The Bright Wood

Chapter 6

I opened the doors of the castle and stepped into the familiar foyer which was in the large east wing. The palace was much busier now than when I had first arrived. The people that either lived or worked here now scurried about, hurrying to clean themselves up or help fix the chaos around them. I walked into the main corridor and looked towards the infirmary, for there had been a large amount of casualties in the city tonight. Nurses and doctors hurried in and out of the doors, wheeling patients or carrying tubs of water.

I heard someone behind me approaching. "Prince Connor, Sir Calloway instructed me to show you your suite and to suit you with proper clothing." I turned to see a pretty little serving girl.

"Okay, thank you," I stammered. Without hesitation, young serving girl walked into the direction of the entrance, and I followed her past the huge doors and to the corner of the massive east wing. A door that I realized I had not yet explored led into the cylindrical form of one of the rising towers. The servant led me through the doors and up a winding staircase. Halfway up the tower, there was a small landing and a door. "Wait, where does this door go?" I asked the girl.

"Your highness, that simply goes to the second floor," she said as if it was nothing interesting.

"What's on the second floor?" I asked, intrigued.

"Well, it is mostly just the more elegant staying rooms used for the ward of the king. There is also the living quarters of the head healer just above the infirmary on the first floor, and there is a stairway that comes down from the landing on the roof."

"A landing?"

"Yes. That is where the flying mounts are landed and stabled. It is very useful for urgent messaging and other emergencies. It can also be used for leisure of the inhabitants of the castle."

"Wow, that's awesome." I thought a little bit. "So, where are my living quarters?"

"We must still travel up." She pointed up the staircase. "It is on the third floor with a door that leads directly to the landing for easy escape."

"I guess that's clever." My mind was buzzing with so many questions. "What is your job here?"

"Well, I am the personal servant of the royal family which, right now, is just you."

"Wait, so you do whatever I tell you to do?"

The serving girl laughed. "Anyone under you here will do what you tell them, but yes, that is the idea. I will also wake you in the morning to bring you breakfast and give you your clothing for the day, and while you are out, I will come to change your bedsheets and clean your room for you."

"Wow, that's a lot."

"It's my job, and I get paid well for it. I am happy to serve my kingdom by serving the king that rules it. Also, my family has worked in this palace for thirteen generations. My mother is a maid for the king's ward, and my father works in the stables. Or...well..." The girl looked down at her feet, and her face looked pained. "My mother did not make it out of the city tonight, and my father... He's dying in the infirmary." My half brother was in the stables when it was crushed." A tear fell from her now bright red face and a sob escaped her lips.

"Forgive me for asking now, but... what is your name?"

"Emerella," she answered between shaky breaths.

"Emerella, was your brother's name Cass?" I tried to be as gentle with my words as possible.

"It was."

I chose my next words carefully. "I had the opportunity to talk to him before he passed. He was a very kind young boy. He gave me his mount, Remora. You were his family, so I think it would be rude not to let you have a say in where it goes. I would be more than happy to let you keep the krune. After all, it is yours."

"No, he wanted you to have it, so you should keep it. Just promise me you will take care of it."

"Of course I will."

Not another word was said on the way to the room. Eventually, when the staircase ended, we stood at the foot of a large door. Emerella opened it and inside was a very dark room. I could not see anything of what it looked like. Emerella walked inside before me, and went to a small table beside the door. She was still trying to hide the fact that she was crying, but I didn't mind. The girl had just lost her entire family in the course of one night after all. She pulled a small white stick from a drawer and struck it on a piece of stone and a small flame ignited on the stick. She went and found lanterns hanging in the room and put the small flame in each one.

Now with the room dimly lit, I could see its magnificent features. It had tall walls that were a beautiful maroon color. There were at least four large windows and a glass door which led to a small outdoor balcony. Each of these was decorated with golden drapes and curtains. On one side of the room, there was a massive dresser which Emerella rummaged through. An elegant bathroom connected to the main room with a gold curtain in the doorway. There was a mahogany desk on the opposite side of the room which was clean and neat. On it were paperweights, inkwells, and a quaint writing quill.

A huge bed sat against the wall in another part of the room. It was very heavily adjourned with many layers of sheets and blankets and it had many pillows along the head. It had tall bed posts that held a draping curtain over the bed and around the sides. It was tied to the posts with decorative golden ropes.

In the very center of the room, there was a beautiful circular rug that had the kingdoms seal, a majestic griffon, embroidered onto it. On one side of the rug was a long table with two chairs placed at either end of it. The entire room was amazing to look at.

On the wall opposite the bed, there was a large doorframe with no door. I walked into the connected room and found a luxurious lounge with plush sofas and comfortable looking floor cushions. Bookshelves lined the inner wall, and they held many books of every size and color. It too had a large window adorned with a golden drape.

I went to the window and looked down at the dark world below. Glowing lanterns held by patrolling knights could be seen moving in a sea of black, gently illuminating the ground around them.

I looked back toward the room and found Emerella standing behind me holding a folded garment in her hands. She held them out to me and I took them.

"Just go change into them in the washroom and leave your old clothes anywhere. I'll dispose of them because they seem too damaged to be of any use."

I took the new clothes. "Thank you." I walked into the bathroom and shut the curtain behind me. I unraveled the silk nightclothes and examined them. There was a baggy pair of pants and a large shirt. When I put them on, they felt very nice and comfortable. Though the shirt and pants were large, they seemed to hang off my form perfectly. I wadded up my old clothes, but a solid object inside of them stopped me. I shook out the jeans and out dropped the seeing crystal. I quickly grabbed it and kept it close to me. I made a mental note to find someway to have this on my person at all times. I walked back out into the room as Emerella went into the bathroom. I walked over to the bed and lied down.

Emerella came out holding my old clothes and began blowing out the lanterns until the room was just one near my bed was left lit. I shifted my body so that I lay on my side, facing the girl. She looked in my direction briefly and said, "I will come to wake you when the sun rises above the horizon. Have a good night, your highness." She began to exit the room, but before she left I asked one last question. "Emerella,"

"Yes, your highness?"

"How old are you? You seem young, but at the same time, you are as mature as any adult."

She turned toward me and smiled. "I will be fifteen summers within the month." She then left the room and left me to myself.

Fifteen summers. The girl was very beautiful. Everyone in this kingdom seemed to act more mature than their age. Or perhaps my world was just extremely flawed. I pulled the corners of the bed covers over my body to get more comfortable and began contemplating all that had happened today.

Two mornings ago, I was with my foster parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cronwell, at their house. I remember doing my homework on the dining room table. I did love them, but it didn't quite seem like I belonged there. It never did. Perhaps the princess did have a point when mentioning that I was never meant to be in that world. Then, suddenly that evening, I was pulled into the woods where it was wet and dark. The wild dogs chased me into the entrance of Bright Wood where I had passed out until noon. Also, that was where I had just met the princess, and she told me to come to this palace. I was flown here quite forcefully by Zif and his "cab," the huge crow or bray or whatever it was called. Then, I went to the festival and danced, and that's when the attack on the city happened. So many people killed in such a short amount of time, and some of them seemed to blame me for the devastation.

This wasn't my fault was it? I didn't cause or want any of this to happen. I didn't even understand the entire situation myself. I would have to ask the princess the next time I saw her to explain in greater detail why I was brought here.

I dedicated the last of my thoughts that night to my friends that I had left behind in Missouri. I watched the single flame in the one lit lantern dance in its spot before drifting to sleep.