The Story
Many ages ago, several generations past...
... a trial was held, and Queen Muiraid stood in judgment before a panel of men. One of those men-the former magistrate-she had once loved deeply. Little is known of the trial and it's details, but Muiraid was found guilty on flimsy charges. She was sentenced to death by the man she loved, and was brought to the tower to await her fate. When she was informed that she would be executed by dawn's first light, she decided then and there that dawn would never come.
She wove an intricate spell, cursing the land to remain forever hidden from the sun. In her fury, she not only destroyed all in the castle where she'd once been prisoner, but she claimed it for her own. Muiraid's dragons patrol the borders of Evernight. Citizens for generations have been sending their children to fight in the Border War in a foolhardy attempt to destroy Muiraid and retake their land. It is hard to sustain hope in such a land as this...
Along comes a plain girl named Bryony.
She is poor and she is without any magic. If one were to walk past her on the road, they might likely forget her or underestimate her. But when Bryony's love is stolen by Queen Muiraid, she bravely gives up every small comfort she's ever known and embarks on a quest to rescue the man she loves.
Along the way, she encounters a bold little fox. They ultimately becomes friends, and he guides her through the dark world despite her insistance that she can do it herself. It is ultimately the friendship and mentorship of the little fox-named Master Sho-who shows Bryony she can be vulnerable and strong at the same time. She can ask for help and it's okay. She can be running to something and running away from something at the same time. It's just important to be honest with yourself about why you're doing the thing you're doing, and it's crucial to have a true friend that will support you through that along the way.
They stumble onto some river pirates one day...
... and ultimately what happens next is a journey is born along the river.... on a rickety old barge. Well, it's not really a barge... more of a slab of wood. But the river pirates are working on buying a ship. Really. They are...
An impossible quest ends where the curse began..
Muiraid's castle, now covered in vines, thorns, and guarded by her midnight dragon, is where the final battle takes place. Can one small girl break a thousand year curse? Can one small light make a difference in a dark world?
The answer may lie in the poem...
"Three loves
Three forms of love
To lift the curse of darkness
The love of a lover
The love of a friend
And above all, the power of forgiveness."