Jennifer stands up, Reynoldus is standing next to her. She feels sick and confused. They were not in the musty little room anymore. In fact there were no houses around at all. They are now in a thick forest with large, old gnarled trees that are covered in vines. The ground is covered in a thick coat of moss. The sky that is just visible through small patches of the closely knit treetops is black and speckled with stars and a moon, which is twice the size of the moon she is familiar with, casting mysterious shadows around them. It is spectacular and horrible at the same time.
“What just happened?” Jennifer asks; trying to control the wave of panic rushing over her.
“This,” Reynoldus holds up his hand and a dark red stone with flecks of brown and yellow. It sparkles in the bright moonlight “This is a Hazuella Stone. Hazuella Stones are used to travel from one world to another. There are only three that are known of.”
She stares at the stone. It’s quite horrid looking, almost like hardened vomit. “Where are we?” She asks. Her voice is trembling, much like the rest of her.
“We are in the Gafaserin Forest.”
“In your world?”
He nods. “It is a four hour walk to the gates of Ashaedorel. If you follow the path that is very close to here, you will be led directly to the entrance.”
“I’m going alone?”
“If I am seen, I will be captured and executed. This is up to you.” Reynoldus explains.
“I will not kill her for you. If I do it, it will be for Tessa. Why would I do anything for you?” She asks bitterly.
“I understand it is a lot for you to undertake, but you are Ashaedorel’s only hope. If you do this, I will pay you in gold and riches beyond your dreams.”
“If I refuse, you’ll kill me and Tessa? Maybe you should just do that then. I can’t actually kill someone.”
“You would rather give up than to save an entire kingdom from death and destruction? You will save many people’s lives by killing just one. Arlette has only one intention for my kingdom and that is to plunder and to leave all who dwell there to starve…”
Jennifer cuts him off, “But why me? Couldn’t you find someone else?”
“It must be you.”
“Tell me why. Surely you owe me that much for kidnapping me!” Her blood is boiling and she is losing her patience.
“I was there when my father died. He whispered your name to me and said you alone could save us now.”
“So, it might not be me, there are other Jennifer Penningtons, you know. Why would it be me?”
“I do not know, but I am positive that it is you.”
Jennifer’s mind is spinning. She doesn’t know what to do or say. She is still furious. Then, without even knowing what she was about to do, she says four words. “I will do it.” She surprises herself by these words. They feel almost forced.
Reynoldus looks surprised. “Okay. Here is what you must do…”
Jennifer listens to every word he says and when he concludes his plan, she again says nothing. Silently, behind a particularly large tree, she adorns the clothes that he has given her so she may blend in easier. A simple jade green, floor length dress that reveals a little more up top than she is used to, and soft deerskin boots. She also has a slightly darker
green cloak.
Her stomach is doing flips and she can’t decide if she is excited, terrified, or both. Part of her is still wondering why she agreed to risk her own life for a man whom she has just met and who had abducted her earlier that night. The other part of her is plain terrified, for the plan is suicidal. Why is she so willing to risk her life for this strange man? She tries to answer this but she cannot.
“Well?” Reynoldus asks, “Anything that you are uncertain about?”
“What happens if I fail?” She asks, sounding a bit softer now.
“You will not fail. I believe in you, Jennifer.” This is the first time he uses her name and, for some odd reason, it feels like confirmation for her to go through with the task ahead.
She attempts a weak smile. “I don’t know why I’m doing this,” she says.
“I am grateful that you are. Now, you must go. I will show you to the path to Ashaedorel and that is where we will part.”
“Okay.” She agrees and they set off through the twisted trees in silence.
It takes ten minutes for them to find the trail. Reynoldus wishes her luck and she continues without him. After a few steps, she turns around and hurriedly says, “I’m sorry about your family. You’ve been through a lot and I should have been a bit more understanding.”
“It is okay. You were frightened and that is completely understandable, considering the circumstances.” He looks a bit sheepish.
She mutters goodbye and walks away. Her heart is pounding as she walks down the deserted path, occasionally ducking under low branches. On many accounts, she hears unusual sounds coming from close by, causing her to dart her hand under her cloak to grasp the cool handle of the simple dagger Reynoldus gave her. There is something strange about the dagger. There is nothing special about it, as far as she can tell, but she feels something every time she touches it.
Once, an odd little creature bounded across the path. It was round with four short legs and bulging light yellow eyes. It had thick turquoise fur with patches of teal and red. It stopped halfway across and peered at her, then continued on its way. It seemed harmless enough,
though Jennifer was not about to trust anything.
After an hour of walking, the path she is walking merges with a wider, more worn path. She keeps walking for another half an hour, her legs aching slightly. Then, just up ahead, she sees a break in the trees. Excitement and dread rise up in her. When she emerges from the thick and twisted trees, the sun is just peeking over the horizon, casting its warm light all about her. Ahead of her is a sizable hill.
She follows the seemingly endless path up the gradually rising hill covered with tall blue-green grass and colorful wildflowers she does not recognize. Once she gets to the top, she finds herself gazing down at the vast kingdom below. Her mouth falls open a little at the beautiful sight. There are houses, some big and some little, stretching as far as she can see. The sun is still rising, sending golden rays over the kingdom of Ashaedorel, now Lyloseph.
She stands there as if rooted to the spot, admiring the scene before her for a few minutes before beginning the trek down the hill toward Ashaedorel. Now that the sun is up, bizarre birds, insects and other creatures are emerging from the tall grass to greet the morning. A small white bird with canary yellow highlights flies around her in a friendly way. It, in a way, resembles a small goose, but with a much longer tail.
Most of the creatures are flying, running, or hopping around so fast that she can’t see exactly what they are, only streaks of many colors.
As fascinating as she finds it, she tries to fight the joyful feeling that is trying desperately to overtake her. She refuses to seem pleased with this whole fiasco. Even though she is now alone and Reynoldus is nowhere in sight, she doesn’t want to give him the pleasure of knowing she is, in a way, happy he kidnapped her. She just wishes that it might not end in murder.
With each step she takes, the more she wishes she could go back home. With the task at hand becoming more real with every passing moment, she wants nothing more than to leave, but she knows she cannot. She gave Reynoldus her word, though she still doesn’t know why.
