Once Upon A Time...

...there was a Queen. She was married to the King and they had a kingdom, carefully balanced on the point of a spear. The Queen had to conduct her life on her side of the kingdom, while the King conducted his life opposite her to maintain consistent balance. The Queen could not see through the fog beneath the kingdom, never knowing the depth of the peril below, nor could she approach the King closely enough to inquire without tipping the kingdom. Then one day after many years, the King announced he was compelled to go on a journey and, without warning, leaped from the edge of the kingdom and disappearing into the mist. The kingdom began leaning in the Queen's direction, her side dipping toward the foggy peril below. The accumulation of the King's half, the walls and facades, baggage and flotsam he had carefully placed to balance his side, began crumbling and sliding across the kingdom, crashing into the Queen's own precious walls and accumulation of comfort items, things she collected to replace the space that should have been occupied by the King. It all tumbled downward as the kingdom tipped, and the Queen realized that everything she cared for was destroyed, her King was gone, and she was about to be dragged into the terrifying unknown. Just as she was pulled to the very edge of the worthless kingdom, about to be swallowed up in the fog, the tipping mass halted with a giant thud. The Queen let her foot dangle over the edge, and felt earth beneath her toe. She let go of the last handhold she had found and slid from the kingdom to land on the solid ground. The mist swirled around her and she felt alone, but she was alive, and well, and not terrified any longer. She found that as she walked the fog parted for her revealing small, wonderful areas where she could begin building her own realm. Soon after, she heard footsteps approaching, and a figure emerged to stand in the clearing. It was her King. He bowed before her and declared that while his journey was necessary, it had led him back to the Queen. He vowed his eternal love and commitment and asked the Queen to allow him to join her and build a new kingdom together. She had always loved him, and welcomed him with open arms. They were now able to walk together and conduct their lives arm in arm, not worried about upsetting the balance, but standing on a solid foundation. However, it was not happily ever after, because the story is still being written; instead it is To Be Continued...