Alanis had always wanted to leave the settlement she lived in ever since she was a little girl. Together, she and her childhood friend, would sneak outside the walls of their settlement, and go on make believe adventures. They would fight and slay m...
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Berthold Territory Late Afternoon
Theyrode as quickly as they could, making most of the remaining hours of the light. Just as the sun was beginning set, James shouted for Alanis to look up. Ahead of them, through a light patch of mist, the outline of the kingdom of Berthold began to take shape.
Alanis gasped at the sight. It was enormous, and just as beautiful as James claimed it to be.
Her eyes scanned the glorious landscape, hills rolled throughout entire kingdom, and small dwellings sprinkled each of their slopes. Most of the structures were made from stones, cut perfectly to shape the framework. In that instant, she was reminded of the old stone tower her and Anna had found outside of Larska.
And there were grand trees, as far as the eye could see.
All across the kingdom, lush vegetation grew like welcomed guests. She noticed how the trees grew tallest in the far corner of the kingdom, near a large castle that's peak nearly pierced the clouds above.
Alanis eyes were wide, she was mesmerized by Berthold's size. Thousands must have lived there—maybe more. No matter its size, it was still more people than she could have ever imagined. No, never in a million years, could she imagine a place like this.
She began to wonder again, about Justin, as she marveled at the sight before her.
Justin, have you seen this place... Why didn't you tell me about it?
"I knew you'dlike it." James tilted his head to the side, to glance back at her gape. "Our kingdom's beauty amazes everyone. We aren't known as the Golden Kingdom for nothing."
Geez, laying it on thick...
Alanis returned a forced smile as a reply, though he was right about his homeland.
It was truly breathtaking.
They soon found their way to the entrance of the kingdom, slowing as they approached the large stone wall that surrounded its perimeter. Alanis looked up at the two large watchtowers that stood at each side of the gate, noticing the watching eyes that peeked through the upper loopholes.
James halted Ellah near the front gate.
"Look who finally decided to show his face," a deep male voice echoed from the dark chamber that operated the large steel gate. "You know, I was beginning to get worried."
James chuckled, it was apparent he knew the man behind the wall.
"Andrew, you have no idea. Now won't you please open the gate, I don't want to keep our king waiting any longer."
"As you wish," his friend quipped before a loud, metallic clank rang out.
Alanis sat up with the sound, with eyes trained on the metal bars ahead of them. Soon after, the gate began to rattle, then lifted slowly.
