Finding the Wisest

Chapter Eight

Maya was away from the castle and onto a dirt path in no time. She was moving faster than she had probably ever done, she didn't even look at the still curious residents who were looking at her like she was a new exhibit at the zoo.

She moved quickly through the township and even passed by the same man who gave her directions. He was still at the same place and he gave a small smile when he saw the odd foreigner.
Finally Maya reached the forest-like place that she landed in when she had arrived in that place about four days ago. She walked through the place, reveling in the beauty of nature now that she had the time.
She found a harmless tree and sat under it. First she searched the bag Hartley had packed for her and her heart warmed within her.

Some fruits, one dress and some water. She smiled, Hartley really deserved a hug.
Then she took the map, pulled off the ribbon and then opened it up. She studied it, it looked quite....fresh. As if it wasn't long that it had been made. She thought that something that held such history should at least look a bit old or smell a bit musty. She sniffed it carefully, like fresh paper.
Odd.
She knew how fresh paper smelled like from all the new books she would buy while she still had other books to finish.

She then took a good look at the details of the map and then....burst out laughing.
"You've got to be kidding me.
Where are the cameras!!? If this a prank show then joke's on you fellas."

Silence.
That sobered her up pretty quickly, she was behaving crazy. Why wouldn't she?
Even the locations on the map sounded as quirky as this place was.
Tell-Tale lands??
FEDGE Lands ??

This wasn't real. This couldn't be happening.

Maya placed the map carefully in her bag and then put her head down on her knees.
No, she didn't weep but she was close to doing just that.

Everything was just very frustrating and strange and not straightforward at all.
What if this map was a hoax and being with the queen was the best option?
Had Hartley lied to her?
What if her mother was injured somewhere, waiting for Maya to come get her?
What if she had been knocked out when she went to that park and now she was in a coma, hallucinating?

She gasped.

What if the world was spaghetti and she was cake?

Okay, scratch that.
She shook her head. This map was a risk and she would take it and use it, she wouldn't allow circumstances to overwhelm her.
Maya Ford was not a quitter. For some reason she had appeared here without her mother and she would find her mother and get back home and go to college.

Periodttttttttttt!!!!!
With extra t's

She opened the map with the seriousness of a geography student studying for their finals.
From the map she could see that right now she was in the mainland of the kingdom of Haizen.

From the mainland she had to go to the grassy grasslands, from the grasslands to the tell tale lands, from there to the FEDGE lands to the drop zone.
And it was at the drop zone that there was an x - marks- the - spot kind of thing with "The wisest" written boldly underneath it.

At this point, Maya had no way to even verify how true it was, she just shrugged and pushed the map back into her bag. Unfortunately some part was sticking out but that was the best that she could do about it.

She got out of the forest and made her way in the direction of the castle again. The grassy grasslands were directly opposite the castle and she somehow wished she had seen the map earlier to avoid walking back the way she came from. She walked there quickly, not looking at anyone.
She was afraid that she would meet the queen and that she wouldn't be allowed to leave anymore. Maybe the Queen would claim that it was dangerous for Maya to go on such an unpredictable journey.
Why didn't the Queen tell her about the wisest then?
She stopped, she didn't want to think about what she would do if this whole business was a lie.

She moved fast and soon she had almost reached the edge of the forest when she saw it.
The swish of a black cloak.

No, t'was not professor Snape.
Though she wished it was.

It was a girl with long black hair moving hurriedly away from her and...

"Hey it's you! The girl from the cell"

The girl turned to fix Maya with an icy glare that made Maya understand her mistake immediately. The stranger did not want to be recognized.
The girl quickly lifted her hood to cover her face and started to walk even faster.
Maybe hoping to outwalk Maya.
Well, unfortunately for her, she and Maya were going in the same direction.

Maya caught up with her.
"Hey, I'm Maya and.."
" I did not ask what your name was and I do not care to know what it is!"
Maya rolled her eyes
"Relax sis, what's gotten you all up in a twist? I was just trying to be nice"
"I do not want your niceness and I did not ask for a shadow. Stop following me!"
"We're going in the same direction, duhh!"

The girl stopped and glared at Maya again... Oh If looks could kill....or maim...Maya wasn't sure she'd be standing there in one full piece.

They moved silently to the outskirts of town, no more could they see farmers working or women washing clothes outside. It was almost deserted at this part and after, it was another forest like place which possibly led to the grasslands.
They kept on walking and walking and then just when Maya was about to speak again she felt a sharp tug from behind.

The momentum pushed Maya into the other girl and they both fell down.
The girl hissed at Maya.
"You're such a nuisance!" she stood, wore her hood up again and sprinted.

Yes. Sprinted! She didn't think people still sprinted again. Well except athletes.

The girl sprinted in the direction opposite Maya. Maya turned to face the one who had pushed her, she saw nothing and her bag was on the floor with the contents poured out. It was when she packed it up that her blood ran cold then white hot.

The map was gone.

Lost.
Vamoosed
Stolen.
Kidnapped--map napped.

And now she had lost her irritating companion too. What was she running from?
Was she truly the girl in the cell?
Did Hartley free her?
Was she also going to see the wisest?

She wouldn't know now, she was mapless. She felt hopeless, suddenly, as if a rug was snatched out from underneath her. She shook her head vehemently, she wouldn't allow this to stop her. She couldn't stay trapped here for goodness knows how long.

She remembered the Grasslands was next, followed by the tell tale lands but after that she couldn't remember exactly where she was to go.
Maybe somebody in one of those places would direct her. She was sure since this had to do with their kingdom then the people would have a fair idea about it. It wasn't as complicated as phones or police stations or the internet. She hoped.

She was angry though, that she had allowed the map to be taken from her. It put a big dent in her plans but Maya Ford did not give up. She was also slightly annoyed at the thief. What did they want with the map? They should have stolen the food at least.

She took a deep breath, passed her hands through her hair and grabbed her bag, put it on her shoulder and began walking in the direction of what she hoped was the grassy grasslands.

Even if she was going in the wrong direction, she'd have to wing it like a true champ and find a way to get herself to her destination.

No matter what she would encounter, she couldn't turn back. No, not a chance.
She couldn't go back and ask Queen Faye for more help, the queen had done too much for her. She had to do this herself.

She continued to walk on, grunting and growling everytime a tree branch hit her face or she stepped in something squishy.
That was very often.
It wasn't even a half hour later that she reached the clearing. She was already angry and a little bit tired and to make things more interesting, she saw something.

Right ahead of her stood a person and the closer she went, the more she saw.
It was a boy--man-- young man in slacks, shirt and a vest.
He had a small smile on his face and shiny green eyes and in his hand was the map.

The map that had been stolen from her.
That boy was the thief.
And he was waiting for Maya to reach him