A Riddle Unveiled by Owl Girl Blue (red queen ebook .txt) 📖

“Yawn” Anaïs awoke to the sound of chirping birds and to the sight of the rising sun. It was so peaceful, not at all like the bustling castle that she was so used to. It hit her right there and then that she hadn’t spent a night away from the castle since her last extreme mission over a year ago, it was a troubling thought as she probably wouldn’t get back to the castle for at least 4 months. She stretched then dressed before remembering about the mission info from the queen and her letter from dearest Stephan.
 
It was a tough choice really for which to read first but finally Anaïs decided it best to read her mission debriefing before her letter so she unfolded the paper and read to herself, “Dearest Anaïs this mission is dangerous in many ways but not only physically this mission will test your inner strength, many challenges will be faced some physical some mental. This mission is not suited for anyone but you, no-one but you could pass the first stage let alone complete the many stages that make up this mission. This mission is crucial to the whole of Elementa, if you fail Elementa falls into the hands of an unknown and so far unconquerable force. Not a single citizen will live through the invasion of this force so it is in your best interest to complete this quest. To begin you will only know of what is expected of you in the first stage. For the first stage to be completed you must hunt down the oldest riddle known to Elementa, the riddle that was created by the first inhabitant of our land the magical Prim Genitus. It was she who gave birth to the 5 magical founders- Aqua Genitus, Naturae Genitus, Terra Genitus, Ignis Genitus and Aeris Genitus they then founded the 5 kingdoms, which were later named after them. They also passed on the powers that their creator had given them, Aqua passed on the elemental powers of water, Naturae the elemental powers of nature, Terra the elemental powers of earth, Ignis the elemental powers of fire and Aeris the elemental powers of air.”
 
Anaïs stopped to catch her breath, it seemed her mission was a little more than the average assassination that she was normally handed, this mission sounded like it actually mattered. She took a deep breath and kept reading. “Prim created the land upon which we now live, she created the magic that many of us have in our blood, she created our founders, she created everything we need to survive and she also created two riddles. One riddle was the riddle of creation and was passed down the lines of the Naturae heirs, the other was a riddle that no-one ever saw, instead she passed information about the riddle down the lines of the Terra heirs. I currently have ownership of this information and it insists that the riddle will one day save Elementa from invasion, it also says that the earth heir with this information would be sent a sign when the riddle had to be found and that then it was their choice for whom to send to uncover the riddle. Less than 2 weeks ago I had a dream in which an angel came to me saying that it is time for the riddle to be uncovered or else Elementa will be no more. Then the dream was over. I gave myself a week to mull over the dream before deciding to send you. As soon as I as made up my mind I knew I had made the right choice, immediately I had you informed that you had a mission to complete.”
 
Anaïs was shocked; all this information to take in about the riddles plus the fact that when faced with a crucial choice the queen had chosen her to complete a quest had her completely overwhelmed. Anaïs’ life had never been simple and as an orphan she was often neglected and mistreated. That was of course until the Queen had chosen her to serve as her daughter’s private assassin, this had been until yesterday the uncontested best day of her life. She had felt so important when the Queen of Terra herself had walked into the orphanage asking to see her and she was feeling that same importance now, but this time on an even higher scale. With thoughts of gratitude Anaïs kept reading.
 
“Now to the bad part, I am sorry to inform you but the information passed to me from my father did not include a location for the riddle so I have no definite idea as to where it is at this current point in time. However I do have a few ideas that may help you find it. First of all there is the possibility of using spiritual guidance like the guidance that told me that it was time for the riddle to be found however to get that kind of spiritual guidance you will need the help of an Aeris citizen. The catch with this is that as you most likely know the Aeris kingdom have cut themselves off from the other 4 kingdoms and have declared war on the Naturae kingdom. I know that you are coming from the Terra kingdom but you have Naturae blood in you, I have never told you this because I wanted to keep you safe, as you can see getting help from Aeris may be difficult. Another option is to visit the oldest surviving descendant of Prim- Minimus Sole. Minimus Sole is Prim’s youngest grandchild, the great great great great great great great great… aunt of King Bruler. Minimus is over 10,350 years old, she has managed to stay alive by using an elixir that she and her husband created to prolong life. Against many people’s beliefs the couple succeeded however unlike they had hoped it didn’t make them stay alive it just made them different in the way that if they died two months later they would be born once again. They were not born as babies though; they were born exactly as they were when they died, just without whatever had killed them.”
 
This part made Anaïs freeze in astonishment, she had never heard of this elixir before, but she knew she couldn’t stop to wonder. This mission was sounding more and more impossible with each word that she read! So with a both wondrous and worried expression on her beautiful face Anaïs kept on reading. “your third and final option is to try and use the creation riddle to find where this riddle is hidden to do that you will have to convince the Queen of Naturae to show you the riddle. My personal opinion is that this option will be the most difficult as the Naturae Queens have never shown the riddle to anyone not even the king ruling alongside them. If I was embarking on this quest I would choose the first option but you have Naturae blood in you so it will be equally as difficult as the second option. It is your choice entirely. I trust you to make the correct decision Anaïs and to find the riddle before it is too late. You have 1 week to prepare before you must embark, you are welcome in the castle until then. Best of luck - Queen Madchen of Terra“
 
 
 
And that was the end. All three of the options that the Queen had left her with seemed nasty but there were no other options that didn’t end with Elementa being invaded and overtaken so Anaïs decided that she had to succeed, she was determined to save Elementa, maybe then someone would finally tell her who she was and who her parents were if they were still alive because since before she can remember this had been her biggest and most important goal. This was a chance for her to become a hero and heroes often get what they want, so for Anaïs this was a way to achieve her biggest goal!

§§§§§
 
Anaïs was smiling she had just read Stephan’s letter which proclaimed his immense love to her and she couldn’t stop thinking about his handsome face smiling down at her as she kissed him not wanting to stop. After putting out the fire, brushing down her mare and packing up the few supplies she had with her that night Anaïs pulled her slim body atop her beautiful silky black mare whose coat shone in the morning sun and galloped off to inform her beloved Stephan that she still had a week until she must leave. Anaïs rode for an hour through the shining summer sun her face reflecting the powerful love and happiness that shone in her beating heart. The whole time all she thought about was her love Stephan and how when she returned from her quest they could make love once more, one day they would marry and maybe even share a tiny baby. Anaïs could not tear the picture of them kissing her in a white dress and him in a shining suit from her mind, not that she wanted to!
 
When Anaïs reached the castle she quickly unsaddled and brushed down Beauty (her mare) before rushing to Stephan’s chambers trying to act casually. This was impossible so in the end she gave up and full on sprinted towards him, not able to wait a moment longer before flinging herself into his arms and kissing him contentedly. At last she was there swinging open his door and barging in then suddenly she stopped. Anaïs stood dead still stunned into silence at the sight of two unexpected people! The people were… Princess Tiea and one of the castle healers. “Wha… Wha… What” She stuttered “what’s happening? Is something wrong?” She looked at Stephan both hurt and puzzled “why are they here?” She gestured towards the Princess and the healer. The healer looked at Anaïs as if she was insane. “I can explain this” put in a frightened and stunned looking Stephan, “but first why are you here; I thought you left for a mission?” His voice sounded different to normal, what was going on? “I just got informed that I had a week before I had to leave I came to see you before I left again” she paused “I thought you’d be happy to know that I had a little longer before I had to go” She was close to tears now, why was he acting like this.
 
 
 
 “Anaïs…” It was the Princess but before she could say any more Stephan cut her off. “If you wish I will explain what is happening here. You see I was on guard duty when I saw that her majesty was very pale and looked as though she may be sick, I brought her up here so she would be safe then fetched the healer” As he said this he looked at the healer as if to say, don’t you dare. “Isn’t that right your majesty” The Princess looked at Stephan before replying “you are perfectly correct as usual Stephan” then she said to the healer, “thankyou I must be on my way now” and she exited the room. The healer, her patient gone left too, leaving Anaïs alone with Stephan.  For a long time Anaïs just looked at him in disgust, but then she thought about what he had said and came to an agreement in her mind, what he had said made relative sense so she would let him get away with it. She told herself it was just a coincidence that he had found her instead of some other guard; it was all just a