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The Crown of Alerah

Old queen Belkis marched down the palace corridor with all the energy of a young prince. Rebellious spirals had fallen loose from her graying chignon, seeming to proclaim a spirit even years could not mellow.

It was easy to imagine that she had been immensely beautiful in her youth, but evident she still took pride in her appearance. Nearly everything about her reflected a streak of vanity, from her well-manicured hands, to the sweet perfume lingering in the corridor behind her. Over her gown she wore a majestic robe, which swept the ground. Despite its bulk, it barely made a whisper as she moved, for its fabric was soft and fluid. Its winterish color contrasted pleasantly with her dark skin. The back of it had a glossy white stag embroidered onto it, which was difficult to see at times, depending on the lighting.

A male lion followed her. Unlike most lions, he was nearly as big as a pony, and his fur was the color of fresh snow. He walked with unbreakable intensity, taking long, graceful strides, his tail curled up at the end. He was the only "royal security" the queen needed; his mere presence was more ominous than fifty armed men.

She reached the large heavy doors of her throne room and threw them open, nearly hitting a pair of council's attendants on the other side. Her throne room was the place where most important decisions were made for the kingdom. As was often the case, it hummed with commotion. Numerous servants, the royal administration, council, and other courtiers were inside, seated around her empty throne. They appeared to have been in the middle of a heated argument, but now their attention was on her.

"It has been over a year," she told them. Her resonant voice carried to the furthest corner of the chamber. "Begin preparations for the ceremony at once, and see that everyone attends, from the highest dignitary to the lowest beggar."

Ally leaned into to the horse she was grooming. The morning was bitter cold, and the horse was warm. At the moment she didn't care if prickly hairs drifted into her underwear, soon to torment her all day.

Normally she worked inside the compounds as a scullery maid. But the regular stable boy was sick, and all the men were out on a twelve-day hunt. Other than him, she was the only one left behind courageous enough to handle Lord Elgin's high-strung destriers. While the change in routine was refreshing for her, it also meant sleeping in the stable with the animals. No fire was allowed inside; only the horses' bodies kept it warm. When the temperatures dipped below freezing, that wasn't enough.

She felt fortunate to have strange blood in her ancestry. It made her a little tougher to the elements. Still, the night had been uncomfortable. She curried the horse fast and hard, hoping that would warm her. Maybe in a few minutes, when she was warmer, she would feel anger boiling inside her... not so much for herself, but for the poor stable boy, who would have to endure this cold all winter. He could even die from the cold, and Lord Elgin wouldn't even care, except for the inconvenience of finding a replacement.

This incident, among others, had opened her eyes to a stark revelation: horses often received better consideration than underprivileged workers in this land. Indeed, in mind of most lords and ladies here, she was worth only a fraction of the battle- worthy stallion she was grooming.

She gave the horse a spank on the neck. Its thick dappled body tensed up. She smiled, amused by how such a powerful animal could have such a delicate psyche. With brisk flicks of her wrist, she began brushing it down, using the brush as a broom to whisk off the hairs she had loosened with the curry. Every few strokes she ran the brush over the currycomb, ridding it of hair.

To her surprise, she felt serene as the minutes passed. Perhaps it was the soothing action of grooming a horse. Or maybe it was because she remembered she had the power to change things. It was time for her to drift away from Lord Elgin's holding, the same way she had drifted to and from places across Feyenor all year. Only this time she wasn't going to another holding or inn. Her grandmother's quest for her was over.

Queen Belkis burst into the chamber.

Ally was inside, standing on a luxurious rug by the fireplace. Maidservants bustled around her. Two of them were untangling her damp auburn hair, while a third was massaging the last remnants of beauty lotion into her face. A fourth was making adjustments to her breathtakingly beautiful silk robe. The robe was silvery in color, delicately embroidered with deer leaping through a winter forest.

"Shoo! Shoo!" the queen bellowed at the attendants, waving them away like they were flies. The attendants fled the chamber in all four directions.

Ally's face lit up. "Grandma!" she exclaimed, her teeth looking white against her dark skin.

"Princess Alerah, you are alive!" the queen declared, enveloping her with her arms. She planted a firm kiss on her cheek, and then pulled her away to study her. "But you have lost some weight."

Ally grimaced and pulled her grandmother back into an embrace, squeezing her tightly as though she would never let go. She rested her head on her shoulder, and closed her eyes, her brow furrowed.

The queen smiled, noticing the strength in her granddaughter's arms. She tried to rake her fingers through the princess's freshly washed hair, but one of her diamond rings became entangled in the hair. For a moment the woman were stuck together. They laughed. The queen removed the ring from her finger, and then went about untangling it from the hair. After she finally retrieved it, she said, "In two weeks from today, my dear, you will be crowned queen of Feyenor."

"W- what?"

"My crown shall be retired to the Hall of Crowns, and a new one is being made... for you."

"Why?" Ally asked. Her voice was soft, but there was intensity in her silver eyes. She had already come to suspect she would be chosen as the next queen of Feyenor, over her cousins. Why else would the queen have sent her on such a quest? But this was too sudden. Her grandmother had more strength and energy than people a third of her age. Most assumed she would rule Feyenor for years to come.

"Long has my heart desired..." the queen began, but her voice trailed off. She took a deep breath and declared, "You will be a good queen, my dear. You are far more kind and gentle than I am. Perhaps you will be known as the 'Earth Queen', steady and logical. I was known as the 'Fire Queen', unpredictable... and often furious. Truth be told, I put Feyenor through a little you-know-what they'd rather forget."

Both women laughed, but the questioning intensity did not leave Ally's eyes. The women became serious again, and then the queen said, "You are such an enigma, my dear. So serene, so rational. But your eyes suggest otherwise... full of wildness. Like your grandfather's eyes. Like your father's eyes.

I will ride south, across the desert, to the dark lands of Heridion. I will find your father, dead or alive, and bring him back to Feyenor." There was a moment of dreadful silence, and then she added, "Or whatever's left of him."

If Ally's eyes were intense before, now they were like liquid silver embellished with stars. Especially as her grandmother unfastened a large, brilliant diamond from around her neck, and refastened it around her own. The diamond had come from the only man her grandmother had ever loved. The queen had worn it at her heart ever since his death many years ago and had never parted with it, even in the bath.

"This", the queen told her, "is yours to keep." For a moment she kept her dark hand on Ally's collarbone, over the diamond. Then she reluctantly retracted it.

The day of Ally's coronation turned out to be a stormy one. Snow had started falling the day before, and continued to fall steadily. Nevertheless the ceremony took place outdoors, for it was custom for royalty to be crowned in a public place. This allowed everyone in the kingdom, from the greatest lord to the lowest beggar, to catch a glimpse of their new sovereign.

The new public gardens of Feyenor had been chosen for this event, because they encompassed acres and acres of rolling lawn. During the summer, the lawn was lush and green. But now it was covered with snow, and thousands of people.

Contrary to what Queen Belkis had implied about her reign, there was not a dry eye in Feyenor as her crown was retired to the Hall of Crowns. Her crown had been like a pair of stag's antlers, magnificent and grand... perfect for a queen known for her readiness for a fight.

A new crown was brought forth. The crown of Alerah. Hers resembled a ring of branches encircling a leaping stag. It had a more complicated and ornate design than her grandmother's crown had. Ally looked at it with trepidation. She knew it was heavy, and that whenever she wore it she would have to keep her head level, to prevent it from falling off.

The snow stopped.

Ally glanced nervously toward her grandmother, and then looked again, having noticed something strange. The old queen's lion, Snowfire, had his front end low to the ground, with his massive head tucked between his front legs. It took a moment for her to realize he was in a position of reverence. Others had noticed this too. They looked at her. Her eyes darted to and fro, and then she turned around. There, behind her, she saw something that ran a chill down her spine.

A black beast was approaching them through the crowd. It was so fearful, that the people around it either ran away, fainted, or stood paralyzed. Except for one small child, who stood his ground, pointing with wonder.

Ally had never seen a creature like it, nor even heard of anything like it. At the shoulders, it was taller than some people's dwellings. Its legs were long, and it walked with mesmerizing grace. Silky hair covered most its body, which moved with the slightest breeze, as if the hair had a life of its own. Because of the cold, the beast's breath came out in great puffs, creating an illusion of smoke coming from its nostrils. As it drew nearer, Ally saw that it had long curved nails, like a dragon. They looked deadly. So did the long spiraled horn originating from its forehead. Indeed, the beast could have obliterated the lion Snowfire in an instant, if it wished.

It ascended the long shallow stairs, to where Princess Alerah stood, and looked down at her. Its eyes burned a bright amber, like fire.

Ally swallowed... hard. Then she did the only thing she could think of at the moment: she kneeled, both knees pressed into the snow, and dropped her gaze.

The creature lowered its head, trying to reconnect with her eyes, and then looked back. A retinue of servants on horseback was pulling in behind it, followed by a substantial entourage that seemed to consist of people from all parts of the Empire. Some in the entourage were dressed in the way of the desert, smelling of exotic spices, riding hot tempered little horses. Others were extremely pale as though they were children of the snow itself, and wore thick furs. Many in the entourage had tiny jewelry bells sewn into their clothing and horses' tack. The air was filled with the sweet sound of them, among other things.

Strong men came forward from the beast's retinue, carrying an enormous washbasin. They set it down, and filled it quickly, using water that had been loaded onto some of the horses. With ease, the creature dunked its fore claws into the water, washed them, shook them, and then dried them with two blanket-sized cloths provided by a servant. A tan freckled woman emerged from the retinue. She had a thick mane of sun kissed braids, and was richly attired in browns, which set off her blue eyes. In her arms she carried a large bundle of neatly folded fabric. The creature took it from her and unfolded it, using its surprisingly dexterous claws. The bundle was a robe, embellished with the seal of the Empire. The back of it had a stag's head on it.

Ever so gently, the beast laid the robe over Ally's back. She felt warmth engulf her, and looked up. Now she knew what she was looking at... The Emperor. She had heard so little about him: only that he was not of human form; that he was as ageless as the Empire itself, never growing old, never dying; that no one really knew or remembered where he had come from; that his mere presence in battle had caused the most determined enemies to surrender. Her grandmother, who was very learned in history, had taught her these things... but even her grandmother seemed to have a vague knowledge of him.

"A child of Feyenor," the Emperor said softly, revealing a mouth full of sharp white teeth.

Ally was speechless. Nothing could have prepared her for this.

"I heard that Feyenor was to crown a new sovereign," he continued, "and that everyone was to attend the coronation, from the highest to the lowest. So I too, have come."

Ally stabbed an accusing glance toward her grandmother. But just by looking, she could tell her grandmother had nothing to do with this. The old queen was staring dumbly at the sight before her, with eyes wider than platters and her mouth ajar. The princess looked back to the Emperor, and muttered, "I-I am honored you have come."

The Emperor extended his claw. Ally took hold of one of his massive nails, and allowed him lift her to her feet. Up close, it seemed as if his smooth nails had been carved from obsidian and polished to a glass-like finish. However the tips of them were worn and dull from traveling long distances.

Back on her feet, she thrust her arms through the sleeves of her new robe, suddenly glad to have it. Cold was starting to overcome her, from kneeling in the snow.

"Perhaps you would fancy a little walk, your Highness?" the creature asked, "Or are you in too much a hurry to wear your new crown for a little talk between us?"

"No!" Ally replied hastily, and then blushed a silvery color, embarrassed by her abrupt reply. "I mean, I'd be glad to walk with you."

The people watched their young queen-to-be walk out with the Emperor. Many had known her personally during her quest. Some felt deep shame, for they had treated her badly, thinking she was a worthless drifter. Others felt pride, having been her friend. But whether they were friend or foe, they all wished they had treated her a little more like a queen when she was with them.

Murmurs rose and fell among them as they speculated about the conversation between her and the Emperor. Was he asking for a political favor? Or was he dispensing old age wisdom on ruling kingdoms? Or were they talking about eating?

"Your heart can mislead you," the Emperor told Ally as they were returning from their walk. "Listen to it, but don't follow it. Don't let it impair your judgment."

"If my heart is not to be trusted, then what is?"

"Truth... and love. Possess truth, and your judgment will be flawless. Allow yourself to be possessed by love, and your motives will remain pure."

They climbed back up the wet shallow stairs together. Ally noticed how the stairs were fractured in places, because of the Emperor's weight. The Emperor looked sheepishly away, and nodded his head toward the freckled woman, as if to secretly tell her, Be sure it gets fixed. Ally tried to suppress a laugh, but failed miserably. Especially since she saw more cracks forming, wherever he set a massive claw down.

He ignored her laughter and faced the old queen. "The princess tells me you are about to embark on a perilous journey to an even more perilous destination." He glanced back toward the freckled woman. She came to his side, as if beckoned by an invisible call. He continued, "I send with you my favored servant, Kai- Ila. She is familiar with the desert territory, and has even traveled within the boundaries of Heridion. She knows several languages, and could lead an army... among other things."

He looked down at Kai-Ila, and sighed almost sadly. She smiled at him reassuringly, but he did not return the smile. There was a distance in his eyes no one could quite make out. A murmur went through his entourage. They all knew Kai-Ila was more than a favored servant; she was like a daughter to him. Why was he letting her go with the old queen of Feyenor on such a foolish quest?

"Why... thank you," the old queen replied, unable to conceal hope in her voice. "You are indeed a blessing to the Empire."

After Ally had endured the tedious rituals and vows for coronation, the council asked the Emperor if he would coronate their new queen. He obliged. Ever so gently he set the heavy crown down on the princess's head and said, "I declare you sovereign over Feyenor, a kingdom under jurisdiction of the Braulian Province, which is under jurisdiction of the Empire of the Seven Provinces, which is under me. You serve your people, your province, your empire, and your emperor."

It is like a marriage to my kingdom, Ally thought to herself.

Large snowflakes started swirling down. They dotted her auburn hair, her new robe, and the Emperor's jet-black fur. Within seconds, everything around them became white.

The next morning Queen Alerah watched her grandmother swing up on to a big gray stallion, and ride away to the south, through the frozen forests of Feyenor. Like always, her grandmother rode with a straight back, and at the canter, as if horses had no slower gait. Kai-Ila rode beside her, not needing to urge her feisty little desert-bred chestnut to keep up with the gray. The woman's retinues chased after them, along with a small militia. Snowfire, the lion, followed them too, but at a steady trot, as though he knew it would be a long journey, and meant to conserve energy.

Ally's eyes were wild and intense, like molten silver embellished with stars. She had been standing alone on a high balcony, with a cloak wrapped tightly around her body. Her eyes scanned the south, long after there was nothing to see.

Suddenly Feyenor seemed so empty.

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The Doll

Queen Alerah was formerly a "Ready-To-Wear Runway Esme" doll, by Robert Tonner, and stood 16 inches tall. She had been given a full facial re-paint, using quality artist acrylic paints and varnishes.

Her eyes were painted to portray a little of the dread she felt about becoming queen. Do you see a little fear? Perhaps there is a little wildness in them too.

The eyes were silver, using metal disks for the pupils and tiny metal flakes to embellish the highly-detailed irises. The irises were capped with gloss to make them look more like glass eyes than painted ones. No reflections were painted on them; it all came from the gloss. Her upper lashes were real hairs, painstakingly glued on one at a time.

While her makeup was done in warm, natural browns, her cheeks were faintly blushed in silver... the color of her blood.

One of her most unique assets were her pointed ears, a characteristic which came from her rare ancestry. The ears were sculpted of Premo! Sculpey, and had been attached to her head using super glue. Layers of tough paint were then used to blend them so seamlessly to her head, making them seem as though they were part of her mold.

The Costume

The Gown

Alerah's white high-waisted coronation gown was a masterpiece. The bodice featured over 60 hours of hand embroidery, which then was dappled with seed beads and sequins. The inside of the embroidery had been lightly painted with winterish glitter. All the hand work helped the gown appear as though it had been put together by dozens of seamstresses instead of machines. The pattern of the embroidery resembled plants caught in a deep early morning freeze. Like nature, the pattern was repetitive, but not completely symmetrical.

The back of the gown used sturdy laces. They made getting the dress on and off easy, but a little time-consuming; there were 18 rings to loop through.

Much of her gown was permanently heat crinkled, including her long detachable chiffon cape, and over-skirting. This created breathtaking billows of fabric.

Overall, the gown was a perfect "fairytale" gown.

It paid a splendid homage to the beauty of winter.

Like all costumes by Brutal Sun Studio, it was fully removable, intended to be a cherished collectible in its own right, apart from the doll. It was made according to high standards; every seed bead was sewn 4 threads strong, and every part of it was either lined, or had rolled seams.

The Robe

Her robe was cut from a very glossy material, with a color-shifting quality. It looked flat brown in person, but was really orange woven with black (making it a nightmare to photograph, but breathtaking in person). The back of it had a stag's head painted onto it... the royal symbol of Feyenor.

Its short sleeves had beaded tassels on them, with little jewelry bells at the ends. The soft sound of those little bells was so sweet.

The striking bead-work was very sturdy, of course.

The robe was fully lined with white dress lining, and was easy to take on and off the doll.

The Crown and Jewelry

Like in the story, the crown was surprisingly heavy. It was crafted from tarnish resistant wire and jewelry findings. A little stag charm dangled from its center, suspended in space, as though leaping high in the air.

Around her wrists she wore some bracelets, hinting at exotic influences (like India would be, in our world). Because of their ability to travel, and their influence on people, royalty were often trendsetters for exotic fashion.

The flaming amber beads added a little "fire" to the costume.

Alerah's chandelier-style earrings were crafted from very thin wire. A tiny board with pegs in it was used to create the little loops. Because of the way they were jointed, the earrings had a realistic dangle.

Around her neck, Alerah wore her Grandmother's diamond. The diamond was a dazzling swaravaki crystal. It had been wire-wrapped in a zigzagged fashion, perhaps symbolizing how her grandmother's heart was secretly shattered the day her grandfather died.

Overall, the jewelry added a lot of realism to the doll.

Snow boots, and Under-cloths

Beneath the gown, Alerah wore a pair of white drawstring pants (not fully pictured and lifted to show the boots in the picture on the left). They looked comfy, and had a flattering loose cut. They went over her boots, down to her ankles.

On her feet she wore a pair white of snow boots, which helped her survive her stormy coronation. They were cut from a stiff white brocade featuring a floral design. A very light wash of glitter was painted over them. The soles were made from leather.

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Auction

Alerah was sold on eBay in December of 2005.

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