Unbeknownst to the common citizens of Meisterae, deep within the palace, there is a door that holds Meistarae’s most precious secret. It is under constant watch by guards who are equally oblivious as to what they were actually protecting. What could be so important that even the guards are not allowed to know why they are laying down their lives to protect it? The answer is simple. A book.
The Book of Ahlsehd is the most valuable item in all of Meisterae. The Book knows all. Everything that has been and everything that will be is automatically recorded in it by ancient, forgotten magic. The kings and queens of Meisterae have kept the knowledge of The Book a secret for hundreds of thousands of years. All wars and all conflicts can be won with The Book. The past is concrete, but the future is ever changing. All a Meisterean king need do is look into his heart and open The Book to find a detailed depiction of how to make his every whim a reality. Power like this can be disastrous in the wrong hands, so the Book is kept locked away and only brought out when there is a country-wide disturbance or when it is time for the young Prince or Princess to choose a partner.
Choosing a wife or husband for the young ruler is of utmost importance. It is vital that they be qualified to rule Meisterae and honorable enough to be trusted with the secret of The Book. The royal family relies on The Book to make the perfect choice. This brings us to present day Meisterae. It is Prince Nereph’s 18th birthday and it is time to choose a bride. The Book of Ahlsehd is never-ending. It grows as it fills with the history of the land. So what is a young prince to do when he opens The Book to find the love of his life and discovers that the pages are full and the last words in The Book are… “The End”?
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Nereph stared in horror at the page. He didn’t know what to make of it. The King called out from behind him. “Well, who is it boy? Is it that adorable little countess from the eastern territory? I know you’re quite smitten with her!” The King laughed loudly at his own joke while the Queen gazed quizzically at her son. Nereph hated the Eastern Countess and was always quick to make that fact known. Only now, he wasn’t responding at all. He continued to stand stock-still, staring at the book. The Queen hesitantly stepped a little closer. “It’s ok if you didn’t get the girl you wanted, sweetheart. The Book knows all. You’ll come to love her dearly with time.” Nereph turned at the sound of his mother’s voice. “Yes, boy! If you don’t love her now, you will. Just look at your mother and I!” There was more uproarious laughter from the King, while the Queen and the prince stared at each other.
The King finally noticed that there was something wrong and grew silent. Nereph took this opportunity to finally speak. “There’s no name.” His parents watched him intently. He seemed to sway in a stupor. His face was pale and was fixed in wide-eyed terror. He turned to look at them and the Queen drew back at the sight of his face. “What do you mean, ‘There’s no name’? What’s wrong?!” The King strode forward to see for himself. He gently pushed aside Nereph who didn’t even seem to be aware of what was happening. The Queen rushed to the boy and held his face in her hands. He seemed to be looking through her. The Queen gave up trying to find a sign of life in her son’s glazed eyes and looked up at her husband. “Jarhad? What does it say?” He curtly replied, “Mrvra, go upstairs. Now. Take Nereph with you.” Mrvra grabbed Nereph by the arm and led him up the stone staircase.
Meanwhile, Jarhad took up Nereph’s former occupation. He, too, stared at the book. He’d never seen anything like this and had no clue what he should do. Mrvra was the daughter of the previous rulers. He had been chosen by the book and had married into his position as king. He had only gotten enough education about the book as was sufficient to rule the country. He didn’t have his wife’s noble breeding and history. He was starting to regret sending her away. And what of the boy? Jarhad whispered to himself in the darkness, “He knows even less than I do… He must be terrified. And what of his bride?” Panic was starting to settle upon him. He would normally consult the book in these situations, but that was obviously not an option. He closed the book and started up the stairs to consult Mrvra.
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Nereph had somewhat recovered from his ordeal. He sat on a small cushion in the royal sitting room. This room was always his favorite. He calmed his nerves by staring at the grand tapestry his father had bought for his mother many years ago as an “I love you” present. He thought of how surprised she was that day and compared it with how anxious she looked now.
Mrvra paced the sitting room watching the trap door that led to the chamber where The Book was kept. Jarhad had not yet emerged from the chamber and she was getting worried. The guards that usually stood in the sitting room had been sent away to preserve the secret of the book while Nereph learned the name of his future love. Mrvra was tempted to fetch them and had almost decided to do so when Nereph spoke up from behind her. “The end” She was startled by his voice. “What? Oh sweetheart! You’re speaking again - ” “That’s what the book said. ‘The end.’ There wasn’t a name of anyone for me to marry, just ‘the end’ and there weren’t any pages left.” Mrvra started pacing the room again at this news. As a direct descendant of the royal family of Meisterae, she had received an extensive education about the ways of the book, but this was different. Her parents had never told her of anything like this ever happening before and they’d already passed on to the other side, so she couldn’t ask them now. For the first time in recorded history, the fate of Meisterae was unknown. ~
