about either location.

She smiled and nodded to all of the families who came up to shower her with gratitude, most of which were the families of those she had returned to them. Not only had she and Tristian fought back the living dead, trapping them in a hidden realm that none could access now, but the other Reapees had been returned to life and no longer faced the worry that one day, they would join the living dead's horde, once their life had been depleted away to the point of them no longer being alive as a human, but as something else entirely.

Adelia did what she could to appease the guests, even as she found herself glancing around, wondering where her parents were, where Tristian was. These people should, by rights, be thanking him or at least thanking them both, not merely her. Was he helping himself to food? Or had he left altogether? She supposed Tristian, who had lived alone for quite some time and near the Mistpass at that in the hopes of learning what had happened to his mother once she Departed as Reapee, would not be accustomed to quite so large of a crowd.

Even she felt more than a little overwhelmed by it all. Normally, all of the ceremonies and celebrations were held because of her parents, by her parents, for her parents and not her, so that everyone was seeking her out instead made her feel a bit uncomfortable.

Not that it should. She had been to balls and celebrations and feasts before. One day, she would be the Queen of Silva. There truly was no need for her to feel so out of sorts.

As time trudged onward, Adelia soon realized she had not eaten a single morsel. All around her, people were enjoying their food and engaging in conversations while she stood on a dais as if all wished to see her and her alone. Bah, there were not even guards on the dais with her, but rather on the ground in front of it.

Doing her best to keep her expression neutral and not reveal how cross she was, Adelia hurried off the dais. Well, in as much as she could hurry. Her mother, Queen Kathrynne Delafontaine, had chosen Adelias gown, and it was so very heavy with thick fabric that Adelia could not run in it. The beadwork was exquisite, the bodice covered in sparkling gemstones, and Adelia felt as if she were on display to shove off the might of Silva.

It nearly sickened her. Her people had been cursed, and none of them had known it, but their ancestors, the one who had mocked Daegon, the God of Death and the Afterlife, and treated him with spite and disrespect, had been the first Reapees. They had been the ones who made the Reapening necessary. All of those lives lost

Now, though, Daegon had made a simple enough demand of the people of Silva.

I wish for a feast to be held in my honor every year, and I demand the fattest calf as a sacrifice as well as the best crop of the year to be burned in the offering. That is all I ask of you."

This was technically the second feast in as many days. The first had been held for Daegon and Daegon alone.

Adelia approached one of the many tables that had been set up outside the castle to hold the food for the feast, but none of the scullery maids would allow her to serve herself. They filled plate after plate for her, and she did not know how she could ever eat this much.

Perhaps she should have been careful what she had asked for.

But before she took more than a few bites of the roasted duck, she spied her father. Carrying her plate with her, she crossed over to him.

Father, might I have a word? she asked.

Her father eyed her and then glanced around. Was he trying to make an escape? Or was she being paranoid?

What is it you need, my daughter? he asked, his deep voice booming. Have you not enjoyed the food?

Ive had a few bites, she said dryly. I wish for you to tell me something.

Go on.

"You have nothing to hide from me, yes? After all, one day, I will be the queen. One day long from now, I hope, naturally."

Naturally, he said, his tone matching hers in dryness. What do you wish to know? Why do you think I am hiding something from you?

The legends of the Grave Lagoon, she started.

Instantly, her father froze. His expression became that of a mask, a very blank look, the one he wore when he was speaking with someone he did not trust. She had seen it only a few times. Her father did not suffer anyone he did not trust, and so she had only seen his face look like this when he had to deal with the precious few criminals in their land.

I was hoping you could tell me about them, Adelia continued, trying to ignore the pit forming in her stomach.