It was a sunny day in Nyima when the Queen found out she was to soon bear the King a child. It was a joyous day for all those who lived in the castle, for the royal family of Nyima was much loved by their people.

Taking in a breath of mountain air, the Queen stood on her balcony, staring out over their beautiful lands. It had been her home for the entirety of her life, and despite the fact that she had never stepped foot on foreign soil, she would not have changed a single moment of her past for anything.

She remembered walking barefoot through the dirt roads as a child, wearing nothing more than rags. Despite the poverty of her young life, she was always bright, smiling and curious. The only thing that had really changed since her wedding to the King were the clothes on her back and the wellbeing of her family.

A strong but gentle hand fell onto her shoulder. Leaning her neck to the side, she smiled, knowing it to be the hand of her beloved husband. He took in the same deep breath of air from the mountains, feeling them fill his lungs with pride.

“Come,” said the King. “It is our oldest tradition to visit the Seer of Nyima when the Queen is carrying. She will give us her blessing, and with it, our child will grow up strong and wise and beautiful.”

And so, the King and Queen made their way from the balcony, dressed in the more fashionable clothes of the people. They quietly left the castle by horseback, riding upon great white steeds.

They rode through Kingdom, waving to the many people who smiled and watched them pass. They smiled in return and rode on, and it was not long before they made it to a small dark cabin. A single ribbon of smoke rose from the top of it.
Upon stepping down from her horse, the Queen smelled the strong scent of jasmine and was reminded of her childhood.

She had grown up not far from where they were, near the edge of Kingdom, and the reminisce brought hope and happiness to her heart.

“It is a good omen,” said the Queen. “Jasmine was my mother’s favorite flower.”

The King walked the Queen up the shallow steps and found the front door to be open. They both removed their shoes, raised their hands with their palms together and bowed, then opened their eyes and entered.

Dozens of candles lit an otherwise dim room. The smell of incense filled the air, and looking around, the Queen was reminded of her youth. Books were strewn about the room, the curtains wide open, windows cracked. In the center of the room sat an old woman upon a faded red cushion. Her eyes were closed, her legs crossed, and her hands folded gently on her lap.

Placed side by side before the Seer were two cushions. Taking their cue, the King and the Queen sat on the cushions, taking the traditional sitting posture of their people. They waited patiently for a few minutes before the old woman opened her eyes.

“It is good to see that the royal life has not kept you from your practice in patience,” the old woman said gently, taking in the sight of them one by one. She held them in her eyes, the same way a proud parent looks at their children.

The old woman took a deep breath, her expression changing. “I have had a vision of your coming and what is to come of it,” she began, her voice slightly worn. The Queen could feel the tension but did not speak.

“Come with me, my dear,” said the old woman, standing to her feet and holding out her hand. The Queen took her hand, and the old woman led her into a back room, one with all the windows blocked by woolen tapestries. She motioned for the King to join them, then had the Queen lay down on a thin mat on the floor.

“Take her hand,” said the old woman, and the King did as he was told.

He watched as the old woman lifted the Queen’s shirt, revealing her smooth belly. The Queen felt a tingling in her skin as the old woman poured a cold, clear liquid onto her stomach, then rubbed her palm gently in circles upon it.

After many long minutes, the old woman opened her eyes. “I have seen,” she said, but for a long moment after, there was only silence.

“What have you seen?” the King finally asked, his curiosity besting him.

“Patience, my king. Nothing within nature moves in haste, and we needn’t either. Now, sit up, my dear,” said the old woman. “You should be prepared for what I am about to tell you.” The Queen did as she was told and was soon sitting side by side with her husband, holding his hand.

The Seer held their eyes with a strength that could not be broken. “You should know that both of your children will be born in good health, and that each will grow to be strong and wise and beautiful.”

“Both?” the Queen whispered. The King smiled.

“However,” said the old woman, “I have seen that one of your children will grow up to be the hero of this region. One of them will learn the ways of old, listen to the voice that cannot be heard, and after a long time away from home, will return to bring peace to not only Nyima, but the rest of the world.”

The Queen could say nothing. The King’s smile widened.

“But there is a cost, my dear,” said the old woman. “What I have seen may only come to pass in one way.” She looked the Queen in the eyes. “And you are the one holding the key to that doorway.”

The Queen squeezed the King’s hand tighter. He nodded his head, prepared to listen.

“In order for this premonition to come true, you must give away your firstborn child to be raised by someone of common birth. Only on this path will they be able to become who they are meant to be.”

“Impossible,” said the King. “They will be my firstborn. What of Nyima?”

The Queen was silent.

The old woman looked gently at the King. “My dear boy, what of Nyima when the Empire comes to take it? What will happen to it then? This is a grand blessing, unlike any other I have ever seen. It is truth that all great things cannot come without sacrifice. You are the children’s parents, and it is your place to help them walk the right path.”

“You are supposed to be giving us your blessing, not telling us to abandon our child,” the King replied angrily. Yet when his voice began to rise, the Queen squeezed his hand, and his anger subsided. The Queen took the old woman in her eyes and smiled sadly, then bowed her head, stood, and walked out of the room.

She walked out of the little cabin with the thin ribbon of smoke and mounted her white horse. She was not sure if the King was following her or not. It did not matter. She rode and rode, the world a blur around her. Before she knew it, she was back in the castle. People spoke, but she could not listen. She could not think. She found her way to the balcony by the fall of night and spent many hours staring out at the stars.

Many months passed, and the Queen became fuller and fuller. She seldom spoke to the King of the premonition; for the one time they had, neither of them could come to any sort of conclusion. The King, however, thought it preposterous to give his child away.

“How can the child be given the education, training and wisdom one would need to bring an end to the reign of the Empire under the tutelage of someone of common birth?” The King had once said. She had responded with a cold glare that told him he had crossed the line.

It wasn’t long before the Queen would bare her child. That morning, she had looked the King in the eyes and spoke from her heart.

“If it proves true that I have two children, as the Seer saw in her vision, then we will give the firstborn to someone of common birth to be raised. I have spent eight months in my mind with this choice, and this is my decision.”

The King opened his mouth to say something, then stopped.

“But if you only have one child?” the King asked slowly.

“Then we can only assume the Seer was wrong in her vision.”

Twelve hours later, the Queen gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. And not two minutes after, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. The King walked out of the room before even holding the child, overwhelmed by the grief of the premonition and what needed to be done.

After tending to the firstborn’s needs as a child, the Queen pulled her closest and most trusted friend aside. Her name was Dohna, and the Queen spoke of her as a sister. She relayed to Dohna the entire story of the Seer, the premonition, and what needed to be done. With one final kiss on her baby’s cheek, she spoke one single word.

“Kailas.”

“After the sacred mountain,” Dohna whispered. “It is a beautiful name.” She watched as the Queen placed her thumb on Kailas’ forehead and made a tiny circle, a gesture between family.

The Queen looked up at Dohna. “There was never a question in my mind of who might raise my boy,” she said. “I trust you know of whom I speak?” Dohna nodded her head, then smiled as the Queen almost reluctantly handed her the baby boy.

“Now go,” said the Queen, “for the fate of the world rests in your arms.”