Crossed

Chapter 12:

I was awake before the Queen and Guard Fir. I had walked around this part of the ruins for a bit before returning to their camp. "Oh you're still here," Queen Meadow smiles when she sees me walking back. "Yes, I decided to give it a week before I leave," I say," if it does not work out by then I need to leave." "That is fair," Queen Meadow says," oh how rude of me, would you like some of this? We almost finished our breakfast." "Oh no thank you," I say looking at their food," I can't eat that, it would make me sick." "Oh right, my fault," she smiles," Queen Mirialla told me about it, I must have forgotten." "No that's fine," I say," thank you for the offer though," she nods and seems to be finishing up.

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"Queen Meadow?," I walk up to her. "Yes?," she looks up to me. "I know you contacted your Territory last night," I start," but... could I possibly interest you in meeting someone? I met her once when my girlfriend was still with me. She found her in the forest when she was on one of her outings." "Oh, might I ask who?," she asks. "Her name is Samaranthan and she's an Elv," I say.

"When did you meet her?," Guard Fir asks. "About six years ago by now? I was sixteen I remember," we were walking through the forest, just the three of us," she's very on her own, does not particularly like many people either. She only trusted me because of Iliana." "Iliana was your partner?," Guard Fir asks, I just nod. "How has she been doing?," Queen Meadow asks. "Samaranthan?," I ask, she nods," I'm not sure, Iliana would sometimes tell me some about her when she would meet with her. She seemed to be doing well however I have not spoken with her personally since that one time six years ago."

"It should be here somewhere," I mumble and push away some branches. "Who are you?," we hear, it was quiet and almost not able to be heard but also so clear, the way the Elv spoke was different than what we did but so beautiful, I had nearly forgotten how her voice sounded. "Hey, Samaranthan?," I say," it's me, Wren? I was here one time with Iliana?" When I stopped talking she appeared in front of us."you have changed so much," she says but then smiles at me," I remember you now, who's he?" "This is Queen Meadow and this is Guard Fir of the Saprophyte," I say gesturing to them when introducing them," I was wondering if you had a minute?," I ask," we wanted to talk about something important with you."

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"Can I offer some tea?," Samaranthan asks. "Oh that would be nice," Queen Meadow says, Guard Fir and I just nod before we all sit down in her living room. "It is nice to see you again Wren," Samaranthan says while putting water up to boil and getting cups ready," I would be lying if I said I hadn't missed you." "I should have gone with her to visit you more often," I say," I'm so sorry I didn't." "Oh that is okay," she says and brings the cups over," how is she? I have not seen her in a long time."

"I ehm... that would be another topic," I say," we lost her, two years ago," I look at her, shock falls over her face and she sits down. "What...? How?," she asks. "There was an attack by creatures, we call them Slain's," I try to explain," I'm sure she told you about the Dances the Queen would host?," she nods," it happened at one of those, I was not able to keep her safe when she died. I have managed to contact her a few times after it happened but I'm not able to any longer..." "Oh... how horrible...," she closes her eyes," she was such a sweet and caring soul," she says and looks at me," I am so sorry for your loss sweetheart, I know how much she loves you." "Thank you," I say and give her a small smile back," I'm sorry to you too," I say," I know you two were close, great friends." She nods and sips from her cup," was that what you wanted to talk about?"

"No, or well not completely," I say and breath out," Queen Meadow," I start," has send out the request to track down her Aunt's creation. She's a maker of an Elv and when I offered for Queen Meadow to meet you she told me she already knew you." "Where from?," Samaranthan asks the Queen. "I believe you are the Elv my Aunt created five hundred years ago," Queen Meadow says. "Me?," Samaranthan looks confused," Oh wait, are you Miss Cedar's little girl? My heavens you have grown so much," she smiles brightly.

"Well... I had not expected this meeting to go like this," I say. "Neither did I," Samaranthan says," I'm glad to see you are doing well, I see you have picked up the crown?" "I did, I wish my parents could see me but they sadly passed," the Queen says. "So I heard, my condolences," Samaranthan says," so if you were looking for me, then what do you need my help for?" "Well, it is a bit of a loaded ask," Queen Meadow says," quite dangerous as well." "I am open to anything, Miss Cedar has my deepest respect, I owe her my life," she says.

Queen Meadow explained what was needed and Fir added information where needed until they got to the real question. "So, what we would need your services for could be dangerous," Queen Meadow says," and I would absolutely understand if you do not wish to work on this with us, we will not force you to join us back at The Residence either. So the matter is, Wren and the other Archimage Necromancer will be going into the Middlegrounds, as Ardian called the place. We will need you to help out keeping the portal open, seeing as you are born from lost souls you should be able to do that with ease. Do you want to?"

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"This is The Residence, or what's left of it," I say, leading Samaranthan inside the ruins. "You said it was bad but this is... worse than I expected it to be," Samaranthan says. "I know... the most preserved place is the library at this moment," I say. "We could take you there if you would like?," Guard Fir offers. "Okay, thank you," she says and Guard Fir leads her away. "Could I help out with anything?," I ask the Queen. "Sure thing, I was tasked by Queen Mirialla to work the dinner this day, if you would like to help out that would be truly appreciated," she says and smiles at me.