Riveildian tales

The girl who Awaits tomorrow II

 The two walked through the forest grounds with Oliver in the lead, even though she felt excited, Eleanor—or rather, Amice couldn't help but wonder what exactly was going on, would she ever become the princess Eleanor again? Is the castle turned upside down searching for a missing princess? If so will she eventually go back and try and convince her father that she was actually his daughter? Perhaps this was all a dream even.

One look from Oliver told Amice he was curious what had her so lost in thought. She returned his look with a smile and asked him;

"What were you doing alone in the forest any ways?" Even though Oliver tried to hold back his smile, the gleam in his eyes were unmistakable,

"Giants Amice, I was trying to trap giants." Amice gave Oliver a look that told him she was waiting for him to make sense.

"I don't think giants are real Oliver."

"Oh so did I, until I found this." Oliver reached into his doublet and pulled out a small book. He began flicking through the pages as he said, "I found this in my dads archive, he tells me that he recovered and translated this information from an old scripture from a species that lived here thousands of years ago." He handed Amice the open book. On its pages were written in what was probably Oliver's fathers handwriting.

'The ground shook as they marched the lands, towering beasts that paid no heed to our insignificant selves, they crushed our houses under their feet and built mountains of sand to grow their crops'

Amice re-read the paragraph again, she couldn't believe what this meant. It really was strange.

"I believe this was written by the people who lived here at the time." Oliver said.

"This is amazing." Amice said as she handed Oliver his book. The two continued on their trail until they had finally left the forest. The two arrived at a narrow path between houses where the cobble stones covered most of the floor save for the few corners where the grass grew, and the glimmering pixies laid to rest beneath the shade of the tattered roof tops. Once they exited the path, Amice immediately felt the morning sun as though its light were waiting to reveal the kingdom—her home in a way she had never seen it before. Children ran merrily on the streets without a care in the world while the young lads and ladies chatted as they strolled through the streets. The merchants rode their horse drawn carts through the town in search for new goods while the towns traders and market folk displayed their fresh produce in their stalls.

Amice wondered exactly how much of her kingdom she couldn't see through the eyes of princess Eleanor.

"Well, Amice..." she hadn't realized she was already at the Riveildian market square, she was supposed to find her way to the castle from here. But what was she to do once she got there in this new body, if she were being honest, she wasn't even sure if she wanted to go back.

"I suppose I should find my way home now." she said despite how she felt.

"You do know how to go home from here don't you?" Amice looked to Oliver and gave a light smile.

"I'll be fine, thank you Oliver." as unsure as she was, she was certain she didn't want to be a burden on Oliver. She watched as the lad made his way through the streets, he had become the closest thing she had to a friend. It felt to her as though she were about to make a mistake letting him go.

"Oliver.." she called out to him unsure of what she'd say once he answered. As soon as Oliver turned around, Amice noticed a caravan led by a panicked horse headed straight for Oliver.

"Out of the way!!" It's rider yelled at whoever was in the horse's haphazard path. Amice could tell how Oliver had been consumed by his own fear unable to move his own feet. Amice herself realized why she should be scared, had anything happened to the princess Eleanor, Riveildia would be left without an heir. But she wasn't the daughter of a king any more, she was Amice. And at that moment, the princess swore to herself that so long as she was Amice, she would make her own decisions and live her life as she willed.