Maylie

King Edward's wife. When they married a lake to north of castle daventry was named after her to remember their wedding day. She was often seen with Edward in a small boat on the lake late on summer afternoons. Shadow players against a setting sun, they were alone in their love for each other.

Many years she ruled the kingdom along with Edward. The people of daventry were prosperous and happy, and everywhere peace reigned. But she and her husband were sad as they were childless. They had no son to inherit the throne, nor daughter to gladden their hearts.

One day while she was walking in the garden with her husband, a powerful sorcerer appeared before her. The sorcerer claimed that he could cast a spell that would bring her a child. All he wanted in return was the Magic Mirror. She consulted the mirror with her husband, and saw the image of a young princely figure. Assuming the youth to be their son, the couple gladly bestowed the mirror upon the sorcerer. He did not keep his word, as the months passed and the Queen did not conceive a child.

For the first time in hundreds of years, the kingdom fell under a drought to an early autumn rainstorm. She wept along with her husband. The famine brought a plague, and Maylie was stricken. Edward kept a constant vigil by her side. On the fourth day of the queen's illness, a dimunitive figure cam to the castle claiming he had a cure for the queen's illness. The castle courtiers ushered him into the Queen's chamber, where the king was in despair. He claimed to have a root known only by dwarves that would cure the plague. The dwarf leaned over the Queen and touched the root to her lips. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at her husband. Everyone was in wonderment assuming that if a touch could revive her, they were sure that the whole root would make her recover fast. King Edward offered the dwarf a reward for the root. The dwarf asked for the Magic Shield, left to the king by his father. At first the king was reluctant, but then he gave in and gave the shield. Maylie partook of the root, but it was to no avail. She worsened and died. Daventry's church bells tolled in mourning.