The Element Table

Chapter 6: Into The Woods

Morgaine led Alianor and Jacquelyn through the trees. The sun was beginning to set, but it was still bright enough for them to see their way through the forest. She hadn't told them where they were going, she just said: "follow me". All they knew was that they were looking for another guardian. There was silence between them as they walked, and they used it to their advantage.

Morgaine used the time to calm herself down. Everything was happening so fast, and she was starting to freak out. The pressure of being the Sun Queen was really starting to set in. Caine was back, and her people were in danger. If she didn't do her part to help the descendants, he would succeed in his plans, and all would be lost. She had to get her confidence up, she had a kingdom to save.

Alianor spent the silence processing the news of being the new guardians. She remembered the stories her grandfather told her about the guardians being brave and strong. She wondered if her clumsy body would hinder her in her quest to save their kingdom.

Jacquelyn was still not convinced of the whole guardians thing and Morgaine being the so-called new Sun Queen. For someone who was a Queen, she didn't look much like royalty. Where were her sceptre and long gown? Why was she wearing tight trousers? Or was this how Queens usually dress on the Northside?

As they walked a clearing could be seen up ahead.

"We're almost there," Morgaine said

Anticipation could be seen on the girls' faces. They had heard many stories about how the people in the forest acted and lived. No one really knew what to believe because there was never any contact with the other side. They would be the first to finally know the truth.

Before they knew it, they were out from under the trees and standing in the clearing.

"Welcome to North Luxia," Morgaine said

Morgaine stood there and waited for the girls to take it all in. Things certainly didn't look the way they expected. They thought their houses would be small huts made of wood that was high up in the trees, but to their surprise, the houses here looked a lot like the houses on the South side.

"Come on," Morgaine said after a few minutes

They continued walking, Alianor and Jacquelyn still observing their surroundings. They noticed that the houses and other buildings there were much further apart than the houses on their side and that it was made of more wood than stone.

Soon they were on a sparsely stoned road and started to see other people. They certainly didn't look like savages like the stories said. The men they passed wore the same things the commoners on their side wore, a tunic, maybe with a coat, and slack or tight trousers. The women, though, were a bit different. To Jacquelyn's amazement, every woman was wearing tight trousers like Morgaine. But unlike her supposed Sun Queen, they had on simple dresses that either at their knees or higher. Alianor and Jacquelyn stuck out like sore thumbs in their floor-length puffy gowns.

Looking around, the girls made a conclusion, this place was a lot like home but in subtle ways, different.

"When the people got banished here, they had very little resources" Morgaine began giving some history "They had to make do with what they found here and what they managed to come over with. Plants were all they found, so that's what they used for food and shelter. The women had to cut their dresses shorter to get around the forest easier and had to start wearing trousers underneath to protect them from insect bites. As time went on and we found more resources, we started to develop. It may not be like where you live, but it's certainly better than it was before"

They listened attentively to Morgaine as they tried to ignore the stares they got as they passed by people.

They noticed another thing as they walked. The buildings and homes were decorated with gold banners and ribbons.