The clouds shifted over the moon, darkening the mother planet as they floated through the sky. Eya snuck out into the night with a horse she had taken from the stables, bypassing the guards with an ease that was all too familiar to the woman. A breeze sent a chill through the trees as the queen made her way towards the Clay Bank Mountains, stealing through a few hidden paths. She rode quickly, hunched against the saddle with her cloak pulled close.
Legend kept many away from these mountains, a dark, gloomy place said to hold spirits and magic. Even those who didn't believe in magic avoided the cracks and crevices of the cliffs and crumbling rocks that told stories of great danger. Those who did believe in magic, and the old tales of a time that spoke of a world used the supernatural and unscientific to run everything around them, believed this place was the root of something dark and cold, a power no one wanted to unleash or get close to. And those who did believe that spoke of three sisters; prophets who would tell the future for a price.
The horse began to prance as they grew closer, slowing to a walk and throwing its head against the reins. At the edge of the mountains, it released a haunting cry and reared, throwing its hooves against the stone. Eya held her seat and waited for the animal to calm, swaying in balance with the uneven, panicked steps of her steed. With all four hooves on the ground once more, she calmly slipped from the saddle and threw the reins over the horse's face. She made quick work to tie it to an outcropped rock, adjusting the reins to stay tight against the nervous movements.
"Easy. You've been here before, you're fine," Eya insisted, her voice edged with more annoyance than reassurance. Her horse's nostrils flared wide and it threw its head back, dancing away from her. The queen paid little heed to the animal now, her hand fisting at side as she looked across the mountain side, waiting for the moon to slip light through the clouds and illuminate the crevice she was searching for.
A draft rushed between an opening, the cold air pushing the dirt in circles around her feet. A sliver of light broke past the clouds, revealing the crevice in the mountain side. A shadow settled over Eya's face and she pushed through, sliding her body against the harsh stones that pulled at her cloak. One, two, three. Eya counted the steps in her mind. Four, five, six. With the sixth step, the crevice opened into a shallow pool, a trickle of water dripping from the mountain wall, disturbing the water with small ringlets.
Eya pulled the dagger from her cloak and stepped to the edge. She placed the cold blade against her finger and pulled it quickly, the razor edge slicing through her skin. She dangled the dagger above the water for a moment, watching the tip as a singular crimosn drop pulled and wavered before breaking free, making the softest sound as it hit the water.
In a sudden rush, the water began to foam, swirling from the edges towards the center in a rush, seeming to pull water from nowhere as it rose and splashed upwards. Three women materialized from the spray, their dark hair flowing with the draft as bright eyes gazed at Eya in amusement.
"Oh Eya, what a lovely surprise," the prophet on the right purred.
"No Francesca, sister dear, it's Queen Eya now," Leanne corrected, the water swirling a little with her words.
"Oh, how rude of me, Queen Eya. I do hope you can forgive me for my mistake," Francesca corrected herself in a fit of laughter, spinning dramatically and offering a mocking bow.
"I don't have time for your games," Eya spit, ignoring the way her hair stood on end. She had been here before, learned the way to call the sisters to her, but her body still reacted against the danger and supernatural forces she now toyed with. "I gave my blood and I want my answers."
"Eya, Eya, Eya," Francesca chuckled, "You act like we have somewhere to be. If I recall, it was your ancestors who trapped us here for eternity, was it not? We're left here to rot and you now try to rush us? That's not very nice, now is it?" The prophet leaned closer to Eya, turning her head with a smile.
"Apologies," Eya bit out, keeping eye contact with Francesca. "Today has shown me that things aren't what I thought."
"Oh, do share. Tell us all. Who could we tell anyway? Isn't that right, Leah?" Leanne grinned, looking to the third prophet.
"My husband is having a son with another woman. Tell me what this means for the future." Eya stood stiffly, watching the sisters with a dark gaze.
The water swirled and the sisters went still, their eyes rolling back as their heads tilted.
"We see what was."
"What is."
"And what will be."
Each sister spoke and the water continued to swirl, the sound flooding through the opening in a near deafening roar. Mist sprayed across Eya's face, the queen blinking the water from her lashes without moving. After a few moments, everything died down and the sisters blinked, turning their gazes back to Eya.
"Your husband's son will rule over them all, you will be cast out, lose your title, and be back where you started. You will lose your family and your pride," Leah spoke, her voice dancing with a smug joy.
"To prevent this from happening, you must tap into your dark magic and find the woman," Francesca added, her smile widening as she leaned in close to Eya. "And make sure it won't happen again."
"You know dark magic is forbidden, that my sister and I were warned to never tap into it. The cost is too great," Eya argued, stepping back from Francesca as she lifted her chin.