"The Golden Fir" is a short fantasy story by Harry Turtledove, first appearing in Lace and Blade 5, edited by Deborah J. Ross (February 14, 2019, Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust, publisher).
The story is set in the fictional monarchy of Valnia, a matriarchal society, ruled by a queen. Valnia's pride is the Golden Fir, located in the Vale of Meshov outside of the capital of Great Valnia. The incumbent queen Hovsefa is struck by a sudden illness. At about the same time, Gazrik, the youngest person tending the Fir, notices that branchrot has afflicted the tree. Soon, people realize that the fate of the queen is tied to the fate of the Fir, and the race is on to cure the tree and save Hovsefa.
