The first day of our trip was expected to be the safest as we would be stopping in the Town of Larkinshire for the evening and the roads between Lochavria and Larkinshire were not only well maintained, but also regularly patrolled by the duke’s forces. In fact, upon leaving the gates of Lochavria, it seemed like every twenty to thirty minutes we slowed down briefly as the guards for our caravan greeted yet another patrol and inquired about the road ahead. Surely requesting updates from every passing patrol was a bit excessive, but a glance at my dad told me that he didn’t seem to mind and if he didn’t mind, I guess neither should I.

  Luckily, I had had enough foresight to realize this trip was going to seem to take forever, and had Mary stow some of the novels from my room in the main carriage for me to read on the way. I just hoped that I, as Beira, wouldn’t get motion sick like I, as Michael, used to get when trying to read in a moving vehicle. Today I was starting a new novel, ‘Taken by the Dragon King’, since I had finally managed to finish ‘The Demon Lord’s Dark Pact: A Tale of Love and Revenge’ just a few days prior by making sure I squeezed enough time to read a full chapter every couple of days.

  This new book, much to my surprise, was not what I initially thought. It followed a young fox priestess named Sasha, who, unknown to her, was also a princess in hiding to a large nation of beastmen. The beastmen nation was at war constantly with the dragon nation over territory. She had gone to the front lines of the most recent dispute to treat to the wounded and had discovered a young dragon female named Scorsha, hiding in a thick grouping of bushes at the side of a nearby river. The young dragon had multiple wounds covering her torso and had also lost an arm. Suffering from blood loss and unable to remove a portion of the arrows herself, she had drug herself into hiding to try and give her regenerative powers a chance to kick in and heal her bloodied stump. Sasha, smelling the blood from Scorsha’s wounds, followed her trail to her hiding place. Realizing that she had found one of her nation’s enemy combatants, Sasha didn’t try to capture her, but instead moved her to a nearby cave to help her heal and recover because it was Sasha’s belief that all injured people should be tended to in war, regardless of what side they fought for.

  Which is a bit na?ve, if you ask me. Giving aid to your enemy in a war, is just asking for trouble.

  And trouble indeed is what Sasha got. When Scorsha was well enough to escape, she took the young fox priestess with her after drugging a flask of water she offered to the fox. Having realized that not only was Sasha a talented healer, but also that she had developed feelings for the young fox, Scorsha took her back into the dragon kingdom, all the way to her home, the royal palace. It turned out that Scorsha was to be crowed King, king and queen in the case of dragons was synonymous, due to the death of the current king, her father. What followed was a yuri romance intwined with the power struggles that come with war between two nations.

  As I read, I noticed that this carriage jostled and jolted its occupants a lot less than the one that I had ridden in previously with Angus. But, while the ride was smoother, it was still not what I would call comfortable. I do not look forward to five days of travel like this, if I am perfectly honest. Fortunately, the atmosphere inside the carriage was subdued, leaving me to read my book in peace, though every once in a while, I would feel eyes on me. Whenever I would look up, I would see my mother watching me, a thoughtful expression on her face. When she would notice me looking back at her, she would turn away quickly as if something outside the carriage window suddenly drew her attention.

  Whatever. If she wants to say something she’ll say it when she is ready. I just wish she would stop staring.

  Going back to my book, I continued reading. The story had progressed to the point of the couple admitting their feelings for one another after Scorsha discovered that Sasha was the beastmen nation’s princess and that they were now trying to find her because her father had fallen terminally ill.

  The carriage hit a particularly hard bump in the road, causing me to drop my book which fell closed on to the floor near my mother’s feet. Sighing, I go to retrieve it when my mother picks the book up, looks at the title and cover, then arches an eyebrow at me. I reach over and snatch book out of her hands, my face flush with embarrassment. I open it up, find the page I was on, and place my bookmark before tucking it out of sight between me and the wall. I hear my mother give a slight chuckle and glance toward her just in time to see her turn away, the corners of her mouth turned up in amusement.

  Looking out the window beside me, I see nothing but trees. They all have large trunks that would rival the largest Redwoods back in the US. I try my best to look up and see the tops of the trees, but all I can make out are the lowest of their thick branches and leaves. Not even the sky can be seen. Sunlight couldn’t even penetrate to the forest floor in anything more than a highly diffused state, making me wonder how the smaller flora survives with such restricted light. I ask my dad to see if he knows.

  “The plants here have adapted to needing less sunlight and, were they to suddenly start getting more than they already do, it would actually hurt them. They get ample nutrition of the soil because the Great Lowoods actually have roots that run as deep as they are tall, allowing them to draw nutrients from deep underground, leaving all on the surface for the smaller flora. The smaller plants then provide food and nutrients to the local fauna which in turn give back to the flora that feed them. As for the Great Lowoods, they see all that live under their canopy as their children and feel it is their responsibility to maintain and provide a safe environment where all can thrive.” He explains.

  “You speak of the t-trees as if they are s-s-sentient.” I point out.

  “Aye, lass. That’s because they are.” He replies smiling at me. “If you listen closely, you can hear them talking, even without plant speak. They are actually asking me about you, they are telling me that there is something different about you from the last time you passed through their domain.”

  “Really?” I nervously laugh to myself while trying to not let my nervousness show.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  I must have failed because my dad, who isn’t the most observant man in the world, replies.

  “It’s nothing to worry about, lass. I am explaining all that you have gone through recently, and they seem to understand such events can have a drastic impact on one’s being. They are actually quite wise.”

  We ride in silence for a while after that and I close my eyes to try to listen as my father had mentioned to see if I can hear anything. After a few minutes I hear what sounds like whispering among the rustling of leaves in the slight breeze. It isn’t loud enough for me to make out any words, but I can hear it, making it easier to pick the sound out without having to concentrate as hard on listening.

  “Hmm.” My dad grunts suddenly. “They wish to meet you.”

  My mother looks up at him sharply with a look I can’t quite describe.

  “M-m-me?” I ask, stumbling over one word.

  “Aye. We’ll have to make a slight detour but it won’t take us too far out of the way.” My father explains.

  “Dear, do we really have time for this?” My mother asks.

  “We should, it won’t delay us by much.” My father replies, patting my mother softly on the knee as if to reassure her.

  My father leans out the window to call the captain of our guard over. After giving him some instructions, the captain rides away, heading to the front of the convoy. Soon after, we divert from the hard paved road onto a path made with soft dirt which is a huge improvement over the stones that make up the main road. As we travel further away from the road, I notice the frown that has been on my mother’s face deepening. I want to ask her what is wrong, but am afraid it might start an argument between my parents so I wisely keep my mouth shut. It doesn’t take long before she notices me watching her and returns her face to a neutral expression. I study her face for a little bit longer before turning my attention back to the world outside of my window.

  True to my father’s word, it doesn’t take us long to arrive at our destination, a huge shaded clearing with the biggest tree I have ever seen in either of my two lives sitting in center of it. We come to a stop right on the edge of the clearing and the door to our carriage is opened by one of the guards. My father climbs out first then extends his hand to me, helping me down to the ground. I take a minute to stretch, not realizing how stiff I had gotten just from the few hours we had been cooped up so far. While I stretch, he offers a hand to my mother who refuses and remains in the carriage.

  Seeing that my mother isn’t coming, he shrugs, turns to me and smiles before giving me a gentle push to lead towards the giant tree that dominates the clearing. I glance back at my mother who I see reaching over and retrieving my book from where I had been sitting.

  Ahh, I can’t believe I left that there! I scream in my head, my face flushing with embarrassment right before stumbling on a rock and having my dad reach out to steady me.

  “Are you ok, lass?” He asks and I just nod dumbly in response.

  We soon arrive at the tree and he approaches it first. Standing beside its massive trunk, he reaches out and lays his hand on it, staying that way for a couple of minutes. Eventually, he removes his hand and motions for me to come and join him, which I do. Following his instructions, I place my hand on the tree and close my eyes, turning my thoughts inward. I feel my father’s large hand cover mine briefly and all of my senses suddenly feel as if they have been cut off.

  I open my eyes and all around me is a featureless field of darkness with only a lone tree that stands before me. There is a shimmer at its base that a young woman, not much older than me, steps out of. Her figure is tall and willowy, her hair a cascade of leaves that flow from her head down over her shoulders. Her eyes are the green of grass and her skin is the color of pine bark. She is beautiful in an otherworldly way that could calm even the most turbulent of hearts. Her lips are curled into a pleasant smile that can only be called warm and kind.

  “So, you are Damian’s solution.” Her lips don’t move when she speaks, yet I hear her voice with my ears all the same. Her kindly gaze incircles me and I feel my body flooded with warmth as I feel myself being analyzed. “Hmmm. Yes, you’ll do just fine, my dear.

  “I am Ygg, the Keeper of Life. Everyone on this planet is a child of mine... Except for you. You are a foreign soul, and yet you still feel as though you are one of my own.” She pauses and looks to the left.

  “What’s so important that you had to call me here, Ygg?” I hear a familiar voice say. “I was right in the middle of setting up the best prank on Alethia when you call…” The voice trails off and Damian pops into existence beside her. His eyes lock on me and sweat pops up on his brow.

  “There you are.” Her smile changes from kindly to critical as she looks at Damian who, as always, is very dapper in his dress. Her eyes swing back to me. “Dear, give me just a minute and I’ll be right with you. I didn’t realize our normally late to everything resident delinquent would be on time for once.”

  Her head swivels toward Damian and though I can’t hear what exactly is being said, I can guess by the animated posturing of Damian as they speak. Whatever she is telling him isn’t anything good. At several points he gestures to me, but Ygg’s eyes remain locked on him throughout their talk. After a few minutes, Damian’s shoulders slump and his whole posture takes on a dejected stance.

  “I’m sorry about that, child.” She says to me, her expression brightening. “I’m sure by now you are wondering why I wanted to meet you and the reason is quite simple. I don’t trust this fool,” she gestures to Damian, “to not make a total mess of things. Now, having seen you and examined you, I feel that his choice was adequate, even if he did mess up a little in the process.”

  “B-but, I haven’t even said anything yet.” I say, confusion plain on my face.

  “There wasn’t any need for you to speak, child.” Her voice is full of warmth. “All I needed was to see you in person with my own eyes to glean what I needed to know. You are very similar to her, you know. I can see why he chose you to take her place.”

  “B-but I’m nothing like her. She was so b-brave and c-c-onfident, I’m nothing like that. If I had been in her place on that night, I w-would have been frozen, unable to act. She fought back; she resisted. I’m just a c-coward compared to her; I have enough of her memories to know this.” I look down at my feet.

  “Michael, nay, Beira… You may think that you two are so different, but review the memories you have from her again, when you have time. You’ll find the two of you are much more alike than you think.” She extends a hand to me and I feel myself being drawn toward her. Before I know it, I am within her reach and she appears much larger than she did before. She bends down and her arms engulf me, surrounding me in the rich scent of freshly tilled earth. “Now, I formally welcome you into my arms. From this day forth, you are one of mine.”

  I feel something within me shift, but I can’t explain exactly what.

  She releases me and holds me out at arm’s length.

  “Now, Damian.” Her head swivels toward him. “Don’t you have something to say to our dear, darling Beira?”

  He sighs deeply and looks up at me.

  “I’m sorry I murdered you and stole you away from your world to potentially fix my mistake and cover up a what started as a joke but ended up getting little bit out of hand and accidentally may, or may not, have led to the original owner of your body getting her soul, mostly, ripped out and partially obliterated.” He says, rolling his eyes as he says it. His tone is that of a child that has been caught by its mother and forced to apologize.

  I freeze, my eyes widening as I stare at him.

  “What?!?”