Chapter 96
The sun had begun its slow descent behind the mountains.
Yet no one left the mine.
The cries of rescuers echoed through the valley as stretchers continued to emerge from the smoke.
Some families rejoiced.
Others collapsed in grief.
Many...
Still waited.
By nightfall, the manor no longer looked like the home of a duke.
It looked like a place where people came to wait.
The front lawns had become a sea of canvas tents stretching across the gardens.
Blankets covered the cold ground.
Long wooden tables overflowed with fresh bread, steaming soup, boiled water and tea that few people actually, drank.
No one was hungry. No one could sleep.
Servants moved quietly among the tents, offering dry clothes, medicine and blankets to families who hadn't left the mountain since sunrise.
No one would be sent home.
Not until every miner had been found.
Whether they returned walking...Or were carried home.
Eleanor walked slowly between the tents.
Children slept wrapped in blankets far too large for them.
A grandmother quietly knitted with trembling hands, though she hadn't made a single stitch in almost an hour.
A young wife stared toward the distant mountain.
She hadn't blinked in so long that her eyes had turned red.
Eleanor stopped beside her, "When did you last eat?"
The young woman looked up as though she'd forgotten another person existed.
"I..."
She looked at the untouched bowl beside her, "...I don't remember."
Eleanor accepted a fresh bowl from Philip.
She crouched beside the young woman, "You need your strength."
"My husband...", Her voice broke.
"...he hates when soup gets cold."
Eleanor's heart tightened.
"He always says it tastes better when we eat together."
She looked toward the mountain.
"I thought...", A tear rolled silently down her face.
"...I thought we'd be having supper by now."
Eleanor couldn't find the right words.
Instead...
She simply picked up the spoon. Scooped a small mouthful.
Held it out, "Just one."
The young woman shook her head, "I can't."
"You must."
"What if...", Another tear escaped.
"...what if he comes back and I'm not there?"
Eleanor swallowed hard, "I promise you..."
She reached for the woman's hand.
"...if he comes home, someone will run to fetch you."
The woman finally accepted one spoonful.
Then another.
Each bite came with fresh tears.
The sound of carriage wheels echoed across the courtyard.
Everyone looked up.
The royal crest. The Queen had arrived.
Behind her came wagon after wagon filled with blankets, food, medicine, candles and fresh water.
Before anyone could greet her...
She had already stepped down.
Removed her gloves.
Rolled back her sleeves.
"Where do you need me?"
Eleanor blinked, "Your Majesty..."
The Queen smiled gently.
"You didn't think I'd remain in the palace while my people waited here......did you?"
For the first time all day...
Eleanor smiled.
Only a little.
"I should have known better."
The Queen laughed softly, "So should I."
Hours passed.
The fires burned lower.
Children cried themselves to sleep.
Some mothers didn't even notice.
They never took their eyes off the mountain.
The Queen stood beside Eleanor.
Neither spoke for a long time.
Finally..."I've seen wars."
The Queen's voice was barely above a whisper, "I've watched soldiers leave. "I've comforted widows."
She looked toward the mountain.
"But this..."
She swallowed, "This waiting......is somehow worse."
Eleanor nodded.
"In war......you know who left."
Her eyes remained fixed on the distant rescue camp.
"But tonight..."
She closed her eyes.
"Somewhere beneath that mountain......there are wives who don't know if they're already widows."
The Queen reached for her hand.
Neither woman let go.
A small tug interrupted the silence.
Eleanor looked down.
A little girl. No older than five. She clutched a worn wooden horse against her chest.
"Your Grace?"
Eleanor knelt, "What is it?"
The child held up the toy, "My daddy carved this."
Her tiny fingers traced the rough wood.
"He promised..."
Her lip trembled, "...he promised he'd make me another one tomorrow."
Eleanor felt something inside her break.
The little girl looked toward the mountain, "Will tomorrow still happen?"
For several seconds...
Eleanor couldn't breathe.
The Queen quietly looked away.
Philip lowered his head.
Even the nearby servants stopped moving.
Because there was no answer. Not one that wouldn't be a lie.
Eleanor opened her arms. The little girl climbed into them without hesitation.
She buried her face against Eleanor's shoulder.
"I miss him.", The words were so small.
So, innocent. They hurt more than any scream.
Eleanor held her tightly, "So do I."
The child looked up, "You know my daddy?"
Eleanor smiled through tears, "I know he's very brave."
The little girl nodded proudly, "He says brave people always come home."
Eleanor closed her eyes.
For just one second.
Only one.
Because she couldn't let the child see her cry.
"I hope...", she whispered, "...he's right."
As darkness settled over Emberforge...
The Queen asked every family to gather.
Servants quietly handed each person a single candle.
Even the children.
One little boy struggled to shield his tiny flame from the wind. His mother helped him. Then rested her forehead against his.
Neither of them spoke.
The Queen lit the first candle.
She passed the flame to Eleanor.
Eleanor lit another.
That person lit another.
Then another.
One light became ten.
Ten became a hundred.
Soon the entire valley shimmered beneath thousands of tiny flames.
Like stars had descended to earth.
The Queen lifted her candle.
"My father once told me......that darkness never disappears because someone curses it."
She looked toward the silent mountain.
"It disappears because someone chooses to carry a light."
Slowly...
Hundreds of candles were raised toward the mountain.
Eleanor stepped forward. She looked across the faces before her.
Some were streaked with tears.
Some hollow with exhaustion.
Some still searching the darkness...
As though willing the mountain to return the people it had stolen.
Her voice trembled, "My husband is there."
A silence fell.
"My daughter is there."
Another.
"My captain..."
She stopped.
Her throat tightened, "...is there."
She looked at every family.
"And each of you has someone waiting beneath that mountain."
Tears filled her eyes.
"But hear me." , Her voice grew stronger despite them.
"They are not waiting alone."
She looked around the sea of candles.
"As long as one of us remains here......none of them are alone."
Around the valley...
People reached for one another.
Strangers embraced.
Children leaned against elderly miners' wives.
A young widow held the hand of another woman who still refused to believe she was one.
No one stood alone anymore.
The Queen quietly intertwined her fingers with Eleanor's.
Neither spoke.
Neither needed to.
Every soul in the valley was praying the same prayer.
Please...
Let tomorrow still happen.
Far above them...
The mountain stood silent beneath the stars.
It answered no prayers.
It surrendered no secrets.
It simply waited.
And so did everyone below it.
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