Two The Hidden Realm

Avian sat straight up in his bed. It took him a moment to process what had just occurred. There had been a woman. A beautiful woman, sitting on a rock, his favorite rock, with her head bent low. Her fingers were floating across the silvery strings of a golden harp, a haunting melody drifting to his ears. He was spellbound, and just stood and listened.
Suddenly, the woman looked up at him. Their eyes locked, and Avian felt as if he were standing in front of her, stripped of all clothes, like she was seeing into his innermost being.
"Go." she said, her fingers coming to rest, "Go to the gate with your brother Ennui. Take with you two horses and a litter"
"The city gate?" he asked.
"No, the gate in the mountains. Go." and that was when he woke up. It was still dark out, but he dressed quickly and went through the well-known corridors of the palace. He stopped not far from his room and was about to knock on the door in front of him, but it opened. Ennui stepped out, a candle in his hand.
"So you saw her too?" Ennui guessed as soon as he saw Avian.
"Yes. Let's go"
The brothers took to the stables and made ready two horses. They woke four servants and had them get together a litter quickly. In ten minutes they were on the road out of the city. They rode slowly, so that the men carrying the litter could keep up, but all the time Avian wanted to gallop ahead.
Halfway to the gate in the mountains, Avian saw a figure, half walking, half stumbling, towards them. "What is that?" he asked Ennui, but his brother shrugged his shoulders. As they got closer he saw that it was a girl. Then he kicked his horse's side and sped away. Excitement filled his entire body. The girl stopped walking. She looked at him with unseeing eyes.
"Ho there!" he called out, "Who are you and from where did you come?" She did not answer. Ennui came to his side.
"Who is she"
"I'm not sure, she won't answer me." Avian responded, just as the girl collapsed to the ground. Avian was off his horse and at her side in a matter of seconds. "She's an outsider." he confirmed, just looking at her clothes.
"Do you suppose she came over the mountains?" Ennui puzzled.
"She couldn't have. Her condition would be much worse if she had." Then something caught his eyes. From the folds of her clothes a small necklace had fallen out. He touched it, and saw what it was. "She came through the caves." he concluded, "Look." Ennui gasped when he saw it. "How did she...?" Ennui voiced the question that hung in the air.
"I'm not sure. But somehow she got past the guards. You go check on them, I'll take the girl back to Father. Take both horses, we'll ride back in the litter." Avian ordered, taking charge of the situation. Ennui obeyed and rode off, while Avian lifted the girl onto the litter. The servants acquiesced when Avian told them to take him back to the palace, although their body's were tired and they were filled with questions as to their masters' nearly-morning ride.
Avian watched as the hints of dawn highlighted the sky. All of a sudden, the girl next to him stirred. "Uhnn..." she muttered, putting her hand to her head.
"Good morning." Avian told her, seeing her awake.
"What?" the girl jumped, "Who are you?" she shrank back.
"I see I've scared you. I am Avian, crown Prince of the Realm of Galoria. May I ask as to who you are and from where you've come"
"Certainly." she said, composing herself, "I'm Ari. I come from Carna, just outside the mountains"
"Ari..." Avian tested the strange name.
"Well, Ariana is my full name." she put in nervously.
"You said Carna? How did you come by the passage in the mountains"
"Yes, well, I was picking berries with my friend, but then we became separated, and this wolf began to chase me..." she related the whole story to him. "Where are you taking me"
"To my father, the King." he simply stated, and then it seemed as if all conversation had ended. Ari looked around herself for the first time and saw that she was riding in a small curtained and cushioned box. She peeked out the curtain and saw that men were carrying them. It was a strange concept, but she did not dwell on it for long because the sun poked it's head up from behind the mountains at that moment. She thought on the beauty of the land once again. They were passing a little cottage with a thatched roof. A small curl of smoke was making it's way from the chimney. There was a stream flowing nearby with a quaint stone bridge over it. After looking to her heat's content, Ari came back into the litter.
Ari studied the young man across from her. He had thick, curly dark brown hair and his skin looked tanned. She couldn't determine his eye color. She thought it looked green, but because of the light it could've been blue also. His face looked pained, as if he were remembering something that hurt him. Suddenly, he turned toward her. She looked away as quickly as she could, but he'd still caught her. He smiled to himself and then decided to make some friendly conversation.
"So," he said. She turned her head slowly, "How did you come by that necklace"
"What?" she asked, looking down at the little milky orb.
"Where'd you get it"
"My Grandmother gave it to me, and her mother gave it to her, and so it's been passed down for decades." she answered, not looking him in the eye.
"Do you know the first person who brought it to your land?" he probed.
"Yes, one of my ancestors came to our little village from a great far away land and brought only this necklace with her. Her name was Flora"
"Are you so sure the land was far away?" Avian inquired. Silence fell once again. Ari opened the curtain again and saw that the white glimmer she'd been trying to reach was now very close. The huge white walls of a city loomed up in front of them. They passed through the gate, and then Avian spoke again.
"We'll be at the palace soon. Then you can meet my father and he'll know what we shall do with you"
Ari wasn't sure he like the statement, but knew she had no other choice, so she stayed quiet. In a matter of minutes, Avian was helping her down off the litter. He led her through a maze of corridors and stairways until they came to a great carved door like the one she'd seen in the mountains. After it was open she saw that it led into a great hall.
It was a room with a high ceiling, pillars rising up to it that had carved vines on them. At the opposite end of the room was a great throne, upon which sat a regal looking man. To his left was a lesser throne, but with an equally regal looking woman sitting on it. It looked as if nobles and people of some importance stood about the room. Avian strode in purposefully and Ari had to hurry to keep up. "Father." he said, reaching the thrones. Then he bowed low. Ari stood awkwardly at his side.
"My son, rise. Who is this, who does not bow to the king?" All talk halted immediately. In the silence the king sounded very loud.
"My Father, the King, this is Miss Ariana. She came by way of the caves underneath the mountains from the city of Carna. She has around her neck at this moment, the Guiding Star"
"What?" the King leaned forward. "Bring it out, let me look on the Lost Star!" Everyone turned to Ari and waited. She stood looking scared.
"Miss Ariana, your necklace." Avian whispered gently. Ari nodded nervously and slowly brought it into view. She held it towards the king. He stared at it with his lips slightly parted. Then something happened. The necklace began to glow once again, as it had done in the cave. But it was not the only thing producing the white light. The kings crown also began to shine. Soon both were so bright that the light was blinding. Ari looked away, closing her eyes.
"ENOUGH!" the king boomed. As soon as she heard his voice she brought the necklace back to herself, hiding it in her hand. The light stopped when the necklace was hidden. She put it back on, making sure that her clothes were covering the gem.
"Miss Ariana, do you know what that was?" the king asked kindly, his voice softening.
"Umm...no." she hesitated, not sure what to make out of anything.
"Well, that stone is what we call the Guiding Star. That's because...well, I'll let the minstrel tell you everything. He can do it better than myself." the King gave a shrill whistle and an old man stepped out. He held a lyre in his hands and his bony fingers ran across the strings. After playing some strains of music, he began to tell the story.
"The first King of Galoria made one tunnel leading to the outside world. He made an enchanted door and a labyrinth of tunnels so that it was impossible to make it through. But then the reason for even making the tunnel would be pointless, no? He also wrought out of beautiful stones, the Guiding Stars. They led the way through the dark maze and opened the enchanted door. He gave one to his son and one to his daughter. His daughter, Flora, made hers into a lovely necklace and his son, Griffon, put his into a crown. "Flora grew tired of being shut up in the mountains. She became restless, so she wove together spells and enchantments to make a garment that made her invisible. She went through the gate in the mountains and past the guards, then used the star to guide her through the darkness.
"When the people learned of her flight they wanted to go out and search for her, but the king advised against it. He trusted her not to reveal the city's hiding place, and she did not. For no one has ever gotten into the Realm of Galoria and lived. No one, except for you..." and then the minstrel shrank back into the growing crowd of nobles.
"Flora. She was the one. The one that brought the necklace." Ari whispered to herself, realization hitting her. "She said while we were riding up that her ancestor Flora brought the necklace from a land far away. She also said that the necklace was passed down from generation to generation." Avian spoke.
"Yes, so that would mean that she is directly descended from the Princess Flora." the Queen said softly. It was the first time Ari had heard her speak. She decided that she liked the Queen's voice. It sounded kind and inviting.
"My thoughts exactly, my dear." the king addressed his wife. Then he spoke to the people, "Someone, call a servant and make a room ready for this girl. She shall live here in the palace, since she has royal blood flowing in her"
"What?" Ari nearly choked when she heard his words, "Live"
"Of course. You cannot go back to your home now." Avian said from her side.
"But, why not"
But Avian did not have a chance to answer. The great door swung open again and two men and a boy dressed as Avian was came in. Ari noticed that the men looked like the ones from the cave.
"Ennui, what is this?" the king asked the boy, who looked as if he were not much older than Ari.
"Father," he began, "These guards became drunk on their watch over the gate in the mountains. That is why that girl came through without any trouble"
"What?" the king bellowed, anger showing in his face.
"Your Highness," a feminine voice said. It was a servant girl, "Lady Ariana's room is ready.
"Take her to her room. I will deal with these drunkards"
The girl nodded and Ari found herself being led through more corridors. She felt scared and alone. How could they expect her to live here and just be OK with it? They hadn't even given her an answer as to why she could no longer go home.
When she reached the room, the girl asked if she wanted anything. Ari shook her head and was left to herself. Then she flopped onto the bed face down, and cried. The tears came out in torrents, and finally, she cried herself to sleep.