Mission To The Unknown

Artemis Kingdom (5)

As the wooden carts rattled and jolted over the uneven terrain, the air thick with swirling dust, a sweet, serene woman sat humming a folk tune, the melody wafting gently in the breeze that stirred through the desolate path. Lying close by, half-dozing at the leisurely motion, was Second, his mind already miles ahead, trying to orchestrate a plan to quickly find the shadowy figure. The illusion was shattered when a sudden outburst from one of the woman's brothers pierced the stillness.

"Sister! We're here!". Startled, Second snapped up from his posture, his eyes widening as they focused on the majestic sight before him.

The gate to Artemis kingdom was a monolithic piece of art , a graceful light yellow frame complemented by the predominantly white structure, set off by extravagant, intricate engravings in a brilliant gold. It was a stark contrast to Hephaestus Kingdom, aged and worn, whose naive monochromatic silver had never stayed with him. The woman, noticing the child-like wonderment in Second's soft gasp, giggled.

"Welcome to Artemis kingdom!". She said, her voice brimming with pride. Second looked back at her with a nod, since she wouldn't be able to see how happy he was under his cloak. But as they stopped and the guards approached, the woman gave Second a warning glance.

"Quickly, hide in the straws".

"Why? What's there to hide?". Second asked confused, seeing how she glanced back to see her two brothers stopping the guards and handle the talk instead of her, which gave her time to explain to him in a hush note.

"The kingdoms have imposed strict rules; no one can enter or leave without a gold card, a document that has the King's permission written on it". Smirking lightly at Second's incredulous expression, the woman continued with a chuckle,

"Given the looks of it, I'm guessing you don't have one since this seems to be your first time here". she said, eyebrow cocked in amusement. Nodding in understanding, Second promptly hid under the covering straw, right when the guards reached the group.

Apparently, her brothers informed the guards that she had the card. And indeed, she did.

She pulled out the card and flashed it to the guard who humphed as a nod of approval, then signaled to the rest to swing open the grand gate. Once the carts were moving again, Second felt a tug on his hand, pulling him out of his hiding place. Gasping, he readied himself for confrontation, holding again his cloak tightly, only to find the woman standing over him with a smirk.

"We're good now. You can come out". She assured him, her soft laughter gracing the air. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Second expressed his profound appreciation, thanking her and her brothers for their assistance. To this, she waved her hand dismissively, her voice warm and sincere,

"It was a pleasure meeting someone as kind as you!".

The moment came when the cart had to halt, and it was time for Second to continue his journey on foot. With a final wave, he watched as the cart moved on, leaving him face-to-face with the possibilities of what might lie ahead in Artemis magnificent kingdom.

Second held his bag close to him, watching the kingdom with wide-eyed wonder. It was just so... different from Hephaestus kingdom.

Second was in awe as he walked through the foreign kingdom. The vibrant scenery was a stark contrast with his own, filled with much more life and prosperity. The houses in this place were grandiose and strikingly colorful compared to the dull structures back in his own kingdom. Animated by a vibrant energy, a part of him couldn't help but be enchanted by the scene unfolding before him: a lively musical performance was coloring the atmosphere with melody and rhythm as people gathered around a nearby restaurant. Mesmerized by the spectacle, a woman and a man swaying to the sweet sounds of a violin, it was just magnificent.