End of the Sun Queen

The long hallway to the palace had the finest greenstone marble. The stone absorbed sounds and put a spring in any courtier's step. Semi-circular planters were built into the walls two feet from the ground. Enchanted sunflowers stretched up the walls and lit up the walkway. Queen Helianthus spared no expense.   An engraved mural stretched along the outer wall from one end of the hall to the other. Scenes of great battles, victories, and a land united by glory and at top an engraved sun looked down over all that happened in the realms. The last of the scenes was nearly finished. A young woman strained and groaned to shape the image of a giant willow tree. Her fingers bent at odd angles as she pulled and pushed the stone to create the image.   The last scene was around the corner on a small wall perpendicular to the mural. It at the end of hall, leading to a section of the palace that few used. The image had the tree in a plain pot. Only the shape was plain. The woman twisted and guided the stone putting a mural in a mural, disguised as decoration on the pot.   On the left Lokapati, the lordess of the land, walked among trees and fields. The harvest was good and animals prospered. In the middle she laid on the ground crushed by the sun. The land around the sound was bare. On the right Lokapati returned as a man, pulling a tree out of stone to restore the land.   "Callalily, finish it up. All the courtier's are entering the throne room. We shouldn't be late for your sister's ceremony."   Her boyfriend, Reed, had been on lookout as she finished the mural. Callalily groaned and pushed the last bit of stone into place. With a sigh of relief she stretched her fingers.   Callalily looked at Reed and said, "I'm always late. Helianthus would think something was up if I showed up with all the courtiers as she directed."