What once I thought was only a plain field instantly changed as soon as I took a step inside the barrier. My jaw hangs open in this unbelievably picturesque village.
The calm woodland where the only sound you could hear was from the leaves and birds is no longer, but instead, my ears are suddenly filled with tiny voices calling out to each other, screaming little elves while they catch bunnies hopping in circles, and some chatting among groups.
Like painting on a plain canvas, as soon as I stepped inside, the plain field no longer empty appeared tiny cottages that go a few meters taller than me beside magnificent trees that covered the entire field. Cottages that are placed above and below the trees are made of wood, and their roofs are covered in grass to blend in with the stunning colors of the woods.
I gazed at every detail of what stood upon me. The atmosphere naturally enchanting; it's not easy to divert one's eyes away. I stood with mouth agape that I hadn't realized my friends who have been trying to get my attention.
"W-what yes sorry I g-got distracted, just wow!" I sputtered with a huge grin. They laugh at my amused expression before signaling me to follow them.
I fixed my composure before following their lead. Little elves paused their work and their conversation when they had a glimpse of the stranger that had just stepped inside their village.
Their eyes go wide in surprise, but they don't look threatened by me. Some bowed their heads as a sign of a kind welcoming gesture that had me wonder; maybe they recognize me as Rosetta, my mother.
The elves lead me past multiple cottages; this place is truly crowded. I excused myself past little elves with colorful pointed hats who are playing and a group carrying harvested plants in a sack to sell off to some of the homes.
We walked until we reached the cottage located below a huge tree, away from the crowd and which must be Pico's home. All the cottages here look identical, camouflaging with nature. But the outside of Pico's home has colorful flowers and herbs neatly planted on the side and some in pots. Pico's mother must've liked gardening.
Aryll knocks on the door thrice before receiving a soft answer from someone inside. He turns the doorknob and pushes the door creaking open.
The elves head inside except for Talus and me. We eyed each other, the house isn't big enough to fit both of us, and I'll have to crouch down to fit inside the door.
"It's okay you go, I'll stay out here," Talus smiles kindly. My heart warms; why did I ever think of this kind-hearted creature to be vicious.
"There's no need for that," both our attention turns toward the elf who came out the door with a wooden walking cane. Her voice is so delicate and so weak. With every bit of strength she has, she pushes herself with the help of her cane to meet me.
She looks very much like Pico, except that her skin has gotten much paler; she wears a corn-yellow cottage dress with a lace collar matching her yellow pointed hat with a sunflower sewed on the side. The other elves appear outside carrying a chair for Pico's mother. She thanks them and sits comfortably down, massaging her knees.
"It's lovely to meet you, Rose. If it weren't for your hair, I'd say that you are Rosetta," she greets, raising her hand for me to shake. I sit down on the grass cross-legged to meet with her height before shaking her tiny hand.
"It's nice to meet you too, uh-"
"Hellen Paralei, but just call me Mrs. Hellen," she smiles oh so sweetly, the smile that crinkles the side of her eyes.
I nod, "Mrs. Hellen, I was excited to meet you because I heard that you knew about my mother?"
Mrs. Hellen pats Pico's head, who sits on the ground beside her, "The very first creature your mother met when she first came here was me. I was out collecting herbs for my potions when she appeared from a cottage somewhere in these woods."
"I appeared from the same cottage too, and I met Talus, Pico, and the rest. Our faith must be alike," I wondered.
"And I wish that it isn't," Mrs. Hellen frowns, "that night, even if my memory was a little blurry from exhaustion, I knew it was her. I tried calling out to her, but she didn't turn around. And as my tiredness brought me back to sleep, I had a glimpse of her face, and she looked somewhat troubled, miserable, and broken."
Mrs. Hellen pauses and coughs out loud; she beats her chest softly before continuing, "I was so tired along with my friends from collecting herbs and hunting all day that we fell asleep below the trees near the cottage. When she left and went back to sleep, I woke up again to the brightness of the light that came from inside the cottage. Everyone woke up to it, but when we checked, no one was in there."
"Aunt Hellen, here, have some water," Aryll appears behind her and hands her the glass of water. She thanks him before turning to me and back to him. For a second, she looks to be deep in thought as if she's debating about something.
"Aryll, my sweet boy, it wasn't Rosetta's fault that night," she says, and Aryll's face dropped about suddenly bringing up the topic. He frowns while his eyes glisten with tears, "the kingdom was looking all over for Rosetta bringing their horses inside the woods and accidentally trampled over Aryll's mother, my older sister who had a broken leg. She didn't survive," she explains the agonizing story.
I gasp with my eyes going wide. This explains why Aryll has been so bitter with me. He lost his mother that night because of the search for my missing mother. It must have been so hard for him.
"I'm so sorry-" I say in a low tone but enough for Aryll to hear. He glances towards me for a second before looking down at his feet.
"It's not your fault, dear," she assures me, "So I raised Aryll as my own; he became an older brother and a cousin to Pico," she looks at her child lovingly.
Although Aryll lost his mother, I'm happy to hear that he still grew up to be loved and cared for by his aunt. Something I never got to experience after I lost my own.
"If you and your mother have the same faith, then be careful of the shadowed man," she warns, and I give her a look of confusion, "I often catch your mother in the woods with a shadow of a man following her around. I think that he's some bad omen."
I then recalled the dream I had. That's right; it must be the same man from my dream. But the man and my mother looked acquainted; she didn't fear him as if they were close.
"I see; thank you for that precious information," I smile slightly, which disappears as soon as she starts coughing severely. Worried, I reach out to her but unsure of what to do. She shakes her head, "I'm okay."
She takes a deep breath before resuming, "your mother must have found someone lovely in your world to be blessed with such a beautiful child," she compliments, and I blush.
"Actually, I never got to meet my father; mother never mentioned him either," I admit, which took her by surprise, "I think that he's no longer with us since he never showed himself."
"Oh, is that so, well-"
"Rose Ann!"
I flinch when I hear the familiar voice. He sounds furious yet relieved that he found me safe. I swallowed hard before turning my head to meet his burning mad eyes that feel like a laser stinging my skin.
"Commander Rhys Farrieth, how lovely to see you," my voice cheery sweet, but that won't fool this man. I know that I've gotten myself deep in trouble this time.
"You're coming back to the castle with me, and I'm not taking a no for an answer."