The Last Spell

The Last Spell

Queen Ermanthal was ill unto dying. But you wouldn’t know it. She sat up in bed surrounded by book after book, looking for something.

“Your Majesty is there something I can do for you? Comb your hair perhaps?” her youngest maid asked.

“No, my dear, “she said mechanically without looking up from her search.

Not to be deterred, the sweet-faced child sat on a footstool by her bed.

“May I be so bold, Highness to ask what you are looking for?” she wondered.

“My final spell, the one I wish to make before my passing. By tradition, it must be unique to me, of benefit to my people and everlasting.”

“Then why do you look in books, your Grace? The spells of others are none of those things.”

The Queen stopped her frantic search and stared at the girl.

“How did you get so wise, Tulla my child?”

She blushed and dropped her eyes.

“I just wondered, My Queen.”

The Queen patted her bedcovers, and the maid climbed up beside her.

“If you were us, what would you do?”

“Summon the Sleep Fairy and ask for a daydream,” Tulla said.

The Queen waved her wand, and the Sleep fairy appeared. Bowing low to his Queen, he waited.

“We need a daydream, Tulla and me. Take this ring as your payment.”

He nodded and lightly sprinkled them with sand mixed with fairy dust. Ermanthal’s head fell back on her heaped pillows and Tulla clutched her hand. We never heard what she dreamed about, but her final spell was just what it needed to be.

Being childless, the Queen had long ago decided on her successor. Tulla became Queen after her and used her final spell to aid her in ruling as justly and compassionately as possible.

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