It took all of her concentration to recall the last thing that had happened before she was had arrived to…wherever she was. The memory of the attack that knocked them off of the horse in the forest made her bolt upright, the thought of anything else escaping her mind.
Where was she?
She opened her eyes, her brain taking a moment to focus before she took in her strange surroundings, her heart racing as her brain failed to recall anything that had happened after they had been thrown off the horse.
Aurelia was in a small, circular room laid onto a white cot with no one else in sight. The room had vines crawling up the walls and plants scattered all around the place. It was built of immaculately polished wood and large, arching windows gave Aurelia a peek of outside, the familiar thick vegetation poking through the opening.
The only furniture that remained in the room was the cot she had been placed upon and a small bookshelf in which a lit candle sat, swaying in the breeze that floated in from the window.
There was no sign of her dagger or her clothes from her trip – instead she was adorned in a white cotton dress, her body scrubbed clean of the dirt and debris from her days of travel. Her auburn hair hung loosely down her back yet Aurelia had no recollection of changing, nor taking a bath.
Where was Ambrose?
Despite her protesting limbs, she forced herself out of bed and hobbled over to the doorway. Whoever had taken her would have Ambrose, too.
Why weren't they kept together?
Aurelia set her mind on finding answers, unable to think of where Ambrose could be – or if he was at all. It took all of her effort to clear the cobwebs that seemed to cloud her mind as she heaved the grand, wooden door open.
She paused as she looked outside, all other thoughts completely erased as Aurelia took in the view before her. She was overlooking a kingdom beyond her wildest dreams, its magnificence enough to make one entirely speechless.
Ardwen.
For where she stood was not outside of some cabin lost in the middle of the woods, but of one of hundreds of tree houses lined upon the treetops, linked together by wooden bridges. The bridges were lined with trees bent over providing a protective cocoon on those walking within, the railings covered in flowers and vines, filled with sprouts of color along the shades of green.
Underneath the wooden bridges far below them was a wide, roaring river that ran at the underside of the Ardwen capital, opening into a vast creek farther along. The creek was covered in lily-pads with dragonflies flitting about every which way.
The tree houses expanded in both directions as far as Aurelia could see, all shapes and sizes, all surrounding the biggest tree she had ever seen that rested in the center, the focal point of the magical home of the Elves.
While the tree houses were built along the treetops, the tree’s branches arched over everything else as if it was the protective mother of Ardwen’s beloved capital. It was clearly what the village was centered around not only because of the size, but because of what was built around it.
It was truly the most magnificent tree house of all, for it was made entirely of glass and overlooked the rest of the kingdom, the glass reflecting rainbows from the early morning light.
It made sense for Ardwen to be the place that excelled in healing – for it was one with the earth. It was as if nature welcomed their presence and grew around their homes, letting them exist in tandem, tall mushrooms and shrubbery filling the spaces between the bridges with flowers blooming throughout. Every building had a touch of earth, all in recognition of the magic that was studied here.
She took a deep breath, inhaling the blissful, sweet smell of springtime and fresh water. It was even more magnificent than Nesrin had described.
The sun was just beginning to rise and there was no one in sight, only the wooden bridges
swaying in the breeze. Aurelia only hesitated for a moment before slowly making her way through the swaying bridges to the glass castle, reaching out to her magic for a sense of calm, the threads weak from the exhaustion that plagued her. Her dress billowed in the wind, the warm morning air a welcome feeling from the cold wintery weather of Damaris.
As she arrived at the glass steps, her head tilted back in awe of the castle before her, unlike any she had seen before. Closer to the glass castle, it reflected the light even more magically, looking as if the entire castle was made of rainbow spheres, the light playing tricks with the reflective service.
She slowly climbed up the glass stairs to the doors of the great castle, the glass blurred so that one could not see what – or who – was inside.
Taking a deep breath, she raised her fist and knocked. Twice.
At her touch, the double doors opened, but no one was inside and Aurelia took a few steps within, the glass doors easing shut behind her.
The castle within was made of the same rainbow glass, the grand oak tree in the center with vines climbing up the magnificent trunk. Next to the tree was a magnificent waterfall, its shimmering liquid flowing through the castle and down to the river beneath Ardwen.
Aurelia’s head tilted up as she followed the tree up as it branched out and hung over the top of the castle as its roof, its branches dangling down like a willow tree would, covered in leaves all shades of green.
Its branches within the castle glowed sprouted wide with flowers emitting what looked like stardust, except golden. It was exactly what Aurelia imagined sundust would like, its pollen falling towards the floor like snow.
Her hand reached out to touch one of the branches, its flower emitting bits and pieces of the glowing substance, when —
“Aurelia of Calathis,” A velvety voice echoed from above, and Aurelia twisted around towards the grand staircase. Standing above her gazing downwards was no one other than the queen of the Ardwen.
Aurelia gaped up at her sparkling figure, even more beautiful than she had remembered, before sinking to a bow. “Queen Amadrya of Ardwen,” Aurelia said, keeping her head low as Amadrya descended the glass steps.
Once she rose, Amadrya had arrived before her, her snow white hair sparkling beneath the morning sunlight. A small smile rested upon her lips before she spoke once more.
“You are quite the talk of the Continent, Aurelia,” Amadrya said smoothly as she clasped her hands, adorned in another velvet gown, this one a paler shade of green.
Aurelia nodded as questions she was dying to ask began to swirl through her mind of recent events regarding Calathis, the Council, and the war that her grandmother had predicted. Most importantly, though – was Elowyn okay?
“You must imagine my surprise when I discover that you stumbled into the Ardwen kingdom in search for our beloved capital.” Her eyebrows rose in curiosity, unmoving. “And with a prince of Damaris, nonetheless.”
Aurelia’s eyes widened at the sound of his name, reminding her of what she had been searching for. “Ambrose-is he-I mean, is he alright—“
Amadrya raised her hand to stop her, shaking her head and turning to pace near the windows that overlooked the treetop village. “He will recover.”
Aurelia felt as if she could fall over in relief. If she were to be honest, she wasn’t sure they were going to make it. Every second of their journey she had doubted the next, unsure of where she was going and what would happen when – if – they arrived. Every moment she had pushed through the doubt, shoving it away, all for the man that had clung to life by a mere thread.
Yet she had done it, despite the odds, despite everything against them. They had gotten to Ardwen just in time, and Ambrose would survive.
“Oh, thank you,” Aurelia said gratefully, rushing towards Amadrya. “You have no idea—“
Amadrya turned towards her, her eyes as cold as ice. It was her face, no longer the kind woman from seconds ago, that made Aurelia stop in her tracks.
“Aurelia, why exactly did you ride all the way here to save a man – not just any man, but a prince of Damaris?” She stepped forward, her golden eyes piercing into Aurelia’s.
“You would’ve died in the woods if not for my scouts checking the perimeter, and even then, if you were not the true Aurelia of Calathis, you would’ve never been allowed into Ardwen. Why would you not immediately return to Calathis? Do you know the war that is brewing because of your disappearance? Do you understand how important it is that you return to Calathis before we lose hundreds of lives, all to get you back?” Her voice rose as she continued, looking at Aurelia no longer as if she were a descendant of her good friend, but as an enemy. Aurelia watched as her eyes fell onto the ring that adorned her left hand.
Her unspoken point made, she turned away, pacing the room once more. “That is precisely why, though the Elves have revived him, we have locked him away and will let Elowyn choose what to do with him. It is evident they have you under their control. I haven’t the heart to tell her myself.”
Aurelia shook her head quickly. “No, no, Amadrya,” she protested. “Ambrose, he was helping me. He's the only reason I’m alive, the only reason—“ Aurelia’s voice broke. “In exchange for helping his people, he was going to help me escape right before the wedding. To return to Calathis with all of the knowledge I’ve gained of lunar magic, of blood magic, of Dorian’s plans.”
Aurelia gave Amadrya a determined look. “Amadrya, I am the magic-born of the prophecy. I’ve...I’ve been learning their magic. I have the ability to summon the magic of the moon.”
Amadrya regarded her for a moment, not an inkling of surprise on her face. “I know.” She said matter-of-factly and began climbing the grand glass staircase.
Aurelia hurried after her, matching her pace as they began walking down a long hallway, going deeper within the castle. “What do you mean, you know?” Aurelia asked, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. They continued to another staircase, this one spiral and led straight upwards to a ledge that offered a view of hundreds of miles in each direction.
It was then that Amadrya finally paused to meet Aurelia’s gaze. “There are some things you must understand, Aurelia,” She began. “Every form of magic works differently. There is no comparison between Elven magic and Fae magic, for their capabilities and properties are too inexplicable for the average mind, too vast and advanced for comprehension.”
She sighed, her eyes returning to the horizon. “Elven magic works in this way. We are one with the earth and thus oftentimes, we can sense what is coming long before it arrives, however loose our understanding may be when compared to true seers. We are bound to this earth and thus we have existed long before you were born, and will still be here long after you die.”
Aurelia pursed her lips as she took in Amadrya’s words. “Then you must understand that all that I’m doing – everything that I have been doing, even while being captured – has been for Elowyn. She is my grandmother and the person that I cannot live without. She raised me more than my own mother did. All of the hours spent in secret training and learning lunar magic and pretending I was enthralled with marrying Dorian...all of it was to protect her and her kingdom.”
Aurelia turned away from Amadrya and placed her hands on the balcony railing, taking a deep breath of the fresh, forest air.
The view of the Continent was spectacular from the treetops – on one end of the horizon were the snowy peaks of Damaris, the ocean just barely visible. On the other end, Aurelia could just barely spot the mountains peeking over the dark forest miles away.
Calathis.
Her heart burned at the sight of knowing what lay just before her reach. So close, yet so, so far.
“Don’t you think I would’ve gone back to Calathis, to home, if I thought it was the right thing?” Aurelia said softly, her eyes still fixated on the horizon.
“I would’ve. In a moment. But I know, in my bones, that I have to return to Damaris. I have to return to confront Dorian, to tell him the truth of the prophecy, to save the Continent from ruin. Because with the dark magic he’s using...” Aurelia shuddered. “I don’t think we would stand a chance.” Aurelia paused as they both stood together, watching the trees sway in the breeze.
“Be careful, Aurelia,” Amardrya said softly, placing a reassuring hand on her forearm. “Do not lose yourself amidst the expectation of who you could become. You are meant for greatness, my dear. You must be ready for it.”
She took a deep breath, her golden eyes returning to meet Aurelia’s. “One can never outrun destiny, and right now, it is on your side. Take faith in this. I give you my blessing. Do what you must.” She hesitated. “But whatever you do, do not fall to the darkness when it comes calling, as it inevitably will. Fight it, Aurelia, golden one. Keep your light, no matter the cost.”
Aurelia nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat as she thought of her grandmother and of Calathis.
“I couldn’t let him die,” Aurelia added after a moment, her voice thick.
“I think he might’ve saved me more than just from Dorian – but from myself.” She turned to Amadrya. “I…I think I might love him.” She paused at the revelation, surprised at her own words. “With him, it’s simple. It’s safe. And for someone with the world on her shoulders...it’s…it’s exactly what I need.”
Amadrya tilted her head, observing Aurelia for a long moment before responding.. “Love is never simple, Aurelia. Nor is it safe.”
She shook her head and then motioned for Aurelia to follow her. “Come. I will bring you to him.”
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