The Bright Wood

Chapter 4

I went to the huge wooden doors and put my hands around the handles. With a huge pull, the doors jolted and eased open.

The sun which was high in the sky before, now was on the western horizon, casting beautiful beams of orange and pink light across the sky.

I looked down, and I saw the grand staircase and landing that I passed out on earlier that day. Just below the landing was a magnificent wall that circumferenced the entire castle grounds. In the center of this wall was a gate that looked like it came strait out of a fairy tale. Beyond the gate was a road which led to a large city. Even from where I stood in the palace entrance, I could see people mulling around the city.

I walked outside and closed the doors behind me. I walked down the grand staircase and onto the landing when I felt something land on my shoulder. I instinctively jumped away and brushed it off.

"Hey, what're you doing, princess? I'm just trying to catch a ride." I looked at the Fea now flying in the air near my head.

"Zif, you shouldn't scare a prince like that. It might get you punished."

"I don't see a prince here. All I see here is Princess Connor of The Bright Wood trying to get to the festival."

"Don't push it." I said, a smile spreading across my face.

"Say, are you going to walk the whole way?"

"What else am I going to do? And no, I don't want you to call a cab again."

Zif laughed. "I was actually going to tell you to go get a mount from the stables."

"What kind of mount? Like a horse?"

"What? No, what's a horse? Go get a volta or something."

"Whats a volta?

"You've got to see it to know what it is."

He led me across the grounds to a small building that resembled a barn in many ways. It was made out of the same material as the castle and it had the same style, but it's shape was barn-like, and it had doors meant to let anything large pass through. We walked inside the already open doors and I saw what mounts Zif was talking about.

In one stall, there was a creature that resembled a horse. In fact, it was a horse except for the horns that protruded from its head, and the extra pair of legs that it had right behind its front pair. It was an odd creature, but it looked strong and powerful, like it could run forever and not stop.

Zif turned to me and stated, "This," he pointed, "is a volta."

"Zif, that is a horse. Just with more legs and a couple horns." I told him in a quizatious tone.

"Oh, well fine, princess. So, what are you going to ride?"

I looked around at the other stalls in the room. In one, there seemed to be a glow emanating from under the closed door. I walked towards it and peeked into the shining stall. Standing there was a bright bird about the size of the bray that had flown me here earlier. It had long feathers that were a mixture of red, orange, and yellow. The shape of it was much like that of an eagle, and it's stance made it look like a very majestic creature. It seemed to be on fire, but I couldn't feel any warmth and the bird certainly wasn't burning. The flames blended in so well with the feathers that is was hard to tell sometimes which was which. The creature saw me and tilted its head to get a better look at me. It shifted in its stall and brought its massive head close to where I stood. I stepped backwards, and the bird put its head over the door. It continued to look at me for a moment, then put its head back down, paying me no mind.